BlueGreen RCI Accounts

[gandalf252002 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close gandalf252002]

Hi There,

I will start by posting this here, and than probably head over the RCI forum to find out more there.

Can somebody tell me what the difference is between my "BlueGreen" RCI account and a full blown RCI account is? Specifically what I would like to know is if there is any really direct benefit to upgrading?

I recently had problems logging in as I have previously through the www.rci.com site. Have since found out that you can no longer login that way you HAVE to go through the BlueGreen website first.

[GrayFal Silver Contributor and supermoderator Find all posts View Profile Close GrayFal]

Hi There,

I will start by posting this here, and than probably head over the RCI forum to find out more there.

Can somebody tell me what the difference is between my "BlueGreen" RCI account and a full blown RCI account is? Specifically what I would like to know is if there is any really direct benefit to upgrading?

I recently had problems logging in as I have previously through the www.rci.com site. Have since found out that you can no longer login that way you HAVE to go through the BlueGreen website first.

to TS4Ms - and thanks for all the nice things you have done for our members.

I believe you said you have 12,000 EOY points and I am not sure if these were purchased directly from Bluegreen or their authorized reseller Pinnacle.

I became a BGVC member last summer.
I had Bluegreen set up a RCI weeks and RCI Points account for me.

I can still access the weeks account and have other ownerships deposited in that account.

In November, the RCI/BGVC interface and relationship changed.

Instead of reserving a week with BG points and then depositing that reservation into RCI - you exchange directly using points (there are a few exceptions).

Here is how it works.

You log into the BGVC website.
You pick "using the Club" then scroll down to "making exchanges"
There is an RCI blurb - you click on "get started now"
A new window will open - you have to agree to the terms and conditions....
and then the RCI window will open.

There is an orange bar across the top.....below it will tel u how many points you have available for exchange....
Pick from the orange bar "RCI Exchange Reservation"
Then "RCI Weekly Reservations" and look around....there is a straight cross-over grid..example - a studio in the northeast is 10,000 BG points
a 2BR in Florida is 18,000 BG Points

There are 'seasons' with some variation but you will see that as u search.

Now if your points are "authorized" and u are a Bronze owner - you will also see a link on that last page for "RCI Nightly Reservations" to make less then 7 day resies.

Try this and then see what other questions you have.

edit - this is the RCI/BG crossover grid - this is for Points but now also is used for weeks.
https://bluegreenowner.com//MS/Resor...01_15_2010.pdf

[oak426 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close oak426]

Can you get RCI added on if you did not buy from Pinnacle or Bluegreen?

[GrayFal Silver Contributor and supermoderator Find all posts View Profile Close GrayFal]

Can you get RCI added on if you did not buy from Pinnacle or Bluegreen?

All Bluegreen Vacation Club owners have an RCI Weeks account as part of their ownership.

Follow the log-in instructions above to get to yours.

You have to be "bronze" to have access to RCI Points or "Nightly Reservations" thru the Travelers Plus Program.

[gandalf252002 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close gandalf252002]

I actually have 4 contracts in total.

1 is 7000 EY
1 is 1000 EY
1 is 11000 EY
1 is 12,000 EOY

The first one was bought through BocaBum (prior to joining this forum ). This of course got me Travellers Plus. Still not sure yet whether or not this will end up being to my advantage.

I purchased the other 3 on eBay thinking that they would count to premier membership, but of course they do not. Still a small price to pay as the additional points in each of the purchases I got progressively better deals. The other 32,000 points were still less combined than my original 1 contract. The maintenance fees were also paid for 2011 so I got the free points for this year.

The "plan" was to rent out these additional points and then sell the contracts to make a profit. Again, that does not seem to be working out for me as I have had a difficult time renting pretty much anything out. If you do not already have it booked, then when a person makes a request I am finding that what they want has no vacancy.

I have not given up on this yet, but feel I may end up getting stuck with a lot of points and maintenance fees to boot. As I understand it the RCI nightly stays has nothing to do with being Bronze, but a traveller's plus member as I have access to the nightly stays with my points.

I am no possibly looking into exchanges, such as DAE and using my points this way so we will see how that goes. I may end up combining my contracts eventually but there will certainly be a cost to that I can not afford right now.

[GrayFal Silver Contributor and supermoderator Find all posts View Profile Close GrayFal]

I did not realize that Travelers Plus was not related to Bronze/Gold/Plat status so that is a good thing - because it is worthwhile IMHO.

[gandalf252002 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close gandalf252002]

There definately are some added bonuses, just not sure that it was worth $2000 plus the annual renewal fee is all. The entertainment guide is of value for restaurants and day trips. I must have seen the value in it as well because I specifially went to BocaBum and Pinnacle because they game with the premier benefits. I do like the resort hot weeks but with only 3 weeks of vacation a year there is only so much one can do! Guess looking at it over the long term for the next 10 to 20 years it will probably pay for itself. What do you like most about it?

