RCI Weeks and Points

[JAbbott]

OK, background first. My wife and I are finally at a point in life where timeshares will work for us. In another thread here I asked about Lawai Beach resorts. It can be, among several options, registered as either an RCI Points or RCI weeks. We want to go back to here fairly often, but like the idea of flexibility of trading to other places in the world.

I remember a fair while ago reading about how to combine RCI points and RCI weeks accounts. I cannot find that thread, not using the right search parameters I guess.

So, assuming we end up buying what we are looking at, we think RCI weeks gives us the flexibility to use the home resort the way we anticipate, and the toe hold into RCI, also allows us to bank weeks if we cannot use them.

But,
We are also attracted to the flexibility of the points accounts. If we were to purchase another RCI Points resort what is the process, or is it possible to have the best of both worlds?

Hope this question makes sense?

Can anyone point me to an existing thread, or answer here.

Thanks
James

 

[Jan M.]

We are points owners and my sister and BIL are weeks owners. If they don't want to use their week they deposit it to get TPU's, trading power units. From what someone else said here on TUG, how soon or late you deposit your week makes a difference in how many TPU's you get. If we want to use our week instead of the points then I have to arrange to do that at a certain window ahead of time. We've never done that but I think it is at least 10 months out but could be longer. Yes there is an underlying week we actually own but get points for it instead. For both weeks and points when you use your week you don't pay an exchange fee. When you use the TPU's or the points there is a $239 exchange fee for each week you book.

Recently I've seen several people here on TUG say they think they see more inventory than points owners when they use their TPU's. That has absolutely not been our experience at all! However I book most of my reservations in the last 5 weeks or less before check in. Several times a year I book stays for my sister because she doesn't see most of the inventory that I see. They love Hilton Head so when I see a reduced point reservation I put it on hold and call her. Many times there are several resorts to choose from but she doesn't see any of them. Last week we all just returned from staying at the newly opened Wyndham Austin (Texas) resort. We each had our own one bedroom units. There were reduced point weeks available in both the Wyndham and Worldmark inventory at this resort and there was enough inventory available that she could have booked her own stay if she had been able to see the same inventory I saw.

I previously said that we are more last minute travelers, booking mostly in the last 5 weeks or less before check in. That doesn't work for everyone. I also have to point out that I have the time and inclination to search for those reduced point weeks I book. If you are in love with a specific resort and need to be able to depend on getting a certain week each year so you can schedule vacation time at work then a fixed week would probably be better for you. It was for my sister and BIL before they retired and is again now that they have grandchildren in school. However you could actually own a points week and do the same thing. I'm not sure about buying a float week as you might not be able to get the week you absolutely need. OP may be able to speak to that. The maintenance fees on the underlying week we own are $803. A points owner or a weeks owner using their week would get only that one week of vacation for $803 a year. Even with not booking all discounted weeks I can get 4-5 weeks a year for the points I get. Yes I pay $239 for each week I book. So say I get 5 weeks, my outlay would be $803 + 5 x $239 = $1998. Now if you divide that $1998 by 5 it comes out to $399.60 per week which is less than half of the $803 for just one week. I should also add that our week and where we own gets us a lot of points.

Late last night I booked a 17 night stay at Grandview Las Vegas starting in later April. We've never stayed there before and were interested in trying it after reading what OP had to say about it. We always rent a car and don't care about staying right on the Strip. I was just checking to see what was available and noticed the number of points needed is already reduced even though it is a few days over two months out. The number of points will be reduced even more once it gets down to the 4-5 week window but I grabbed it in case it disappeared so I could talk to my husband about it today. I can cancel it by tomorrow night with no penalty. I was able the book the whole 17 night stay in one reservation and the exchange fee was $278. I knew you could book longer than a 7 night stay depending on the availability but I've never done it before. If I wait for the bigger reduction in the number of points needed I'm not sure I will be able to book the whole stay in one reservation. My cost per point based on my maintenance fees is less for the extra points I used than it would be to have to pay for additional exchange fees if I can't book the whole stay in one reservation.

Another thing to consider is the platinum benefits. Weeks owners don't get all of the benefits that point owners do with the platinum membership. For us as points owners I am able to make good use of those benefits. The guest fee is reduced when I book stays for my sister and our nephew. I get free holds, searches and upgrades. I also get extra off on the sale weeks and a couple days window to book them before everyone else. There are other benefits but these are ones I regularly use.