RCI vs II?

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

I have been a RCI member for many years and I know what exchanges I have gotten in the past and what I can expect with RCI Exchanges in the present. I'm not sure what the future will bring.

I have been a II member for just a few years and I still don't have any idea what Exchanges my resort should bring.

Overall, I would say that RCI exchanges avilable to me have been far superior to the ones II have offered.

I also see no advantage to spacebanking with II. The Unit I have spacebanked, and the ones I have not, give me the same Resorts with my online search.

I have a week confirmed for Villa L'Auberge Del Mar, CA. beginning 2/3/2008. When I do a search for the week before and after this week with RCI and II I find that RCI has many Resorts available in the San Diego area and II has one Resort (San Diego Country Estates). I come up with 32 Resorts in CA. with RCI and 3 with II.

In order to get a better Idea of what is the reason, (Poor Trade value with II or lack of Resorts available with II), could someone do a search with II for the time period 1/25/08 to 2/17/08 for the San Diego area.

Thanks,

Walt

PS I find with RCI the best Exchanges period seems to be 1 to 1 1/2 years out. What is the best time period for II?

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

Walt,

This is all that I see for your dates.....I can tell you that II does not have 32 resorts in the San Diego Area. They have far fewer, probably under 10. I think with II, the further out that you can deposit, and make a request, the better your chances, of getting what you want. However, many of the resorts, such as Marriott, Westin, Sheraton, Disney, etc., do not allow you to book your unit much before a year out. Some, are 8, and 10 months out, for deposit into II. Sooner for personal use. Although, there are some exceptions to that rule, within those Companies.


Lawrence Welk Resort Villas • LWR
Escondido , CA , USA
Resort Details & Photos | Map it!

Feb 16 2008 - Feb 23 2008 2 6 6 266
Riviera Oaks Resort • ROK
Ramona , CA , USA
Resort Details & Photos | Map it!

Feb 15 2008 - Feb 22 2008 2 6 6 266
Villas on the Greens at the Welk Resort • VLW
Escondido , CA , USA
Resort Details & Photos | Map it!

Feb 08 2008 - Feb 15 2008 1 4 4 144
Feb 15 2008 - Feb 22 2008 1 4 4 144
Feb 22 2008 - Feb 29 2008 1 4 4 144

[timeos2 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close timeos2]

Exactly what we found. II offers little in weeks

I have been a RCI member for many years and I know what exchanges I have gotten in the past and what I can expect with RCI Exchanges in the present. I'm not sure what the future will bring.

I have been a II member for just a few years and I still don't have any idea what Exchanges my resort should bring.

Overall, I would say that RCI exchanges avilable to me have been far superior to the ones II have offered.

I also see no advantage to spacebanking with II. The Unit I have spacebanked, and the ones I have not, give me the same Resorts with my online search.

I have a week confirmed for Villa L'Auberge Del Mar, CA. beginning 2/3/2008. When I do a search for the week before and after this week with RCI and II I find that RCI has many Resorts available in the San Diego area and II has one Resort (San Diego Country Estates). I come up with 32 Resorts in CA. with RCI and 3 with II.

In order to get a better Idea of what is the reason, (Poor Trade value with II or lack of Resorts available with II), could someone do a search with II for the time period 1/25/08 to 2/17/08 for the San Diego area.

Thanks,

Walt
PS I find with RCI the best Exchanges period seems to be 1 to 1 1/2 years

out. What is the best time period for II?

After 10 years of trying to get decent trades out of II we gave up our membership as our results were just like yours. We now have access only through the Club Sunterra corporate account which is MUCH better at getting things from II, for a low cost in options (points) than the actual week for week trade ever did. We are very happy to save our membership fee but gain better access to what little II seems to offer of value.

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

32 RCI Resorts for all of California

Walt,

This is all that I see for your dates.....I can tell you that II does not have 32 resorts in the San Diego Area. They have far fewer, probably under 10. I think with II, the further out that you can deposit, and make a request, the better your chances, of getting what you want.

There were maybe 10 Resorts available with RCI in San Diego for this time period. The 32 Resorts for RCI and the 3 with II were for all of Cailifornia during this time period.

Do you think it is better to request than do your own searches online?

Walt

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

There were maybe 10 Resorts available with RCI in San Diego for this time period. The 32 Resorts for RCI and the 3 with II were for all of California during this time period.

Do you think it is better to request than do your own searches online?

Walt

Sorry Walt, I mis-read your post. At any rate, there are around 80 resorts listed in II for California. However, some are much more rare than others. For instance, anything in San Fransisco. Also, I very rarely see Capri by the Sea, Gaslamp Suites, and Harbor Vacation Club, Villa L'Auberge etc. Just because they are listed, doesn't mean that they are readily available.

I would suggest both putting in a request, as soon as possible, and doing searches, as well. Sometimes, when doing searches, people see things that their resort does not normally see. You don't have anything to loose.....Give both a shot.

I will go back, and see what is available over-all for California, in that time frame.

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

This is what I can see for your dates, overall, in California. It appears that II has just about half the number of resorts that you saw in RCI.....


David Walley's Resort • WAL
Genoa , NV , USA
Resort Details & Photos

Jan 25 2008 - Feb 01 2008 e 2 2 e22
Jan 25 2008 - Feb 01 2008 1 4 4 144
Jan 25 2008 - Feb 01 2008 2 4 6 246
- SEE MORE

Marriott's Timber Lodge • MML
South Lake Tahoe , CA , USA
Resort Details & Photos | Map it!

Jan 26 2008 - Feb 02 2008 e 2 4 e24

The Beachcomber Inn • BIM
South Lake Tahoe , CA , USA
Resort Details & Photos | Map it!

