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Rejoice, another Tugger's loved one rescued in a nick of time!

Egret1986

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Got home and had a message from my Mom to call her back...could I keep her dogs while her and her girlfriend go on a cruise out of Norfolk. Called her back and she asked me if I didn't think an 11-day cruise for under $2,000 was a good deal. I told her I really didn't know since it's been a few years since I took a cruise. But when she said she was giving them her Hilton Head week for $500 off the cruise price, then my ears really perked up. I asked if she was going through RCI and she was. Basically, her and her girlfriend were going to pay just under $2000 each plus my Mom's timeshare. Fortunately, her friend was on the road and she had to wait until tomorrow to confirm everything. I think that was the gods looking down and smiling upon them. I begged her not to do anything for 24 hours. It didn't take that long. I asked her if she had researched prices and she said she had. She obviously hadn't. I asked her what deck and type of cabin they were booking for her. She didn't know. I asked her if the just under $2,000 was for both of them or each. It was going to be for each of them plus her Hilton Head timeshare with a maintenance fee of $480. The RCI person said she was getting $500 off the total cruise price. :rolleyes: On top of this, in order to get her $500 off, there was going to be an exchange fee of $189. :eek: At this point, my head was about to blow apart. Mind you, my mother was more than willing to go through with this and thought it sounded like a good deal. She was also anxious because she had to wait until tomorrow for her girlfriend in order to confirm everything because, afterall, this great deal could slip through her hands if she didn't jump on it fast. :confused:

To make a short story long (sorry), I went first to skyauction. I called her and told her that not only could she keep her Hilton Head week, but I could get the same exact cruise for them on the upper-most deck and save them over $1600. Of course, although she's called me "the Vacation Queen" for several years, she was still leary about it because it's online. I checked some other sites and the telephone rings. She had called the RCI person back and haggled with them because of the price I found. She was concerned about having the vacation insurance RCI was offerring and I wasn't sure about it through Skyauction. She said, that they told her she wouldn't have to give up her week and the price was now down to $1,400 each. I went back onto Skyauction, found where they offer the same vacation insurance. With the insurance, all port fees, taxes, booking charges, etc. for a deck above what RCI was offerring the total cost was $1117.50 p/p. Still a savings of $282.50 p/p ($565 total).

I've read it on TUG before that it is not practical to exchange your timeshare week through RCI for cruises.

I don't know how or why I found TUG back in 2003, but it's changed so much for me and my vacation experiences. "KNOWLEDGE IS POWER"! The folks with knowlege are the ones able to get deals. Deals are there because the folks without the knowledge (like my Mom) are the ones ready and more than willing to pay the full price and then some.

Thank goodness for the knowledge I have gained here. It has allowed my family to vacation more and better.

Thanks for allowing me to give my testimonial! :)
 

ira g

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Sounds like the RCI cruise vacation counselors are identical to the slimy time share weasels that many of us have encountered. I hope Mom appreciates what you have done for her and her friend. You did a great job.
 

taffy19

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Best $15 you ever spent at TUG! Your mother must be so proud of you and happy having saved so much money. They can spend it now on extra tours or goodies. :D
 

Egret1986

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Definitely best $15.00 and that's why I'm paid up for 3 years!

Savings on timeshare resales, car rentals, specials and free offers, airline tickets, alternate vacation ideas and opportunities ..... this list could go on and on! :D
 

Avery

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And in a letter I just got from RCI, they claim that their cruise/exchange program is getting amazing response, resulting in all those weeks they have for rent... are there really that many suckers out there (I checked once, I was able to save $500 pp over their quoted price and keep my week)? And how are we supposed to feel about RCI preying on these people???
 

timeos2

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Give away your timeshare week and pay retail for a cruise

Avery said:
And in a letter I just got from RCI, they claim that their cruise/exchange program is getting amazing response, resulting in all those weeks they have for rent... are there really that many suckers out there (I checked once, I was able to save $500 pp over their quoted price and keep my week)? And how are we supposed to feel about RCI preying on these people???
Just take a gander at the guy who paid $84,000 to "sell" his vacation club that cost $9000. You cannot overestimate the ability of people to be suckered into things that make zero common sense not to mention no financial sense. I have no doubt the timeshare for cruise business is booming. These are the same people who think it makes sense to "pay" your annual maintenance with your timeshare points! Why not just flush the dollars directly down the toilet and cut out the middle man?
 

Egret1986

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I know my mother was ready to go for it.

I think there are that many suckers out there. It's lack of knowledge. Look at all the folks who have and will continue to buy from the developers. Every week people come on this site asking if they should rescind a timeshare they just bought. Most of them don't know the first thing about timesharing, but are ready to plunge in. I think it has everything to do with lack of knowledge and misinformation, which makes them susceptible to the hooks the salesperson throws out and to believe what they are told. "This is a great deal! Don't miss out on this one-time only low price!" My mother thought she was getting a good deal. In reality she was getting taken for an expensive ride. If I hadn't caught her in time, she would have lost her week at Hilton Head and overpaid by a lot for this cruise. Ignorance is bliss! Aren't we lucky we have sought out :) timesharing knowledge and are more informed? I know I am!
 
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