R. C. I.

This sounds like bonus weeks that the timeshare has given you when you purchased. I don't believe bonus weeks can be exchanged, but as the above poster said the best way to find out is to call RCI.

debm12 wrote:

Hi -- I'm an rci member and have some certificates for weeks that I received when we purchased our timeshare. Is there a way I can "deposit" these so that I can book online, or do I have to go through phone?

phill12 wrote:

Without a doubt Rci is the bottom feeder of all timeshare trading companies.

They are great at helping you bank your unit but this is where it ends.

From time they have your unit service goes down hill and this is nothing new. Rci has worked like this for 15 years when we joined them. Stayed four years and left and see from post everyday nothing has changed!

It's not RCI that's the problem it's people who don't take the time to understand the program and how it works. If ya take the time to get to know the program and how to make it work for you u'll be much better off.

eileenh20 wrote:

I have nothing nice to say about RCI. We own a unit that sleeps 10 in Vistana in Orlando. Initially we used the unit each year but, now that the children are older we have tried to exchange. We were told it is a valuable unit for trade power but, we have always had problems exchanging with RCI. Once we had banked with RCI we even tried to trade back into our unit with no success only to find out from the resort that there were vacancies. If at the last minute RCI offered us a unit we have always been downsized to a unit for 2. We have also been put into some resorts that were terrible and when we called RCI while at the resort got no help from them and the resorts blame RCI washing their hands of any problems.

first of all Vistana doesn't have units that sleep 10!! The largest sleeps 8 and 2nd of all it's like getting seats for your favorite concert...Ya don't wait till last minute to try and get floor seats, why would you wait last minute to get a nice resort like vistana??? I book anywhere's from 8 months to a year in advance and i usually get what i want. But i don't know ya just got to call and ask the right questions and take their advice. Good luck!!

rebeccar77 wrote:

My husband and I just bought our first timeshare in summer '06. I wanted to exchange a week for March 2007. I called RCI (in Nov '06), completely naive, and thought this would be a fast and easy phone call. I have gotten nothing but lies, a screaming lady, and even a hang up from their employees. I am VERY disappointed with RCI. When we bought the timeshare, they gave us our first year free. I definately will NOT renew. They were VERY eager to take my gold crown red week and asked during every phone call if I'd like to depositing more weeks. They even asked me to renew my dues. I think not!!!

Horrible Experience, Texas

When you need dates like {spring break} you just can't give them 4 months notice. Ya gotta remember that everyone else is competing for the same dates.

langdonmic wrote:

pgolfer47 wrote:

langdonmic wrote:

rebeccar77 wrote:

My husband and I just bought our first timeshare in summer '06. I wanted to exchange a week for March 2007. I called RCI (in Nov '06), completely naive, and thought this would be a fast and easy phone call. I have gotten nothing but lies, a screaming lady, and even a hang up from their employees. I am VERY disappointed with RCI. When we bought the timeshare, they gave us our first year free. I definately will NOT renew. They were VERY eager to take my gold crown red week and asked during every phone call if I'd like to depositing more weeks. They even asked me to renew my dues. I think not!!!

Horrible Experience, Texas

Rebecca I've found that it is easier to exchange yourself online. I've done that my last two exchanges, with great results. I've exchanged a gold crown blue for gold crown red for 07 and 08. Just go into exchange your vacation and put in areas and dates against your deposit. you can even select specific resorts. It gives you results right away. it's fun and easy, alot better than talking to someone. the key to enjoying timesharing is knowledge. learn how to use the system, and you'll enjoy. Lenny

Hey Texas! How do you exchange your unit online yourself without the help of RCI? Is there a website? Thanks, Pam

Pam If you're already a RCI member, all you need to do is set up an online account at rci.com. Then you'll be able to see what you have deposited, review and print your reservations etc... As long as you have a week to exchange. You can go to the exchange tab and just fill in areas or resorts that you want to go to and "click". You'll know what's available right away. Lenny

Tex,

When you look at your account on the RCI website, you will see your current deposits listed. If they are for a specific named resort (a "Visible Deposit") you can search for an exchange and book it on line yourself.

However, some deposits are shown just as "Studio Red" or "1 bedroom Blue". In this case, the site directs you to make the exchange by phone. This is most likely to occur if you are depositing a week from a points based or floating week resort group. Sometimes your resort group will assign you a Visible Week for deposit if you request it. While I am not positive, I THINK the vague deposits may give RCI more flexability in requesting what it needs from your resort group to fill requests received.

