HGVC --> RCI --> All Inclusive Resorts

[Squid]

Hello Everyone,
We were looking at going to the Caribbean / Antilles in the March time period and found several All Inclusive resorts available along with mandatory daily fees averaging from $180-$225 PPPN.

Just from looking at the fees at a per person/per night cost, it seems like using HGVC points (and RCI fees) don't make it worth it compared to other All Inclusive's found in the same area.

Has anyone done a cost benefit analysis on this?

Or, am I correct that there is no real benefit going this way?

Additionally, I just read that HGVC is starting to lean more towards the All Inclusive places as well. Will we also have to pay some daily rate as well?

Thanks for the thoughts and input ahead of time!

 

[Tamaradarann]

Hello Everyone,
We were looking at going to the Caribbean / Antilles in the March time period and found several All Inclusive resorts available along with mandatory daily fees averaging from $180-$225 PPPN.

Just from looking at the fees at a per person/per night cost, it seems like using HGVC points (and RCI fees) don't make it worth it compared to other All Inclusive's found in the same area.

Has anyone done a cost benefit analysis on this?

Or, am I correct that there is no real benefit going this way?

Additionally, I just read that HGVC is starting to lean more towards the All Inclusive places as well. Will we also have to pay some daily rate as well?

Thanks for the thoughts and input ahead of time!

My impression of All Inclusive Resorts is that the cost of the accommodations using; HGVC points, RCI points, or Dollars on Last Calls/Extra Vacations for reservations are low, but the resorts make their money on the mandatory daily PPPN fees. With All Inclusives unless you eat and drink continuously, which we don't, you can't justify the cost.

I have no thoughts on HGVC leaning toward All Inclusive Places and I don't know of any All Inclusive HGVC resorts. Please explain were you got this information with details of the locations of these resorts.

 

[Tamaradarann]

My impression of All Inclusive Resorts is that the cost of the accommodations using; HGVC points, RCI points, or Dollars on Last Calls/Extra Vacations for reservations are low, but the resorts make their money on the mandatory daily PPPN fees. With All Inclusives unless you eat and drink continuously, which we don't, you can't justify the cost.

I have no thoughts on HGVC leaning toward All Inclusive Places and I don't know of any All Inclusive HGVC resorts. Please explain were you got this information with details of the locations of these resorts.

Furthermore, I have always seen a number of All Inclusive Resorts on the RCI website that are available. Even at the last minute with no advanced planning since the PPPN fees make them SO expensive. It is one of the reasons that although we are in NY, we don't go to the Caribbean, but rather go to Hawaii for our winter getaways from the cold.

 

[hurnik]

IMO, I've never seen an RCI exchange (possibly one of the "getaways") be worth it for an AI.
At least any time I've ever checked, I can get a much better deal either directly with the resort site itself, or via cheapcaribbean or some other site.

There have been some exceptions with the SFX Travel Store, however. Usually with the El Cid resorts. Not 5 star. Probably closer to 3.5-4 star.

 

[CalGalTraveler]

There was a beautiful 5 star resort in Cabo that was an RCI getaway for next to nothing and the mandatory AI was $1200 per person per day. (I kid you not.) Probably hoped to snag someone with the getaway who didn't notice the AI fee until they arrived at the resort.

RCI pushes AI all the time, however I haven't noticed anything with HGVC in this direction.

 

[Tamaradarann]

There was a beautiful 5 star resort in Cabo that was an RCI getaway for next to nothing and the mandatory AI was $1200 per person per day. (I kid you not.) Probably hoped to snag someone with the getaway who didn't notice the AI fee until they arrived at the resort.

RCI pushes AI all the time, however I haven't noticed anything with HGVC in this direction.

I haven't seen anything with mandatory AI as high as $1200PPPD, but I have seen them in the $200PPPD range. That comes to about $2800/week for the All Inclusive for 2 people for an accommodation cost of $250 or so from RCI. I think that RCI pushes the AI's since a couple of days after you book the AI, (after the free recision period is over), they send a note alerting you to the AI cost PPPD, and say that if you don't want to keep this reservation the normal cancellation fees apply!! If you cancel the reservation RCI gets to keep the reservation fee or the extra vacation/last call fee for giving you nothing!!

 

[Sandy VDH]

There is one RCI Exchange that is not bad, IMHO, and that is the Explorean Resorts (run by Fiesta American).

https://www.explorean.com/index-en.html

They are available from HGVC directly, but they are also available via RCI. I got one for an getaway, so exchange fee only and NO TPUs. The fee also includes 1 daily activity, in addition to food and beverages. In the case of the Cozumel resort, it also give you access to all the facilities at the Fiesta America Cozumel.

The Fees via RCI are $100 pp/pd and the fees via HGVC are $80 pp/pd. Which for an AI fee is not bad, but one that also includes an activity is good.

In general, most AI through RCI at not worth it. For what you pay in fees you likely can get a travel package that is less when you add up all the fees ( MFs, exchange, AI and flights).