Original Message:
Re: TIMESHARE OWNERS GETTING HOSED ON EXCHANGES! (by Donita K.):
We are not happy with RCI or their exchange program. We own Mayan Palace--4 weeks a year. For the past two years we have banked 2 of those weeks with RCI. We give them a two bedroom, with kitchette, dining and living area (approximately 800 to 1000 sqare foot units) at a choice of any Mayan Resort. In exchange RCI promised two bonus weeks. When we deposited in March 2007 we ask for choices anywhere in the Carribean, Costa Rica or Florida for March of 2008. When we checked back in August (to enter additional choices) they had no record of our request, which was made at the time of deposit. What we ended up with were motel units (very, very small 1 bedroom 1 week and studio 2nd week) in Florida, a remodeled motel unit in Michigan and an aging resort in Whistler with a postage stamp size pool. We have yet to receive anything that remotely compares with what we exchange. For this reason we are letting our RCI membership expire. If we can't use our time share weeks, we'll rent them ourselves and use the money to rent what we want, where we want to go. When we were told there were no available properties where we wanted to go, we checked RCI on-line and found units available to rent in all the locations for less money than we were paying. I figure we paid $504 a week for units that were renting for $350 or less. We have not used any other exchange company, so we have no comparison. The exchange process is certainly not what we were told it would be, or what it is marketed to be.