You surely need SOME exchange company and it MUST be one with which your your own resort has a working arrangement. Any exchange company has charges. (The magazine is automatic with membership in RCI or II.)

Try letting RCI do a continuing search for what you need if it is not instantly available. They can't give you what nobody has deposited yet but you can be first in line if it does appear! I have had very good luck in a couple of cases.

It is very true that salespeople oversell the ease with which you can exchange "for anytime to anywhere." Remember, folks, the fact that a resort itself has openings means nothing unless a resort owner has deposited those weeks for RCI to use. The phone people at RCI must get pretty frustrated with us when we forget this.

Mary D

adahiscout wrote:

langdonmic wrote:

pgolfer47 wrote:

langdonmic wrote:

rebeccar77 wrote:

My husband and I just bought our first timeshare in summer '06. I wanted to exchange a week for March 2007. I called RCI (in Nov '06), completely naive, and thought this would be a fast and easy phone call. I have gotten nothing but lies, a screaming lady, and even a hang up from their employees. I am VERY disappointed with RCI. When we bought the timeshare, they gave us our first year free. I definately will NOT renew. They were VERY eager to take my gold crown red week and asked during every phone call if I'd like to depositing more weeks. They even asked me to renew my dues. I think not!!!

Horrible Experience, Texas

Rebecca I've found that it is easier to exchange yourself online. I've done that my last two exchanges, with great results. I've exchanged a gold crown blue for gold crown red for 07 and 08. Just go into exchange your vacation and put in areas and dates against your deposit. you can even select specific resorts. It gives you results right away. it's fun and easy, alot better than talking to someone. the key to enjoying timesharing is knowledge. learn how to use the system, and you'll enjoy. Lenny

Hey Texas! How do you exchange your unit online yourself without the help of RCI? Is there a website? Thanks, Pam

Pam If you're already a RCI member, all you need to do is set up an online account at rci.com. Then you'll be able to see what you have deposited, review and print your reservations etc... As long as you have a week to exchange. You can go to the exchange tab and just fill in areas or resorts that you want to go to and "click". You'll know what's available right away. Lenny

Tex,

When you look at your account on the RCI website, you will see your current deposits listed. If they are for a specific named resort (a "Visible Deposit") you can search for an exchange and book it on line yourself.

However, some deposits are shown just as "Studio Red" or "1 bedroom Blue". In this case, the site directs you to make the exchange by phone. This is most likely to occur if you are depositing a week from a points based or floating week resort group. Sometimes your resort group will assign you a Visible Week for deposit if you request it. While I am not positive, I THINK the vague deposits may give RCI more flexability in requesting what it needs from your resort group to fill requests received.

You surely need SOME exchange company and it MUST be one with which your your own resort has a working arrangement. Any exchange company has charges. (The magazine is automatic with membership in RCI or II.)

Try letting RCI do a continuing search for what you need if it is not instantly available. They can't give you what nobody has deposited yet but you can be first in line if it does appear! I have had very good luck in a couple of cases.

It is very true that salespeople oversell the ease with which you can exchange "for anytime to anywhere." Remember, folks, the fact that a resort itself has openings means nothing unless a resort owner has deposited those weeks for RCI to use. The phone people at RCI must get pretty frustrated with us when we forget this.

Mary D

Good point(s) we need to give them the inventory in order for them to give it back to us. People say on these forums that they will not deposit untill RCI or II gets them an exchange, but if everyone had that attitude no one would ever get a vacation!! Fact is we creat RCI's and II's inventory!

adahiscout wrote:

langdonmic wrote:

pgolfer47 wrote:

langdonmic wrote:

rebeccar77 wrote:

My husband and I just bought our first timeshare in summer '06. I wanted to exchange a week for March 2007. I called RCI (in Nov '06), completely naive, and thought this would be a fast and easy phone call. I have gotten nothing but lies, a screaming lady, and even a hang up from their employees. I am VERY disappointed with RCI. When we bought the timeshare, they gave us our first year free. I definately will NOT renew. They were VERY eager to take my gold crown red week and asked during every phone call if I'd like to depositing more weeks. They even asked me to renew my dues. I think not!!!

