In 2024 I acquired a 1 week 3-BR deeded contract at an RCI affiliated resort for paying the 2025 year's maintenance fees & a transfer fee and, coincident with that acquisition, I bought a small points Wyndham deeded contract in Atlanta from Wyndham to be able to PIC the RCI affiliated resort. That got me to Silver VIP level in Wyndham.
Per discussions I've had in other posts, I understand that I don't have to deposit the week into RCI, and I don't have to exchange the RCI deposit into Wyndham points with any set frequency, (or ever), in order to maintain my PIC generated Silver VIP level with Wyndham. (Sales weasels had told me I had to deposit and exchange it minimally every 3 years to keep it active in the PIC program for VIP.)
I did do the RCI deposit and Wyndham points exchange with the 2025 week. It was a relatively painless process for 2025 and got me 254,000 points and 3 HK credits. No so much a painless process for 2026. I booked a week through the resort, called RCI to deposit the week and got a "relation number" to give Wyndham, then called Wyndham to do the exchange and paid my $226 fee, (it was $169 last year, now it's $226). Supposedly everything was fine, and I was told my points would be in my Wyndham account in 5-7 business days. 4 days later I got an email from the RCI affiliated resort telling me that RCI had deposited the wrong week and that I needed to contact them to correct the week. I called RCI and they corrected it, (the resort confirmed it was corrected). Then I called Wyndham to let them know what happened. They said I'd have to wait 7 days before the correction was done with Wyndham, then my points should show in my account. 7 days later, still no points, so I called Wyndham again. They said they had not gotten a correction from RCI, and I needed to contact RCI again. I called RCI and they confirmed the correction had been done and gave me the new "relation number" for Wyndham (and they emailed me the deposit confirmation this time). I called Wyndham with the new "relation number" and was told again that I would need to wait 7 more days for the points to show in my account. 7 days later, still no points in my account, so I called Wyndham again. Wyndham said if I had them do the exchange again that they'd have to charge me the $226 again. (and the first $226 wouldn't be refunded). They suggested I wait 7 more days and said that if the original exchange was rejected that the original $226 I paid would be refunded, then I could do the exchange again. 7 more days passed and still no points in my account AND no rejection or refund of the original exchange fee I paid. I called Wyndham again and was told that the problem was "being escalated" and I needed to wait 7 more days. By this time 25 days had passed since my initial contact with Wyndham to do the exchange. My credit card requires a contesting of a charge to be done within 30 days of the charge, so I told Wyndham if the points were not in my account by the 28th day, I was contesting the charge. The points were not in the account on the 28th day, (and still aren't now at the 32-day mark), so I contested the charge with my credit card company and I was given a temporary credit while they investigate. (I'm not holding my breath that this mess is going to be resolved anytime soon.)
BUT I gave all that background information of the hassle I've had this year to get the reason for my question on whether to leave a PIC contract deposit in RCI or to exchange it into Wyndham points. If I just left the week deposited in RCI, I'd avoid the $266, (for now), exchange fee for Wyndham, and I'd be able to book within RCI with my deposit.
I know if I exchange it into Wyndham points that they count as developer points and are eligible for VIP benefits in making a reservation. My deposited week has a 32-trading power in RCI. In looking at trades available in RCI, it looks like I should be able to get 2 or 3+ weeks' stays at many resorts within RCI. My understanding is that there is a $299 charge for every reservation I make in RCI with my deposited week, so that makes an argument for paying the 1-time $266 exchange fee and being able to use the Wyndham points to book within the Wyndham system, including Club Pass resorts. If there were RCI resorts I wanted to book, it seems like it would make more sense to leave the deposit in RCI to book with rather than booking through RCI with my Wyndham points.
For those Tuggers with PIC contracts, what words of wisdom can you share with me about your experiences of the pros and cons of leaving a deposit in RCI and booking within RCI and of exchanging it into points in Wyndham?
Per discussions I've had in other posts, I understand that I don't have to deposit the week into RCI, and I don't have to exchange the RCI deposit into Wyndham points with any set frequency, (or ever), in order to maintain my PIC generated Silver VIP level with Wyndham. (Sales weasels had told me I had to deposit and exchange it minimally every 3 years to keep it active in the PIC program for VIP.)
I did do the RCI deposit and Wyndham points exchange with the 2025 week. It was a relatively painless process for 2025 and got me 254,000 points and 3 HK credits. No so much a painless process for 2026. I booked a week through the resort, called RCI to deposit the week and got a "relation number" to give Wyndham, then called Wyndham to do the exchange and paid my $226 fee, (it was $169 last year, now it's $226). Supposedly everything was fine, and I was told my points would be in my Wyndham account in 5-7 business days. 4 days later I got an email from the RCI affiliated resort telling me that RCI had deposited the wrong week and that I needed to contact them to correct the week. I called RCI and they corrected it, (the resort confirmed it was corrected). Then I called Wyndham to let them know what happened. They said I'd have to wait 7 days before the correction was done with Wyndham, then my points should show in my account. 7 days later, still no points, so I called Wyndham again. They said they had not gotten a correction from RCI, and I needed to contact RCI again. I called RCI and they confirmed the correction had been done and gave me the new "relation number" for Wyndham (and they emailed me the deposit confirmation this time). I called Wyndham with the new "relation number" and was told again that I would need to wait 7 more days for the points to show in my account. 7 days later, still no points in my account, so I called Wyndham again. Wyndham said if I had them do the exchange again that they'd have to charge me the $226 again. (and the first $226 wouldn't be refunded). They suggested I wait 7 more days and said that if the original exchange was rejected that the original $226 I paid would be refunded, then I could do the exchange again. 7 more days passed and still no points in my account AND no rejection or refund of the original exchange fee I paid. I called Wyndham again and was told that the problem was "being escalated" and I needed to wait 7 more days. By this time 25 days had passed since my initial contact with Wyndham to do the exchange. My credit card requires a contesting of a charge to be done within 30 days of the charge, so I told Wyndham if the points were not in my account by the 28th day, I was contesting the charge. The points were not in the account on the 28th day, (and still aren't now at the 32-day mark), so I contested the charge with my credit card company and I was given a temporary credit while they investigate. (I'm not holding my breath that this mess is going to be resolved anytime soon.)
BUT I gave all that background information of the hassle I've had this year to get the reason for my question on whether to leave a PIC contract deposit in RCI or to exchange it into Wyndham points. If I just left the week deposited in RCI, I'd avoid the $266, (for now), exchange fee for Wyndham, and I'd be able to book within RCI with my deposit.
I know if I exchange it into Wyndham points that they count as developer points and are eligible for VIP benefits in making a reservation. My deposited week has a 32-trading power in RCI. In looking at trades available in RCI, it looks like I should be able to get 2 or 3+ weeks' stays at many resorts within RCI. My understanding is that there is a $299 charge for every reservation I make in RCI with my deposited week, so that makes an argument for paying the 1-time $266 exchange fee and being able to use the Wyndham points to book within the Wyndham system, including Club Pass resorts. If there were RCI resorts I wanted to book, it seems like it would make more sense to leave the deposit in RCI to book with rather than booking through RCI with my Wyndham points.
For those Tuggers with PIC contracts, what words of wisdom can you share with me about your experiences of the pros and cons of leaving a deposit in RCI and booking within RCI and of exchanging it into points in Wyndham?
