USE FF Plus Points for RCI Points Resorts

[myhottoddy]

I have 507,500 FF points and I am considering adding FF's Plus Partners package. The major benifit appears to be the ability to ignor trading power limitations using points vs fixed weeks. I understand that if I have enough FF
points for the night or week I want and it is available, I should get the trade.

The added ability to trade points for airfare, rental cars,etc. seems of little value unless one can't use all of his points before expiration.

I would not have to be an RCI Points member. Tips on this issue are appreciated.

Tom

 

[ausman]

Nothing great to help you. The Nightly Stay Option is described beginning on page 201 of the 2004-2005 Members Directory.

As you probably know FF uses the RCI exchanging points chart to value exchanges. the red 70K studio, 105K 1BR and 154K 2BR . Friday through Saturday stays require more points on a daily basis that Sunday through Thursday stays. So, all resorts are valued equally in FF eyes, from the best to the dumpiest.

I would consider the choice of resorts to be limited although certain areas have a goodly number of resorts available. Florida (surprise), Hawaii and the Carribean have a good number as does CA. It would be well worth while seeing what is available in the areas you are considering using this for.

The best use of Nightly stays within the FF system in my mind is to use them to extend a vacation. Use a day or two either side due to travel restrictions etc.

The use of the fixed point grid makes weekly stays uneconomic for me and a poor choice to use my FF points. However we all are in different situations and it may make sense for you and some locations. Flexibility certainly is one of the great strengths of the Fairfield system.

 

[G. B. Wayne]

I've used the RCI nightly stays many times--Hawaii, Lake Tahoe, Sedona, Phoenix, and Park City. Recently, I had over 500,000 FF points that were due to expire the end of
June this year and really didn't want to convert them to weeks. I have too many weeks sitting in my RCI account already. Decided to use the points for a 7-day cruise to the Mexican Riviera. The out-of-pocket expense was less than $400 for two people for 7 days on a Carnival cruise. Because the maintenance fees that go along with some of those points are quite low, I feel I got a pretty good deal...not great, but fair/equitable. The cruise was certainly a lot better deal for me than more weeks in my RCI account, or just letting the points expire. I have really enjoyed the flexibility that FF points have given me. They sort of round-out my vacation options.

Gypsy B. Wayne
A TUG member that doesn't know how to change
her permanent guest status

 

[EAM]

I have 507,500 FF points and I am considering adding FF's Plus Partners package. The major benifit appears to be the ability to ignor trading power limitations using points vs fixed weeks. I understand that if I have enough FF points for the night or week I want and it is available, I should get the trade.

The added ability to trade points for airfare, rental cars,etc. seems of little value unless one can't use all of his points before expiration. Tips on this issue are appreciated.

Tom

Tom,

I don't think that trading power limitations go away when you have FSP/PP and use the FSP points in the weeks system. I think you should get confirmation from RCI before you act on this assumption. The trading power restrictions are supposed to go away in the points system, though.

I expected the RCI Nightly Stay program to work like the FSP points system: i.e. at 10 months everything that would be available was made available to anyone who had the right number of points for the reservation. However, when I called to make reservation in Hawaii, I kept getting different information on availability. Although I don't recall the exact details, it went something like this: one time I would be told that there were three resorts available, one on Maui, two on Kaui. Next, there was only one available on the big island. Next there were three available on Kauai, none on any other island. I don't know why the availability kept changing with every telephone call. I could understand if on my first call 10 were available, on the next call fewer, and so forth, but every time I called I was offered only a few resorts and they were different every time.

We ended up getting two consecutive Tues-Tues 2BR weeks on Kauai, a different resort each week. We really needed the Tuesday checkin because of a college graduation and a wedding the same month. So, in the end, we were very happy with our first experience with RCI Nightly Stay.

Last year we used PlusPartners for 8 nights in a Chicago hotel room, and got a reasonably good deal. Another time we used them for two nights at a Ramada Inn and essentially broke even. We have never tried using them for a rental car because we want the free extra insurance we get by charging the car rental to a Visa Gold or Platinum.

 

[ausman]

Tom,

What did you decide to do.

 

[myhottoddy]

I believe I converted to Plus Points although the documents for my signature haven't arrived yet. Since I am grand-fathered in as FF VIP Gold,
I was able to pay aconversion fee only. We have attended annual "updates"
for the past 3 years and the price for Plus Partners with a minimum points purchase has continued to rise. I don't need additional MF. If the deal doesnt come thru, I will not be upset. I am spending far too much time seraching for exchanges!

Tom