Horrible Experience, Texas

Rebecca I've found that it is easier to exchange yourself online. I've done that my last two exchanges, with great results. I've exchanged a gold crown blue for gold crown red for 07 and 08. Just go into exchange your vacation and put in areas and dates against your deposit. you can even select specific resorts. It gives you results right away. it's fun and easy, alot better than talking to someone. the key to enjoying timesharing is knowledge. learn how to use the system, and you'll enjoy. Lenny

Hey Texas! How do you exchange your unit online yourself without the help of RCI? Is there a website? Thanks, Pam

Pam If you're already a RCI member, all you need to do is set up an online account at rci.com. Then you'll be able to see what you have deposited, review and print your reservations etc... As long as you have a week to exchange. You can go to the exchange tab and just fill in areas or resorts that you want to go to and "click". You'll know what's available right away. Lenny

Tex,

When you look at your account on the RCI website, you will see your current deposits listed. If they are for a specific named resort (a "Visible Deposit") you can search for an exchange and book it on line yourself.

However, some deposits are shown just as "Studio Red" or "1 bedroom Blue". In this case, the site directs you to make the exchange by phone. This is most likely to occur if you are depositing a week from a points based or floating week resort group. Sometimes your resort group will assign you a Visible Week for deposit if you request it. While I am not positive, I THINK the vague deposits may give RCI more flexability in requesting what it needs from your resort group to fill requests received.

You surely need SOME exchange company and it MUST be one with which your your own resort has a working arrangement. Any exchange company has charges. (The magazine is automatic with membership in RCI or II.)

Try letting RCI do a continuing search for what you need if it is not instantly available. They can't give you what nobody has deposited yet but you can be first in line if it does appear! I have had very good luck in a couple of cases.

It is very true that salespeople oversell the ease with which you can exchange "for anytime to anywhere." Remember, folks, the fact that a resort itself has openings means nothing unless a resort owner has deposited those weeks for RCI to use. The phone people at RCI must get pretty frustrated with us when we forget this.

An exception to this rule is that resorts with unsold inventory may give some of it to RCI. They want travelers to come, see their facilities and ,perhaps, buy. This is a plus for them and for us since it supplies more options for us, often at the newest and nicest places.

Mary D

jeffw129 wrote:

It's not RCI that's the problem it's people who don't take the time to understand the program and how it works. If ya take the time to get to know the program and how to make it work for you u'll be much better off.

After reading all your post telling us we don't understand how Rci works I have to think you work for Rci.

You don't need to come on here and lecture us owners on how this company is great and the screw ups are the owners fault for being stupid! We already have jayjay to handle that job!

I can't talk for others but we are not new to timeshares and do know how the game works. This is reason we left Rci 22 years ago and three of our friends finally quit within last few years for same reasons.

We have been with II for twelve of the last 22 years [ten years away from timesharing] and they work the same way but don't screw the members like Rci.

Anyone would understand a few people not knowing the game but not the millons over the years that have been screwed by RCI.

They always have promises of you will get one of your choices then months before your vacation its a take it or leave it.

PHILL12

phill12 wrote:

jeffw129 wrote:

It's not RCI that's the problem it's people who don't take the time to understand the program and how it works. If ya take the time to get to know the program and how to make it work for you u'll be much better off.

After reading all your post telling us we don't understand how Rci works I have to think you work for Rci.

You don't need to come on here and lecture us owners on how this company is great and the screw ups are the owners fault for being stupid! We allready have jayjay to handle that job!

I can't talk for others but we are not new to timeshares and do know how the game works. This is reason we left Rci 12 years ago and three of our friends finally quit within last three years.

We have been with II for seven of the last 12 years and they work the same way but don't screw the members like Rci.

Phill12,

I have to agree with you on Jeffw129 seeming like a mole for RCI. I've taken the time to learn the RCI system, I've taken extra vacations for cheap, that is something I agree is a good deal, if you are flexible on where you want to go and when.

I have what all the RCI telephone salespeople claim is a hot- redweek resort with "powerful" trading clout. Who hasn't heard this line before? I even tried to get a resort two years in advance, put a deposit on an active search, checked back all the time and ran my own searches but got nowhere.

I even tried it with the caribbean sailing week exchange and finally called them directly. They told me that they don't have any openings for the next 3 years. Booked solid with a waiting list. How can RCI promote that you can get an exchange with them at all? Maybe Jeffw129 can tell us.

I read his response (and replied to it) to the thread about mandatory meal plans, and he was the same way, really defending the ugly underbelly of the resorts money machine. It is like he just came from an Amway meeting or something, all idealisitic and naive and gushing about how great an all-inclusive plan is.

