posted 01-15-2003 09:19            

quote:

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WHY when I went to a presentation for converting to Points did the resort salesman (He told me that he was trained by RCI)state to me that within the next 5 years most owners will convert to Points and there will no longer be any weeks available for Weeks owner to trade into?

Walt[/B]

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Hi Walt,

I highlighted the answer to your question for you within your message.

Sharon

posted 01-15-2003 12:37            

quote:

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Originally posted by IANNUFC:
I have just been reading some of todays postings and one of them seemed to suggest that RCI are only interested in answering postings made by USA members.

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That was a misinterpretation of something I said in a previous post and privately via email. For the record, I said that RCI's top priority AT THIS TIME is fixing the badly broken RCI Weeks Web site. I did not at any time say or mean to imply that only questions about RCI Weeks US could be posted here.

posted 01-15-2003 14:36         

I am here again to provide some answers for you. Please be assured that I am keeping careful track of your questions and will continue to post answers. Please direct any account-specific questions or issues by e-mail to feedback@rci.com, or by telephone to 800/338-7777.

Issue: Why are Bonus Vacations so expensive?

Response: It is important that we work with resorts to preserve the value of timeshare weeks while providing attractively priced vacation options for our members. If our Bonus Vacations are priced too low, it can undermine resorts' sales efforts. It is just not a true reflection of resorts' values, and in the end, can negatively affect the timeshare industry overall. We feel a strong commitment to provide quality vacations for our members at fair prices, and we believe that Bonus Vacations still represent an excellent value for our members.

Issue: From EV Magazine, March-April 2001, Ken May says: "If a member of RCI Points exchanges points for an interval from the RCI Weeks system, an interval of equivalent value is moved from the RCI Points system to the RCI Weeks system." How does RCI determine what is "equivalent"?

Response: The same system that RCI uses to establish trading power - the ratings derived from member comment cards plus our personal on-site inspections -- is the basis for assessing points valuations on RCI Points resorts. Therefore, a unit taken from a Points resort to compensate for a Weeks unit taken by a Points member will be essentially the same in terms of Gold Crown, or RID or standard overall quality; similar in regional demand, and member demand for the resort; similar in size; and so on down the line. It will be equivalent, based on similar Trading Power guidelines to those used within the exchange program.

Issue: Resorts are charging varying prices for conversion to the Points program. Can RCI establish more consistency with this? Some resorts are charging very high prices.

Response: Purchase prices among resorts vary widely, and RCI does not control the sales aspect of timesharing. RCI Points is different in that these are already owners who are simply being charged a fee to participate in a different kind of exchange program. When a resort decides to become RCI Points-affiliated, there are several criteria they must meet with their reservations and operations systems. For some resorts, this involves very little change, and for others, it involves a complete revamp of their systems. Because costs vary among resorts to participate in RCI Points, these costs are passed on to owners wishing to convert to the new program.

RCI does provide suggested pricing to resorts for conversions to the RCI Points program. If we become aware of pricing that is unusually high, we may contact resorts to try to determine whether their pricing structures could be detrimental to their sales or undermine the integrity of the RCI Points program. Ultimately, pricing decisions are still made by the resorts.

Issue: If I convert to RCI Points and later sell my timeshare, does the resort have the right to decide whether or not the new owner will be in the Points program?

Response: If you have converted an owership to RCI Points and later sell that week, your new purchaser will have the option to participate in Points or to use the RCI Weeks program. RCI processes the Membership Transfer Application (MTA) for the Points membership, and collects the MTA fee for Points of $199. The MTA fee for Weeks is $49.

Issue: When will Australian and European Points members have online access to their accounts?

Response: We have an implementation planned for the Second Quarter of this year that will allow European members online access to their accounts. We also plan to implement this for Australian members; however, it is not in our plans for 2003.

Issue: Is there a "pecking order" for web initiatives that can be posted?

Response: As discussed in the first Internet Advisory Board meeting, RCI will be providing the board with a comprehensive listing of proposed improvements to the website. These will be divided into categories of a) Quick improvements, b) Medium time frame improvements, and c) Long-term improvements.

Issue: What are the One-Plus-One weeks that appear in my account?

