I will not renew my RCI membership once it expires in 2020.
Try exchanging with other TUG members. We have done a few. Just swap not extra fee. Check the exchange section in Marketplace.It appears that RCI has discreetly raised the number of points necessary for weeks members to perform an exchange. It is a fact that they have raised the number of points necessary for a few weeks that I am watching and for a completed exchange.
This is an unannounced fee increase by decreasing the value of member deposits. This must be necessary to pay the tech companies for the new and wonderful website!
I was so frustrated by the new website that I am considering non-renewal. This sneak increase has me considering other options. I would welcome information and thoughts on other options to RCI.
+1. Direct exchanges through TUG are a great but underused resource. I have done a couple of them and it has been a great experience. The nice thing about exchanging with fellow TUGgers is that they're educated, understand the relative value of what they own so that fair exchanges can be made, and--if they own a floating weeks ownership--are able to accommodate your request in most cases to meet the general timeframe you're looking to vacation.Try exchanging with other TUG members. We have done a few. Just swap not extra fee. Check the exchange section in Marketplace.
Silentg
I just used up my banked week points. I may keep the RCI membership because last minute deals are good.Did I blink and miss the latest exchange fee hike ? It's gone up so much that I consider it extortion at this point! No more deposits for that greedy bunch!
+1. Direct exchanges through TUG are a great but underused resource. I have done a couple of them and it has been a great experience. The nice thing about exchanging with fellow TUGgers is that they're educated, understand the relative value of what they own so that fair exchanges can be made, and--if they own a floating weeks ownership--are able to accommodate your request in most cases to meet the general timeframe you're looking to vacation.
Great post. All excellent points.While I agree that direct exchanges with other TUGgers seem underused, my take is that this is typical of services that are *perceived to be* hard to access.
For example, most people do not want to bank with a bank that is a thousand miles away, even if it offers them 100X the interest in savings and charges them lower debt interest .
Why?
Because it's perceived to be easy to walk into a local branch. Never mind that 95% of customers never do walk into a branch in a given month. And when those customers do walk in, they find themselves with staff that is both overworked and underpaid.
Likewise, direct exchanges between fellow TUG members is perceived to be difficult. You first have to contact the person you want to exchange with, then, if you are lucky, a ton of communication follows (which consumes precious time). Finally, after spending all that time, one of the party usually decides they dont want to go ahead anyway. Whether this is reality of not, it doesnt matter. The point is that TUG exchanges are perceived to be more like a dating website (i.e., a hassle), and less like a true timeshare exchange website (e.g., something quick and easy).
TUG should really invest into changing the perception that exchanging between tuggers is difficult.
For starters, there are simple ways exchanges with other TUG members could be made easier:
1)checking that exchange requests are still good every so often
2) allowing users to report when someone is non-responsive
3) Allowing tuggers to rate each other on the ease with which the exchange happens
etc.
I just used up my banked week points. I may keep the RCI membership because last minute deals are good.
Remember, you can use Trip Beat for last minute RCI rentals and not belong to RCI.
Remember, you can use Trip Beat for last minute RCI rentals and not belong to RCI.
I just ran a quick comparison of tripbeat vs RCI weeks:
InnSeason Pollard Brook - these are all in prices after tax for both:
3/25 1BR: Tripbeat $711.21 - RCI $564.27 (regular) or $512.07 (platinum)
Ocean Sands at New Smyrna (FL)
2/17 2BR: Tripbeat $1670.71 - RCI $1321.64 (regular) or $1202.84 (platinum)
Yes, RCI Extra Vacation inventory is there, but at a premium that exceeds the cost of an annual RCI membership.
I'm not defending RCI, but it's an increasing problem for everyone. Some people says it's 5% per year (losing in value), I feel it's close to 10% per year.
I suspect Airbnb has made a big dent in RCI, II and timeshare resorts, because now it's easy to get a place with a kitchen and sometimes laundry facilities. RCI needs to offer more, not less.