Is it worth joining RCI?

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

Several months ago I purchased a 2BR week 28 at South Shore Lake Resort in Hot Springs, AK. About 2 months ago I had the current owner space bank the week since I knew closing wouldn't happen in time.

I have been a member of II for about 2 years and am very happy owning there with my other timeshares. So, is it worth joining RCI to use this week that was banked? I know I have read when I posted before that if you bank late with RCI you are penalized.

I already paid the maintenance fees, but I don't want to pay RCI membership fees to find out my week is useless. Does RCI have something like II where within a certain timeframe all restrictions are lifted? Sorry for so many questions but as you can tell I am a newbie at RCI!

Are there any OTHER Reasons to join RCI apart from owning this week, like Last Call vacations?

[philsfan Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close philsfan]

Trading restrictions are lifted at 45 days before check-in. Some people have had luck with Last Call but I haven't seen anything worth using in some time. If you can and want to travel last minute there has been some good stuff available within 45 days for exchanging.

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

About 2 months ago I had the current owner space bank the week since I knew closing wouldn't happen in time.

If you had the current owner spacebank the week, the timestamp on the space banking should be when they did it. That still might not be great (RCI assigns greater value to those weeks banked a year in advance), depending on when the current owner banked it.

RCI will allow you to transfer weeks between accounts, and it should still keep the original banking date/power.

You could ask the current owner to do some test exchange requests for you and send you the output, so you can get a handle on what your week might be able to pull. Then you can decide whether it's worth it to join RCI for a year to take advantage of this deposit.

sc
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[Barbeque Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Barbeque]

I have booked both last call and Extra Vacations.

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

When I bought my first timeshare, it was an Orlando 2 BR float week. It closed in late June. I asked the resort for a week when kids were still out of school and they gave me a week in late August. I promptly deposited it with RCI (as a new member, not that it means anything) and I put in a request for Maui for the following year. I was shocked when they got back to me shortly after that and booked me a week at Kahana Falls the time I'd requested. Yes, it's not the greatest resort, and it was for a 1 BR, but I couldn't believe my luck that my last minute deposit got me a week in Maui. First exchange - woo hoo!

Honestly, it was my first and last exchange through RCI because I switched over to SFX for all my exchanges since then. Anyway, you can join RCI for one year and see how it goes. IMHO, it's better than losing the deposited week that you've already paid maintenance fees for.

Sue

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

Thank you to all. I think I will join RCI partially just to become more educated about it and see how the week does. Even if we got a summer Vegas week or an off-season Park City week we would be happy. I'll let you know if I end up with a great trade!

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

Late to the party here.

How close to the use date was the week banked? What date was banked. Does this resort bulkbank?

All will influence trade power. Sometimes you get pleasantly surprised with RCI. Other times even "tigers" can be disappointing.

Assuming you mean AR not AK.

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

Yes, it is Arkansas. It is week 28 and it was banked about 8 weeks out. It's a 2 BR and a specific unit. Thanks everyone!

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

Yes, it is Arkansas. It is week 28 and it was banked about 8 weeks out. It's a 2 BR and a specific unit. Thanks everyone!

You should do "OK" with it. Pity it wasn't the 4th of July week.
Let me know if you need an assist once you have it to play with.

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

I decided to join RCI for the last calls and getaways. Melanie, with owning at Fairways, I was able to get 3 years for the price of 2 because of the deal for VRI.

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

Thanks Debbie, I didn't know that so that will sweeten the deal! We just got back from San Diego but I think I am going to call RCI next week and join.

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

You're welcome, Melanie. I'm interested in RCI's Getaway weeks for Club Intrawest at SanDestin, the Resort on Cocoa Beach, and Sheraton. I saw Sheraton 1 bedrooms on last call (using my cousin's sign-in for RCI). I thought by the time I pay that guest certificate fee of $59 under my cousin's membership, I might as well have my own account for just a couple of dollars more. Especially since with the VRI discount I get three years for the price of two.

I'm always booking extra Getaway weeks through II for my kids in 1 bedrooms when we all travel together. I like the location of Sheraton Vistana over there by downtown Disney, so if I can pick up Vistana in last call every once in a while, it would be worth having RCI, too, since the last calls are so cheap.

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

Late to the party myself, but we own a 2 bedroom Week 28 at a MO gold crown resort. That week is our new Tiger trader.

But, if it was really banked just 8 weeks out, that is another issue.