What is the value of an RCI point?

Hi, all!

I am considering timeshare ownership (courtesy of eBay), and I am struggling with the question of how many RCI points I need to be bidding for. I've called and written RCI, themselves, on the assumption that surely THEY must know ... they do (I still assume), but won't divulge such sensitive information to a curious non-member. I sent RCI an email which hopefully clarifies my needs, but they aren't going to reply for 48 hours, which is too late for some of the auctions I'm looking at. I'm desperate for quick answers, so I will reprint my email here, in case somebody in RedWeek land can help me out:

Dear RCI,

I just had an extremely unpleasant experience speaking with one of your customer service representatives who was unable to help me with my question. This was following yesterday's call to a representative who answered my inquiry with misinformation. I'm hoping that somebody at your corporation will be able to assist me with my problem:

I am not an RCI points member ... yet. I am considering purchasing a timeshare resale that converts into a number of RCI points. My goal is simple - I want to be able to look at some charts for different properties to determine exactly when and where I will be able to "spend" these points. Before I pay somebody thousands of dollars to buy an allotment of points, shouldn't I know exactly what they are worth? How will I know if 60,000 points a year will satisfy my vacationing needs, or if I ought to purchase 90,000 per year instead?

My quest to become more informed about your point system seems reasonable to me as someone on the verge of commiting to an expensive purchase, yet I've been unable to get my questions answered in a satisfactory manner. Your first representative whom I spoke with assured me that the point breakdowns for your affiliated properties are readily available to anyone on the RCI website. Not true. The second customer service agent told me that I may have NO INFORMATION unless I am already member, and I must make my points purchase blindly, simply hoping for the best. He would not transfer me to a supervisor, or anybody else who could possibly help me. His only suggestion was to refer me back to the resort that had referred me to RCI in the first place!

So, is there any way for me to get the information I need to make an intelligent points purchase? Do you have a department that caters to the recruitment of non-members? It might be a good idea to be more forthcoming, as the attitude I've encountered from your company thus far only perpetuates the "myth" that timeshare ownership is a worthless scam where slick salesmen talk unsuspecting people into buying something that is impossible to use.

My confidence in your company is not very high at this time, after reading on the Internet about RCI member experiences, but I have visions of palm trees dancing through my head and I'm not yet prepared to give up hope. If you can find some way to simply allow me access to the secrets of what an RCI point is actually WORTH, I might proceed with my timeshare purchase so you can collect my exchange fees ... and my childrens's ... and my children's children's, etc.

Thanks for your time! MF

I suppose since none of you can get me into the bowels of the RCI website, my question to existing RCI point members are:

1. How many points do you receive each year?

2. How many resort nights can you get in peak season? Value season? (I know this will vary greatly with location, but approximately how much bang do you get from your vacation buck?)

3. Do you feel you have enough points each year? Do you ever resort to buying/borrowing?

Thank you for your answers! MF

Good Evening, My Name George I work for Bluegreen Vacation Club. I just started with the company about 1.5 months ago and I can tell you one thing be very careful of what you buy through ebay because if you are just buying points you aren't getting deeded real estate. which means that you can not will to anyone if that is a concern. Also RCI doesn't own any real estate they are a exchange company that has fees to exchange a week into their 3700 resorts it is 164 domestic and 199 international with 115 a year membership fee. RCI is nice to use if you are traveling to a place that your club doesn't have a resort at and you can exchange it to. All I can tell you is how Bluegreen works and the benefits to being a member...

mackf4 wrote:

Hi, all!

I am considering timeshare ownership (courtesy of eBay), and I am struggling with the question of how many RCI points I need to be bidding for. I've called and written RCI, themselves, on the assumption that surely THEY must know ... they do (I still assume), but won't divulge such sensitive information to a curious non-member. I sent RCI an email which hopefully clarifies my needs, but they aren't going to reply for 48 hours, which is too late for some of the auctions I'm looking at. I'm desperate for quick answers, so I will reprint my email here, in case somebody in RedWeek land can help me out:

Dear RCI,

I just had an extremely unpleasant experience speaking with one of your customer service representatives who was unable to help me with my question. This was following yesterday's call to a representative who answered my inquiry with misinformation. I'm hoping that somebody at your corporation will be able to assist me with my problem:

I am not an RCI points member ... yet. I am considering purchasing a timeshare resale that converts into a number of RCI points. My goal is simple - I want to be able to look at some charts for different properties to determine exactly when and where I will be able to "spend" these points. Before I pay somebody thousands of dollars to buy an allotment of points, shouldn't I know exactly what they are worth? How will I know if 60,000 points a year will satisfy my vacationing needs, or if I ought to purchase 90,000 per year instead?

