Carlsbad Seapointe Resort and RCI Points

[4ARedOctober Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close 4ARedOctober]

There are signs posted all over Carlsbad Seapointe Resort telling me to talk to their sales people about RCI points.....since points is such a rage around here and over yonder I thought I would stroll on over and ask them what it would take to convert my CSR fixed week 31 1 BR to points.......not....I can't convert my existing week and can only get into RCI points at this resort if I buy something 'new' (resale) from their sales office. I asked if RCI could/would do a direct conversion for me....they said it was not possible.

The sales lady was very honest....I could not convert unless I was going to be spending some good size money with them....hey...they gave it to me without any sugar coating which I appreciated.

Now I wonder....why wouldn't RCI just convert my week if I wanted points....for the $399 fee or whatever it is now?

It is a good thing I am very happy with weeks.

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

Because they see it as a money maker not a service

There are signs posted all over Carlsbad Seapointe Resort telling me to talk to their sales people about RCI points.....since points is such a rage around here and over yonder I thought I would stroll on over and ask them what it would take to convert my CSR fixed week 31 1 BR to points.......not....I can't convert my existing week and can only get into RCI points at this resort if I buy something 'new' (resale) from their sales office. I asked if RCI could/would do a direct conversion for me....they said it was not possible.

The sales lady was very honest....I could not convert unless I was going to be spending some good size money with them....hey...they gave it to me without any sugar coating which I appreciated.

Now I wonder....why wouldn't RCI just convert my week if I wanted points....for the $399 fee or whatever it is now?


It is a good thing I am very happy with weeks.

The crazy way RCI sold the points system to resorts was as an income producing product rather than a new way to exchange which is all it really is. The agreement says the resort can set the rules so it isn't RCI that demands the purchase of more it is the resort. They could convert you for the RCI cost of $199 or add a reasonable amount like $200-$300 and just let you convert. But they see dollar signs and a chance to unload inventory so they tie the upgrade to additioanl purchase. Bad move IMHO. Tell them so and maybe they'll rethink things.

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

I have a summer fixed week at Carlsbad Inn, I know what I own. If I were to get points that was based on RCI I would be skeptical, I trust RCI just a little more than Enron. With a fixed week if RCI quits giving me what I need I can go to the independent exchange companies. We have already traded into the Grand Mayan using SFX. I imagine we will use SFX more in the future, and perhaps the other independents.

With RCI points is there a fixed or a float week that backs it up to use for the independents or are you locked in to RCI only?

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

4ARedOctober, I second what John said -- RCI lets resorts use Points "conversions" as a cash cow, and your resort has decided to use conversions to make people buy another week. I wouldn't do it. If I were you and wanted RCI Points, I'd buy a Points contract somewhere else. Points are Points, (well, except for Home Resort and Home Group preference), and I'll bet the annual fee per Point would be high at Seapointe.

...With RCI points is there a fixed or a float week that backs it up to use for the independents or are you locked in to RCI only?

You still own your underlying week. However, in my experience it is basically impossible to use a converted week for anything other than depositing it into RCI Points or staying in your unit yourself, at least if VRI manages the resort. When I have tried to do anything with my converted weeks (deposit in II, or even rent them out), VRI says "no way" unless I want to cancel my RCI Points conversion (which, surprisingly enough, VRI says they can do anytime I want, even though RCI says the conversion contract is for a three year period.) Since VRI charges $2500 to convert, the idea of just canceling the conversion (and receiving none of that conversion cost back) is not very appealing. (I should point out that I didn't pay the conversion cost, the previous owner of the week did, but I still consider the conversion too valuable to throw away.)

I called and asked DAE if they would take a week that had been converted to RCI Points, and the person I spoke to seemed completely confused about what I was asking, so I gave up on that, too.

[4ARedOctober Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close 4ARedOctober]

This was from the last CSR newsletter

Pondering a Global Points
Network Membership?

Recently some owners have been
inquiring about the RCI Points
Program at Carlsbad Seapointe
Resort. In the following paragraphs we
hope to answer your questions and
maybe help to educate you on the RCI
Points Program.

The question that seems to be on
most Owners’ minds is “Can I trade
the week I already own at Seapointe
on the RCI Weeks Program for
the RCI Points Program at no
additional cost?” The answer to that
question can be summed up in the
following explanation. Because the
RCI Points Program is an upgraded
form of ownership with many more
choices and more flexibility, you
cannot trade your regular week that
you own for the RCI Points Program at
no additional cost. However, there are
several ways that you can upgrade
your ownership at Seapointe to the
RCI Points Program.

If you own a week in the high season
and upgrade to the summer season,
you are able to convert your
ownership to the RCI Points Program.
If you own a week in a one bedroom
and upgrade to a two bedroom, you
are able to convert your ownership to
the RCI Points Program. If you
own a biennial and upgrade to
an annual ownership, you are
able to convert your ownership
to the RCI Points Program. If you
purchase an additional biennial
week or annual week, you are
able to convert your ownership
to the RCI Points Program. Also,
by doing any of the above, you
may be able to convert any other
weeks you own at other resorts
that are RCI Weeks resorts to
points for a given year under the
new RCI Points for Deposit
Program.

For more information or
questions on RCI Points, please
call Mike or Gami, our RCI Points
specialists, at 760-603-1308.

CSR Newsletter Volume II 2006

[4ARedOctober Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close 4ARedOctober]

Sorry Judy I am a bit confused by the following......are you talking about your CSR unit and VRI? VRI does not manage CSR......may be I am just not reading it correctly. Thanks.

You still own your underlying week. However, in my experience it is basically impossible to use a converted week for anything other than depositing it into RCI Points or staying in your unit yourself, at least if VRI manages the resort. When I have tried to do anything with my converted weeks (deposit in II, or even rent them out), VRI says "no way" unless I want to cancel my RCI Points conversion (which, surprisingly enough, VRI says they can do anytime I want, even though RCI says the conversion contract is for a three year period.) Since VRI charges $2500 to convert, the idea of just canceling the conversion (and receiving none of that conversion cost back) is not very appealing. (I should point out that I didn't pay the conversion cost, the previous owner of the week did, but I still consider the conversion too valuable to throw away.)