Response: When you confirm an exchange in an area targeted for the One-Plus-One promotion, an additional vacation week at special rates is deposited into your account automatically. It appears online as a One-Plus-One week; however, it cannot be accessed online. You will need to contact an RCI Guide to confirm these.

For every regular exchange confirmed into targeted areas, members may confirm an additional week into any of the same areas for $199.99 domestic (299.99 CD) and $239.99 international (359.99 CD). Availability is in the following regions:

East Coast - VA Beach To Myrtle Beach
North Interior US - IL, IN, OH, WV, KY, VA
Pennsylvania
TN & Smoky Mtn Resorts in NC & GA
Canada - Ontario & Quebec
East Coast - Maine to Maryland
Great Lakes Area (WI, MI, MN, IA, SD)
Ozarks (MO, AR, OK)
Texas - Inland
Florida - Southeast
All International Destinations

Issue: Does the one-in-four year rule apply to an entire account, or to the individuals using the confirmed vacations? If I send a guest to a one-in-four resort, will I also be restricted?

Response: Typically, the one-in-four year rule applies to an account, not to an individual. If you send a guest to a one-in-four year resort, you will not be able to visit that resort yourself for four more years.

Issue: Can VEP scores be displayed online?

Response: RCI does not rate resorts; however, its members do, and we track that information. VEP scores are used behind-the-scenes to help us determine value-for-value exchanges. They are also provided to resorts to help them improve their facilities and service. VEP scores also contribute to a resort's eligibility for the Gold Crown and RID awards.

The Resort of International Distinction award (RID) requires resorts to meet established standards in the areas of unit quality, housekeeping, maintenance, hospitality, and check-in/check-out procedures. The Gold Crown award requires resorts to meet more stringent standards in these areas, as well as resort amenities, unit amenities, and guest services.

When you confirm an exchange vacation, our system has determined that the comment card data of the deposited resort is comparable to that of the requested resort at that time. Because VEP scores change continuously, it's possible that the VEP score of a resort will be higher or lower than it was at the time of confirmation.

VEP scores are proprietary and will not be publicly posted. Resorts are at liberty to provide their VEP scores to owners at their discretion.

Issue: How is marketable inventory determined? At what point does it become marketable inventory?

Response: Timeframes for marketable inventory vary by the type of inventory, and when it is deposited. Inventory that is very heavily supplied but lightly demanded may become marketable shortly after being deposited. Where supply is forecasted to be only slightly greater than demand, inventory will typically be designated as marketable closer to its check-in date. Where demand exceeds supply, inventory will become marketable only as a result of last-minute deposits or cancellations.

Issue: Do Points members receive priority over Weeks members for their searches?

Response: Weeks inventory is assigned a Points value based on region, quality, season, and bedrooms. Weeks inventory can then be accessed based on these values by Points members with sufficient point balances in their accounts. When a Points member confirms Weeks inventory, Points provides Weeks with inventory of similar value, based on Trading Power, in order to
keep the Weeks system balanced.

Issue: Are members who are part of a club like Fairfield or Hilton given priority in RCI's system? Are subscription fees the same?

Response: Resorts offer varying programs, some of which offer points-based vacations and other travel products, such as airfare. RCI processes vacation exchanges for these members according to the same Trading Power guidelines applied to other members. Some members pay for their RCI memberships as part of their club packages, while others renew their memberships with us directly at standard renewal prices. While we value the
members our larger resort clients bring us, we value our other members as well and make every effort to offer quality products and services to every RCI member.

Issue: What is the most efficient way for members to transfer weeks to friends or relatives who are also RCI members? Current process of faxing to Customer Service seems cumbersome.

Response: Since RCI memberships are secure, we must have written
authorization to transfer a deposited week from your account into another. This authorization must be sent to our Customer Service Department for processing. It may be simpler and faster to add a Guest Certificate to the week you wish to give and allow your guest to call and be served as your guest. The $49 fee will apply in either case.

Issue: Can RCI go back to the previous Resort Choices format that allowed several resort ID numbers to be entered in one field?

Response: We are compiling and evaluating the feedback and suggestions we are receiving from our members about the website, including the Resort Choices section. I can't give you an answer yet; however, I can assure you that your feedback has not fallen on deaf ears.

Issue: I am having trouble updating existing ongoing searches online.