My quest to become more informed about your point system seems reasonable to me as someone on the verge of commiting to an expensive purchase, yet I've been unable to get my questions answered in a satisfactory manner. Your first representative whom I spoke with assured me that the point breakdowns for your affiliated properties are readily available to anyone on the RCI website. Not true. The second customer service agent told me that I may have NO INFORMATION unless I am already member, and I must make my points purchase blindly, simply hoping for the best. He would not transfer me to a supervisor, or anybody else who could possibly help me. His only suggestion was to refer me back to the resort that had referred me to RCI in the first place!

So, is there any way for me to get the information I need to make an intelligent points purchase? Do you have a department that caters to the recruitment of non-members? It might be a good idea to be more forthcoming, as the attitude I've encountered from your company thus far only perpetuates the "myth" that timeshare ownership is a worthless scam where slick salesmen talk unsuspecting people into buying something that is impossible to use.

My confidence in your company is not very high at this time, after reading on the Internet about RCI member experiences, but I have visions of palm trees dancing through my head and I'm not yet prepared to give up hope. If you can find some way to simply allow me access to the secrets of what an RCI point is actually WORTH, I might proceed with my timeshare purchase so you can collect my exchange fees ... and my childrens's ... and my children's children's, etc.

Thanks for your time! MF

I suppose since none of you can get me into the bowels of the RCI website, my question to existing RCI point members are:

1. How many points do you receive each year?

2. How many resort nights can you get in peak season? Value season? (I know this will vary greatly with location, but approximately how much bang do you get from your vacation buck?)

3. Do you feel you have enough points each year? Do you ever resort to buying/borrowing?

Thank you for your answers! MF

If you have some more specifics such as resorts, season, size, etc, let me know and I can try finding out more info for you. Hope this helps Mike

mackf4 has apparently learned that RCI is often not particularly helpful, responsive or informative --- often not even being remotely correct in phone rep answers. Welcome to RCI, Mack. ;-)

Mike1536 has offered you his assistance in RCI Points. I can tell you from my own personal experience that you would be well served to take him up on that offer. He is a knowledgeable fellow in this particular area and he has no sub-agenda (or any RCI affiliation). While I did not precisiely follow his same path (resort wise) when I entered into RCI Points, Mike's honest and accurate input helped me make much better informed decisions (and saved me some money too) when I first entered into RCI Points after many years of only "weeks" ownership and experience. I offer this feedback (with no encouragement from or consent of Mike himself) because on the Internet, ANY fool with a keyboard can offer advice, input, opinions --- quite often completely unencumbered by any actual knowledge, current information, or personal experience on the subject matter. Accordingly, you really have to separate the wheat from the chaff in order to make wise decisions. Mike's input on RCI Points is wheat --- no chaff. My advice is to ask him questions and listen to and learn from his answers.

ken1193 wrote:

mackf4 has apparently learned that RCI is often not particularly helpful, responsive or informative --- often not even being remotely correct in phone rep answers. Welcome to RCI, Mack. ;-)

Mike1536 has offered you his assistance in RCI Points. I can tell you from my own personal experience that you would be well served to take him up on that offer. He is a knowledgeable fellow in this particular area and he has no sub-agenda (or any RCI affiliation). While I did not precisiely follow his same path (resort wise) when I entered into RCI Points, Mike's honest and accurate input helped me make much better informed decisions (and saved me some money too) when I first entered into RCI Points after many years of only "weeks" ownership and experience. I offer this feedback (with no encouragement from or consent of Mike himself) because on the Internet, ANY fool with a keyboard can offer advice, input, opinions --- quite often completely unencumbered by any actual knowledge, current information, or personal experience on the subject matter. Accordingly, you really have to separate the wheat from the chaff in order to make wise decisions. Mike's input on RCI Points is wheat --- no chaff. My advice is to ask him questions and listen to and learn from his answers.

