Has anyone used a RCI bonus week certificate successfully?

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

Hi! I am new here...

I don't have any specific complaints about Bluegreen and have been to many resorts and loved them all. I have lefts lots of reviews and pics on TripAdvisor.

Recently I upgraded to a silver membership. As I was hesitant, they gave me a few RCI bonus week certificates. I am sure you all have them too.

I called RCI today to make a reservation and was pretty much told 'good luck'. They told me that the certificate does not include any resorts on the Gulf Coast. I told them that I would like to travel in July, flexible dates. She said that they have three availabilities...they were all in Arkansas!

I live in St. Louis and visit AR frequently. I want to go somewhere beachy.

Have any of you ever used one of these certificates successfully?

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

I have three of them sitting around. If you figure out how to use them, let me know.

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

Ah, the RCI Bogus Certificate strikes again.

Think Orlando in September/October/May. Or other things most people either wouldn't want, or that the system is glutted with.

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

Well...I think I do have it figured out. The guy I spoke with was wonderful. Basically, you take your RCI book and look at the season for each resort. As you know, the seasons are red, white and blue. You can use your certificate to book anything in blue. He told me that regardless of the resort, if you try to book something in a blue season, it is almost always a sure thing.

You can check for cancelations as well.

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

Ah, the RCI Bogus Certificate strikes again.

Think Orlando in September/October/May. Or other things most people either wouldn't want, or that the system is glutted with.

Yup,

It has also been reported here that the fees for the 'bonus weeks' or 'one on one' weeks is MORE then u would pay as a 'last call' or whatever the name is now for the last minute exchanges.....

Myabe u would get a beach location off season or the desert in July.
these weeks really are useless, sorry.

So you may THINK u have it figured out - let us know how u DO make out.

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

Yup,

It has also been reported here that the fees for the 'bonus weeks' or 'one on one' weeks is MORE then u would pay as a 'last call' or whatever the name is now for the last minute exchanges.....

Myabe u would get a beach location off season or the desert in July.
these weeks really are useless, sorry.

So you may THINK u have it figured out - let us know how u DO make out.

Well, the OP was told to look for Blue weeks, kind of the same thing we're saying, just euphemistically..

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

Well, the OP was told to look for Blue weeks, kind of the same thing we're saying, just euphemistically..

True....it just sounds better when they say to look at EVERYTHING in the catalog and then pick it in blue time......

[rapmarks Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close rapmarks]

I used to ue them quite successfully, but recently have not been able to. however, my friend booked a week at Celebration resort in Orlando in February and had another booked at Parkway for the following week but backed out. She booked about 45 days out for the exchange fee.

[In the Pink Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close In the Pink]

We just returned a few days ago from a wonderful vacation in Ruidoso NM at the Crown Point Condomiums on a $150 Bonus Week. True, it was after snow season and before Ruidoso Downs opened for horse racing, but we're not skiers nor race fans, so for sightseeing and shopping in great weather, it was wonderful. It does depend on what you're looking for, and more importantly, when. We prefer to travel in April/May or September/October, so we don't have much trouble. We were in a two bedroom resort which rents for $125 per night now and $200 during ski season. Not bad for $150 for the week! I posted a review a few days ago.

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

A couple of years ago I called for a November week in the Poconos and was offered two extremely dumpy places for slightly less than they would have been on Extra Vacations. Very slightly less...$20 less, I think.

And I asked about some of the nicer places that were available on EVs during that very low-demand blue blue blue week, and the guide said those weren't available with my bonus week.

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

We used one for a beach resort on the E coast of FL in January and another for Fairfield Glade in Feb.

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

I have used a few by calling and saying what do you have in the next few weeks that I can drive to. Got FF Glade once Massanutten once. I have been offered alot of nice spots in Branson, A few Arkansas, Mazatlan seems to be available alot. They are pretty much the same resorts I see on last call. Also remember if booking Canada or Mexico No taxes so the real price is $249 if you have the same certs I have.

[roadsister Member Find all posts View Profile Close roadsister]

Well if you are having trouble using regular bonus week certs, think how awful it is trying to use my one plus one week...

[BocaBum99 Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close BocaBum99]

Well if you are having trouble using regular bonus week certs, think how awful it is trying to use my one plus one week...

I have never been able to use my RCI one plus one. But, I don't have any trouble using my one minus one.

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

Well, I called again this morning just to try it out plus I really am looking to use the certificate in late June or early July.

I asked, what type of cancelations do you have that I can book with my certificate. I was surprised. They said that if I could leave on May 31st, I could have Tropical Sands or the Caribbean Resort in Fort Myers Beach. I was looking for something in this general area. He said that they could book me almost anywhere in Hawaii as they have had over 30 cancelations over the next several weeks.

I am going to seriously call them mid-June and see what they have and book something.