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Question on RCI Getaways

dayooper

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From what I gather, the RCI and HGVC association is somewhat of a hybrid one, correct? If you want to deposit your points and exchange into RCI, you have to go through HGVC. Will I still have an RCI login and be able to rent the Getaways?
 

buzglyd

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I think you mean Extra Vacations. Getaways is an Interval deal.

The answer is yes, but. HGVC members cannot see Extra Vacations through the portal. You have to call in and ask for them. Because of this, I've never rented an Extra Vacation.
 

CalGalTraveler

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It sucks that HGVC owners have to call RCI and ask for extra vacations. It is like asking 20 questions blindly unless you know you are going to Vegas, Orlando or Mexico.

With II you can search for getaways online and many of them are a decent deal. I just found several 4.5 star Breckenridge properties (including Grand Peak 7, 8 and Marriott) during early ski season. Also found Hyatt Key West properties in Nov, early Dec. for about a maintenance fee. (wish I had more time off) :( We don't plan to trade our Maui Vistana, but the access to the II cash getaways and ACs make it so we don't need to own more to get access to Marriotts and Hyatts - we can simply "pay our maintenance fees" as we go and avoid ownership headaches via cash getaways.

Would love it if HGVC moved from RCI to II but now that Marriott VC owns II, I surmise the odds are zero.
 
Last edited:

dayooper

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Thanks. So you can’t browse the Extra Vacations to see what may strike your fancy. Just have to learn to lay within the system and make it work for me.
 

SmithOp

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You can access cash Last Call in the portal, just not Extra Vacations.

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Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro
 

silentg

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We have our own RCI membership. Bought it years ago, even if I get rid of my timeshares I can still Book last call or extra vacations. This has helped us when one of our resorts was not keeping up and they got kicked out of RCI. We were able to stay because we paid our membership and had an exchange already confirmed. Sure we had to speak to a supervisor, and she was reluctant at first but when I said we followed the rules and blah blah, she agreed and we got our exchange.
Not sure if that would happen today this was a long long time ago.
Silentg
 

NiteMaire

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Would love it if HGVC moved from RCI to II but now that Marriott VC owns II, I surmise the odds are zero.

I'd love it too...SFX can get you into Hilton as well.

Why do you say the odds are zero for Hilton moving to II due to MVC ownership? Wyndham owns RCI. Does Hilton have a relationship with Wyndham or animosity with Marriott?
 

CalGalTraveler

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Good point. IMO...RCI needs HGVC and Disney level resorts in RCI to sell their 3.5 star Wyndham properties. The relationship is probably quite lucrative to incent HGVC to participate.

Marriott/II don't need HGVC because they already have many resorts on par with HGVC.
 

Tamaradarann

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It sucks that HGVC owners have to call RCI and ask for extra vacations. It is like asking 20 questions blindly unless you know you are going to Vegas, Orlando or Mexico.

With II you can search for getaways online and many of them are a decent deal. I just found several 4.5 star Breckenridge properties (including Grand Peak 7, 8 and Marriott) during early ski season. Also found Hyatt Key West properties in Nov, early Dec. for about a maintenance fee. (wish I had more time off) :( We don't plan to trade our Maui Vistana, but the access to the II cash getaways and ACs make it so we don't need to own more to get access to Marriotts and Hyatts - we can simply "pay our maintenance fees" as we go and avoid ownership headaches via cash getaways.

Would love it if HGVC moved from RCI to II but now that Marriott VC owns II, I surmise the odds are zero.

We have an separate RCI membership through our non-HGVC purchase so it is not an issue for us. The sucky part is NOT an RCI problem, it is an HGVC problem. I don't know why HGVC didn't negotiate the ability for its members to view Extra Vacations on line like they can last calls.

(Points I need to make before I go on. Last Calls are inventory that no one wanted to exchange into for the entire availability period which goes from up to 2 years to 1 month before check in. In general it includes few if any Gold Crown resorts and it is some of the least desireable locations and resorts in those locations. Extra Vacations include many Gold Crown resorts and can be some of the most desirable locations and resorts in those locations including Hawaii and some HGVC resorts.)

Perhaps HGVC doesn't want to make it easy for Extra Vacations to compete their own Open Season system for their members dollars.
 

Mapi05

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I have a question. Probably more once this is answered.
During the TS presentation we were very attracted by the getaways and last call type bookings available to HGVC members (and by default RCI). This seems useful to us because of our short notice vacationing style.

We will without a doubt buy in the resale market. Does anyone know if the HGVC and RCI last minute deals will still be available to those who buy in the resale?