Thanks, everybody, for your input! You've been very helpful! (sorry for my late response - I've been out of town).

georget81 -

You are absolutely correct about the dangers of buying via eBay. I got excited about one of the auctions there last week ... until I looked at the listing closely and discovered that the property in question wasn't deeded. Unfortunately, resale is my only option for timeshare ownership, as the prices from the resorts themselves are way out of my league (I recently survived a sales presentation at an Orlando resort, which got me interested in pursuing this idea). I'll try to be very careful on eBay.

Are the annual dues for RCI really $115? Their website says $99, but I wouldn't count on that being up to date. I assume that members only need to pay their dues in years that they intend to use RCI's services, or are you locked in permanently, no matter what?

ken1193 -

You are right: mike1536 is very wise and generous, and the employees at RCI seem oddly uninformed. After sending my email complaining about how I'm not able to see the point values for the resorts, an RCI rep wrote back and explained that I only need to hit the link that says "See RCI points value" link. There is no such link!!!!

mike1536 -

Thanks so much for looking stuff up and giving me some basis for comparison. And thanks for your offer to look up specific resorts, seasons, etc for me!

I don't have anything specific in mind, but I will (in most cases):

1. Rent a studio, as I have no kids & my husband seldom accompanies me on trips.

2. Be perfectly satisfied to stay in a standard level resort. I've been a budget traveler for the past 15+ years - which means sleeping in the back of my rental car, in $5 per night hostels with no fans/working toilets, and once in a treehouse in Guatemala ($3/night). Anything is an improvement on what I've been doing, and now that I've hit the big 3-zero, I'm slowing down and ready to pay for air conditioning.

3. Book for days rather than weeks, as I often move quickly from town to town trying to see a whole country in one vacation.

From what you've reported, it sounds like I will be able to stretch my points to accomodate the 3 or 4 trips I take each year (even if it means staying at a resort only the last few days of my vacation to recuperate), but I will probably need 70,000+ points to do this. Thanks for giving me some perspective!

One more question for you (pretty please): I will be going to Hawaii (Oahu) on a scuba trip the first week of December. If I buy into a timeshare deal soon, is there any chance of being able to book accomodations through RCI on such short notice? Does anybody have difficulty finding availablity through RCI? I know with frequent flyer miles I've got to book 10 months in advance to get anything international.

Thanks again! Mack

Re: >> I will be going to Hawaii (Oahu) on a scuba trip the first week of December. If I buy into a timeshare deal soon, is there any chance of being able to book accomodations through RCI on such short notice? <<

No, none whatsoever. Zero. Nada. Nyet......sorry. ======================================

Re: >> Does anybody have difficulty finding availablity through RCI? <<

EVERYBODY has difficulty finding availability through RCI in desirable times or places in recent years, particularly since RCI now openly rents out high quality depositd weeks to non-RCI members (a practice which currently has them sitting as defendants in a class action lawsuit). And to add insult to injury, RCI has now very recently (within just the past few weeks) even developed an entirely separate rental company under a different name (it's called SnapTravel, for anyone actually interested). =====================================

Re: >> I know with frequent flyer miles I've got to book 10 months in advance to get anything international.<<

For desirable weeks / locations, searching the weeks side of RCI, two years is the maximum search "window" (and even then it's often unsuccessful, even if sought that far in advance). "Points" can search for "points" resorts no more than 10 months "out". In either scenario, you're certainly not going to find available space in Hawaii 12 weeks from now.....

P.S. Not to promote a "competing" timeshare web site, but on the Timeshare Users Group (TUG) site, there are "last minute rentals by owners". You have to join TUG (all of $10 / year) to even see them, but there are often some surprisingly good deals there (and they must be priced at $700 or less for the week to get listed at all). I'm not promoting TUG, I'm just making you aware of one of the very few "last minute" timeshare space options around. Then again, it's cash to the owner of the weeek being renhted, it's not an "exchange" situation per se (unless so specified).

