Questions about my new RCI Points account

[Chilcotin]

My first points account with RCI for my first timeshare purchase was open as of yesterday.

Our family of three wants to go to Hawaii (preferably Maui) in early January 2013 to celebrate DD college graduation.

I could not find any availability. Do I have to wait until 10 months out before the points resorts are in the system?

We want to stay for two weeks. If we stay at a weeks resort do we have to make two separate reservations for each week with RCI? If so, would we have to move units which I would prefer not to do. When you do the search is there anyway to know which are points resorts and which are weeks resorts?

I bought off of ebay (while researching my timeshare purchase) the book RCI POINTS USER GUIDE Tips, Tricks and Secrets by Allen Kelley. Although the book was just published in July 2011 it doesn't seem applicable anymore for booking instructions since the upgrade. It did however help me understand the difference between weeks and points resorts, Last Call and Extra Vacations with RCI.

I have 196,000 RCI points for use year 2012 (my resale purchase included 98000 points from use year 2011 which was added to 2012) and 98,000 for use year 2013. When I made a "dummy" booking ~ just went to confirm but did not hold for a place in the Caribbean in January 2013 (in case Hawaii doesn't work out) why did RCI ask if I want to borrow points from 2013? I thought RCI used your oldest points first as long as your membership is paid for the year you are booking.

So much for this Newbie to learn. Any help greatly appreciated.

 

[rickandcindy23]

I think we answered these questions before, but availability for Maui in RCI has been historically dismal. All of a sudden, Consolidated Resorts decided to deposit a huge number of Maui weeks (used to be only II affiliated resorts)to RCI, creating a glut of weeks that I posted under Sightings/ Distressed here on TUG several months ago. Consolidated manages Sands of Kahana, Kahana Villas, Kahana Beach, Gardens of West Maui, Maui Beach and Maui Banyan Clubs, and Hono Koa. There may be others.

RCI received this huge bulk banking, and it was gone very quickly, because RCI owners are so deprived of Maui inventory, the members were pretty excited to see these weeks. Me included. :rofl:

II has also gotten a large number of weeks for 2012 and 2013, so I don't know if this was a one-time only banking, or if Consolidated will do more later on.

That being said, the current banking of Ka'anapli Beach Club was nice to see, and you can expect more of those, along with some other various resorts on Maui, even if Consolidated chooses to deposit all future inventory with II.

 

[DeniseM]

Cindy - Shouldn't the OP put in an ongoing request?

 

[rickandcindy23]

With RCI Points, you cannot put in an ongoing request. It's maybe in the works for the future, but for now, it's grab it online when you see it.

That's a shame for RCI Points, and certainly makes it more logical to use that free RCI Weeks account you get with your RCI Points account. I only pay for the points account, and my old original weeks account I had for 30 years is now included.

In order to open up and use that free weeks account, you must first buy a week to deposit. You will still be considered a Points member, but when you have a question about your Weeks account, RCI guides of both can help you.

It depends what you want to get with your week in exchange, but I definitely recommend summer coastal weeks, with the lowest fees you can find. There are other areas that are equally valuable, like ski areas inland, and hard-to-get areas like Wisconsin summer. My knowledge of the best areas is limited because I found my perfect fit and am no looking anywhere else, but I know there are others that work great for what you want to do.

 

[andrew]

Hey Cindy,

I have done an on going search in my points account, but I had to call RCI to do it. No way of doing it online, but it can be done.

 

[philemer]

Hey Cindy,

I have done an on going search in my points account, but I had to call RCI to do it. No way of doing it online, but it can be done.

Good to know. Still true or can you do it online? I'm thinking of buying a points resort/account so I can have more options. Are the cheapest ones, M/F wise, still in Texas?

 

[eakhat]

I just entered an on-going request for RCI Points.