Are all RCI points equal?

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Original Message:

Re: Are all RCI points equal? (by Mike N.):

ken1193

adahiscout wrote:
asks: >> Are there any limitations on when you can ask to roll over RCI Points or what you can use "saved point" for? Is there a fee to do this? Expiration date? ==================================================

RCI Points can be rolled over from one year to the next, but all such "rolled over" points MUST be used in that second year (or they just disappear) and cannot be further extended. Rolled over points can be used in exactly the same manner as current year points --- no difference there. If your question is "how far in advance before the points expire must they be "rolled over to the next year?", I honestly don't know (except that it must obviously be BEFORE one year from their actual annual issuance date (which is determined individually by date of initial purchase, not by "calendar year").

I can't claim to know the full range of potential "products" to which RCI Points can be applied, having never personally looked beyond applying them to airfare or car rentals (and timeshare use, of course). RCI Points may also be applicable toward cruises if booked directly through RCI Points, although I'm not certain (having no personal interest whatsoever in cruises).

Fees? Of course --- there is ALWAYS a fee to do virtually ANYTHING with or through RCI. There is a fee to roll over points from one year to the next (don't know fee amount, having not yet done this). There is also a fee to convert a week into "RCI Points for Deposit" as well.

Effective tomorrow (January 10, 2008) there will be changes to the value of RCI Points when used with RCI Points Partners. By my crude and preliminary math, for "Partners" applications, in these changes RCI has devalued RCI Points from about 1.7 cents to a bit less than one cent per point (about $.008, to be exact). Yet, RCI still charges TWO cents per point if you want to buy RCI Points from RCI. Typical of RCI "spinning", these changes are being heralded as.....drum roll here please......."Enhancements"!!! Nice racket. Good for RCI, bad for RCI Points members.

=========== Last year when my excess points were rolled over into 2008, I did not get charged a fee. However, the way I understand the system is that there is no fee ONLY IF an exchange was made during the year (prior to rollover).

Regarding cruises. RCI still offers discounts for 10,000 points (and on rare occasions 50,000 points). On average it is probably in the 10% range (I've seen higher and lower percentages). If you book a more expensive cabin, you might get up to a 20% discount. There are no set guidelines; everything is based on availability.