RCI or II - need to join one or the other

Bevie01 · May 4, 2012, 02:23 PM

we are owners at the Grand Mayan Resort and have two weeks each year and two "vacation fair" that we can also use. We like to go to our home resort in Nuevo Vallarta but due to family issues we can't this year. Our RCI membership expires this month and I'm looking to either renew with them or switching to II. We want to exchange into St John, USVI or Puerto Rico and II has more options than RCI. Any thoughts or suggestions from the experienced traders out there would be appreciated.

momeason · May 4, 2012, 02:29 PM

I really like Il and get great trades and very good customer service and lots of bonus weeks. I even have my own agent I call. I have not used RCI.

MichaelColey · May 4, 2012, 10:19 PM

Would you have enough trading power to get into any of those places with II? Mexico is typically a pretty poor trader.

At least with RCI, you can combine several weeks (can the bonus weeks you get be deposited?) and get something you wouldn't have been able to see with a single week.

I've only started to use II. They do have some very nice resorts, but the quantity of inventory doesn't compare to RCI, at least for most of the places I have looked.

bellesgirl · May 5, 2012, 08:06 AM

You might want to consider SFX as an option. Many on this board really like SFX.

DeniseM · May 5, 2012, 12:03 PM

The Westin St. John is a very difficult exchange. There is far more demand than supply, it takes a strong trader, and Starwood owners have first priority for any availability. There is no reliable way to get it on an exchange. Your best bet is probably to rent from an owner - surprisingly, the rental rates are not as high as you would expect.

sfwilshire · May 6, 2012, 05:40 PM

I belong to both, but am not much of a fan of II. Their procedures don't fit my travel and planning styles as well as RCI. I would drop them if I didn't own one resort that is II only.

RCI has a lot of quirks, but it gets me a lot of good exchanges and I've been relatively happy with them through the years.

Sheila

stanleyu · May 6, 2012, 07:55 PM

For a number of years we had both - two different time shares, one with II, the other with RCI. I REALLY liked II's last minute (60 days, I believe) trades, where you could trade anything for anything (week for week, but upgrade for free). We used to regularly trade into Orlando (which has a great over-abundance of units) in that window and would get 2 and 3 bedroom units for our limited kitchen 1BR trade. I knew I could always wait till the end and have no problem getting a trade, except possibly in the Christmas and Easter weeks.

What I didn't like about II was that my limited kitchen and floating weeks had almost no trading power except that Orlando area.

our RCI week had similar trading problems, but now with RCI points we can combine several year's worth to get a better trade. MUCH better from our perspective. And what really sold us on RCI is the ability to trade into Disney Vacation Club.

One other plan I really like is under the VRI umbrella. With that we could use a poor trade and upgrade to a better unit by paying an "out of season" fee. Made our trade much more valuable.

momeason · May 8, 2012, 09:35 AM

I have been trading with Wyndham which is only a fair trader in II. If you are flexible, you can get great trades. We go to Marriotts most of the time.

sptung · May 9, 2012, 11:55 AM

I love II, not so much RCI. RCI fees are quite a bit higher than II. II also has Starwood, Marriott, Four Seasons and Hyatt and Shell. RCI only has a couple of older Starwood resorts.

MichaelColey · May 9, 2012, 01:27 PM

RCI also has a handful of Marriott and Shell properties, but nowhere near as much as II. If you don't own in the chain, though, isn't it fairly hard to get prime units or weeks through II? I know that one of the properties I would like to exchange for on II is Harborside at Atlantis, and I've been told that it's just about impossible without Starwood preference.

sptung · May 9, 2012, 04:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MichaelColey

RCI also has a handful of Marriott and Shell properties, but nowhere near as much as II. If you don't own in the chain, though, isn't it fairly hard to get prime units or weeks through II? I know that one of the properties I would like to exchange for on II is Harborside at Atlantis, and I've been told that it's just about impossible without Starwood preference.

I thought all Shell TS moved from RCI in 2011 to II in Jan 2012?