[GrayFal Silver Contributor and supermoderator Find all posts View Profile Close GrayFal]

There definitely are some added bonuses, just not sure that it was worth $2000 plus the annual renewal fee is all. The entertainment guide is of value for restaurants and day trips. I must have seen the value in it as well because I specifically went to BocaBum and Pinnacle because they game with the premier benefits. I do like the resort hot weeks but with only 3 weeks of vacation a year there is only so much one can do! Guess looking at it over the long term for the next 10 to 20 years it will probably pay for itself. What do you like most about it?

I saved $130 on a 2 day hotel resie - so that pays for 2 years right there - I was attending a wedding and this was the hotel I needed at half price.

I like the access to RCI Nightly stays.
I will like Select connections online soon
There will be another resort group added shortly

Hot weeks are not useful to me now, maybe when I retire

I like how BG does not nickel and dime you - no housekeepingfees on short days.

I like that I can book for the amount of time and days of the week I want.
I have 3 units in Aruba for the 8 days I need to work with another resie.
I have a resie in Miami that allows me to book only the nights I need before a cruise.
I like that I can reserve and deposit in SFX, TPI, II to access non-BGVCweeks.

Your theory about renting is good - but the reality is you need to decide an area to target and make less then 7 day resies that don't cost YOU that much but are still desirable for people to rent.... but that is a whole other thread.

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

Your theory about renting is good - but the reality is you need to decide an area to target and make less then 7 day resies that don't cost YOU that much but are still desirable for people to rent.... but that is a whole other thread.

I think the problem with -- and key to -- renting is that your market to some extent depends on where you live. Most people who are successful at renting out their points at least start out by renting to friends and family, and they seem to have a knack for predicting what that more local clientele is interested in renting. Then they expand to a more general market already having a local base they can count on year after year, meaning they can experiment a bit in the national market and have a pool of people who might take those points off their hands if offered at a discount (at cost or a bit less) should they not rent out.

I can't think of anyone who is successful at renting out their points who isn't successful at renting them to people they know in their everyday lives. Got to have a bit of the salesperson in your personality, I expect.

[gandalf252002 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close gandalf252002]

I have used the resort weeks once with my Mom and Niece last year which allowed us to go to Quebec. That probably saved a couple hundred dollars on its own.

Now knowing about the RCI nightly stays, I think there may have been more use for those points than I had originally thought. I do hate that fee each time but still think there is definate value there. Especially for a weekend getaway.

Yes, you are right in the rental area. I have been using Sell Timeshare, Selling Timeshares for Sale, Resale and Rent so far without much luck. 1 weekend rental and it was not even with BlueGreen but Shell. I was targeting Boyne which should be a high value being a ski resort.

The problem is that I am leary about making a reservation and then not having it rent. The likely hood is that I will probably be able to rent there any time between Jan and March but it is that old "what if" game. I know there is money to be made in this, even if not a lot. I have no real desire to make a profit really. Just pay my maintenance fees and maybe get a free vacation out of it. Shouldn't be that hard you would think, but has definately been more challenging than I had thought.

Guess like anything else, through experience and reading here in the forums I will find out what resorts are highly sought after and when. For example obviously March Break (for us Canadians) and July weeks are always good options. A birdie told me that the Suites @ Hershey is good as well pretty much any time. Orlando and anywhere in Florida during Daytona weeks (now why would I want to give that UP!)

Speaking of "weeks" when renting / exchanging what exactly is classified as a week so I do not mess that up as well. ie is it 7 days 6 nights say check in on Sunday, check out following Saturday or 8 days 7 nights Sunday to Sunday?

[GrayFal Silver Contributor and supermoderator Find all posts View Profile Close GrayFal]

Hershey would not be good any time.
School vacation weeks and the summer would be best.

[gandalf252002 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close gandalf252002]

The school vacation weeks off in the US are different than they are for us aren't they? My understanding is that you guys get the week prior or after Easter weekend.

Also regardingweeks when renting / exchanging what exactly is classified as a week so I do not mess that up as well. ie is it 7 days 6 nights say check in on Sunday, check out following Saturday or 8 days 7 nights Sunday to Sunday?

My apologies as well for posting a link to another site like that. I realize in hindsight that is was in poor ettiquite.

[GrayFal Silver Contributor and supermoderator Find all posts View Profile Close GrayFal]

The school vacation weeks off in the US are different than they are for us aren't they? My understanding is that you guys get the week prior or after Easter weekend.

Also regarding weeks when renting / exchanging what exactly is classified as a week so I do not mess that up as well. ie is it 7 days 6 nights say check in on Sunday, check out following Saturday or 8 days 7 nights Sunday to Sunday?

My apologies as well for posting a link to another site like that. I realize in hindsight that is was in poor etiquette.

Generally 7 nights is considered a week but many owners in point systems reserve say a Sunday-Friday in Myrtle Beach - a very popular drive to location.....as long as you STATE in your ad how many nights, u will be fine.

Also, advice given about starting with friends for rentals is a good one - it helps u to build up a customer base.