RCI cancelling 1 of my Manhattan Club exchanges for same check-in 1 in 4?

[Sydney]

I confirmed and paid for exchanges into 2 units for Manhattan Club for the same week because our family is a large size. I rang up to see if I can hold a 3rd unit for my older sister. Not only can I not confirm a 3rd but the VC said he was going to cancel my 2nd exchange for the same check-in. We have 5 kids so need the 2 rooms otherwise we can't go.

They say the 1 in 4 means that you can't book more than one unit for the same check-in nor can you book two consecutive weeks. I thought I had read to the contrary. Is this correct?

They're cancelling my second unit! I am so upset as this is a dream trip.

They said I must have not read the terms and conditions properly and would have clicked on the terms and conditions. I did not see any terms and conditions that stated that I couldn't confirm the 2nd unit. It was all done online.

I actually thought anyway from reading TUG and Timeshare Forums that with 1 in 4, you can book 2 units for the same week or two consecutive units. The Australian office says that is incorrect and that Manhattan Club would not let us check-in, and that the US office would cancel it anyway next week once they see it has been done. So upsetting.

I don't understand why the system would let me book it then with my Worldmark points? Are they applying the right rules? Am very confused and upset as it is contrary to what I have read.

 

[BevL]

According to the old Ask RCI forum, Madge said there that MOST resorts consider consecutive/concurrent exchanges to not violate the one in four.

However, AFAIK, the one in four is imposed by the resort, not RCI so I think it's MC that's at fault here.

 

[Sydney]

Thank you Bev.

 

[Margariet]

I confirmed and paid for exchanges into 2 units for Manhattan Club for the same week because our family is a large size. I rang up to see if I can hold a 3rd unit for my older sister. Not only can I not confirm a 3rd but the VC said he was going to cancel my 2nd exchange for the same check-in. We have 5 kids so need the 2 rooms otherwise we can't go.

They say the 1 in 4 means that you can't book more than one unit for the same check-in nor can you book two consecutive weeks. I thought I had read to the contrary. Is this correct?

They're cancelling my second unit! I am so upset as this is a dream trip.

They said I must have not read the terms and conditions properly and would have clicked on the terms and conditions. I did not see any terms and conditions that stated that I couldn't confirm the 2nd unit. It was all done online.

I actually thought anyway from reading TUG and Timeshare Forums that with 1 in 4, you can book 2 units for the same week or two consecutive units. The Australian office says that is incorrect and that Manhattan Club would not let us check-in, and that the US office would cancel it anyway next week once they see it has been done. So upsetting.

I don't understand why the system would let me book it then with my Worldmark points? Are they applying the right rules? Am very confused and upset as it is contrary to what I have read.

I don't know about booking two units for the same week but I do know that two consecutive weeks are allowed. I do have a week confirmed in the Manhattan Club and I am allowed to make a reservation for the consecutive week. Not that I want to but I just noticed that the system shows it. There is also a studio showing during my confirmed week which I am able to reserve as well. Other weeks are not available for me to book because of the 1 in 4 yr rule. So I don't understand why your two units are not allowed. You were allowed to book them online, right? How long ago did you book your two units? Did you already receive your vouchers from RCI? As long as you have your two confirmations and they are not cancelled in your account, you are confirmed. What I would advice you is to get in touch directly with the Manhattan Club and ask them about this matter.

 

[Sydney]

Yes, confirmed it online on Wednesday, less than 2 days ago, my time. I noticed the system does the same for Massanutten, when I went there before, they let me book the same week again or a consecutive week. But apparently, MC is different? Yet the RCI system does not distinguish so let me book it, the same as it would for other 1 in 4 weeks.

RCI Australia is manually going to cancel one of the exchanges. They insist it is the rule and said I should not have been able to do it. I do have the confirmation as printed them out but they say that does not matter as it is against the 1 in 4 rules which they said I would have seen and mustn't have read properly before clicking through. This is not the case. There were no such stipulations of what 1 in 4 meant for the MC.

They told me that I would have had to click through the 1 in 4 rule stipulations that I could not book concurrently or consecutively when I made the booking but I didn't. I honestly do not think it would stipulate anything else other than that it is 1 in 4, and now it seems like there are different 1 in 4 rules also.

