RCI Upgrades and changes

[buzglyd]

Anyone ever have success with the Upgrades and Changes feature?

$49 and you can request a larger room at your resort or a totally different resort. The change can only happen within 2 weeks of your reservation and your card isn't charged unless it happens. I'm giving it a shot for the two upcoming exchanges I have.

 

[travelhacker]

Anyone ever have success with the Upgrades and Changes feature?

$49 and you can request a larger room at your resort or a totally different resort. The change can only happen within 2 weeks of your reservation and your card isn't charged unless it happens. I'm giving it a shot for the two upcoming exchanges I have.

I would upgrade to platinum and it’s free. Particularly if you are going to try for 2 weeks.

I think people have had limited success with it.

 

[buzglyd]

I would upgrade to platinum and it’s free. Particularly if you are going to try for 2 weeks.

I think people have had limited success with it.

I thought about that but if I upgrade to Platinum I have to pay that fee whether the upgrade goes through or not.

 

[nerodog]

I would upgrade to platinum and it’s free. Particularly if you are going to try for 2 weeks.

I think people have had limited success with it.

Is it true that it's up to the resort to offer the upgrade? I had been told the resort does not have to comply.

 

[tschwa2]

Is it true that it's up to the resort to offer the upgrade? I had been told the resort does not have to comply.

It's up to rci if they get exchange inventory. The resort may not even know that you were upgraded, they just see that you got an exchange into the larger unit.

Some resorts (presumably those in active sales and deposit a lot of excess inventory into rci) may tell rci that they don't want members to be able to upgrade through this program. In that case rci will either tell you when you ask for an upgrade that upgrades aren't available or they simply have their computer programmed not to confirm an upgrade even if one becomes available.

 

[buzglyd]

It's up to rci if they get exchange inventory. The resort may not even know that you were upgraded, they just see that you got an exchange into the larger unit.

Some resorts (presumably those in active sales and deposit a lot of excess inventory into rci) may tell rci that they don't want members to be able to upgrade through this program. In that case rci will either tell you when you ask for an upgrade that upgrades aren't available or they simply have their computer programmed not to confirm an upgrade even if one becomes available.

That's how I figure it or perhaps a late cancellation.

I've got an exchange into a doodle bug resort on Redington beach at the end of July. I put the resort change request in for the new Wyndham Clearwater property. I figure it's worth $49 for that.

In 2021 I have a 1BR exchange at Samoset. I put the request for a 2BR but no change of resort.

I doubt I'll get either but it doesn't cost me anything if it fails.

 

[HenryT]

I thought about that but if I upgrade to Platinum I have to pay that fee whether the upgrade goes through or not.

There is also no guarantee you will get the upgrade if you just pay the $49.

A RCI Platinum membership costs $89 for a year. If you pay to request 2 upgrades in a year without Platinum, that cost is $98 and if you don't get them you would have paid $98 for nothing. At least with RCI Platinum you would have other benefits you may be able to use.

 

[buzglyd]

There is also no guarantee you will get the upgrade if you just pay the $49.

A RCI Platinum membership costs $89 for a year. If you pay to request 2 upgrades in a year without Platinum, that cost is $98 and if you don't get them you would have paid $98 for nothing. At least with RCI Platinum you would have other benefits you may be able to use.

The upgrade fee is only charged if the upgrade goes through. Otherwise, zero.

The rest of the Platinum benefits aren’t that compelling. Plus my exchanges span two membership years so I’d have to double up on the Platinum.

I don’t normally exchange with RCI but had to this year because I lost two renters due to the Wu Flu.

 

[moonstone]

I have tried the upgrade (from a 1 bedroom to a 2) twice in the last year and didn't get either one. The first time was at a resort in the Berkshires in late August, the 2nd was at a resort in Ormond Beach FL in late October so not hugely prime time or areas. I said I'd take a 2 bedroom at the same or nearby resort. Ahh well what we had was fine!

~Diane

 

[geerlijd]

I was successful once a couple years ago in Aruba. A 1BR at Casa Del Mar was upgraded to a 2BR at Costa Linda, which is a significant upgrade if you've been to both resorts. It came through about 3 days before arrival.

 

[nerodog]

T

It's up to rci if they get exchange inventory. The resort may not even know that you were upgraded, they just see that you got an exchange into the larger unit.

Some resorts (presumably those in active sales and deposit a lot of excess inventory into rci) may tell rci that they don't want members to be able to upgrade through this program. In that case rci will either tell you when you ask for an upgrade that upgrades aren't available or they simply have their computer programmed not to confirm an upgrade even if one becomes available.

Thx for the explanation. I wondered as I had seen a 2BR show up on RCI and I had a 1BR booked already. When I called that it was available, same dates I didn't get it :-(. The rep said they would put it in but it was the resort option. I'm still with 1BR.

 

[tschwa2]

T
Thx for the explanation. I wondered as I had seen a 2BR show up on RCI and I had a 1BR booked already. When I called that it was available, same dates I didn't get it :-(. The rep said they would put it in but it was the resort option. I'm still with 1BR.

Two things could have been in play. Either the resort didn't allow it or it was just that the upgrade batch hadn't run. They only run it once a day and will not manually upgrade you before the batch runs. So if an upgrade becomes available at 2pm and the batch runs at 2am it would sit available all day for someone to book and then at 2 am if it were still available the system would match it. Upgrades are really only given as leftovers and others get the shot to book before upgrades automatch.

 

[sfwilshire]

Worked for me last year at Christmas. 1 br Vistana upgraded to 2 br.

 

[DougP]

Two things could have been in play. Either the resort didn't allow it or it was just that the upgrade batch hadn't run. They only run it once a day and will not manually upgrade you before the batch runs. So if an upgrade becomes available at 2pm and the batch runs at 2am it would sit available all day for someone to book and then at 2 am if it were still available the system would match it. Upgrades are really only given as leftovers and others get the shot to book before upgrades automatch.

This seems to be the way it works. Frustrating when you see an available unit in inventory that matches your upgrade request but you don’t get it.

Am Platinum and regularly put in the request. So far 1 for 8.

 

[tschwa2]

This seems to be the way it works. Frustrating when you see an available unit in inventory that matches your upgrade request but you don’t get it.

Am Platinum and regularly put in the request. So far 1 for 8.

I am about 3 for 10. Twice it was from Woodstone in Massanutten to Regal Vistas and once was from a studio in OC to a 2 BR at my preferred resort in OC. That one was a surprise but it was in the last two years so it was probably a covid covered last minute cancellation.

 

[AwayWeGo]

We went Platinum 3 years ago.

The 1st year, 10% Platinum discounts on 3 Last Call reservation pretty much paid for the $99 cost of going Platinum.

The next year, we got a Unit Upgrade -- reserved 1BR, got assigned instead to a nice 2BR unit at the same timeshare. The extra living space & extra bathroom were definitely worth $99.

Same thing (Unit Upgrade) again the 3rd year -- i.e., for the $99 cost of Platinum status, we got plenty of beds & sleep-sofa for the grandkids & their friends the nights they were there, plus extra space plus a 2nd full bathroom for us to use the rest of the week.

Is this a great country or what ?

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​