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Points Partner Program

wilmark

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This year RCI changed its points partner program where typically you can only use 33% or 25000 points for any transaction. I find this is reason to leave RCI. I only own one timeshare that brings 86500 points per year - and i mostly use last call and Extra vacations - i end up with more than 75% of my points intact and in the past i have bought disney tickets and airline tickets even though you have to pay the ridiculous transaction fees and higher prices - it was something to do with the excess points. Now you are still subject to those fees and you can only use 25000 points (worth 235$) and pay transaction fees. See this Link:

http://www.rci.com/CDA/Common/Documents/PPart_Terms.pdf

This is ridiculous and i intend to pull my week at the Crane in Barbados (supposedly the highest rated timeshare by points value or it was two years ago).

Alternatively i could buy a worthless timeshare with the lowest maintenance fees - just to continue the membership in RCI to use last call/ extra vacations. and use my Crane week on normal membership terms.

I searched this forum and did not find much discussion on this topic.
 
Last edited:

Dottie

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RCI used the promise of points partner programs to sell us the idea of being points members. I have seldom found points partner exchanges to be an attractive options. The only time I found it so was for Disney tickets several years ago. Since I have cut back on the number of timeshares I own, I never have a problem using them for points or weeks exchanges. I do understand your unhappiness and I don't approve of this and many of the changes in RCI. We keep paying more and getting less.
 

JMAESD84

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This year RCI changed its points partner program where typically you can only use 33% or 25000 points for any transaction. I find this is reason to leave RCI.

As a clarification it is the higher of 33% of your annual points(up to 250,000) or 25,000 per calendar year. So in your example you could use up to 28,833 but you would then be limited to the point increments allowed to be exchanged (setting your highest increment bacj to 25,000). TODAY members with very large points accounts can use up to 250,000 points a calendar year on partner programs.

Having said that, this limitation is an example and good reason to limit your points balances if you ever had intentions to use a higher than 33 percent of your points on this partner program. (I was using a higher percentage for airfare when this change was introduced and was not happy).

The really sad part of this change, is RCI's ability to make this or similar changes at any time they see fit. With the premium conversion price charged by resorts and the renewable 3 year commitment to the program which requires notice 13 months before check-in to reserve your own unit instead of accepting the point balance.... all means that "Members" must make commitments involving advanced planning for RCI points, yet RCI can change the program at a moments notice.

Unwinding an ownership position involving timeshares connected to RCI points could take years, while an adverse program change from RCI can be both immediate and costly to the value that can be recovered via selling the ownership.
 

wilmark

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Thanks for the replies. DOtty - the disney tickets were attractive because if i recall - if you bought 10 x 7 day tickets it still only attracted one transaction fee. Today it is a per ticket fee!

I realize in my case its really 28000 points but i was just drawing a reference to the average timeshare owner - who in most cases will be limited to 25000 points per year. When you say "could take years" what do you mean. The agent on the phone said it could be done immediately , however it appears that you will loose what ever points you have in the system. And to think that these idiots have to audacity to balk at you when you tell them you dont think their 3 year plan at 5% off or what ever is a bad idea!!:hysterical:
 

Carolinian

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Points partners were the early justification for RCI rentals. Obviously, they now feel that they no longer need that fig leaf.
 
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