In all my years, I had thought that I had read in passing that 1 in 4 meant concurrent and consecutive weeks are OK.

 

[BevL]

If RCI hasn't cancelled it yet, it might be worth a try to call MC to see if they would allow it.

 

[Sydney]

I called from here, Sydney Australia, earlier but they were closed so I left 2 messages since there was a busy messgae the first time, so I rang back. But I think they might actually be closed.

 

[Carolinian]

1-in-4 is an RCI thing, and an assinine one at that. Try SFX. They get a fair amount of MC and don't play the 1-in-4 game.

Too bad that Bootleg is not still around. He could have gotten to the bottom of it at RCI for you!

 

[Sydney]

I own Worldmark AU so can get a prime week in Sydney. Maybe I should use my Worldmark for SFX. Have never used my SFX account before.

 

[jehb2]

...the VC said he was going to cancel my 2nd exchange for the same check-in.

I think the VC is wrong. There have been several times when the VC just didn't understand the rules. One time a VC wouldn't let me make a MC reservation because she said I was breaking the 1-in-4 rule. She just couldn't count correctly. I finally just hung up, called right back and got a different counselor. She was able to count correctly and I had no problem booking my reservation.

Also, I have stayed at the MC twice and each time we stayed for two consecutive weeks.

Good luck

 

[BevL]

Did you have any luck getting this resolved?

 

[MuranoJo]

Sydney,
I'd push back with RCI--call again and speak with someone else. I personally booked two 1 bds on the same week. Yes, it's been awhile, but I don't think they've changed those rules since then, and I hope like heck the VC you spoke with hasn't cancelled your additional week.

I wonder if you hadn't called to ask about a 3rd unit, they probably wouldn't have done anything. A 1-in-4, as previously mentioned, usually doesn't impact multiple units at one week, or even two consecutive weeks at MC. I think you may have gotten a VC who was misinformed.

 

[kalua]

1 in 4 rule

I would call rci again ,last month I booked 2 3bdrms. units a HHI, as the guide was booking I ask him about the rule he said there should not be a problem as long as I was booking both at the same time,but later I checked on the site for that resort and the rci resort page said 1in 4 rule applies and I could no longer see anything at that resort, and the management company just last week sent me my confirmation for both reservations.

 

[blueparrot]

I would second the suggestion of calling to talk to someone else. Sometimes, when I get a bum answer from someone at AAdvantage ff program, I call back, talk to someone else and get it taken care of the way I want.

Australian RCI might not be too familiar with this resort. The other option is to get the US RCI number and call them. It might be some leverage to casually mention in the conversation that you know that SFX has no 1-in-4 rule at this resort, so maybe you would be better off to use them.

 

[Sydney]

Yes, I originally thought it was because the AU VCs were clueless but after having it escalated twice, it seems they are fairly definite about the rule. They also told me that it is possible for the US to have different 1 in 4 rules to Australia. Roll eyes. Yes, I know how it all sounds and I am totally in disbelief that this might possibly be the case, but that's what they said and I can't argue with them. Anyway, it's been resolved now but I can't go into detail as promised I wouldn't online.

This will probably be the first and last time we go to New York so this issue is unlikely to come up again for us.

Thanks so much for all the advice! I really just wanted to check regarding my understanding of the 1 in 4 rule and how it applies for everyone else with TMC. I sometimes think Australia is so far away and members are at the mercy of the policy of the day.

 

[tombo]

I tried to book 2 back to back weeks at Manhattan Club. They said one week stay per 4 years per membership, no exceptions. I was also told that I could not book concurrent weeks ever since that would also be 2 weeks in a 4 year period. They were very specific and the RCI superviser confirmed it this summer when I booked for next spring. They were so firm on the 1 in 4 that I was afraid to tack on a 3 day offer Manhatten club sent me to take timeshare tour. Rather than possibly have them cancel one or the other I booked additional days at West 57th through points. Too big of a trip to take a chance. From my experience it is not just Australia subject to the Manhattan Club's strict 1 in 4 rules.