Sue

Please share your experiences at RCI Timeshares with us. We own at Smuggler's Notch in Vermont--a Gold Crown resort. We've been to Powhatten plantation in Williamsburg Virginia and are about to go to Vistana in Orlando. How do you get info on the "dogs" and the great spots? Thanks for your thoughts.

Judy

I have a wonderful site for you that is invaluable. It is tug2.net. There is an $18 fee to join for the year but as a timeshare owner, there is no greater source for information. They have about 2,000 resorts rated. You can go in and people who have experienced the resorts review them and you can e-mail directly to a member for additional information that you might like to know. What is in the area to see and do, restaurants, etc.
As a resouce tool, I guarantee you will not be disappointed. You will also receive a magazine that is interesting for timeshare users as well. Good luck!

phil

If you like to golf, like a nice beach and good restaurants, I highly recommend the Spinnaker resort on Hilton Head Island in SC. Been there a few times and found it well maintained and convenient location. E-mail me if you want more info.

Charlie

Please share with me the time share theory . I don't know much about them but it would seem to me that after you take the initial purchase price + yearly taxes , fees and transportation cost one could go on vacation for a week a year, anywhere ,for less money utilizing package deals .

debbie

This is in response to Charlie's question about timeshares: The jury is still out at our house on this one. We bought a timeshare 2 years ago, and it hasn't turned out quite the way we expected it to. We bought gold crown red time, etc., but have not gotten our first choices on trades yet. But this is what HAS happened: This year we really wanted to go to the Caribbean, but ended up taking a week in Puerto Vallarta when no Caribbean site was offered. We returned home yesterday, and had a FANTASTIC time in an area that we never would have requested otherwise. So we were very happy with the trade after all was said and done. In addition, we get lots of stuff in the mail that we are able to take advantage of because we are timeshare owners, such as: In early October we spent a 3-day, 3-night weekend in a 2-bdrm condo at a lakefront resort, only 90 minutes from our home. It was a great get-away, $99 total! Cheap! (We didn't actually stay the 3rd night, Sunday, but it gave us the flexibility to stay all day, checking out at 7:00 pm and heading home, rather than a traditional 11:00 am checkout if it hadn't been a 3-night deal)
In mid-October, we spent a week in a 1-bdrm unit at an under-used golf resort in Florida, 30 minutes inland from Ft. Myers, for $149 for the week! (Yes, for the week!) It wasn't on the ocean, and it wasn't in Orlando, but we had a great time, spent 2
days at the beach (80 degrees, uncrowded), and played 18 holes of golf 3 times at the onsite courses (only $18/18 holes, including cart). The courses were very nice, nice weather, etc. That is a "timeshare owner" perk. We sometimes wish we were closer to retirement so we could take advantage of more of these types of deals. And also, the week in Florida was not exactly last-minute; we scheduled it 45 days in advance. And the local weekend away from home was scheduled about 3-4 weeks in advance. We hope to take advantage of more of the long-weekend get-aways that are withing driving distance of our home as that is a great way to make the most of our membership while still working, raising kids, etc.
But as I said, the jury is still out as we STILL want to go to the Caribbean during high season as we live in northern Minnesota and definitely want to vacation in warm climates during the winter months. So we have griped about not doing better in getting our first choice on trades, but then look at all the "extra" vacations we get for very little money (and the places have been very decent). We also have not had to worry about quality when we trade as we have always been offered gold crown resorts, similar to the quality of where we own and we appreciate not having to take a travel agents word that a place is decent as we have heard those horror stories! I'll be looking to see what other people have to say about their timeshare experiences.

Eileen

I'm a new t/s owner - purchased new construction from a developer in Aruba while on vacation in February. Once I got back home I started doing a lot of research, what I discovered first was that we should have bought resale!!! What I discovered next was that I bought a t/s in a prime area, at prime time so they tell me my choice of trades should be great. Haven't tried to trade yet since my unit isn't even available until 1/99.

As I explore the timeshare bulletin boards (timesaring-today.com and tug2.net) it appears that there are many advantages to trade around the world, getting a suite type deal (with kitchen) instead of traditional hotel room, and taking advantage of the various get away deals that the exchange companies (RCI and II) offer to timeshare owners/members.

