Thinking of going to RCI - Help with their exchanges?

[77mmbass]

We currently own at Gaslamp Plaza Suites in San Diego. (gold crown, red week) Our unit is a mini suite. Sleeps 4.
We have a floating week but have the week of 4th of July booked for the next 2 years.

We want to go to Maui in May-ish of next year and want to take my parents as they are getting up there in age. So we want a 2 bedroom. We have no problem with paying upgrade fees to get what we need.

We are currently with Trading Places International but getting a 2br in Maui with them may be challenging. They only have 2 resorts to exchange into on Maui. (from what we have seen in the past)

We thought maybe RCI would have more choices for resorts and it may be easier for us to get into a 2br. But even with reading about RCI exchanges and what the value of my place is, I still don't fully understand it.

My question for the RCI experts is.... What would the value of our place hold with RCI to get into what we would like? What would an upgrade fee be with them?
Since I own a week, do I sign up for a weeks membership? Points?

We have always traded with TPI but now that we are looking at more specific areas and size needs we feel we may need to branch out to another exchange company.

I appreciate any help and thank you very much in advance.

 

[buzglyd]

RCI inventory in Maui isn’t very good.

Gaslamp also trades in II which has great Maui resorts but you won’t have any preference.

 

[Passepartout]

Is a Gaslamp Mini Suite a studio or a 1 bedroom?

 

[77mmbass]

RCI inventory in Maui isn’t very good.

Gaslamp also trades in II which has great Maui resorts but you won’t have any preference.

What do you mean by no having preference.

 

[77mmbass]

Is a Gaslamp Mini Suite a studio or a 1 bedroom?

Mini suite with living room. I guess you can call it a studio. sleeps 4

 

[Passepartout]

What do you mean by no having preference.

II exchanges 'like for like' 1 bedroom for 1 bedroom, 2 bedroom for 2 bedroom. You can't upgrade. At least that's my understanding. It would be difficult in any system to exchange a 1 BR in San Diego for a 2 BR in Maui.

 

[77mmbass]

With TPI I have deposited my unit and upgraded to a 2br in Maui before. So we exchange 1 for 1 then pay an upgrade fee to get into the 2br.

So II does not have an option to upgrade?

 

[klpca]

If you really want a 2 bedroom on Maui I would check with Trading Places Maui to see if your deposit would work. They have the most inventory at the Maui Lea (Maui Hill) resort. https://tpmaui.com/ They do charge hefty upgrade fees though, but I think that it would be an easy trade. We used to own at Maui Lea. It's a nice resort in a great area.

Btw, II does allow you to upgrade - https://www.intervalworld.com/iimed...p_marketing/Unit-Size Upgrades FAQs FINAL.pdf
I am not quite sure if the cost is still the same, but I think so. Interval would certainly be another option, but they use unit size to keep you from seeing larger units sometimes (for example in trade tests, I can see 2 bedroom units with a 1 bedroom trader but not with the studio).

As far as RCI they will assign a trading value to your unit and if you have enough "points" (TPU's) you can book a two bedroom. I gave up RCI awhile ago so I can't look up your point value. The issue is the inventory availability in RCI for Maui - that's a crapshoot. Plus they have high fees.

 

[77mmbass]

Thanks for the info. I will check out the links.

It would be interesting to know what my unit is worth with RCI.

 

[klpca]

Thanks for the info. I will check out the links.

It would be interesting to know what my unit is worth with RCI.

I would give them a call and ask. They should be able to tell you.

 

[77mmbass]

I did. They said they cannot tell me what my unit is worth until I sign up for a membership.

 

[rickandcindy23]

In RCI, a Gas Lamp Plaza small unit is worth 43 (60 is the highest) for a July 4th week. I put in studio.

An ongoing search should net you a week on Maui for about that many points, but I don't know about a 2 bedroom on Maui and what it would cost in points. It's a longshot with RCI, is you ask me.

I much prefer II, but there is no way I could tell what II can get you.

You might want to deposit the week in tpmaui.com You can pay the upgrade fee for a larger unit than what you are exchanging, and they would love a summer week at Gaslamp Plaza. It's a great place.

 

[klpca]

I did. They said they cannot tell me what my unit is worth until I sign up for a membership.

Of course they wouldn't. That's such poor customer service! One of the reasons that I didn't renew with them. Glad that @rickandcindy23 was able to look it up for you.

 

[77mmbass]

Thanks, I appreciate the info.

 

[Luanne]

If you really want a 2 bedroom on Maui I would check with Trading Places Maui to see if your deposit would work. They have the most inventory at the Maui Lea (Maui Hill) resort. https://tpmaui.com/ They do charge hefty upgrade fees though, but I think that it would be an easy trade. We used to own at Maui Lea. It's a nice resort in a great area.

@77mmbass Trading Places Maui has a lot of availability in May 2020 for 1, 2 and 3 bedrooms at Maui Lea at Maui Hill. They are wonderful to work with. Give them a call to see what they might be able to do for you.