After reading this thread all I can say is: jeffw129 either say something factual and useful or just lurk please.

Don't continue to ***** and moan about RCI or fairfield or whatever sold you a timeshare,they are now under the control of one holding company "wyndham". try and contact them to see if you can get any satisfaction.

I've been pretty happy with them lately. In the last 15 years that I've owned a condo, I've only gone to my own condo three times. I just returned from a 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom Gold Crown resort in Playa del Carmen and was also given a cream of the crop beautiful condo in Kauai, Hawaii last year.

Bank early, request as early as possible and treat the vacation counselors as though they're human beings.

While I have good luck with RCI on the whole, I have run into an odd thing with doing visible searches on their website.

Last night, for example, I was looking into what was available for October in Spain or Portugal. Since I allowed a 5 week search span, I got a lot back on early November plus a smidgen in late October. Not bad.

But then I looked again for a rather wide open search in August and got nothing whatsoever. Maybe summer is already gone. Or maybe the website gets sick and tired of me playing around with it after midnight! This has happened before on other searches. Reams of weeks I saw earlier disappear.

Do they re-do the website in the middle of the night? If so, wish they would say Goodnight.

MD

phill12 wrote:

jeffw129 wrote:

It's not RCI that's the problem it's people who don't take the time to understand the program and how it works. If ya take the time to get to know the program and how to make it work for you u'll be much better off.

After reading all your post telling us we don't understand how Rci works I have to think you work for Rci.

You don't need to come on here and lecture us owners on how this company is great and the screw ups are the owners fault for being stupid! We allready have jayjay to handle that job!

I can't talk for others but we are not new to timeshares and do know how the game works. This is reason we left Rci 12 years ago and three of our friends finally quit within last three years.

We have been with II for seven of the last 12 years and they work the same way but don't screw the members like Rci.

Dear Phil

These answers were posted for the benefit of a person who said he/she was new to RCI and wanted advice on how to get better results from it. We were trying to share helpful information. Sorry this offended you.

I for one am not an RCI employee, but it might be useful if someone in these discussions really were one and could give us expert and accurate information on how RCI works, just as a Redweeks person sometimes adds advice on using Redweeks.

Many resorts relate to only one exchange company. When this is the case, it pays to learn as much as possible about it.

MD

Hi Everyone,

Boy, can I hear your frustration!

Try this. What I do that seems to have excellent results is look at the extra vacations they have and try to find a resort in the location I want to go. Then I check which unit sizes are available when.

I then call RCI and request an exchange for that resort at that time. It seems to work every time.

I don't know about these online searches. I've heard they don't do so well. With Fairfield we have a search first capability so we don't permanently deposit any time without Knowing what we can get. They offer RCI what we call a generic week that seems to have better trading power than If we get a specific week and do these online searches for ourselves.

Some people tend to enjoy doing these searches for themselves, but I would rather have the better resorts when it comes time for vacations.

Jeff

We never had any problem getting what we wanted in exchanges with either RCI or II. Of course, we planned well in advance for those exchanges that we knew would be difficult (re: California, Sedona, Las Vegas etc.) and we deposited our weeks 9-12 months in advance for those exchanges.

Planning and depositing early is the key to getting the exchanges you want, especially with RCI. That's how you play the game.

I realize that many people don't like to plan that far in advance, but for the best exchanges that's what you have to do.

bryanw21 wrote:

phill12 wrote:

jeffw129 wrote:

It's not RCI that's the problem it's people who don't take the time to understand the program and how it works. If ya take the time to get to know the program and how to make it work for you u'll be much better off.

After reading all your post telling us we don't understand how Rci works I have to think you work for Rci.

You don't need to come on here and lecture us owners on how this company is great and the screw ups are the owners fault for being stupid! We allready have jayjay to handle that job!

I can't talk for others but we are not new to timeshares and do know how the game works. This is reason we left Rci 12 years ago and three of our friends finally quit within last three years.

We have been with II for seven of the last 12 years and they work the same way but don't screw the members like Rci.

Phill12,

I have to agree with you on Jeffw129 seeming like a mole for RCI. I've taken the time to learn the RCI system, I've taken extra vacations for cheap, that is something I agree is a good deal, if you are flexible on where you want to go and when.

I have what all the RCI telephone salespeople claim is a hot- redweek resort with "powerful" trading clout. Who hasn't heard this line before? I even tried to get a resort two years in advance, put a deposit on an active search, checked back all the time and ran my own searches but got nowhere.