Response: If you are initiating a new ongoing search, you will have the option to add resort choices. However, when you go back to an ongoing search to make changes to your resort choices, you will not see the Add/Modify button. This a known bug and our technical staff is working on the problem. They hope to have it fixed very soon.

Thank you for your patience as I become acclimated to this new forum. My responses should begin to be more frequent and in more of an individual question/answer style.

posted 01-15-2003 14:51            

Is this a one for one swap, or is a group of multiple weeks given for a group of multiple weeks?

Does RCI itself take inventory out of the Weeks system, using points from Points Partner exchanges, to rent out?

posted 01-15-2003 14:53            

Thanks for your participaion. I did not like your answer about the cost of conversion to points , but it was clear and concise.

Keep up the good work,

Roger

posted 01-15-2003 15:05            

Why doesn't RCI plan to implement online points access for Aussie members?
Does it have anything to do with the number of members?
When can we hope for?

Lang

posted 01-15-2003 15:07         

quote:

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Originally posted by Walt:
[QUOTE]Originally posted by Madge:
[B]While the above quote may be true,WHY when I went to a presentation for converting to Points did the resort salesman (He told me that he was trained by RCI) state to me that within the next 5 years most owners will convert to Points and there will no longer be any weeks available for Weeks owner to trade into?

Walt

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posted 01-15-2003 15:50            

Posted by Madge:

Issue: If I convert to RCI Points and later sell my timeshare, does the resort have the right to decide whether or not the new owner will be in the Points program?

Response: If you have converted an owership to RCI Points and later sell that week, your new purchaser will have the option to participate in Points or to use the RCI Weeks program. RCI processes the Membership Transfer Application (MTA) for the Points membership, and collects the MTA fee for Points of $199. The MTA fee for Weeks is $49.

After such a sale, can the HOA ALSO charge any fees to keep the new owner in the points system? If so, is there a cap on said fees?

TIA

Jim

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Our Family Webpage

posted 01-15-2003 15:52            

I'm still 'foggy' on the 'One Plus Ones', perhaps you can clarify these points:

Do I have to wait for a 'One Plus One' to appear in my account before I use it or can I use it on the 'fly' like buying a 'Two fer One'?

Does the 2nd week have to be consecutive? Can it be concurrent so I get 2 units for the same week at the same place or can it be 6 months and a world apart?

Does the geography of the original and the geography of the one plus one exchange have to match? Many VC's tell you it does!
Or can I use a One plus One earned with a trade to England for a trade to Cape Cod?

What inventory in those regions can the One Plus Ones's be used against? ANYTHING in those geographical areas that I can see available online - anytime? Or are there any other restrictions.

Is that $199/239 PLUS an Exchange Fee or just a flat $199/239?

Thanks,

Max

quote:

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Originally posted by Madge:
Issue: What are the One-Plus-One weeks that appear in my account?

Response: When you confirm an exchange in an area targeted for the One-Plus-One promotion, an additional vacation week at special rates is deposited into your account automatically. It appears online as a One-Plus-One week; however, it cannot be accessed online. You will need to contact an RCI Guide to confirm these.

For every regular exchange confirmed into targeted areas, members may confirm an additional week into any of the same areas for $199.99 domestic (299.99 CD) and $239.99 international (359.99 CD). Availability is in the following regions:

East Coast - VA Beach To Myrtle Beach
North Interior US - IL, IN, OH, WV, KY, VA
Pennsylvania
TN & Smoky Mtn Resorts in NC & GA
Canada - Ontario & Quebec
East Coast - Maine to Maryland
Great Lakes Area (WI, MI, MN, IA, SD)
Ozarks (MO, AR, OK)
Texas - Inland
Florida - Southeast
All International Destinations
~ Madge

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posted 01-15-2003 16:30            

My thanks as well for your informative response.

I'm confused on the one-plus-one also. You mention East Coast, VA beach etc. Would Williamsburg be included in that area? I confirmed a March week there, but haven't seen anything regarding another week.

posted 01-15-2003 18:17            

As a points advocate, your position is not surprising, but Madge dances around Points numbers, trading power, VEP, resort status,
sometimes conditioned with words like ''similar''. This is NOT an answer from which we can derive any meaning. Does she mean
1) Weeks trading power is used, or 2) Points values are used, or 3) some different but somewhat similar system is used?

posted 01-15-2003 19:34            

quote:

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Originally posted by Madge:

Issue: Do Points members receive priority over Weeks members for their searches?

