RCI Extra Vacation Getaway

[DKL Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close DKL]

Hi,

We've been monitoring RCI points for HI (Big Island and Honolulu) for July 2008 hoping some last minute units would come up. So far we have no luck yet.

We've noticed that under the "Extra Vacation" section there are units available for rent.

Can someone explain to us (newbies) why aren't those units available for points exchange??? Is that how RCI (for that matter any TS exchangers) operate - release few unit for exchange and keep most for rent??

Thanks
DKL

[katiemack Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close katiemack]

This is a main complaint with regard to RCI, and is a trend that has increased exponentially over the past 3 to 5 years. But of late, the blatant abuse of timeshares deposited with RCI and put into the "rental" pool has been out of this world.

We don't have RCI points, but the same is true on the weeks side of RCI.

[katiemack Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close katiemack]

The Endless Vacation website shows rentals also:


Paniolo Greens is located in the village of Waikoloa, nestled in the heart of the Big Island's Up Country region of panoramic vistas and rolling ranch ...

2 bedroom (6)

Jul 06-Jul 13
$1,693.51* - 7 nights


2 bedroom (6)

Jul 13-Jul 20
$1,693.51* - 7 nights


2 bedroom (6)

Jul 20-Jul 27
$1,693.51* - 7 nights


2 bedroom (6)

Jul 27-Aug 03
$1,693.51* - 7 nights



go to Endless Vacations Website if you want to see other ways RCI sells off inventory.

[DKL Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close DKL]

Ugh,

I guess we'll need to rent instead of exchange

This time we'll be at Hawaii for two weeks and since this will be our first time to Big Island and 2nd time (long time ago) to Oahu, any suggestions on what is a good part of the Island to stay for family 3 (we have a 7-year old girl).

Any recommendations on accommodations?? Were can I look for rentals ?

When we went to Maui few years ago we stayed at Sheraton and it was really nice but expensive. I guess that's why we got into timeshare.

Thanks
DKL

[lawren2 Malibu Beach Barbie & A Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close lawren2]

There are other and better exchange company options than Rental Condominiums International for Hawaii.

Now that you have 15 posts you can access the RCI Exchange Opportunity Forum. Summer Hawaii is on my daily rotation.

[Sydney Contributor - Bronze Find all posts View Profile Close Sydney]

Hi,
Can someone explain to us (newbies) why aren't those units available for points exchange??? Is that how RCI (for that matter any TS exchangers) operate - release few unit for exchange and keep most for rent??

Thanks
DKL

No, not all exchange companies do this.

[katiemack Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close katiemack]

As Lawren and Sydney point out, there are other options.

If you have already deposited with RCI, you are going to be limited this year in getting an exchange only thru RCI. But no matter what your salesperson told you, you do have the right to work with other exchange companies...

There is the possibility of finding a trade for next year, if you plan now, or for two years from now. RCI is usually more successful for you if you can plan out at least a year in advance.

If you are going to rent, try checking around this site and you will see links for many other avenues, such as Hawaii Timeshare Exchange....or Trading Places.

Do you already have your air reservations, and are you locked into dates?

[DKL Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close DKL]

Thanks for everyone's help.

Katiemack, When we got our RCI membership (late Dec/07), I didn't need to deposit our unit, RCI said it was already deposited. I guess Grandview (bought Oct/07 from developer ) did that for us.

As for air tickets, we already have them. We used our UAL frequent miles and got three tickets (7/16-07/29) so we are locked in. If we can't exchange we would need to rent.

Since we are going this year, we probably won't be going back for few more years. We may try caribbean or Florida for 2009. Are those destinations hard to exchange too? Is summer good time to go - I think it's hurricane season.

DKL

[lawren2 Malibu Beach Barbie & A Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close lawren2]

Here is today's Hawaii RCI availability for July points and points to weeks. Hope it helps you.