I even tried it with the caribbean sailing week exchange and finally called them directly. They told me that they don't have any openings for the next 3 years. Booked solid with a waiting list. How can RCI promote that you can get an exchange with them at all? Maybe Jeffw129 can tell us.

I read his response (and replied to it) to the thread about mandatory meal plans, and he was the same way, really defending the ugly underbelly of the resorts money machine. It is like he just came from an Amway meeting or something, all idealisitic and naive and gushing about how great an all-inclusive plan is.

After reading this thread all I can say is: jeffw129 either say something factual and useful or just lurk please.

Say something factual and usefull?? I am speaking of my own experiances. What could be more factual than that? That's what these forumns are for, i say what i think and you say what you think!! I just have 1 question for who ever wants to answer it.. How come me and many others are satisfied with our exchanges and then others aren't?? I personally think it's either you don't know how to work the system or it wasn't explained properly!! Because honestly? Do you think the operaters at RCI just like me and that's why i get what i want? Heck no!! I Asked the right questions to operaters i felt knew what they were talking about. But i don't know maybe i've had a lucky streak for the last i don't know how many years!! But if it bothers all you negative people out there that i am successful with RCI than i will gladly stop posting and trying to help!! And for anyone who would like to share tips and pointers about how to make it work than let's keep posting and start getting rid of the complainers.

if it bothers all you negative people out there that i am successful with RCI than i will gladly stop posting and trying to help!! And for anyone who would like to share tips and pointers about how to make it work than let's keep posting and start getting rid of the complainers.

Bingo! Somebody else has said it. Thank you very much. How do people get so negative anyway?

See my post under maintainence fees I made a couple days ago. This is same song second verse.

Jeff

eileenh20 wrote:

I have nothing nice to say about RCI. We own a unit that sleeps 10 in Vistana in Orlando. Initially we used the unit each year but, now that the children are older we have tried to exchange. We were told it is a valuable unit for trade power but, we have always had problems exchanging with RCI. Once we had banked with RCI we even tried to trade back into our unit with no success only to find out from the resort that there were vacancies. If at the last minute RCI offered us a unit we have always been downsized to a unit for 2. We have also been put into some resorts that were terrible and when we called RCI while at the resort got no help from them and the resorts blame RCI washing their hands of any problems.

Has any of your request to exchange been granted ? Were having major problems exchanging to Aruba about 1-1/2 years away.

jeffw129 wrote:

eileenh20 wrote:

I have nothing nice to say about RCI. We own a unit that sleeps 10 in Vistana in Orlando. Initially we used the unit each year but, now that the children are older we have tried to exchange. We were told it is a valuable unit for trade power but, we have always had problems exchanging with RCI. Once we had banked with RCI we even tried to trade back into our unit with no success only to find out from the resort that there were vacancies. If at the last minute RCI offered us a unit we have always been downsized to a unit for 2. We have also been put into some resorts that were terrible and when we called RCI while at the resort got no help from them and the resorts blame RCI washing their hands of any problems.

first of all Vistana doesn't have units that sleep 10!! The largest sleeps 8 and 2nd of all it's like getting seats for your favorite concert...Ya don't wait till last minute to try and get floor seats, why would you wait last minute to get a nice resort like vistana??? I book anywhere's from 8 months to a year in advance and i usually get what i want. But i don't know ya just got to call and ask the right questions and take their advice. Good luck!!

I also have my home resort at Vistana and have been trying to sxchange our week from Vistana to Aruba 1-1/2 years out. We started in Oct 2006 and as of today, RCI still can not get us there. We had to pay $199.00 just for them to tell me this.

phill12 wrote:

jeffw129 wrote:

It's not RCI that's the problem it's people who don't take the time to understand the program and how it works. If ya take the time to get to know the program and how to make it work for you u'll be much better off.

After reading all your post telling us we don't understand how Rci works I have to think you work for Rci.

You don't need to come on here and lecture us owners on how this company is great and the screw ups are the owners fault for being stupid! We allready have jayjay to handle that job!

I can't talk for others but we are not new to timeshares and do know how the game works. This is reason we left Rci 12 years ago and three of our friends finally quit within last three years.

We have been with II for seven of the last 12 years and they work the same way but don't screw the members like Rci.

I agree. I deposited my week with RCI and even paid $ 199.00 fee , so they could try to exchange my week to Aruba back in Oct 2006. We're looking to go in April 2008. I think that's plenty of notice you think.