Jan 25 2008 - Feb 01 2008 e 2 4 e24

The Olympic Village Inn • OVI
Olympic Valley , CA , USA
Resort Details & Photos

Feb 24 2008 - Mar 02 2008 1 2 4 124

The Ridge Pointe Resort • RGP
Stateline , NV , USA
Resort Details & Photos | Map it!

Feb 01 2008 - Feb 08 2008 e 2 2 e22

The Ridge Tahoe • RGT
Stateline , NV , USA
Resort Details & Photos | Map it!

Jan 26 2008 - Feb 02 2008 2 6 6 266
Feb 08 2008 - Feb 15 2008 e 2 2 e22
Feb 08 2008 - Feb 15 2008 1 4 4 144
- SEE MORE

The Ridge View • RGV
Stateline , NV , USA
Resort Details & Photos | Map it!

Feb 02 2008 - Feb 09 2008 1 4 4 144
Feb 10 2008 - Feb 17 2008 1 4 4 144
Feb 23 2008 - Mar 01 2008 1 4 4 144


Calif Vac Club-Riverpointe Napa Valley • NPV
Napa, CA, USA
Resort Details & Photos | Map It!

Jan 27 2008 - Feb 03 2008 0 2 2 022
Feb 01 2008 - Feb 08 2008 1 4 4 144
Feb 01 2008 - Feb 08 2008 2 6 6 266
Feb 03 2008 - Feb 10 2008 2 6 6 266
Feb 08 2008 - Feb 15 2008 2 6 6 266
Feb 15 2008 - Feb 22 2008 1 4 4 144
Feb 15 2008 - Feb 22 2008 2 6 6 266
Feb 17 2008 - Feb 24 2008 0 2 2 022
Feb 22 2008 - Feb 29 2008 2 6 6 266
Feb 24 2008 - Mar 02 2008 2 6 6 266
Feb 29 2008 - Mar 07 2008 2 6 6 266

Marriott's Desert Springs Villas II • MPD
Palm Desert , CA , USA
Resort Details & Photos | Map it!

Jan 25 2008 - Feb 01 2008 1 4 4 144
Jan 26 2008 - Feb 02 2008 e 2 4 e24
Jan 26 2008 - Feb 02 2008 1 4 4 144
- SEE MORE

Marriott's Shadow Ridge • MRD
Palm Desert , CA , USA
Resort Details & Photos | Map it!

Jan 25 2008 - Feb 01 2008 2 6 8 268
Feb 01 2008 - Feb 08 2008 e 2 4 e24
Feb 03 2008 - Feb 10 2008 e 2 4 e24
- SEE MORE

Palm Canyon Resort and Spa • RIS
Palm Springs , CA , USA
Resort Details & Photos | Map it!

Feb 17 2008 - Feb 24 2008 2 6 6 266

Lawrence Welk Resort Villas • LWR
Escondido , CA , USA
Resort Details & Photos | Map it!

Feb 16 2008 - Feb 23 2008 2 6 6 266

Riviera Oaks Resort • ROK
Ramona , CA , USA
Resort Details & Photos | Map it!

Feb 15 2008 - Feb 22 2008 2 6 6 266

San Diego Country Estates • SDC
Ramona , CA , USA
Resort Details & Photos | Map it!

Jan 25 2008 - Feb 01 2008 1 4 4 144

Villas on the Greens at the Welk Resort • VLW
Escondido , CA , USA
Resort Details & Photos | Map it!

Feb 08 2008 - Feb 15 2008 1 4 4 144
Feb 15 2008 - Feb 22 2008 1 4 4 144
Feb 22 2008 - Feb 29 2008 1 4 4 144


Marriott's Newport Coast Villas • NCV
Newport Coast , CA , USA
Resort Details & Photos | Map it!

Jan 26 2008 - Feb 02 2008 2 6 8 268
Jan 27 2008 - Feb 03 2008 2 6 8 268

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

I think a preference for II or RCI depends a lot on what is important to the exchanger.

Here are some criteria:

1) Number of resorts in exchange system: RCI wins.

2) Access to Hotel brands: II wins

3) Customer Service: II wins

4) Lower fees: II wins.

5) Points alternative: RCI has it's own, but minis are better. About equal.

6) Online interface for searching: II wins

7) Access to specific locations: Varies.

8) Reputation. RCI loses big time.

If you take a look at Maui as an example. The highest quality resorts are in II (Marriott and Westin). Once you eliminate the brands, the resorts appear to be about equal. II resorts tend to be in the Lahaina area. RCI resorts tend to be in the Kihei area. II resorts have the better views. This is hard to know unless you actually take the time to visit the resorts.

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

Do you think it is better to request than do your own searches online?

Walt

I have heard often that II does not show EVERYTHING on-line with the exception of <59 days. Don't know if this is true. Obviously the last minute stuff is premium quality if you can take advantage of it as Jim does.

Can't hurt to have an on-going if you have a week spacebanked.

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

I got an exchange within 2 days.

I have heard often that II does not show EVERYTHING on-line with the exception of <59 days. Don't know if this is true. Obviously the last minute stuff is premium quality if you can take advantage of it as Jim does.

Can't hurt to have an on-going if you have a week spacebanked.

Hi Lawren,

I took your advise and put in an on-going search for San Diego and the Southern Coast. Yesterday I saw a 1 bedroom for Riviera Shores Resort • RSR listed in my account for the exact week I wanted. I had been searching California for several months and I never saw the Riviera Shores Resort come up once, for any time of the year.

Perhaps, what you heard is true.

Walt