Timeshare unit or RCI Points

[AlbertaTravel]

Here's a question from someone looking to buy. Me. Just come across an ad on TUG for a Vancouver Island unit. It starts out saying there is 35000 RCI points and then describes the unit. I'm confused. Am I buying a unit or am I buying points. I don't quite understand the Point system so as I keep reading I'm trying to figure out questions I don't even know I'm supposed to ask. I am understanding regular timeshare with II but even with them can anyone help me with what I should be asking when I find something I may like and E-mail.
Thanks from a confused Newfie

 

[AwayWeGo]

My Dinky Points Timeshare = 15,000 Points.

Just come across an ad on TUG for a Vancouver Island unit. It starts out saying there is 35000 RCI points and then describes the unit. I'm confused. Am I buying a unit or am I buying points.

If it works like my timeshare, it's a regular unit.

But the timeshare resort joined up with RCI Points, & the points-value of my 1BR-1BA deeded points-timeshare unit is 15,000 points per year. (The timeshare was already in RCI Points before I bought the unit there. My unit had been "converted" to points & stayed converted when it transferred to me. If I had already owned the unit as a straight week & then the resort joined RCI Points, my unit would not have automatically "converted" -- i.e., I would have had to pay a little something for conversion.)

As long as I'm a paid-up member of RCI Points in good standing, I get my annual injection of points & I'm good to go for any exchanges I'm able to snag using those points.

If I let my RCI Points membership lapse (but I keep on paying my mandatory annual fees to the timeshare resort), then I no longer get any RCI Points for my unit but I can keep on going there & checking in during whatever week of the year my deed says.

If I want to go there myself some year instead of getting an injection of points, I just have to make my reservation before my year's worth of points go into my account. That way I don't have to pay an exchange fee for using my own deeded timeshare week.

I agree that the ins & outs of timeshares & timeshare exchanges & timeshare points can be semi-confusing. Oddly, however, after a while it all starts making sense in its own crazy way.

Who'd a-thunk ?

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

 

[AlbertaTravel]

Thank so much.
So no matter what I actually have a unit not just points. One more of my questions answered.

 

[Bill4728]

Thank so much.
So no matter what I actually have a unit not just points. One more of my questions answered.

YES & NO!!

Some resorts have a week based system. You buy a week, and get a certain size and season ( or a fixed unit and fixed week). Then that unit can be converted to RCI points. ( which you can quit if you want). This is the most often seen system of ownership in RCI point resorts.

BUT there are other TS systems, which are based on points. With those systems, you are buying points in the system and not buying a week of TS.