As the owner of Advantage Vacation, my clients have had experience with both RCI and Interval International exchange companies over the years and I thought I’d share some of the comments and observations they have shared with me.
General RCI information and comments:
Many owners I have spoken with feel RCI has more availability (including holiday weeks), they feel RCI is much more flexible and they like the fact that Disney is one of the brands partnering with RCI.
They like that RCI Weeks gives them the ability to get “change” (Deposit Credits) back from exchanges and combine deposits. This allows owners to get multiple exchanges from a deposit, or combine to get something they normally wouldn’t be able to get.
Auto-confirm comparison: RCI usually only auto-confirms if you check that box when creating the search. They email you when they have a match and give you a couple of days to decide. If you take no action, the hold just expires and you wait for the next match. If they confirm an exact match and mail you a confirmation, you can call them and tell them you don’t want it with no penalty.
Interval International
General II information and comments:
The general consensus is that II has higher quality resorts (Marriott and Starwood) than RCI.
Owners like that II’s membership and exchange fees are cheaper than RCI’s.
Several owners find II’s procedures for extending deposits don’t work for them and they have trouble using their deposits with them.
Auto-confirm comparison: Several owners commented that ongoing searches are difficult with II because their policies are not as good as RCI’s – especially if you want a very specific check-in date range. The owners said that II always defaults to a Thursday start for a search and if that’s not what you want you have to call them to change it. In addition, they commented that II only gives 24 hours to cancel and if you miss the deadline, you’re stuck with the exchange.
Is one “better than the other”?:
Overall, the general feeling is that one is not better than the other. While RCI has more exchanges, the feeling is that II has higher quality exchanges (because of Starwood and Marriott) but you must make note that an owner has to have a strong “trader” to get into those resorts.
Other exchange company options information:
A couple clients have said they now supplement RCI and II with Platinum Interchange, DAE and SFX because they are free to join with no annual fees, their exchange fees are much less and sometimes you can get two weeks of exchange for one deposit.
While these smaller exchange companies do not have the vast inventory of the larger exchange companies, they each specialize in a different area – Platinum Interchange is US oriented and works well for popular areas like Orlando, Branson and Williamsburg. DAE is great for overseas travel and SFX is great for high end travel (they may not take your resort unless it is high end).
Now the question is up to you! Which exchange company will work best for you? Hopefully the information contained in this blog will help you make the right decision for the way you and your family like to vacation.
If you have questions about how to buy a timeshare resale or how to sell a timeshare, contact the licensed real estate professionals at Advantage Vacation. We have over 35 years of timeshare experience and have expert knowledge in resort, hotel, vacation clubs and point-based timeshare resales.
Advantage Vacation is a licensed timeshare resale brokerage located at the Lahaina Cannery Mall in Lahaina, Maui. We are leaders in the secondary market of timeshare resales and are members of the Resort Development Association (ARDA) and Accredited Members of the BBB with an A+ Rating. Our licensed real estate professionals have over 35 years of experience and expert knowledge of resort, hotel, vacation clubs and points-based timeshare resales. We never charge an upfront fee for clients who want to sell a timeshare and only receive a commission, paid from escrow, when the transaction is closed. If you want to buy a timeshare resale, you can be assured you are working with professionals who believe that honesty and integrity are the most important aspects of the business they are in – timeshare resales.
Whether you want to buy a timeshare or sell a timeshare, they will be with you every step of the way – before, during and after the transaction is completed. Our business has been built on relationships and we pride ourselves on providing excellent service to our clients. Advantage Vacation is using Twitter and Facebook to help educate people on the changes in the timeshare industry along with current timeshare tips, up to date timeshare news and timeshare FAQ’s.
We hope you will follow us and our blog, Timeshare Blogging by Advantage Vacation for the latest timeshare news and reviews. If our site does not answer your question or questions, please email us your question and we will answer it and add it to our library. Make your voice heard – what questions do you have?
Would you like more information about Advantage Vacation?