Mack, No problem just wanted you to be happy with your purchase and get what you wanted. I do recommend if you buy resale used an authorized agent. (pinnacle vacations)

Good luck and happy vacationing...

George

georget81 wrote:

Mack, No problem just wanted you to be happy with your purchase and get what you wanted. I do recommend if you buy resale used an authorized agent. (pinnacle vacations)

Good luck and happy vacationing...

George

georget81 wrote:

Good Evening, My Name George I work for Bluegreen Vacation Club. I just started with the company about 1.5 months ago and I can tell you one thing be very careful of what you buy through ebay because if you are just buying points you aren't getting deeded real estate. which means that you can not will to anyone if that is a concern. Also RCI doesn't own any real estate they are a exchange company that has fees to exchange a week into their 3700 resorts it is 164 domestic and 199 international with 115 a year membership fee. RCI is nice to use if you are traveling to a place that your club doesn't have a resort at and you can exchange it to. All I can tell you is how Bluegreen works and the benefits to being a member...

Wouldn't any RCI Points purchased on e-bay be based on property at an RCI Points Resort, just as Bluegreen Points are based on a particular Bluegreen property and Wyndham Points are based on a specific Wyndham property? That was my understanding. You are correct in saying that RCI does not own these RCI Points Resorts but the resorts and their owners are members of the RCI Points program. MD

ken1193 Re: >> I will be going to Hawaii (Oahu) on a scuba trip the first week of December. If I buy into a timeshare deal soon, is there any chance of being able to book accomodations through RCI on such short notice? <<

No, none whatsoever. Zero. Nada. Nyet......sorry. ======================================

Re: >> I know with frequent flyer miles I've got to book 10 months in advance to get anything international.<<

For desirable weeks / locations, searching the weeks side of RCI, two years is the maximum search "window" (and even then it's often unsuccessful, even if sought that far in advance). "Points" can search for "points" resorts no more than 10 months "out". In either scenario, you're certainly not going to find available space in Hawaii 12 weeks from now.....

======= ARE there any RCI Points resorts in Hawaii? MD

adahiscout asks: >> ARE there any RCI Points resorts in Hawaii? << =======================================

It doesn't matter one bit, since a RCI "points" account can search for EITHER a RCI points resort OR a RCI weeks resort. The only distinction in "points searching points" vs. "points searching weeks" is that the maximum time window for a RCI "points" account searching for a weeks resort is 2 years, while the maximum window for a RCI points account searching for a points resort is 10 months (13 months for the home resort at which the points are based). This addresses RCI points ONLY --- I have no knowledge at all about any of the other many points based systems.

mackf4 wrote:

Thanks, everybody, for your input! You've been very helpful! (sorry for my late response - I've been out of town).

georget81 -

You are absolutely correct about the dangers of buying via eBay. I got excited about one of the auctions there last week ... until I looked at the listing closely and discovered that the property in question wasn't deeded. Unfortunately, resale is my only option for timeshare ownership, as the prices from the resorts themselves are way out of my league (I recently survived a sales presentation at an Orlando resort, which got me interested in pursuing this idea). I'll try to be very careful on eBay.

Are the annual dues for RCI really $115? Their website says $99, but I wouldn't count on that being up to date. I assume that members only need to pay their dues in years that they intend to use RCI's services, or are you locked in permanently, no matter what?

ken1193 -

You are right: mike1536 is very wise and generous, and the employees at RCI seem oddly uninformed. After sending my email complaining about how I'm not able to see the point values for the resorts, an RCI rep wrote back and explained that I only need to hit the link that says "See RCI points value" link. There is no such link!!!!

mike1536 -

Thanks so much for looking stuff up and giving me some basis for comparison. And thanks for your offer to look up specific resorts, seasons, etc for me!