We'll see ..... its certainly not a financial investment, but more of an investment in vacation fun for years to come ....

Cassie

Check it out - RCI has a web site - www.rci.com

harriet

I too go thru RCI our home base is in Cancun. We have traded into Aruba once, and Curacoa once. The secret I believe is time, we banked two years in advance, also, don't be too specific with the loacale, just request the Caribbean area, we have visited but not stayed in properties, in St Martin,St. Thomas, Jamaica and Puerto Rico, all are beautiful and clean properties. A week at a St Martin condo, on the market would be $1200 min.plus air. Hope this helps. Rob and Harriet

Jeanine Floyd

I found the exchange about RCI timeshares for holidays with children very helpful (and reassuring!). We have a six-year-old son and are in the process of buying a timeshare at Smuggler's. We have no misgivings about that side of it as we've had only very positive experiences of Smuggler's, but I did wonder if the exchange aspect was as easy as the sales blurb would have one believe. Has anyone traded for a resort on the west coast of Florida, or in Europe or South Africa? Next, if RCI is reluctant to give out info about those resorts that have children's programs (I think that was another message on this board), where does one find out? From the resorts themselves? Finally, do most people who swap also book the flights etc through RCI as well?

Sue: when do you go to Smuggler's? We have week 5 as we want to ski. What's it like at other times of the year? (We live in Quebec so we wouldn't go there for a change of weather!)Please write to me directly if you like.

Thanks a lot!

Kathleen

RCI Travel has good deals on some destinations, but are not always the lowest prices(often a charter is less expensive). I have used them and have been pleased with their service. Their rates to Nassau last summer were better than my travel agent could obtain for me, she was upset that they could get a lower rate! Have stayed at RCI properties throughout the Carribean- the key to getting a great exchange is deposit early, request early, and be flexible with dates of travel(summer weather is great and easy to exchange then). My family also liked the west coast of Florida. Recommend Sanibel, Captiva, or Marco islands. The largest resorts seem to have the best child friendly programs. Ask the counselor when they call to offer you an exchange about what is available. If you push they will often call the resort for you and find the answers to all of your questions.Good luck in your exchanges.

Christie Partee

My family owns 2 weeks at Hot Springs, Arkansas and we have had the best time with RCI! The secret to getting what you want is to do it EARLY! Bank at least a year in advance, and if you want Hawaii, or need a specific date/destination in the caribbean, do it ASAP! My husband and I are going to Antigua this summer, and my parents have been to Kauai, Puerto Valliarta, and Reno, Nevada. Time shares, when managed right, are great!

Rob M.

I concur with Christie. When managed correctly, timeshares are fantastic. Learn as much as you can from tug and timesharing-today. When exchanging, if you can be a little flexible, deposit early and request early. Give it a little time and RCI will come up with a close match. Yes, timeshares are not a good financial investment, but an investment for great future vacations. My wife and I and family members have been to places we never thought we would ever see. Many people get disenchanted with timeshares because they don't spend the time to learn all they can about them. If you make a few thousand dollars investment in a timeshare, you should try to find out the best way to use it. I must admit, the salespeople don't tell the whole truth about timeshares, you must learn on your own.
We are thankful for our timeshares as it has forced us to take vacations that we never had before. Good luck in your timeshare adventures. Rob M.

CraigD

My wife and I have been timeshare owners and RCI members since 1982. We have stayed in all type of exchange units, from converted motels to five star resorts.

We own a June week in Panama City Beach, FL and a Christmas week in Pigeon Forge, TN. We almost always use our FL week and exchange our TN week.

The cons of timeshare ownership are the ever increasing fees. Currently the RCI annual membership is $74 and the exchange fee (domestic) is $104. This is on top of the annual maintenance fees for your resort.

The plus side of timeshares is that you will almost always take time for a vacation, since you are paying the fees anyway. Also, you often get to stay in a much nicer place than you would have normally.
If you compare the annual timeshare costs to the price of a nice hotel room, you are probably going to come out better with the timeshare fees.

In our Florida timeshare, we have gotten to know several families that own the same week as us, and we enjoy seeing them every year and watching their children grow up.

Try to spacebank and request exchanges early. Also, be flexible - ask for an area instead of a specific resort. Have a great time!