My current stray thoughts about RCI TP assignment

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

One of these days I will stop trying to apply logic where clearly none exists. The caribbean searches are to me what southern gulf coast Florida is to some one else.

This morning there are: 135 Resorts (8199 available units) between now and end of July 2013. Of those: All-Inclusive Available [5039]
All-Inclusive Not Required [3160] AI now consisting of 61% of the options up from about 55% the last time I ran the numbers (but they just dumped ina bunch of Sol Melias in DR).

Just because I can, I decided to take a look at what the highest cost TPU units were.
1 - 10 [5541]
11 - 14 [784]
15 - 18 [803]
19 - 23 [545]
24 - 32 [468]
33 + [59]

and I was stunned to find of the 13 resorts that 11 were in St Maarten. Nothing against SXM but it is not my favorite caribbean destination by a long shot. What does RCI know that I don't?

13 Resorts (59 available units)

Displaying 1-13 of 13 resorts Page 1
TradeWinds Cruise Club-St. Maarten (#5205) 1 available units
Cole Bay
,
St Maarten,
Netherlands Antilles


map resort Available Unit Size
Hotel


Check-In Date
22-Dec-2012
Exchange Trading Power
35



The Towers at Mullet Bay (#1864) 4 available units
Simpson Bay
,
Sint Maarten,
Netherlands Antilles


map resort Available Unit Size
1 Bedroom
2 Bedroom


Check-In Date Range
31-Mar-2012 - 02-Mar-2013

Exchange Trading Power Range
35 - 39



Sint Maarten Sea Palace (#1151) 1 available units
Philipsburg
,
Sint Maarten,
Netherlands Antilles


map resort Available Unit Size
1 Bedroom


Check-In Date
29-Dec-2012
Exchange Trading Power
33



Simpson Bay Resort & Marina (#1516) 10 available units
Simpson Bay
,
Sint Maarten,
Netherlands Antilles


map resort Available Unit Size
Studio
1 Bedroom


Check-In Date Range
01-Apr-2012 - 17-Mar-2013

Exchange Trading Power Range
33 - 38



Sapphire Beach Club (#2637) 1 available units
Cupecoy Beach
,
Sint Maarten,
Netherlands Antilles


map resort Available Unit Size
1 Bedroom


Check-In Date
22-Dec-2012
Exchange Trading Power
34



Sandy Point Beach Club (#0080) 28 available units
Tobago
,
Trinidad and Tobago


map resort Available Unit Size
Studio
1 Bedroom
2 Bedroom
3 Bedroom
4 Bedroom


Check-In Date Range
23-Nov-2012 - 15-Mar-2013

Exchange Trading Power Range
33 - 46



Royal Islander Club la Terasse (#4303) 2 available units
Sint Maarten
,
Netherlands Antilles


map resort Available Unit Size
2 Bedroom


Check-In Date Range
07-Apr-2012 - 08-Apr-2012

Exchange Trading Power
34



Royal Islander Club la Plage (#1380) 2 available units
Maho Bay
,
Sint Maarten,
Netherlands Antilles


map resort Available Unit Size
1 Bedroom


Check-In Date Range
01-Apr-2012 - 07-Apr-2012

Exchange Trading Power Range
35 - 41



Ocean Reef Yacht Club and Resort (#2093) 1 available units
Freeport
,
Grand Bahama Island,
Bahamas


map resort Available Unit Size
3 Bedroom


Check-In Date
29-Dec-2012
Exchange Trading Power
34



Nettle Bay Beach Club (#4824) 1 available units
Saint Martin
, 97150
Saint Martin,
Netherlands Antilles


map resort Available Unit Size
2 Bedroom


Check-In Date
09-Feb-2013
Exchange Trading Power
40



Cottages de Lonvilliers (#3143) 6 available units
Saint Martin
, 97150
Saint Martin,
Netherlands Antilles


map resort Available Unit Size
Studio
1 Bedroom


Check-In Date Range
10-Mar-2012 - 23-Mar-2013

Exchange Trading Power Range
33 - 40



Belair Beach Hotel (#1765) 1 available units
Philipsburg
,
Sint Maarten,
Netherlands Antilles


map resort Available Unit Size
2 Bedroom


Check-In Date
16-Mar-2013
Exchange Trading Power
42



Atrium Beach Resort and Spa (#3179) 1 available units
Simpson Bay
,
Sint Maarten,
Netherlands Antilles


map resort Available Unit Size
2 Bedroom


Check-In Date
31-Mar-2012
Exchange Trading Power
41

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

What does RCI know that I don't?