I don't have anything specific in mind, but I will (in most cases):

1. Rent a studio, as I have no kids & my husband seldom accompanies me on trips.

2. Be perfectly satisfied to stay in a standard level resort. I've been a budget traveler for the past 15+ years - which means sleeping in the back of my rental car, in $5 per night hostels with no fans/working toilets, and once in a treehouse in Guatemala ($3/night). Anything is an improvement on what I've been doing, and now that I've hit the big 3-zero, I'm slowing down and ready to pay for air conditioning.

3. Book for days rather than weeks, as I often move quickly from town to town trying to see a whole country in one vacation.

From what you've reported, it sounds like I will be able to stretch my points to accomodate the 3 or 4 trips I take each year (even if it means staying at a resort only the last few days of my vacation to recuperate), but I will probably need 70,000+ points to do this. Thanks for giving me some perspective!

One more question for you (pretty please): I will be going to Hawaii (Oahu) on a scuba trip the first week of December. If I buy into a timeshare deal soon, is there any chance of being able to book accomodations through RCI on such short notice? Does anybody have difficulty finding availablity through RCI? I know with frequent flyer miles I've got to book 10 months in advance to get anything international.

Thanks again! Mack

Be aware that each reservation even for one or two days in going to result in an exchange fee being charged by RCI (ranges from $39 for one night to $124 for seven nights). I've also been charged a cleaning fee by the resort since I did not check-out on a normal check-out day. This extra charge was not listed on any confirmation from RCI. To RCI's credit, they did refund my exchange fee when I voiced my displeasure. These extra charges may not make a 1 or 2 day exchange very economical.

Also, Ken very clearly outlined the reservation windows in another thread (Timeshare Points vs. Weeks)

Well, from what I've read on this forum and others, I am learning that the best thing to do when considering the purchase of a timeshare is to beat yourself over the head with a blunt object until you regain your senses, then run like hell ... if you still can.

The thing is, bad idea or not, I want to play the game. I think I can win it.

I've been corresponding with Elise, a very kind and helpful RCI Customer Communications Specialist (yes, they do exist!). She looked up some specific dates/resorts/units for me so I could get a rough idea of how many points I will need to get my 'money's worth' after paying my annual dues.

Next, I did one better and found a username/password so I can log into the RCI member area myself! I've found all sorts of great point deals/availability there, both in the next few months and in the distant future. It's a fun site to play around on.

I can see how availability through RCI could be a problem for people who have very specific travel needs. Naturally, I could not find any accommodations for my Hawaii trip in December or my Europe vacation in May of 2008 (unless I visit different cities then I originally planned, which is a workable possibility). Even when I looked for Points Resorts bookings exactly ten months out (the maximum allowed), my options were limited. I had better luck with Weeks Resorts searches.

End result is, I think RCI will work out for me because:

1. I am willing to design my vacations around whatever is available.

2. I can travel at short notice, which means using less of my points each time.

3. I really don't care which resort I crash in at night, as long as they give me a blanket.

4. RCI's website seems to be fully automated so I should never need to call the annoying customer service center (fingers crossed).

I can see how dealing with RCI could be very frustrating for someone whose travel plans are inflexible, and the fees are very expensive if a person is trading 1 single week for another single week ($124 RCI dues + $124 transaction fee + Annual maintenance and taxes, all for just one vacation).

mackf4 states, quoted only in pertinent part:

>>The thing is, bad idea or not, I want to play the game. I think I can win it. <<

Nobody "wins" it except RCI. Shoot for "break even" or "stay ahead". ======================================

>> I've been corresponding with Elise, a very kind and helpful RCI Customer Communications Specialist (yes, they do exist!). <<

Kind and helpful is great --- but knowledgeable and well informed would be so much better. I'd gladly deal with the biggest jerk in RCI --- just as long as s/he knew what on earth they were talking about. =======================================

>> Next, I did one better and found a username/password so I can log into the RCI member area myself! I've found all sorts of great point deals/availability there, both in the next few months and in the distant future. It's a fun site to play around on. <<

Also, the published points grid is quite straightforward and spells out points requirements for any and every size unit and season, anywhere in the world. I tip my cap to RCI (something I very rarely do) for having gotten that info into print a while back.

