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Needing advice on RCI points

prajora

TUG Member
Joined
Sep 3, 2020
Messages
148
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12
Points
78
Location
San Francisco
Resorts Owned
HGVC, RCI points
Hello All,
I am new to Timeshares. I do own HGVC 7000 every other year. Bought at retail so not smart.
Now I have used couple of HGVC resorts and enjoyed it.

We are in San Francisco Bay area (Northern California).

Since my first wrong purchase, I have learnt to buy dirt cheap on resale.

I am currently considering buying RCI point 74,000 every other year (for almost $100) on resale.

I would like advice if there is good way to use my RCI points in Northern California, Napa, Wine country, South Lake Tahoe area so my points can be used good.

Any good advice from experienced owners esp in Northern California area will be helpful.

Thank you
Pari
 

pharmacistking

TUG Member
Joined
Aug 28, 2019
Messages
300
Reaction score
195
Points
104
Location
Boucherville, Qc, Canada
Resorts Owned
SVV - Bella
SDO
The Grandview Las Vegas
MVC Grand Chateau
I would suggest WM points. More expensive but a lot of good resorts on the west coast. You will get more for what you are looking for...
 

prajora

TUG Member
Joined
Sep 3, 2020
Messages
148
Reaction score
12
Points
78
Location
San Francisco
Resorts Owned
HGVC, RCI points
I would suggest WM points. More expensive but a lot of good resorts on the west coast. You will get more for what you are looking for...

I agree with Wymdham having more resorts on West Coast. But is RCI not having WYM in their list?
 

CPNY

TUG Member
Joined
Jun 18, 2019
Messages
7,508
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4,393
Points
349
Resorts Owned
Harborside Resort at Atlantis
SVV - Key West/Bella
WKV
Regal Vista at Massanutten
Hello All,
I am new to Timeshares. I do own HGVC 7000 every other year. Bought at retail so not smart.
Now I have used couple of HGVC resorts and enjoyed it.

We are in San Francisco Bay area (Northern California).

Since my first wrong purchase, I have learnt to buy dirt cheap on resale.

I am currently considering buying RCI point 74,000 every other year (for almost $100) on resale.

I would like advice if there is good way to use my RCI points in Northern California, Napa, Wine country, South Lake Tahoe area so my points can be used good.

Any good advice from experienced owners esp in Northern California area will be helpful.

Thank you
Pari
Hold off on that points contract. What resort is it in? If you buy RCI points make sure you’re getting a good high point value unit with a low maintenance fee. What’s the MF on those points each year?
 

rickandcindy23

TUG Review Crew: Elite
TUG Member
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31,901
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Location
The Centennial State
Resorts Owned
Wyndham Founder; Disney OKW & SSR; Marriott's Willow Ridge,Shadow Ridge,Grand Chateau;Val Chatelle; Hono Koa OF (3); SBR(LOTS), SDO a few; Grand Palms; WKORV-OF (2),Westin Desert Willow.
You can get Wyndham and WorldMark resorts through RCI Points, so that is not a bad idea. However, 74,000 points is not very many, depending on what unit size you need and where you want to be.

WorldMark has a nice timeshare in Windsor, CA. It's reasonable points, too. Shell Points has Vino Bello, and you might get a few nights at a time with RCI Points. I discovered that it is much cheaper to exchange into Vino Bello with RCI exchange than with Shell Points. That is a kick in the you-know-where, but it works for me because I own in both systems. I can compare my net cost and make a choice. Even the studio side of the lockoff is really nice, as long as you don't need that full kitchen.
 

prajora

TUG Member
Joined
Sep 3, 2020
Messages
148
Reaction score
12
Points
78
Location
San Francisco
Resorts Owned
HGVC, RCI points
You can get Wyndham and WorldMark resorts through RCI Points, so that is not a bad idea. However, 74,000 points is not very many, depending on what unit size you need and where you want to be.

WorldMark has a nice timeshare in Windsor, CA. It's reasonable points, too. Shell Points has Vino Bello, and you might get a few nights at a time with RCI Points. I discovered that it is much cheaper to exchange into Vino Bello with RCI exchange than with Shell Points. That is a kick in the you-know-where, but it works for me because I own in both systems. I can compare my net cost and make a choice. Even the studio side of the lockoff is really nice, as long as you don't need that full kitchen.
Great tips and advice. Appreciate it
 

prajora

TUG Member
Joined
Sep 3, 2020
Messages
148
Reaction score
12
Points
78
Location
San Francisco
Resorts Owned
HGVC, RCI points
I am told that the best thing about RCI points is if can get a booking less than 30days away you only use 9000 points. Are there places one can get in northern California? If they are overbooked than for pratical purpose one cannot use them. Just based on first hand experience. Thank you
 

markb53

TUG Member
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Aug 13, 2011
Messages
930
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253
Points
274
Location
Northern California
Resorts Owned
CWA
Panama City Beach
Worldmark
Very little available in Northern California for the next 30 days. Most of what you see in RCI at the moment is for next January through March. There are a couple resorts in South Lake Tahoe that have a single night available. Generally speaking there rarely much available in N. California close in for low point. I also would recommend WorldMark Credits if you want Northern California. With WorldMark you get San Francisco, Windsor, Clearlake, Angels Camp, and Monterey(which I hear is hard to get into).
 

prajora

TUG Member
Joined
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Messages
148
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12
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78
Location
San Francisco
Resorts Owned
HGVC, RCI points
Very little available in Northern California for the next 30 days. Most of what you see in RCI at the moment is for next January through March. There are a couple resorts in South Lake Tahoe that have a single night available. Generally speaking there rarely much available in N. California close in for low point. I also would recommend WorldMark Credits if you want Northern California. With WorldMark you get San Francisco, Windsor, Clearlake, Angels Camp, and Monterey(which I hear is hard to get into).
Thank you Mark. I thought you get access to World Mark properties thru RCI. Are there TSs just for World Mark points? Kindly let me know if that is the case. Thanks
 

tschwa2

TUG Review Crew: Veteran
TUG Member
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16,004
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4,676
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748
Location
Maryland
Resorts Owned
A few in S and VA, a single resort in NC, MD, PA, and UT, plus Jamaica and the Bahamas
Thank you Mark. I thought you get access to World Mark properties thru RCI. Are there TSs just for World Mark points? Kindly let me know if that is the case. Thanks
You get acccess to WM through rci the same as you get access to HGVC through RCI. You only get what the club wants to deposit in RCI which is probably only 5% or less, of prime inventory and 20% of off season inventory. Purchasing worldmark points gives you direct access to all worldmark although prime prime weeks are still hard to get as there is a lot of competion.
 
Last edited:

Eric B

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Resorts Owned
Vacation Village, Wyndham, WorldMark, Vistana, Vidanta, Flora Farms, HGVC Max, and some independents
Thank you Mark. I thought you get access to World Mark properties thru RCI. Are there TSs just for World Mark points? Kindly let me know if that is the case. Thanks

WorldMark is one of the points systems that you should read up on following this link and its progeny:


You'll notice that RCI points is not on the chart of points systems - this is because it isn't really a points system timeshare, but instead a points system exchange that services a variety of different timeshare systems from different developers. As others have mentioned, you only get a booking through RCI for a resort when the developer or one of the owners decides to make it available. In addition, you have to pay an exchange fee to RCI. If the WorldMark system has resorts that you would like to use, owning at WorldMark would get you credits (points) to use to book a stay at a WorldMark resort (similar to the HGVC you own) before they are made available in RCI and without paying an additional fee - it might be more expensive than some TS in RCI, but has some advantages.
 
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