Not necessarily anything.

Trade power assignment is only in the context of what RCI gets, and what people want in return. What's more, it's not some objective ranking of "best place to go", "second best place to go", and so on, because not everyone will agree on what is "best". Don't let the trade power tail wag the where-you-want-to-go dog.

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

Not necessarily anything.

Trade power assignment is only in the context of what RCI gets, and what people want in return. What's more, it's not some objective ranking of "best place to go", "second best place to go", and so on, because not everyone will agree on what is "best". Don't let the trade power tail wag the where-you-want-to-go dog.

We know I don't let TP drive me, I was just trying for rhyme or reason. I'd rather take that Elysian in STT for Thanksgiving at 7.

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

Not necessarily anything.

Trade power assignment is only in the context of what RCI gets, and what people want in return. What's more, it's not some objective ranking of "best place to go", "second best place to go", and so on, because not everyone will agree on what is "best". Don't let the trade power tail wag the where-you-want-to-go dog.

Well, no, it is NOT supply and demand. The overpointing of overbuilt areas and underpointed of rare areas clearly show that supply and demand have little to do in the way RCI conjures up numbers.

In fact, the numbers game seems to have more to do with how RCI is trying to build a numbers justification to defend any future class action lawsuit. They overvalue the places they get developer inventory and undervalue the types of places they like to take out of the system for their rental pool.

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

We know I don't let TP drive me, I was just trying for rhyme or reason. I'd rather take that Elysian in STT for Thanksgiving at 7.

Sounds good to me. Do they do turkey on St. Thomas?

I dunno but 39 + TPU's to go to St. Anywhere (except St. John) seems wayyyy too much for me. I'd rather buy a package from AA with air/hotel and AI. I'm sure it would be cheaper than playing the RCI game.
I guess they don't think members calculate this stuff.

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

Sounds good to me. Do they do turkey on St. Thomas?

I dunno but 39 + TPU's to go to St. Anywhere (except St. John) seems wayyyy too much for me. I'd rather buy a package from AA with air/hotel and AI. I'm sure it would be cheaper than playing the RCI game.
I guess they don't think members calculate this stuff.

It is just another example of when the price is too high in weeks use points.

The Towers at Mullet Bay (#1864) 1 available units
Simpson Bay
,
Sint Maarten,
Netherlands Antilles


map resort Available Unit Size
1 Bedroom


Check-In Date
23-Feb-2013
Points Value
33500



Nettle Bay Beach Club (#4824) 1 available units
Saint Martin
, 97150
Saint Martin,
Netherlands Antilles


map resort Available Unit Size
2 Bedroom


Check-In Date
09-Feb-2013
Points Value
49500

[Jya-Ning Silver Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close Jya-Ning]

Well, no, it is NOT supply and demand.

Supply and demand usually is lead by bigger player. Demand is us fight with renter, Supply side is not us. Only a good % of resorts is own and manged by strong HOA, the rest are the management company or the developers.

Jya-Ning

[bevvy5 Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close bevvy5]

My "weird TPU value" area is Hawaii. I'm not sure why the TPUs required to trade into Waikiki are so darn high. Maybe it's that there just aren't as many units there? It would be my absolute dead last choice when going to Hawaii. Maui is the same as far as high TPUs although at least I can see the demand side of things there.

I can't imagine spending 35 TPUs for a studio or hotel unit on either of those two islands when I'm getting two bedroom units on Kauai or the Big Island for in the mid 20s.

But as I've said before, I can't believe that a summer SoCal beach studio would get the amount of credits they're willng to give - I'm glad to be "paid" that amount but can't figure out who would spend half that many to actually stay there.