Response: Weeks inventory is assigned a Points value based on region, quality, season, and bedrooms. Weeks inventory can then be accessed based on these values by Points members with sufficient point balances in their accounts. When a Points member confirms Weeks inventory, Points provides Weeks with inventory of similar value, based on Trading Power, in order to
keep the Weeks system balanced.

~ Madge

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Hi Madge....first of all, let me extend my thanks and appreciation to you for hanging in there through this onslaught of questions!

As you've realized by now, the points for weeks issue is a very hot topic on this board! Your answer above did not quite match the question. While it gives a nice explanation of the process, it doesn't say whether the points member get "priority" over the weeks members.

If I understand the question, I think it is asking whether there is a time period where a weeks deposit is ONLY available to WEEKS members? Or, if not, is a new weeks deposit passed through all on-going weeks searches prior to being made available for points requests?

The perception (or reality?) is that points members are able to "raid" the weeks inventory. At the same time, weeks members have no access to points inventory.

My question would be...if this is indeed the case...why is it that weeks members are not given access to points inventory in the same manner? The process could work both ways...thereby giving both weeks and points members a level playing field. As it stands now a high trade value points member can come in and "cherry pick" a similar high trade value weeks deposit of their choice....then it is up to RCI to replace this with a week of their choosing (at similar trade power as per your answer above).

I think it would be much more fair if the weeks member had the same opportunity to "cherry pick" a week of THEIR choice from the points inventory. In that instance, RCI could then switch an "equal value" week from weeks to points.

A level playing field would go a long way towards putting this issue to rest!!!

Thanks!
Eric

posted 01-15-2003 20:08         

Or are all the "points owed" accumulated over time, a total of 327,000 points for the example, and then "point balanced" every so often?

This is vital, because as David has pointed out earlier - point balance is done to optimize revenue and customer satisfaction. Computerized yield management will likely put back something like 26 blue weeks from Landing at Seven Cove at 15,000 points each, to balance the points withdrawn - maximizing points sales, points transactions, weeks exchange, rental, and bonus week sales revenue. All at the expense of RCI weeks members.

posted 01-15-2003 21:07            

I have both a Weeks and a Points account. I searched Hawaii, since that was the area discussed above, for 12/01/2003 to 12/31/2003 and obtained the following using Weeks:

The following 7 Resorts have availability during your requested time frame.

Resort Name: Lawai Beach Resort
Resort ID: 5080
Check-in Date: 12/04/2003 - 12/11/2003

Resort Name: The Kuleana Club
Resort ID: 0030
Check-in Date: 12/12/2003 - 12/12/2003

Resort Name: Kona Billfisher
Resort ID: 0029
Check-in Date: 12/15/2003 - 12/15/2003

Resort Name: PAHIO at Bali Hai Villas
Resort ID: 3031
Check-in Date: 12/04/2003 - 12/04/2003

Resort Name: Lifetime in Hawaii
Resort ID: 1138
Check-in Date: 12/13/2003 - 12/13/2003

Resort Name: Leisure Resorts Honolulu
Resort ID: 0245
Check-in Date: 12/14/2003 - 12/14/2003

Resort Name: PAHIO at Ka'Eo Kai
Resort ID: 1376
Check-in Date: 12/04/2003 - 12/04/2003

And the following were obtained using Points:

Resort name: Imperial Hawaii Vacation Club
Check-in date: 12/3/03 - 12/31/03
Points: 21,000

Resort name: The Kuleana Club
Check-in date: 12/12/03
Points: 28,000

Resort name: Kona Billfisher
Check-in date: 12/15/03
Points: 28,000

Resort name: Lifetime in Hawaii
Check-in date: 12/13/03
Points: 22,500

Resort name: Leisure Resorts Honolulu
Check-in date: 12/14/03
Points: 21,000

My Weeks deposit pulled three resorts that my Points could not; my Points pulled one resort that RCI Weeks could not but I think this may be because my Weeks deposit, Lawrence Welk Villas, has too high a VEP to exchange for Imperial Hawaii.

posted 01-15-2003 21:27            

quote:

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Originally posted by Wasswizzler:
An example to illustrate the concern described by the two previous posters - if 3 Pahio at Shearwater 109,000 point weeks are taken from the RCI weeks system

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I am sure that Madge or some other TUG member will correct me if I am in error, but I will state the conclusions we reached on the Points Board about this after observing some trading anomilies while searching Points and Weeks at the same time.