MichaelColey · May 9, 2012, 05:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sptung

I thought all Shell TS moved from RCI in 2011 to II in Jan 2012?

Hmmm, maybe it was before that when I saw them? Looking now, I don't see any.

chellej · May 9, 2012, 09:02 PM

Yes, Shell is now with II.

I like RCI for the variety but not the high fees. I can get quite a few exchanges for my 55 TPU week

II a really have gotten great exchanges and shell seems to trade very well.

This year, I got 2 of my Hawaii weeks, Hanalei Bay and Maui Schooner from trading Places.

Next Fall, I booked Molokai through Platinum.

The thing about the last 2 are no membership fees and lower exchange fees.

I only used SFX once and my week wasn't one of their "preffered" week and it did not do very well but they seem to have a realtionship with Grand Mayan so you might do very well with them

May 4, 2012, 02:23 PM	#1
Bevie01 Guest BBS Reg. Date: Nov 1, 06 Location: Cary, NC Posts: 3	RCI or II - need to join one or the other we are owners at the Grand Mayan Resort and have two weeks each year and two "vacation fair" that we can also use. We like to go to our home resort in Nuevo Vallarta but due to family issues we can't this year. Our RCI membership expires this month and I'm looking to either renew with them or switching to II. We want to exchange into St John, USVI or Puerto Rico and II has more options than RCI. Any thoughts or suggestions from the experienced traders out there would be appreciated.

May 4, 2012, 10:19 PM	#3
MichaelColey TUG Member BBS Reg. Date: Jun 4, 10 Location: Mansfield, TX Posts: 3,412 Resorts: Summer Bay Orlando (3BR LO), Palace View Branson (4 Lockouts), Grandview (Points), CMV (UDI), DVC (SSR 25)	Would you have enough trading power to get into any of those places with II? Mexico is typically a pretty poor trader. At least with RCI, you can combine several weeks (can the bonus weeks you get be deposited?) and get something you wouldn't have been able to see with a single week. I've only started to use II. They do have some very nice resorts, but the quantity of inventory doesn't compare to RCI, at least for most of the places I have looked. __________________ Upcoming: Tennessee, NYC, Philadelphia, Orlando (WDW), Hawaii, Orlando (WDW), Branson, Vegas, Orlando (WDW & Cruise), RTW Trip

May 5, 2012, 08:06 AM	#4
bellesgirl TUG Member BBS Reg. Date: Jun 6, 05 Location: Farmington Hills, MI Posts: 731 Resorts: Orlando Intl Resort Club, Buganvilias Resort, UVC Villa del Mar	You might want to consider SFX as an option. Many on this board really like SFX. Last edited by bellesgirl; May 5, 2012 at 08:09 AM.

May 5, 2012, 12:03 PM	#5
DeniseM Moderator TUG Lifetime Member BBS Reg. Date: Jun 6, 05 Location: Northern, NV Posts: 33,657 Resorts: Starwood-WKORV, SDO, & SVR, Roark Vacation Club, Kingsbury Crossing, 3 X Kauai Beach Villas, Edinburg Residence	The Westin St. John is a very difficult exchange. There is far more demand than supply, it takes a strong trader, and Starwood owners have first priority for any availability. There is no reliable way to get it on an exchange. Your best bet is probably to rent from an owner - surprisingly, the rental rates are not as high as you would expect. __________________ Aloha! DeniseM TUG Moderator My Webpage Last edited by DeniseM; May 5, 2012 at 12:48 PM.