Just sayin'.

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

Sometimes RCI "plays" with the tpu values too. Sometimes it is just if they sit too long at a particular tpu and sometimes it is in the first week of deposit. A couple of months ago Wyndham made a bulk deposit of some Atlantic City Units in September and October. I don't remember if it was 2011 or 2012. The studios came in at 8 the one bedrooms at 9 and a few two bedrooms came in at 10. A day or two later they all jumped to 20-27ish.

I have also been watching Easter 2012 deposits. I already have something from II but continue to watch RCI. Some units that have been sitting for weeks and months will get bumped up 2-5 points for a day or two. The next week the same units might get bumped down 2-5 points.

Part of it may be seeing what the market can bear and some of it might be to allow for RCI to manipulate behind the scenes claiming they are substituting in and out "equivalent" deposits from different inventory pools or sources.

Notice I offered an explination for both the RCI haters and lovers. I believe it is a little of both. Don't love it or hate it just recognize it for what it is.

[JLB Please excuse me, I'm a Dick. Not a moron just a Dick Find all posts View Profile Close JLB]

I have stray thoughts, too.

I'm sure someone, somewhere, is saying bad things about you. (for looking too closely, trying to learn too much)

If not here, somewhere else.

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

I have stray thoughts, too.

I'm sure someone, somewhere, is saying bad things about you. (for looking too closely, trying to learn too much)

If not here, somewhere else.

My ears have been itching ever since I did the OP. Thanks yeah I think so too.

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

It is just another example of when the price is too high in weeks use points.

The Towers at Mullet Bay (#1864) 1 available units
Simpson Bay
,
Sint Maarten,
Netherlands Antilles


map resort Available Unit Size
1 Bedroom


Check-In Date
23-Feb-2013
Points Value
33500



Nettle Bay Beach Club (#4824) 1 available units
Saint Martin
, 97150
Saint Martin,
Netherlands Antilles


map resort Available Unit Size
2 Bedroom


Check-In Date
09-Feb-2013
Points Value
49500

I agree that's why I still hang onto my points. It may be more expensive but at least the value isn't jumping all over the place all the time.
Nice to see that less than half of my VV Parkway points can get me a nice 1 bedroom.

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

It makes loads of sense for values to change over time. Supply and demand are, after all, dynamic.

What doe not make any sense whatsoever is for the same week at the same point in time to have a different value when it is a deposit versus when someone is trading into it. That shows nothing but artificial market manipulation.

Sometimes RCI "plays" with the tpu values too. Sometimes it is just if they sit too long at a particular tpu and sometimes it is in the first week of deposit. A couple of months ago Wyndham made a bulk deposit of some Atlantic City Units in September and October. I don't remember if it was 2011 or 2012. The studios came in at 8 the one bedrooms at 9 and a few two bedrooms came in at 10. A day or two later they all jumped to 20-27ish.

I have also been watching Easter 2012 deposits. I already have something from II but continue to watch RCI. Some units that have been sitting for weeks and months will get bumped up 2-5 points for a day or two. The next week the same units might get bumped down 2-5 points.

Part of it may be seeing what the market can bear and some of it might be to allow for RCI to manipulate behind the scenes claiming they are substituting in and out "equivalent" deposits from different inventory pools or sources.

Notice I offered an explination for both the RCI haters and lovers. I believe it is a little of both. Don't love it or hate it just recognize it for what it is.

[Jeanne Sz Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Jeanne Sz]

Do the math

I agree. Why should my week get, say 17 TPU when I deposit it 2 years out, but I have to combine 2 weeks' deposits to come up with the 35 they want to book it? I'm not about to pay twice as much to stay at the same place in a different week in the same season!
Every time I look at availability I do the math to decide if it's worth it financially to take a week. Usually it's not. I can rent - from another owner's independent listing or directly from the resort in some cases - cheaper than I would by combining deposits. Maybe that's why I don't have anything booked yet.

[JLB Please excuse me, I'm a Dick. Not a moron just a Dick Find all posts View Profile Close JLB]

Has it taken this long (really) for it to sink in?