Shell Vacations Club at Paniolo Greens (#6092)
68-1845 Waikoloa Road
P.O. Box 384382
Waikoloa
HI 96738
USA Phone: 808/883-0600
www.shellvacationsclub.com


Select Unit Select Unit Type Privacy/Max
Occupancy Kitchen Check-in
Date Check-out
Date RCI Points Value
2 Bedrooms 6/6 Full 07/22/2008 07/29/2008 79,000
2 Bedrooms 6/6 Full 07/22/2008 07/29/2008 79,000

Kona Billfisher (#0029)
75-5841 Alii Drive
Kailua-Kona
HI 96740
USA Phone: 808/329-9277
Kona Billfisher Timeshare Units For Sale, Rent and Exchange in Kailua Kona Hawaii
konabill@kona.net


Select Unit Select Unit Type Privacy/Max
Occupancy Kitchen Check-in
Date Check-out
Date RCI Points Value
1 Bedroom 2/4 Full 07/29/2008 08/05/2008 36,000

[DKL Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close DKL]

Thanks Lawren2!

I just checked RCI points standard reservation using:

State: Hawaii
Date: 02/July/2008 (system says it does 30 day search)

I got only:
Shell Vacations Club at Paniolo Greens (#6092)
2 Bedrooms 6/6 Full 07/02/2008 07/09/2008 79,000
2 Bedrooms 6/6 Full 07/08/2008 07/15/2008 79,000

Is there another way to search points resort to get your results?

DKL

[lawren2 Malibu Beach Barbie & A Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close lawren2]

Thanks Lawren2!

I just checked RCI points standard reservation using:

State: Hawaii
Date: 02/July/2008 (system says it does 30 day search)

I got only:
Shell Vacations Club at Paniolo Greens (#6092)
2 Bedrooms 6/6 Full 07/02/2008 07/09/2008 79,000
2 Bedrooms 6/6 Full 07/08/2008 07/15/2008 79,000

Is there another way to search points resort to get your results?

DKL

Yes go into the RCI WEEKS RESERVATION option for more availability.

The original dates are not there any longer for SVC. The maddening part of RCI Points is the inability to put in an on-going search. It is all manual.

Here is what I currently see in standard points:

Shell Vacations Club at Paniolo Greens (#6092)
68-1845 Waikoloa Road
P.O. Box 384382
Waikoloa
HI 96738
USA Phone: 808/883-0600
www.shellvacationsclub.com

Select Unit Select Unit Type Privacy/Max
Occupancy Kitchen Check-in
Date Check-out
Date RCI Points Value
2 Bedrooms 6/6 Full 07/10/2008 07/17/2008 79,000
2 Bedrooms 6/6 Full 07/10/2008 07/17/2008 79,000

Here is WEEKS availability:

Sorry, we did not find a match for your search. Please change your search criteria and try again.

Check here as early as you can each day as I don't generally have the time to cross post:
http://www.timeshareforums.com/forum...opportunities/

[eglon999 Member Find all posts View Profile Close eglon999]

Hi,

We've been monitoring RCI points for HI (Big Island and Honolulu) for July 2008 hoping some last minute units would come up. So far we have no luck yet.

We've noticed that under the "Extra Vacation" section there are units available for rent.

Can someone explain to us (newbies) why aren't those units available for points exchange??? Is that how RCI (for that matter any TS exchangers) operate - release few unit for exchange and keep most for rent??

Thanks
DKL

I posed this question to the RCI rep yesterday because there was a specific Thursday-Thursday Extra Vacation reservation that I wanted at a resort (instead of some of the other dates that came up during my exchange search). The rep said that was "different" inventory, such as developer inventory and inventory that RCI buys. So it was not available to me as an exchange. I am not an expert and am just relaying what I was told. Perhaps others may know more.


There was A LOT more available for SALE than for EXCHANGE at the same resort.

[Glitter Brunello Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Glitter Brunello]

I posed this question to the RCI rep yesterday because there was a specific Thursday-Thursday Extra Vacation reservation that I wanted at a resort (instead of some of the other dates that came up during my exchange search). The rep said that was "different" inventory, such as developer inventory and inventory that RCI buys. So it was not available to me as an exchange. I am not an expert and am just relaying what I was told. Perhaps others may know more.


There was A LOT more available for SALE than for EXCHANGE at the same resort.

As maddening as it is, this is often the case with RCI. The rep told you correctly, it is "different" inventory in that RCI marks it for rental only. Where it comes from is anybody's guess - it is supposed to come from other sources, like developer inventory. RCI also takes the weeks it cons people out of in exchange for discount (yeah right) cruises and rents them. Many suspect they also take prime exchange weeks and rent them, but this hasn't been proven and I'm unaware of the status of the class action suit involving this alleged practice.