Points v. Weeks

[AKO]

I am sure there are threads but I can't find them.

Can you post links to threads discussing pros and cons between RCI Points and RCI Weeks timeshares.

EDIT: Also, if the property is a RCI Points one that states a Week #, does that mean that it is a fixed week every year if we don't trade it?

 

[LannyPC]

https://tugbbs.com/forums/search/268589/?q=points+weeks&c[title_only]=1&o=date

 

[AKO]

https://tugbbs.com/forums/search/268589/?q=points+weeks&c[title_only]=1&o=date

Thanks.

I knew I had seen it before. For some reason it didn't show up in my search results.

 

[Free2Roam]

That's a lot to sift through... do you have specific questions?

To start...

- Points annual membership fee is higher, but includes a Weeks membership.
- Points membership gives you access to Weeks inventory (Weeks membership does NOT give access to Points inventory)
- Points allows you to book less than or more than 7 nights (I can't remember the max)
- Points exchange fees are lower and based on number of nights
- Some resorts charge housekeeping fees for Points reservations less than 7 nights
- If you own a week at a resort that is NOT part of RCI Points, you can deposit it to your Points account (PFD - Points For Deposit) ) and get Points deposited to your account for that fixed week... for a fee of course
- RCI weeks "deposit restore", which allows you to pay a fee to get full trading power if deposited at least 2 weeks before checkin, DOES NOT apply to RCI points PFD
- While you can place an ongoing search (OGS) for reservations thru your Points account, it won't pull reservations from Points inventory
- Points inventory can only be booked 10 months in advance (a big benefit in my opinion) except for Home group (11 months), Home resort (12 months) and Home week (13 months)
- Some resorts charge fees to join (and/or remain in) RCI Points
- RCI Points inventory cannot be 'held' for 24 hours like Weeks inventory

Yes, I have a Points membership.

I'm sure there's more, but it's late and I'm going off the top of my head

 

[AKO]

@admin - please note this thread *is* intended for the Buying forum. I am trying to understand what I am buying in regards to RCI Points vs RCI Weeks. Specifics of how to use them is not important at this time. What I am looking for is what I give up (value) of one compared to the other.

 

[AKO]

Thank you, Now more info to drown in.

Will be buying our first timeshare and trying to understand the value proposition. Initially for newbs like me, the deeded week is easy to understand and get out head around. Same week every year as long as we don't deposit it for trade.

The one I am trying to figure out is a unit that gets RCI Points that says it has a specific week number. I assume that means that if we don't trade it, we get that same week number every year. I would like to know for sure though, because you know what they say about "assuming" things.

I am digging through different threads to learn all those things and get caught up.

 

[Free2Roam]

I own week 31 (mid-summer) at a beach-front resort on the Florida panhandle. This week was already enrolled in RCI Points when I bought it. I keep it in RCI Points because the resort is part of a big resort group and having it in RCI Points gives me the opportunity to book reservations in that home group before members who don't own within the group... so a slight advantage. I ALWAYS reserve my home week (through RCI, no exchange fee required); sometimes I stay there, sometimes I rent it out. If I fail to reserve my owned week within the allotted time, I lose it and the points remain in my RCI Points account.

I've learned that not all resorts have that same RCI points relationship. I'm not sure how they all work. You would want to ask specifically about the resort you're interested in purchasing to see how it works with RCI Points.

I also own triennial Points contracts at 2 other resorts (Vacation Village @ Parkway & Grandview Las Vegas). I never reserve my home week... honestly, I'm really not even sure which weeks I own. I use those points for other reservations.

 

[AKO]

I own week 31 (mid-summer) at a beach-front resort on the Florida panhandle. This week was already enrolled in RCI Points when I bought it. I keep it in RCI Points because the resort is part of a big resort group and having it in RCI Points gives me the opportunity to book reservations in that home group before members who don't own within the group... so a slight advantage. I ALWAYS reserve my home week (through RCI, no exchange fee required); sometimes I stay there, sometimes I rent it out. If I fail to reserve my owned week within the allotted time, I lose it and the points remain in my RCI Points account.

I've learned that not all resorts have that same RCI points relationship. I'm not sure how they all work. You would want to ask specifically about the resort you're interested in purchasing to see how it works with RCI Points.

I also own triennial Points contracts at 2 other resorts (Vacation Village @ Parkway & Grandview Las Vegas). I never reserve my home week... honestly, I'm really not even sure which weeks I own. I use those points for other reservations.

so it sounds like I would have to reserve my own dedicated week to be able to use it. is that correct?

I am looking at a few Grandviews. Does the "reserve your dedicated/deeded week" apply to RCI Week units also? How far in advance do I have to reserve?