Thanks in advance.
 

PigsDad

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I have a question. Probably more once this is answered.
During the TS presentation we were very attracted by the getaways and last call type bookings available to HGVC members (and by default RCI). This seems useful to us because of our short notice vacationing style.

We will without a doubt buy in the resale market. Does anyone know if the HGVC and RCI last minute deals will still be available to those who buy in the resale?

Thanks in advance.
Yes, every perk that is available to retail buyers is available to resale buyers, including RCI access and the related last minute deals. However, if you are expecting RCI's last call options to include prime locations or prime times, you will be very disappointed. It is mostly off-season, left over inventory.

Kurt
 

Mapi05

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Thanks pigs dad for the quick response.
I understand RCI deals are the crumbs, or at least that’s what I guessed. But that’s not necessarily something that happens BECAUSE of resale, right?

We typically plan our vacation within 30 days and travel wherever availability is. We’ve done quite a bit of US travel and will soon start going abroad. We travel in packs, usually 6 or more and as much sense, or lack of, I know it would be cheaper to plan ahead, but not gonna die in that hill with the ball and chain. So quick planning is how it’s gonna be.

Is there a different vacationing system I should be looking at, other than HGVC?

Thanks again for the help.
 

buzglyd

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Thanks pigs dad for the quick response.
I understand RCI deals are the crumbs, or at least that’s what I guessed. But that’s not necessarily something that happens BECAUSE of resale, right?

We typically plan our vacation within 30 days and travel wherever availability is. We’ve done quite a bit of US travel and will soon start going abroad. We travel in packs, usually 6 or more and as much sense, or lack of, I know it would be cheaper to plan ahead, but not gonna die in that hill with the ball and chain. So quick planning is how it’s gonna be.

Is there a different vacationing system I should be looking at, other than HGVC?

Thanks again for the help.

The nice thing about HGV and being able to travel last minute is Open Season. You can book stays with cash if you don't have enough points. High demand locations in high season won't offer much but you can snag the occasional late cancellation. RCI Last Call is crumbs like you said. However, I have found some decent Last Calls for Mexico and since I'm just a short hop from Los Cabos, those are tempting.
 

Mapi05

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Thanks buzglyd. Same boat. SoCal.

I think we’re about ready to do some bargain hunting! Something around 5800 points with low MF.

We did get suckered into the last minute vacation package that freezes the last best offer. But after meeting you guys I realized that what I paid for the vacation package, I could’ve paid for half or more of a deed with the built in points. Oh well.

eBay here I come!
 

Tamaradarann

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Thanks pigs dad for the quick response.
I understand RCI deals are the crumbs, or at least that’s what I guessed. But that’s not necessarily something that happens BECAUSE of resale, right?

We typically plan our vacation within 30 days and travel wherever availability is. We’ve done quite a bit of US travel and will soon start going abroad. We travel in packs, usually 6 or more and as much sense, or lack of, I know it would be cheaper to plan ahead, but not gonna die in that hill with the ball and chain. So quick planning is how it’s gonna be.

Is there a different vacationing system I should be looking at, other than HGVC?

Thanks again for the help.

As others have mentioned, the Open Season feature of the HGVC system gives you access to all of the HGVC properties within the last 30 days. However, the inventory that is left is that which has not been reserved during the Home Week and Club Reservation periods that go from 1 year to 30 days from the start date of a reservation. You can get any almost any HGVC property (some you must use points not cash) during open season, however, at times you may only be able to get a short stay of as little as 2 nights at some resorts. At other resorts during certain times you can get weeks if you want.

Finally, I understand your need/desire to travel on 30 days notice. Contrary to what you indicated about it being cheaper to plan ahead with timeshares it may NOT be cheaper to plan ahead. You just won't be able to get what you want, when you want it. You may actually save money by not being able to get any desirable vacation at all. Notwithstanding the comments I made above, to get the maximum benefit of ANY TIMESHARE SYSTEM you need to book far in advance to get the best resorts, with the best accommodations, during the peak times.
 

Mapi05

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Thanks for everyone’s help and I apologize for hijacking the thread. I thought it was somewhat related.
Thanks again!
 

Ianneyan

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I think you mean Extra Vacations. Getaways is an Interval deal.

The answer is yes, but. HGVC members cannot see Extra Vacations through the portal. You have to call in and ask for them. Because of this, I've never rented an Extra Vacation.

I did not realize that we even had access to Extra Vacays through RCI until now. Good to know!
 
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