You sound like a determined individual with intellect, an adventurous spirit and a good measure of resolve. You will routinely need ALL of those attributes in order to successfully deal with RCI. I've now actually come to regard my interactions with RCI as a "game", one in which the opposition wants to deceive and mislead me in order to deflect me from making my way around the game board. However, in this "game" I'm determined instead to find accurate facts, with or without RCI help, and work with those facts to prevail. That philosophy has helped to keep me (mostly) sane in two decades of dealing with RCI. ======================================

>> RCI's website seems to be fully automated so I should never need to call the annoying customer service center (fingers crossed). <<

Ahhh..... you'll soon find, over time, that the RCI site apparently has functionality problems on a surprisingly frequent basis for such a large company. That fact is a source of much complaint and ridicule on numerous other Internet timeshare forums. That said, I rarely visit or use it myself, so this is "relayed reports" rather than the results of my own personal experience.

Good luck. You're going to need it, but I'm also willing to bet that you have the mettle and fortitude to prevail in this "game".

ken1193 wrote:

mackf4 states, quoted only in pertinent part:

>>The thing is, bad idea or not, I want to play the game. I think I can win it. <<

Nobody "wins" it except RCI. Shoot for "break even" or "stay ahead". ======================================

>> I've been corresponding with Elise, a very kind and helpful RCI Customer Communications Specialist (yes, they do exist!). <<

Kind and helpful is great --- but knowledgeable and well informed would be so much better. I'd gladly deal with the biggest jerk in RCI --- just as long as s/he knew what on earth they were talking about. =======================================

>> Next, I did one better and found a username/password so I can log into the RCI member area myself! I've found all sorts of great point deals/availability there, both in the next few months and in the distant future. It's a fun site to play around on. <<

Also, the published points grid is quite straightforward and spells out points requirements for any and every size unit and season, anywhere in the world. I tip my cap to RCI (something I very rarely do) for having gotten that info into print a while back.

You sound like a determined individual with intellect, an adventurous spirit and a good measure of resolve. You will routinely need ALL of those attributes in order to successfully deal with RCI. I've now actually come to regard my interactions with RCI as a "game", one in which the opposition wants to deceive and mislead me in order to deflect me from making my way around the game board. However, in this "game" I'm determined instead to find accurate facts, with or without RCI help, and work with those facts to prevail. That philosophy has helped to keep me (mostly) sane in two decades of dealing with RCI. ======================================

>> RCI's website seems to be fully automated so I should never need to call the annoying customer service center (fingers crossed). <<

Ahhh..... you'll soon find, over time, that the RCI site apparently has functionality problems on a surprisingly frequent basis for such a large company. That fact is a source of much complaint and ridicule on numerous other Internet timeshare forums. That said, I rarely visit or use it myself, so this is "relayed reports" rather than the results of my own personal experience.

Good luck. You're going to need it, but I'm also willing to bet that you have the mettle and fortitude to prevail in this "game".

adahiscout states, quoted only in directly pertinent part:

>> I've concluded that the RCI Weeks site sometimes "times out" when you poke around too long looking at exchange options. It does not exactly SAY so, but suddenly the dozens of options you have been reading about disappear. If you log out and then log in again, they usually reappear. << ======================================

You may very well be correct. On other timeshare sites, however, I've also seen the theory openly expressed that the RCI web site is actually operated by a third grade computer class located in Carmel, Indiana and that the assorted "down times" and "glitches" occur when the students are "tweaking" the system.

Personally, I find that RCI frustrates me enough already without adding any "on line" frustration to the mix, so I rarely subject myself to that additional angst. ;-)

Hi Mack: I'd be very careful buying any RCI points. My experiece with RCI is that you can't get very desirable resorts when they are in demand. I have used both Fairfield and Worldmark points and would recommend them. See https://www.fairfieldresorts.com/ffr/index.do and http://www.worldmarktheclub.com/ Although I own Worldmark and Fairfield units and like them, I really like owning and staying at Marriott resorts. A platinum week at a desirable resort trades very well.

Jim Cameron

mackf4 wrote:

Hi, all!