If Shearwater is a Points resort, then deposits which come in as plain old unconverted weeks are off limits to Points traders. Conversely, deposits which come in as Points are off limits to Weeks traders. So the situation you describe may not be possible.

Your question is still quite valid if the resort in question is not a Points resort. I took two summer weeks in Portugal at a Weeks-only resort using RCI Points. What replaced these two weeks? The weeks which were the source of my points (that was Australia and South Africa)? Six blue weeks? One really good high point Hawaii week? I hope RCI can answer to the satisfaction of most members; they cannot answer it to the satisfaction of all I'm quite sure.

posted 01-15-2003 21:29            

quote:

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Originally posted by Joe M:
... My Weeks deposit pulled three resorts that my Points could not; my Points pulled one resort that RCI Weeks could not but I think this may be because my Weeks deposit, Lawrence Welk Villas, has too high a VEP to exchange for Imperial Hawaii.

This is not the only instance I have seen where Weeks out-trades Points. It has happened frequently in my searches. Sometimes I get more resorts with Points, sometimes with Weeks. If there were a general trading preference for RCI Points then RCI Points should always do better than Weeks. I do not think this often cited 'fact' is at all true. It probably started with a timeshare salesman at a Points resort.

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Joe, the 3 resorts that your weeks pulled that your points did not are all RCI Points affliated resorts. In order for them to show up in a search, I think that you must use the "Standard Points Reservation" screen and select a check-in date within 10 months of the current date. If I'm correct than weeks has an advantage over points in pulling points affiliated resorts more than 10 months out.

I appreciate your response to our question regarding Canadian points members searching for weeks resorts. However I don't understand when you say the website is not set up to allow this. We were able to do this in Aug as I found a weeks resort in Hawaii searching on the points website.This option was taken away from us in Sept. This is what is so frustrating, we were able to do this and now we're not. As we were one of the first members to switch to points and pay our conversion fee I feel we have been very patient. I know you have a lot of questions her to answer and I hope this problem can be solved soon.

posted 01-15-2003 21:54            

quote:

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Originally posted by rth:
Joe, the 3 resorts that your weeks pulled that your points did not are all RCI Points affliated resorts.

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You are right, Roger, let my try a better example.

Mexico, 12/17/04 to 12/27/04, I check this quite a bit recently while planning a vacation.

Weeks
Mayan Palace Riviera Maya
Buganvilias Resort Vacation Club
Mayan Palace Acapulco
Mayan Palace Puerto Penasco
Costa de Oro Beach Club
Villa del Palmar Cabo San Lucas
Pueblo Bonito Resort
Sea Garden Acapulco
Mayan Palace Puerto Vallarta
El Moro Tower El Cid at Mazatlan
Universal Vacation Club at Villa del Palmar

Points
Universal Vacation Club at Villa del Palmar
Villa del Palmar Cabo San Lucas
Costa de Oro Beach Club
El Moro Tower El Cid at Mazatlan
Mayan Palace Puerto Penasco
Buganvilias Resort Vacation Club

posted 01-16-2003 04:55            

A close reading shows that your first sentence is an assertion that Weeks and Points numbers are similar because they both are based on VEP. Your second sentence is a clear reference to the infamous generic points grids for Weeks resorts, which would be completely out of place if you were not telling us that the Points values are used. Your last sentence says that the system
used is ''similar'' to Weeks trading power, which takes us back to the first sentence that asserts (incorrectly, I might add) that Points numbers are similar to Weeks trading powers.

posted 01-16-2003 06:00            

quote:

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Originally posted by Marina_K:
Carolinian/Steve,

Please be patient and stop harassing the guest.

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How is asking for clarification harassment? I see nothing disrespectful or argumentative in his post. Inquiring minds just need to know .

Roger