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I am a vacation guide at RCI, so I will try to answer the questions from the first post. Keep in mind that I do not speak "on the record" for RCI. Just from personal knowlege and experience.
My questions to you, Madge, are:
1. From what inventory are these weeks being made available from? Spacebanked weeks program? Points program?
2. Why, as a timeshare owner requesting an exchange into Hawaii, am I told by an RCI VC that there is a 2 year wait, but as a travel agent, I can book a week for the spring of 2007 and at a 25% discount to boot?
3. Why is RCI not honoring what they promised their paying members - namely, the availability of units in desirable locations when they spacebanked their weeks for the use of other MEMBERS?
First off, any inventory listed as "rental" or "bonus" comes from 2 places. Either the resort has made it available to RCI in order to increase the flow of "potential buyers", or RCI does purchase space to offer as rental inventory for members that simply cannot "trade" for. Due to trading power, short notice...etc. This is completely separate from space that members have deposited.
Next, the "2 year wait" that you hear about for Hawaii is pretty much correct.
It is simply a supply and demand issue. The "supply" is exponetially lower than the "demand" If you are trying to echange for Hawaii, chances are that you will not get it unless you have really good trading power, AND you search early, and since 2 years out is the earliest that you can search, there you go. Trust me when I tell you, when a member deposits space in Hawaii, it is taken in a matter of hours by someone who already set up an ongoing search. To the question of why you can rent for next spring, is because the space you are renting is not space that was deposited, and that was answered in the previous question.
And for the 3rd question, "availability of units" it all comes down to the fact that if "member A" does not deposit the space, then it will not be available for "member B" Keep in mind that is is first come, first serve. Trading power is a large part of it too. If you own space in Arkansas, then your trading power will allow you to trade for a unit that is similar, in respect to "VEP" vacation exchange profile. If you owned that nice 2 bedroom unit in Maui, would you really trade it for a unit in Arkansas? They are 2 totaly different types of vacations. That is the "fair exchange policy"
I hear everyday from members that the person who sold them their timeshare told them that thay could trade for anything. Let me be the first to tell you, I think the timeshare sales people should all be ran off a cliff. So, when you are calling in, and are frustrated, please keep in mind that I did not sell you the space you own, I did not advise you to search for Thanksgiving space today, and I did not keep you from depositing your space too late. I confirm many vacations a day, and they are normally to members who are realistic in what they are searching for, and have deposited space early (to get good trading power) and have searched early.
My questions to you, Madge, are:
1. From what inventory are these weeks being made available from? Spacebanked weeks program? Points program?
2. Why, as a timeshare owner requesting an exchange into Hawaii, am I told by an RCI VC that there is a 2 year wait, but as a travel agent, I can book a week for the spring of 2007 and at a 25% discount to boot?
3. Why is RCI not honoring what they promised their paying members - namely, the availability of units in desirable locations when they spacebanked their weeks for the use of other MEMBERS?
First off, any inventory listed as "rental" or "bonus" comes from 2 places. Either the resort has made it available to RCI in order to increase the flow of "potential buyers", or RCI does purchase space to offer as rental inventory for members that simply cannot "trade" for. Due to trading power, short notice...etc. This is completely separate from space that members have deposited.
Next, the "2 year wait" that you hear about for Hawaii is pretty much correct.
It is simply a supply and demand issue. The "supply" is exponetially lower than the "demand" If you are trying to echange for Hawaii, chances are that you will not get it unless you have really good trading power, AND you search early, and since 2 years out is the earliest that you can search, there you go. Trust me when I tell you, when a member deposits space in Hawaii, it is taken in a matter of hours by someone who already set up an ongoing search. To the question of why you can rent for next spring, is because the space you are renting is not space that was deposited, and that was answered in the previous question.
And for the 3rd question, "availability of units" it all comes down to the fact that if "member A" does not deposit the space, then it will not be available for "member B" Keep in mind that is is first come, first serve. Trading power is a large part of it too. If you own space in Arkansas, then your trading power will allow you to trade for a unit that is similar, in respect to "VEP" vacation exchange profile. If you owned that nice 2 bedroom unit in Maui, would you really trade it for a unit in Arkansas? They are 2 totaly different types of vacations. That is the "fair exchange policy"
I hear everyday from members that the person who sold them their timeshare told them that thay could trade for anything. Let me be the first to tell you, I think the timeshare sales people should all be ran off a cliff. So, when you are calling in, and are frustrated, please keep in mind that I did not sell you the space you own, I did not advise you to search for Thanksgiving space today, and I did not keep you from depositing your space too late. I confirm many vacations a day, and they are normally to members who are realistic in what they are searching for, and have deposited space early (to get good trading power) and have searched early.
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