I am considering timeshare ownership (courtesy of eBay), and I am struggling with the question of how many RCI points I need to be bidding for. I've called and written RCI, themselves, on the assumption that surely THEY must know ... they do (I still assume), but won't divulge such sensitive information to a curious non-member. I sent RCI an email which hopefully clarifies my needs, but they aren't going to reply for 48 hours, which is too late for some of the auctions I'm looking at. I'm desperate for quick answers, so I will reprint my email here, in case somebody in RedWeek land can help me out:

Dear RCI,

I just had an extremely unpleasant experience speaking with one of your customer service representatives who was unable to help me with my question. This was following yesterday's call to a representative who answered my inquiry with misinformation. I'm hoping that somebody at your corporation will be able to assist me with my problem:

I am not an RCI points member ... yet. I am considering purchasing a timeshare resale that converts into a number of RCI points. My goal is simple - I want to be able to look at some charts for different properties to determine exactly when and where I will be able to "spend" these points. Before I pay somebody thousands of dollars to buy an allotment of points, shouldn't I know exactly what they are worth? How will I know if 60,000 points a year will satisfy my vacationing needs, or if I ought to purchase 90,000 per year instead?

My quest to become more informed about your point system seems reasonable to me as someone on the verge of commiting to an expensive purchase, yet I've been unable to get my questions answered in a satisfactory manner. Your first representative whom I spoke with assured me that the point breakdowns for your affiliated properties are readily available to anyone on the RCI website. Not true. The second customer service agent told me that I may have NO INFORMATION unless I am already member, and I must make my points purchase blindly, simply hoping for the best. He would not transfer me to a supervisor, or anybody else who could possibly help me. His only suggestion was to refer me back to the resort that had referred me to RCI in the first place!

So, is there any way for me to get the information I need to make an intelligent points purchase? Do you have a department that caters to the recruitment of non-members? It might be a good idea to be more forthcoming, as the attitude I've encountered from your company thus far only perpetuates the "myth" that timeshare ownership is a worthless scam where slick salesmen talk unsuspecting people into buying something that is impossible to use.

My confidence in your company is not very high at this time, after reading on the Internet about RCI member experiences, but I have visions of palm trees dancing through my head and I'm not yet prepared to give up hope. If you can find some way to simply allow me access to the secrets of what an RCI point is actually WORTH, I might proceed with my timeshare purchase so you can collect my exchange fees ... and my childrens's ... and my children's children's, etc.

Thanks for your time! MF

I suppose since none of you can get me into the bowels of the RCI website, my question to existing RCI point members are:

1. How many points do you receive each year?

2. How many resort nights can you get in peak season? Value season? (I know this will vary greatly with location, but approximately how much bang do you get from your vacation buck?)

3. Do you feel you have enough points each year? Do you ever resort to buying/borrowing?

Thank you for your answers! MF

mackf4 states / asks, quoted only in pertinent part:

>> I suppose since none of you can get me into the bowels of the RCI website, my question to existing RCI point members are:

1. How many points do you receive each year?

2. How many resort nights can you get in peak season? Value season? (I know this will vary greatly with location, but approximately how much bang do you get from your vacation buck?)

3. Do you feel you have enough points each year? Do you ever resort to buying/borrowing? << ======================================

While I am unwilling to discuss in any public Internet forums the inner details of my personal timeshare accounts or practices, I am certainly at least willing to give you some benchmark numbers from the 2007 RCI points value summary for your reference (and I'd be glad to look up any others you specifically identify).

You previously and specifically mentioned Hawaii, so I'll present point requirements for both a 1BR size and a hotel / suite size (which is "RCI-speak" for "studio", often just a converted motel room) unit there. In Hawaii, for RCI points purposes, the entire year is "Red" time, so the season matters not at all ---points required for a week stay (when/if you can get one at all) are exactly the same at ANY time of year:

Gold crown, silver crown and standard are RCI designations (with which I quite often disagree) for alleged "standards of quality". Personally, I've found many "standard" units to be eminently acceptable and, again just a personal view, I neither need nor want the alleged "elegance" of Gold Crown resorts (or the holier than thou attitudes often exhibited by occupants therein). That's gratuitous and unsolicited personal opinion, I will readily admit, but I'm being honest.