 

[rboesl]

I can't speak for other resort systems, but, for Vacation Village (Grandview, VV Parkview, and others) the deeded week number has a lot of meaning. The week number is used to set a value for how many points are assigned. Higher demand weeks get a higher number of points deposited in RCI. There is a recent thread discussing a revaluation by Vacation Village of the number of points assigned to some of the weeks.

 

[Free2Roam]

so it sounds like I would have to reserve my own dedicated week to be able to use it. is that correct?

I am looking at a few Grandviews. Does the "reserve your dedicated/deeded week" apply to RCI Week units also? How far in advance do I have to reserve?

Yes, the benefit of reserving your own week is that there's no exchange fee to book what you own. If you reserve another week at your home resort I believe there's a fee, but not the full exchange fee.

Timing (I think this is accurate):
* book 12-13 months in advance to reserve what you own
* book 11-12 months in advance for other reservations at your home resort
* book 10-11 months in advance for reservations at other resorts in your home group (if applicable)

RCI weeks ownerships (to my knowledge) are not auto-deposited... you have to initiate that. But the earlier you deposit the better your trade value.

 

[AKO]

Please confirm my understanding below.

So to summarize my understanding (at least for Grandview):

RCI Points - your week is automatically deposited unless you reserve your own week 12+ months in advance.

RCI Weeks - your week is not deposited unless you choose to. The further in advance you deposit the more TPU(points?) your week is worth.

I know there are other differences (inventory an such), but the difference above seems the most important to me. It means that I need to be very proactive in planning to make sure I can use my own unit. It also means that if I am buying a unit that is Points I need to ask if they have reserved the week already (and I can use it), and if it is a Weeks unit I need to ask if they have deposited the unit (to determine if I can use it).

You all have been very helpful and I thank all of you very much. I am glad I a became a member.

 

[Free2Roam]

Weeks... you will need to request that they deposit your week (not IF they deposited).

Like I mentioned before, this is the case for some resorts (Grandview included) but I recently heard that not all resorts auto-deposit.

Another thing worth noting about Grandview... you can often trade back in - or purchase cash vacations - for close to, or maybe less than, your maintenence fees + exchange fees. Still worth owning in RCI Points to me.

 

[Eric B]

- Points membership gives you access to Weeks inventory (Weeks membership does NOT give access to Points inventory)

This is not universally true. There are some resorts (a few dozen) that only show up in weeks and never in points and can't be booked there. For example, Solaz (DC01) was only in weeks, but had the mysterious closure recently. Also, Residences at Hacienda Encantada (DU67) is only in weeks for Platinum members under priority access when inventory is available. I'm not sure what the reason for this is, but it may be related to the lack of a listing in the RCI Points Values Chart for those resorts. I haven't actually tried to cross-book with my points account, but doubt that a representative on the phone would be able to do so without a designated point value for the resort.

 

[Jodyv]

Recently participated in a sales presentation at the Grandview. (was staying at The Cliffs, Las Vegas, also Vacation Village Resorts). Their final offer to me was to convert my weeks contract to a points contract for 2500.00. I think RCI charges about 200.00. Pretty glad I didn't consider it!

 

[tschwa2]

This is not universally true. There are some resorts (a few dozen) that only show up in weeks and never in points and can't be booked there. For example, Solaz (DC01) was only in weeks, but had the mysterious closure recently. Also, Residences at Hacienda Encantada (DU67) is only in weeks for Platinum members under priority access when inventory is available. I'm not sure what the reason for this is, but it may be related to the lack of a listing in the RCI Points Values Chart for those resorts. I haven't actually tried to cross-book with my points account, but doubt that a representative on the phone would be able to do so without a designated point value for the resort.

My points account doesn't show me a lot of things that I only see in my weeks account but if I call or do chat most are available to points but for whatever reason (a glitch or purposeful) you wouldn't know about the availability if you didn't have both or called or chatted each time.

 

[escanoe]

My points account doesn't show me a lot of things that I only see in my weeks account but if I call or do chat most are available to points but for whatever reason (a glitch or purposeful) you wouldn't know about the availability if you didn't have both or called or chatted each time.

Probably a good time to point out, similar to other online timeshare platforms, the RCI system (weeks and points) is a bit glitchy and the underlying system is a bit lacking in the digital era.

 

[elaine]

Their final offer to me was to convert my weeks contract to a points contract for 2500.00. I think RCI charges about 200.00. Pretty glad I didn't consider it!

I don't think you can just call RCI and convert a weeks ownership to points with RCI. It has to come from the resort.

 

[TUGBrian]

this page is also a handy read for those browsing this thread looking for info!

RCI Points vs RCI Weeks a Guide for Timeshare Owners

Breakdown of the differences between RCI points and RCI Weeks Timesshares

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