RCI - 4 weeks how to use before they expire when I call and nothing is available

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

In 2010, I had 308,000 Wyndham points that were to expire. I was pregnant, and had our daughter on St. Patrick's Day 2010. So we didn't go on vacation. The points were close to expiring and the person that I talked to at Wyndham told me my only option at that point was to exchange them with RCI. So now I have 4 weeks set to expire on 6/20/12. My husband and I tried to use a week on our 2011 vacation (we travel in Feb) but nothing was available so we ended up using Wyndham points again. I am already calling RCI to try to get into resorts for Feb 2012 and none of the places I want to go have any openings. We have tried Hawaii, all of the Caribbean, and even St. Augustine! So how in the heck are you to get into a resort with RCI. I have to travel with my 4 weeks before 6/20/12 or lose them all but there isn't ever any place available that I want to go!! What is the trick with RCI? Also, I can search online with RCI but I deposited my weeks before the change so I can't book, and I see units available but then the RCI agent tells me those units aren't available with my weeks; why is that?

And can someone please explain to me what the difference is between nightly stays and weeks? Thanks!!

[eal Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close eal]

I'm not crystal clear about how Wyndham works, but if you pay RCI $99 you should be able to combine the TPU's for all four of your weeks and then find a vacation almost anywhere that will may be shorter than 4 weeks but still make for a great vacation.

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

But if you pay to extend, your extension clock will start running when you as you pay the $99, so it is best to wait until they are about to expire, which will give you the longest use period.

February is prime time for the Caribbean, and a more difficult trade.

RCI is now widely renting exchange deposits to the general public for cash, which means a lot of good inventory is never offered to the members for exchange.

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

I'm not crystal clear about how Wyndham works, but if you pay RCI $99 you should be able to combine the TPU's for all four of your weeks and then find a vacation almost anywhere that will may be shorter than 4 weeks but still make for a great vacation.

Unfortunately you can't combine Wyndham weeks with your regular weeks to get the TPU's to combine. Not sure why they won't let us do this but it really sucks canal water.

How did you deposit your points to RCI? In what sort of increments?