1BR size, Hawaii, per week: Gold Crown: 60,000 points Silver Crown: 44,500 Standard: 36,000

Hotel/suite (studio) size, Hawaii, per week: Gold Crown: 41,000 Silver Crown: 30,500 Standard: 23,500

Except for Europe (higher still than points amounts cited above for Hawaii), points figures for virtually anyplace else in the world will be LESS than those cited above, so I hope this at least gives you a starting frame of reference for the amount of RCI points required for a full week. Daily stays (where available) are generally 12% of the totals indicated above, except that weekend nights are each 20% of the points figures cited. Daily points requirements are likely academic in a place like Hawaii anyhow, since you're not ever going to find any availability for less than a full week (if, indeed, you can even find that). Furthermore, less than full week stays also mean having to pay the resort an additional "cleaning" fee for your "partial" week stay.

I seem to recall links on other sites (was it TUG?)connecting directly to the RCI points grid for the entire world, even for non-RCI members, with no "log in" to RCI site required, so I don't think this is anything even remotely resembling "proprietary information". That said, the above points numbers are right from my own RCI printed materials for 2007, here in my hands. I hope it's of some help or use to you as a starting point and frame of reference.

ken1193 wrote:

mackf4 states / asks, quoted only in pertinent part:

>> I suppose since none of you can get me into the bowels of the RCI website, my question to existing RCI point members are:

1. How many points do you receive each year?

2. How many resort nights can you get in peak season? Value season? (I know this will vary greatly with location, but approximately how much bang do you get from your vacation buck?)

3. Do you feel you have enough points each year? Do you ever resort to buying/borrowing? << ======================================

While I am unwilling to discuss in any public Internet forums the inner details of my personal timeshare accounts or practices, I am certainly at least willing to give you some benchmark numbers from the 2007 RCI points value summary for your reference (and I'd be glad to look up any others you specifically identify).

You previously and specifically mentioned Hawaii, so I'll present point requirements for both a 1BR size and a hotel / suite size (which is "RCI-speak" for "studio", often just a converted motel room) unit there. In Hawaii, for RCI points purposes, the entire year is "Red" time, so the season matters not at all ---points required for a week stay (when/if you can get one at all) are exactly the same at ANY time of year:

Gold crown, silver crown and standard are RCI designations (with which I quite often disagree) for alleged "standards of quality". Personally, I've found many "standard" units to be eminently acceptable and, again just a personal view, I neither need nor want the alleged "elegance" of Gold Crown resorts (or the holier than thou attitudes often exhibited by occupants therein). That's gratuitous and unsolicited personal opinion, I will readily admit, but I'm being honest.

1BR size, Hawaii, per week: Gold Crown: 60,000 points Silver Crown: 44,500 Standard: 36,000

Hotel/suite (studio) size, Hawaii, per week: Gold Crown: 41,000 Silver Crown: 30,500 Standard: 23,500

Except for Europe (higher still than points amounts cited above for Hawaii), points figures for virtually anyplace else in the world will be LESS than those cited above, so I hope this at least gives you a starting frame of reference for the amount of RCI points required for a full week. Daily stays (where available) are generally 12% of the totals indicated above, except that weekend nights are each 20% of the points figures cited. Daily points requirements are likely academic in a place like Hawaii anyhow, since you're not ever going to find any availability for less than a full week (if, indeed, you can even find that). Furthermore, less than full week stays also mean having to pay the resort an additional "cleaning" fee for your "partial" week stay.

I seem to recall links on other sites (was it TUG?)connecting directly to the RCI points grid for the entire world, even for non-RCI members, with no "log in" to RCI site required, so I don't think this is anything even remotely resembling "proprietary information". That said, the above points numbers are right from my own RCI printed materials for 2007, here in my hands. I hope it's of some help or use to you as a starting point and frame of reference.

Would someone who buys a 1BR unit at a RCI POINTS Gold Crown all red season resort in Florida, for example, get 60,000 pts with which to trade or will the points value of their resort vary a lot depending on location? MD