Time Share exchanges to Hawaii
 

We own a time share and want to exchange it using RCI to go to any of the Hawaiian Islands. However, I call RCI everyday to see it they have any exchanges and am told they are completely booked for the entire month of February. Has anyone had a similar experience and were you able to get an exchange even at the last minute?

I gave up on RCI and left them. They are VERY persistent though. I get calls every few days -- I just hang up on them. My family joined back in the mid 80's.

Years ago they were terrific. I've traveled all over staying at world class resorts. Probably 20 properties in the UK, twice in France, and many times in the States. But any more they seem to be almost a pyramid scheme -- "Deposit your weeks early and get increased trading power" but there never seems to be any availability. And it isn't because I have limited times -- I would give them total flexibility re dates and size of units. Nada.

Good luck -- but IMO/IME the membership fees are just money down the drain now.

Used to own a timeshare at the Kauai Marriott in Lihue and booked through Interval and if I wanted to trade or even book my home resort, I was advised to reserve (I used reserve method and not the deposit method) nine months in advance. One year I could not book at all. II told me to call my Marriott sales rep, he was able to give me a week in early Dec. Not sure if this is an option for you.

It took my Mom 2 years to get a trade to Hawaii and that was about 10 years ago. They have the highest rated week to trade so they should not have issues trading anywhere. Sometimes I think that the properties hold the units out for rent instead of trading.

RCI is worse than the government at taking your money. I cannot believe that it costs them $300 to process a trade.

janisj - how do you trade your timeshare without RCI? My Mom was a wiz at trading but then again she had the time to call and the flexibility of dates. I can hardly wait until the day I figure out how to get rid of this thing.

I absolutely agree with you janisj. We are getting to the point of pretty fed up with them too. This may be the final straw for us.

That's my next question gardendiva! How do we trade or are we stuck with them anyway if we do trade? We have never stayed (nor plan to) in our timeshare. We bought it for a very good price in the mid '80s solely to trade and have time share privileges.

Jamie I haven't heard of Interval. Are they similar to RCI?
Thanks to everyone for your responses.

>>janisj - how do you trade your timeshare without RCI? My Mom was a wiz at trading but then again she had the time to call and the flexibility of dates. I can hardly wait until the day I figure out how to get rid of this thing.>>

I have 3 weeks in an old and very stable property at Lake Tahoe (family has owned them since the late 70's and I inherited them when my Mom passed away). It is different than most since I actually own the specific units for those specific weeks - like any other real estate with deeds. The first 7 or 8 years we spent all 3 weeks at Tahoe, the next 20 or so years Mom & Dad spent maybe 4 or 5 days at Tahoe and they (or more often - I ) traded for other places. Stayed in some of the most amazing resorts. It was very easy and VERY worthwhile. Then it got tougher for a few years but still frequent of trades. But for the last 7 years I've had one successful trade - in Scotland in 2013.

There is another company I can trade with but for now I just plan on using the units at least some of each week - or give it to friends. I love the place and Tahoe is less than 2 hours from my house so not a hardship at all and I've always spent a lot of time at Tahoe even when all weeks were traded away.

For about 20 years at least 1/3 of my overseas travel was via trades - but since then less than 5%.

So - how do I trade . . . I don't plan on it any more. Hasn't kept me from traveling.

You may get info here:

http://www.redweek.com/forums

http://tugbbs.com/forums/

nanabee,
AFAIK, the two largest timeshare trading companies are RCI and Interval Internatonal. I am fairly familiar with II, and from what I can tell, RCI operates pretty much the same way. I only traded a couple of times, for Hilton Head and Puerto Vallarta because my late husband and I loved Kauai so much we just kept returning. Sold it in 2013. Think last time I traded my cost was around $150 or so.

We trade ours (Marriott Desert Springs II in Palm Desert) on Interval. I just checked today for what's available anywhere in Hawaii during the period April-August 2016 -- there was availability on Kauai, Molokai and the Big Island at SVC (Shell Vacation Club) and at Marriott Ko 'Olina on Oahu. Not a lot, but it was there. I think we pay $130 or so when we make a trade.

I'm sitting in the Wyndham Bali Hai in Princeville (Kauai) right now, having traded through RCI. I was able to get this on my first attempt last July, probably because January is a low season here. So trades are possible if you start early.

Thanks to everyone for the great information, especially for info on alternative exchange companies.

nanabee, I know this little business looks kind of hokey, but several years ago, we used it a couple of times for an exchange in Hawaii and one at St Maarten. We were very pleased:
http://login.donitasvacationnetwork....fmembership%2f

In Hawaii, our exchange was at Sea Village, just below Kona. We've stayed there two other times, on our own dime. It's a great, smaller place, with outstanding ocean views, free tennis, bbq grills, pretty lawns, and well-managed.

You could contact Sea Village, and ask them who sends them time-share exchanges. Sunterra used to manage it, as I recall.

Sea Village condos are individually-owned, so you will see a lot advertised via VRBO.

Good luck.