May 9, 2012, 01:27 PM	#10
MichaelColey TUG Member BBS Reg. Date: Jun 4, 10 Location: Mansfield, TX Posts: 3,412 Resorts: Summer Bay Orlando (3BR LO), Palace View Branson (4 Lockouts), Grandview (Points), CMV (UDI), DVC (SSR 25)	RCI also has a handful of Marriott and Shell properties, but nowhere near as much as II. If you don't own in the chain, though, isn't it fairly hard to get prime units or weeks through II? I know that one of the properties I would like to exchange for on II is Harborside at Atlantis, and I've been told that it's just about impossible without Starwood preference. __________________ Upcoming: Tennessee, NYC, Philadelphia, Orlando (WDW), Hawaii, Orlando (WDW), Branson, Vegas, Orlando (WDW & Cruise), RTW Trip

May 4, 2012, 02:29 PM	#2
momeason TUG Member BBS Reg. Date: Mar 28, 07 Location: Hubert, NC ( waterfront -Camp Lejuene) Posts: 772 Resorts: Wyndham Points-Royal Vista-II affiliated, Sheraton Desert Oasis	I really like Il and get great trades and very good customer service and lots of bonus weeks. I even have my own agent I call. I have not used RCI.

May 6, 2012, 05:40 PM	#6
sfwilshire TUG Member BBS Reg. Date: Jun 7, 05 Location: Clinton TN Posts: 3,192 Resorts: Tristram's Landing, Tree Tops Gatlinburg, Mystic Dunes, Tybrisa, Sheraton Vistana Spas & Fountains	I belong to both, but am not much of a fan of II. Their procedures don't fit my travel and planning styles as well as RCI. I would drop them if I didn't own one resort that is II only. RCI has a lot of quirks, but it gets me a lot of good exchanges and I've been relatively happy with them through the years. Sheila

May 6, 2012, 07:55 PM	#7
stanleyu TUG Member BBS Reg. Date: Jan 19, 08 Location: seabeck, wa Posts: 90	For a number of years we had both - two different time shares, one with II, the other with RCI. I REALLY liked II's last minute (60 days, I believe) trades, where you could trade anything for anything (week for week, but upgrade for free). We used to regularly trade into Orlando (which has a great over-abundance of units) in that window and would get 2 and 3 bedroom units for our limited kitchen 1BR trade. I knew I could always wait till the end and have no problem getting a trade, except possibly in the Christmas and Easter weeks. What I didn't like about II was that my limited kitchen and floating weeks had almost no trading power except that Orlando area. our RCI week had similar trading problems, but now with RCI points we can combine several year's worth to get a better trade. MUCH better from our perspective. And what really sold us on RCI is the ability to trade into Disney Vacation Club. One other plan I really like is under the VRI umbrella. With that we could use a poor trade and upgrade to a better unit by paying an "out of season" fee. Made our trade much more valuable.

May 8, 2012, 09:35 AM	#8
momeason TUG Member BBS Reg. Date: Mar 28, 07 Location: Hubert, NC ( waterfront -Camp Lejuene) Posts: 772 Resorts: Wyndham Points-Royal Vista-II affiliated, Sheraton Desert Oasis	I have been trading with Wyndham which is only a fair trader in II. If you are flexible, you can get great trades. We go to Marriotts most of the time.

May 9, 2012, 11:55 AM	#9
sptung TUG Member BBS Reg. Date: Dec 5, 10 Location: Northern California Posts: 855	I love II, not so much RCI. RCI fees are quite a bit higher than II. II also has Starwood, Marriott, Four Seasons and Hyatt and Shell. RCI only has a couple of older Starwood resorts.

May 9, 2012, 09:02 PM	#13
chellej TUG Member BBS Reg. Date: Jun 13, 05 Posts: 1,357 Resorts: Island Park Village, Palace Resorts, Twin Rivers, Shell Points, Sand Pebbles	Yes, Shell is now with II. I like RCI for the variety but not the high fees. I can get quite a few exchanges for my 55 TPU week II a really have gotten great exchanges and shell seems to trade very well. This year, I got 2 of my Hawaii weeks, Hanalei Bay and Maui Schooner from trading Places. Next Fall, I booked Molokai through Platinum. The thing about the last 2 are no membership fees and lower exchange fees. I only used SFX once and my week wasn't one of their "preffered" week and it did not do very well but they seem to have a realtionship with Grand Mayan so you might do very well with them

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