Royals going downhill ?

[mav]

I am there now and what they told me is AI will be only for renters booking with a travel agent or some other on line booking service. For owners, and their renters/friends and family, and exchangers thru the exchange company it will be optional. It is still the same fantastic welcoming service here. We had a wonderful week. Leave today

[tonyg]

So many stories, looks like we may have to wait for it in writing from the Royals themselves.

[tonyg]

So many stories, looks like we may have to wait for it in writing from the Royals themselves. Just saw a May rental for around $ 650 on Ebay (2bd).

[catwgirl]

I hope you are right and that the AI is optional. Access to the Royals is one of the primary reasons I joined II.

I am there now and what they told me is AI will be only for renters booking with a travel agent or some other on line booking service. For owners, and their renters/friends and family, and exchangers thru the exchange company it will be optional. It is still the same fantastic welcoming service here. We had a wonderful week. Leave today

[somerville]

I am there now and what they told me is AI will be only for renters booking with a travel agent or some other on line booking service. For owners, and their renters/friends and family, and exchangers thru the exchange company it will be optional. It is still the same fantastic welcoming service here. We had a wonderful week. Leave today

Unless they have alot of guests booking through travel agents or travel sites, I would think it would be difficult to run a partial AI operation. If they are headed in this direction, I would suspect that they would expand the AI to other guests. I would never select an AI resort to exchange into. Resort AI fees are way too high, and you would have to drink alcohol all day to make it cost effective. (Of course, that may appeal to some people.) Also, I have seen instances where you could reserve an AI resort through an online travel site for less cost without giving up your week and paying an exchange fees.

If they extended the AI to exchangers, I would think it would impact exchange values. I doubt that I am alone in refusing to consider exchanges into AI resorts. Plus, as Big Frank said, they are plenty of inexpensive eating options in Cancun.

[tonyg]

An Ebay auction for a Royal Caribbean ended last night with no bids (opening was $ 997). Certainly the uncertainty about the AI and residual payout are keeping buyers away, but the main reason I stayed away was that the closing was through Timeshare Closing Services---but the first two considerations also weighed heavily.

[cmb]

Any updates?

[tonyg]

Last I heard the mandatory AI was only applicable to exchangers and some renters but only at the Royal Sands and Royal Haciendas and the daily fee was a tad over $ 100 pp. Hopefully, it will die the same death as the former meal plan---but I fear it will expand to other resorts and someday even include everyone including owners.

[catwgirl]

That's a shame. I love those resorts, but I will never exchange into an AI. I'm not a drinker, and never spend that much on food on a daily basis. No deal there for me.

[GrayFal]

That's a shame. I love those resorts, but I will never exchange into an AI. I'm not a drinker, and never spend that much on food on a daily basis. No deal there for me.

Agree, I am very disappointed as well - we have had some really nice family vacations at these resorts, but now - nope, not at $105 per person per day.