RCI points dont cover next vacation-help!

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

Of course, if you do want to buy more timeshare, it should never be at developer prices ''through your home resort'' but from the bargain basement of timeshare resales known as eBay. Now, if your home resort is no longer in active develop0er sales and you can buy HOA resales, that is another matter as they are often at good prices.

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

You can't start an ongoing search with RCI Points. One of the negatives of RCI points.

You could buy a cheap week somewhere like Branson for $1 that will allow you to do points for deposit to get more points. That way if the points system goes all to hell at least you've got weeks as a backup system and could deposit it to other exchange companies.

[philsfan Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close philsfan]

You can't start an ongoing search with RCI Points. One of the negatives of RCI points.

You can't start a search by yourself using the Points web site. You can't start a search for a standard reservation.

You can call and start a search against the weeks reservation pool as a points owner. You have to ask for the lower exchange rate that you can get by starting a search by yourself online if you are a weeks owner searching in weeks. Since you are unable to start the search online from the points side, they will transfer you to the web support group who will give you the lower rate.

If you get a match, it will show up under My Account/Vacation Plans/On Hold or Confirmed (depending on how the search is set up). You won't be able to see the search itself. You have to take their word that it is set up correctly.

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

You can't start a search by yourself using the Points web site. You can't start a search for a standard reservation.

You can call and start a search against the weeks reservation pool as a points owner. You have to ask for the lower exchange rate that you can get by starting a search by yourself online if you are a weeks owner searching in weeks. Since you are unable to start the search online from the points side, they will transfer you to the web support group who will give you the lower rate.

If you get a match, it will show up under My Account/Vacation Plans/On Hold or Confirmed (depending on how the search is set up). You won't be able to see the search itself. You have to take their word that it is set up correctly.

Good to know. Thanks for the tidbit.

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

I am a new member... I have owned since 1998, began selling in 2003. I do not know where and what you own, I can tell you that 9000 RCI points will get you a 7 night/ 8day exchange to a "weeks" resort 45 days or less to check in. During that timeframe it doesn't matter whether its a 2 bedroom, 1 bedroom or a studio its 9000 points and in some areas less...Providing you are flexible -you can get multiple weeks with even relatively small point package.

Hi VO4me,
RCI instant exchanges changed when the RCI weeks side started showing trading power. The 6500-9000 deals are down to 30 days from 45 and only when RCI drops the trading power to around 11(out of 60) or below. Some weeks require full points even if the check in in 7 days away now. Also since the trading power is greatly reduced for weeks members too now who also get change back and don't have to use a whole deposit for a last minute trade the availability is way down for the last call instant exchanges for points members.

"SallyH"

[philsfan Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close philsfan]

Also since the trading power is greatly reduced for weeks members too now who also get change back and don't have to use a whole deposit for a last minute trade the availability is way down for the last call instant exchanges for points members.

"SallyH"

I knew last minute inventory was way down but I had no idea why, thanks Sally.

[MisterE Member Find all posts View Profile Close MisterE]

Hi VO4me,
RCI instant exchanges changed when the RCI weeks side started showing trading power. The 6500-9000 deals are down to 30 days from 45 and only when RCI drops the trading power to around 11(out of 60) or below. Some weeks require full points even if the check in in 7 days away now. Also since the trading power is greatly reduced for weeks members too now who also get change back and don't have to use a whole deposit for a last minute trade the availability is way down for the last call instant exchanges for points members.

"SallyH"

Can someone interpret this in laymans terms?

[philsfan Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close philsfan]

Can someone interpret this in laymans terms?

In the past, when RCI weeks owners made an exchange it was a simple one for one trade. This year the system changed so that if a weeks owner trades a unit with a high trade value for something lower, the will have some residual trade power to use to possibly grab another week. For example, a resort that has a value of 40 is traded for a resort that has a value of 25. That leaves 15 in change for that owner. That extra 15 can easily get a last minute exchange that was not possible before this year.

[MisterE Member Find all posts View Profile Close MisterE]

In the past, when RCI weeks owners made an exchange it was a simple one for one trade. This year the system changed so that if a weeks owner trades a unit with a high trade value for something lower, the will have some residual trade power to use to possibly grab another week. For example, a resort that has a value of 40 is traded for a resort that has a value of 25. That leaves 15 in change for that owner. That extra 15 can easily get a last minute exchange that was not possible before this year.

how does that affect points owners?

[philsfan Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close philsfan]

how does that affect points owners?

In the past, nice last minute weeks could be had for 9k points or less. Not so much any more. Less inventory and now they don't discount all of the last minute stuff.

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

So is it better to have points or weeks? I have both, but I have more power in weeks than points.

[glypnirsgirl Member Find all posts View Profile Close glypnirsgirl]

Depends on what you want ...

I love the points system for HGVC long weekends. I can book 4 or 5 nights and not worry about spending more trading power than I have. I also seem to see different resorts in points than in weeks - HGVC in particular.

Having said that, there are some trades that are MUCH better in weeks. DVC seems to fall into this category. It has cost me as much as 65K in points (2 weeks at my underlying points resort) and just one week in the week system.

I like having both and comparing availability.

elaine