RCI: is it even worth it?

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

Interesting. How do I find bonus weeks? And how did you guys get them in the first place?

Where in Mexico and when is it?

BP

I don't want to take this thread too far off tangent but you can see these two links which would answer your question. Additionally, it also gives touches on what another poster has mentioned about you may also want to consider SFX as your resort may qualify for the 3 for 1 promo

http://www.timeshareforums.com/forum...er-2008-a.html

http://www.timeshareforums.com/forum...onus-week.html

If you have more questions, start another thread of PM if you want to use the bonus week. (or anyone else that wants it)

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

I have to admit I'm still happy with my exchanges with RCI. I am not one tho that has to have a certain ts at a certain week, which makes me very flexible which makes for fantastic exchanges. I'm looking forward to my 3br Houses of Summer Bay at Halloween in Orlando and next July we are spending Kelli's bd on a 45 ft catamaran sailing all over the BVI (Tradewinds Cruise Club) Shaggy

Like shaggy I'm also still getting great trades including Trade Winds Cruise club for this December, The Grand Mayan Acapulco for January 08 and Windjammer Landing St. Lucia 2BR with private pool for December 08. I spend a lot of time just looking for these great trades and I'm also somewhat flexible but spending the time on line and on all the timeshare boards is very time consuming but fun for me but it's not for everyone.

I have a friend who had an Orlando timeshare for about 10 years and only went away twice and lost the rest of his weeks. I tried to help him but he said there was never anything available so he gave up. His example was he tried to trade his 2BR "red week Orlando week", (at a very average resort) for
" any 2BR in the Caribbean for any week in January". He said he called RCI in plenty of time by contacting them in November for January. I told him he was very late in his request and needed to start looking at least a year in advance and would also be prepared to accept a studio or 1BR in the carribbean at a five star resort. He wouldn't accept the fact that what he had as a trade wasn't the best place to own in the entire world since it was just 2 miles from Disney world and the salesman said that alone made it the most desirable timeshare in the world. He later sold the week on Ebay for about 25% of what he paid to the developer.

So as long as you are flexible and prepared to do your searching well in advance or sometimes get lucky on a late cancellation it can work out for you.

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

....The only downside is that I only have one, and I can't use it until 2008....

Oh, the solution for that is easy! Just buy another timeshare! That's what most of us do!

Seriously, now that you have found a good place for timeshare advice, you will learn that there are good traders out there for less than $1000. For many of us, timeshares are like potato chips -- you can't stop at one. I'm up to around a dozen.

I don't think RCI is the best choice for you, especially if you don't plan to buy another timeshare. The fees are just too high if you are only going to do one trade every couple of years, and the "bonus weeks" are often available to the general public via SkyAuction. I would go with SFX instead, in your situation.

...I have a friend who had an Orlando timeshare for about 10 years and only went away twice and lost the rest of his weeks... He wouldn't accept the fact that what he had as a trade wasn't the best place to own in the entire world since it was just 2 miles from Disney world and the salesman said that alone made it the most desirable timeshare in the world. ...

Gee, what a shame that he listened to his salesman more than to his friend! And, too bad that he never noticed the other 80 timeshares within a few miles of Disneyworld, or figured out that, even though RCI considers all Orlando weeks to be red, there clearly are some times in Orlando that have much more demand than other times.

[BigPapa Member Find all posts View Profile Close BigPapa]

So as long as you are flexible and prepared to do your searching well in advance or sometimes get lucky on a late cancellation it can work out for you.

Fortunately I am very flexible. I am not tied to a school calendar with the exception of a couple months throughout the year and I am single. So even though I own a two bedroom, I could easily stay in a one bedroom or even a studio if I needed to in order to get the right location.

Now in regards to several other posts, I have never heard of SFX. So it looks like I need to get reading. I had just assumed that RCI was going to me my best choice.

Can somebody give me a link to where I can find info about them.

BP

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

Fortunately I am very flexible. I am not tied to a school calendar with the exception of a couple months throughout the year and I am single. So even though I own a two bedroom, I could easily stay in a one bedroom or even a studio if I needed to in order to get the right location.

Now in regards to several other posts, I have never heard of SFX. So it looks like I need to get reading. I had just assumed that RCI was going to me my best choice.

Can somebody give me a link to where I can find info about them.

BP

In that case RCI can work well for you as long as you are not looking for prime locations at primetime. ie caribbean, sw florida in Jan thru Mar. Some do show up but not a lot that I'd accept. Nor do i believe your OLCC unit would have the strength to pull one.

Here is a link to all the exchange company forums.http://www.timeshareforums.com/forum...nge-companies/ The independents have representative to help answer your questions. RCI and II questions must be handled by our membership as best we can.

