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Travel smart vs rci points

gto11520

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Hi all need your help, I am a first time user and a first purchase a semi timeshare owner not sure if this even is a full blown time share. maybe you guys can help clarify.

I am lonesome owner of a travel smart contract owner of this program
Type of Membership: SILVER 200 PRIME
Number of SmartPoints or weeks: 20,000
15 year membership contract
maint fee : 275 annually
transfer fee to rci : 250 per transfer

1. this was purchased through a resort via travelsmart part of sunwing group
2. might of been trapped by sales sharks

My wife and i was aware of the use fees per travelling expenses when going to any of there resorts... this was very unclear at the time of the sale presentation. After purchase and reading thru the guide...

Travelsmart guide rci transfer point
Exchanging your SmartPoints in RCI The RCI system usually works by requesting a week from the RCI system in exchange for the deposit of the week you own. As a TSVC member, you don’t need to convert your SmartPoints to a week to be deposited in RCI to request an exchange you can trade in your SmartPoints directly. To achieve
this, TSVC and RCI have determined a conversion factor of SmartPoints for each RCI Trading Power point. The RCI Trading Power (“TP”) is the value RCI assigns to its members’ deposits and may vary depending on the supply and demand of the resort destination, the season, the unit type and the
resort quality of each individual deposit. The RCI Exchange Trading Power (“ETP”) is the value of the individual weeks that are available in the
RCI system. The TP determines the weeks that will be available for exchange within the RCI system as valued through their ETP’s. ETP is considered on a 7 consecutive night basis, with predefined check in dates.
To know how many SmartPoints you need to book an RCI exchange, just multiply the ETP x 1,000.


The reason we want to transfer to rci points is because we was unaware of the high use fees of the resort that is offered by contract. we like someone to help us breakdown the rci formula and see if we can turn our points into rci point and maybe useful to use through rci database.

we plan to travel to Asia, florida, and parts of europe. which is not offered with travelsmart.
 

tschwa2

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A few in S and VA, a single resort in NC, MD, PA, and UT, plus Jamaica and the Bahamas
There is no way to exchange what you have for rci points.

I don't think rci points is going to open up a ton of availability to you either so I wouldn't be quick to purchase something else. I am imagining you want southern gulf florida in the winter, you won't find very much if any availability with points. Big cities in Europe or at least touristy areas during warm or at least warmish times again no availability through RCI points. I am not that familiar with Asia through RCI points but I think a bulk are going to be in resort areas where locals go to get away not used as larger accommodations in tourist and business areas.

You have 20 tpu's (trading power units) that you can use through RCI weeks system. Weeks are given a trading power rating of 2-60. 20 might be the average for a 1 br in prime season.
 

Passepartout

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Doesn't look like a 'full blown' timeshare to me. Maybe a travel club of some kind. These are not well thought of here because they aren't backed by anything. No deed= no ownership. Which begs the question, where do they get their inventory? Probably RCI Last Calls, which are generally 2nd or 3rd tier TSs in shoulder or off season. You won't see beach resorts in summer time, or ski resorts for President's day or MLK holiday weeks. Or ANY availability for school holidays.

If you bought this last week, there is a chance you can rescind the purchase and get your money back. If not, probably give booking in their internal system a time or two and see how it goes.

If you REALLY want RCI Points, just buy one on the resale market for a few bucks and have the real thing. Deed and all. Bear in mind that as stated above, timeshares in Europe and Asia are generally located away from cities, and touristy areas, and are not the resorty kind of destination places we associate with timeshares in the US.

Jim
 

gto11520

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thanks for the quick response... however i am able to hold my 20 tpu's over 2 years which will get me about 40 tpu and transfer over to rci ...does rci allows 40 tpu to be expired maybe i can build point over time???


There is no way to exchange what you have for rci points.

I don't think rci points is going to open up a ton of availability to you either so I wouldn't be quick to purchase something else. I am imagining you want southern gulf florida in the winter, you won't find very much if any availability with points. Big cities in Europe or at least touristy areas during warm or at least warmish times again no availability through RCI points. I am not that familiar with Asia through RCI points but I think a bulk are going to be in resort areas where locals go to get away not used as larger accommodations in tourist and business areas.

You have 20 tpu's (trading power units) that you can use through RCI weeks system. Weeks are given a trading power rating of 2-60. 20 might be the average for a 1 br in prime season.
 

tschwa2

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It's another $119 or so to combine and combining extends for 2 years from the combination date. I somehow doubt it will be so simple through your club unless you have a direct log on to an rci account that they deposit the points into.
 

gto11520

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It's another $119 or so to combine and combining extends for 2 years from the combination date. I somehow doubt it will be so simple through your club unless you have a direct log on to an rci account that they deposit the points into.

Thanks for your response :clap: sorry for the late response it would cost me 275 per tranfser to rci website which have a login with password given by my resort. rci will cost me another 100 dollar for a yearly membership is it worth to continue with rci???
 

Venter

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Marriott's Club Son Antem, Marriott's Lakeshore Reserve, Marriott Vacation Club @ Los Suenos, MVC points, Sheraton Lakeside Terrace, Sheraton Flex, Westin Flex, Aventuras
Lemons and lemonade...

Sorry to chime in about something I have no first hand experience about but I do read a lot on here.

It seems like most point out that this is not ideal but unlike some travel clubs that the OP has some control if he invests some extra dollars. For 40 TPU's (if possible having his own account) combined over two years it will cost roughly $1500. 2 x $275 yearly MF, 2 x $275 transfer to RCI, 2 x $100 membership to RCI and $119 to combine TPU's. I do not know what the exchange fee will be.

This is a lot of money but no more than some pay in MF for less TPU's and from what I read 40 TPU's are not to be sniffed at although it will not get you into really high demand 2 bedroom places but could get you into a 1 bedroom.

Also consider what you may pay for a hotel in Europe for seven days.

Just trying to bring some positive perspective to this thread. Others who know RCI better will also hopefully be able to help you make the most of your situation and for 20 TPU's if you are flexible and have time to make it work for you it could also be positive.
 
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