[pcgirl54 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close pcgirl54]

I have belonged to RCI for 10 years and have gotten wonderful trades to Manhattan Club,Anna Maria Island,Sanibel Island,Marco Island and OBX, Myrtle Beach,Royal Resorts in Cancun and Sedona AZ. I deposit 8-12 months out and can look 2 years ahead and see nice trades.

[falmouth3 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close falmouth3]

PCgirl, just wondering what you've been depositing to get those exchanges.

My only experience with RCI was depositing my summer week 2 BR Orlando resort about 2 months before the usage date. I had just closed on the week that I'd purchased on eBay. I asked the resort for a week when kids were out of school and I got a late August week. I deposited and crossed my fingers. I got a 1 BR in Kahana Falls in Maui the following Sept. I was very surprised and pleased.

I have a floating week and now I request Easter week every year and deposit with SFX. I've been very pleased with the service I get from them. I just returned from a bonus week in Scotland. Sure can't complain about that!!!

Sue

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

Fortunately I am very flexible. I am not tied to a school calendar with the exception of a couple months throughout the year and I am single. So even though I own a two bedroom, I could easily stay in a one bedroom or even a studio if I needed to in order to get the right location.

In this case - depending upon what locations you are hoping for - in my opinion RCI could be a good choice for you. We still trade primarily thru RCI (tho have used independents a few times and hope to again), and still find it worth the fees. We got hooked on timesharing when we owned just one timeshare, as soon as we did our first exchange with RCI. I'm sure we never thought we'd own multiple weeks, but it didn't take long...

But tell us more about how you define "the right locations", and we can give better advice.

[BigPapa Member Find all posts View Profile Close BigPapa]

What I mean is, if there is a destination I would want to go (like New York). I would be willing to trade my two bedroom for a studio in order to go there. But, there are very few places that I am aware of that I for sure want to visit.

New York (Manhattan)
Australia
South Africa
And Alaska
I’d eventually like to get to Scotland and/or Ireland at some point.

But I am open to more than just those. I don’t need a beach. I enjoy the mountains just as much as water. But I don’t ski, so I don’t need to be close to a ski resort. I don’t mind going someplace cold in the summer. I don’t need a lot of nearby attractions as long as there is a place to plop down with a book and a coffee with a nice view. I love stormy weather, especially in the fall. So I don’t mind traveling into areas when there is traditionally bad weather.

I’ve already been to ten countries across 3 three continents, so I’ve already seen a great sampling of the world’s beauty. So I don’t necessarily need amazing landmarks to thrill me (I’ve been to America, Mexico, Costa Rica, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, France, England, Israel, and Jordan). That includes living for a year in Cabo San Lucas and La Paz in southern Baja. So I have had my share of beauty. Now, I just want to try new things. I like going places I’ve never gone. I’ve been to Hawaii, so that one isn’t top on my list. I haven’t been to Canada, so that would be fun. Like I said. I am completely flexible. That’s why I started another thread asking for people’s favorite destinations. Because I am truly open to everything.

For me, vacation isn’t so much about the destination as much as it is just getting away from daily life. I can have a great time in any location in any season. I’d rather just be able to get away from my daily routine for a week and go do something new. It doesn’t matter what it is.

Ok, this post is long enough. You get the point.

But to keep on topic, I just want to make sure that I join the right exchange company. Since I only have one timeshare, I could end up spending a lot of money in membership fees just waiting for a decent trade. And though I don’t mind downgrading, I don’t want to have to do it all the time. So I would like to join an exchange that doesn’t drain my bank account and gives me real flexibility with my TS. Right now I am leaning towards SFX. But I need to do more research.

BP

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

What I mean is, if there is a destination I would want to go (like New York). I would be willing to trade my two bedroom for a studio in order to go there. But, there are very few places that I am aware of that I for sure want to visit.

New York (Manhattan)
Australia
South Africa
And Alaska
I’d eventually like to get to Scotland and/or Ireland at some point.


BP

These are difficult trades!

New York (Manhattan) - Just the Manhattan Club, which is not the easiest to get into
Australia - DAE seems to have plenty of inventory there
South Africa - not a clue
And Alaska - no timeshares except the Whittier Inn, but I'm not sure it's even still a timeshare. I would not count on timesharing to get you to Alaska.

I’d eventually like to get to Scotland and/or Ireland at some point - Ireland is tough but I see inventory via DAE there. I've also seen Scotland with them.

I think that any of these thru RCI is potentially possible, but not easy by any means. A top trader plus extremely early ongoing search with maximum flexibility could get you in.

For me, vacation isn’t so much about the destination as much as it is just getting away from daily life. I can have a great time in any location in any season. I’d rather just be able to get away from my daily routine for a week and go do something new. It doesn’t matter what it is.

PERFECT! Your flexibility will help greatly!!

You mentioned Canada, which I think would be way easier to get than any in the above list.

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

DAE would be happy to get your week, as they need inventory in Orlando. And you'd have the same trading power there as with any other week deposited.

The more the merrier.