Complain about a product or service

RCI

RCI's Web site says the company has over 3,700 affiliated resorts located in 100 countries, with over three million subscribing members living in more than 200 countries. Its "RCI Community" is an exchange network of three million timeshare owners worldwide who participate in RCI's traditional week-for-week and points-based timeshare exchange networks.

Edward of Canyon Country CA (04/09/09)
My Wife and I purchased a timeshare at the Blue Blay Club in Cancun, Mexico. We purchased 8 million RCI points along with 9 bonus weeks at the resort (that could be changed into differing rooms according to luxury. For example 2 weeks could also = 1 week in a suite.) We were promised and shown luxurious rooms that later we learned required 8 people in our party in order to book, but we found that this difference in communication with the Club and RCI was just one of many to come.

For the first 3 years we've been allowed to use points for airfare, car rentals, hotel, and resort bookings. These were unlimited. In fact, we told the salesman at the time that we wanted to purchase the most points possible because our families lived far away, in different states, and this would be our main use for the points. The salesman and the top manager from the club stated This will be perfect for you!

Now we've learned that RCI has restricted our points to 60,000 per year for every kind of use but resorts. This amount will only buy a round trip ticket from L.A. to San Francisco! We can't spend the amount of points we've purchased on resorts only even if we vacationed now at a rate of 365 days per year, for the rest of our lives! We could have saved 1/2 the cost of our timeshare because we can't use the other half (the points part) that's restricted. Every time we turn around we're dinged with fees particular to RCI or Club members only. For example, we'll be going to Tahiti in August and only RCI/ club members are charged a weekly electrity fee of 200 at this hotel. Anyone else booking there is not charged this fee, but its included in their cost according to RCI.

We are also charged a 189 per week reservation fee, besides our resort booking fee. We are going with another couple, making our vacation a total of five weeks. This charges a total of 2,070 just for our hotel fees/ stay! What was our 35,000 purchase for? That 2,070 doesn't include airfare, all the fees we constantly are getting dinged for throughout the year, and the fees from our club. These fees keep rising. So far this year we've spent 700 in dues without even using anything yet! Pretty soon we'll be charged a clean towels in your room fee and a water fee each time the toilet's used!

We've contacted a lawyer and because of the vagueness of the contract RCI and the Club seem to have all the advantage. I feel like I'll soon be saying, But I didn't see in the contract that I signed, RCI's right to stick their hands in my bank account and take out any money they want, and their answer will be: Well, the contract never said that we couldn't... How can these companies take advantage of so many hardworking people and get away with it? These companies have been able to deceive through much of what they don't have to disclose. Sure they stated in the contract that they have the right to restrict points. Boy, hind site is 20/20 now! Wish we knew exactly what that meant when we'd read it and heard it explained.

Craig of Camby, IN April 5, 2009

RCI does not sell timeshares. If you bought into a timeshare and are unhappy with the rules or fees or anything the resort or timeshare company has set up ... rci cannot help. rci is strictly in the business of trading vacations. i keep reading complaints about Blue Bay disguised as rci complaints. it's not rci's fault that blue bay or any other resort has misled or made false promises to you. RCI DID NOT DO THIS.

Niki of Indianapolis, IN February 28, 2009

Niki of Indianapolis IN (02/28/09)
i have read what everyone has to say on this site, i would like everyene to know i am an employee for RCI, a lot of what everyone is saying is not reffering to RCI when you purchase a timeshare it has nothing to do with RCI, we do not sell timeshares what so ever.... RCI is the middle man it is a timeshare exchange company, so when you buy a timeshare u have the choice to go back to your the resort that you purchased everytime or you can use RCI services and pay a little more and go to other destinations ... not the way to use rci and be successful is search in advance if you own weeks u can search 2 years out if you own points you can search 10 months out... if your looking in high demand time like when kids are out of school then u really want to put your search in asap ... now when your dealing with weeks you also have what we call trading power ... if you own a red week in branson mo dont expect to get hawaii it...the system will only offer you things that are campatiable to what you own ,,,, depositing your weeks a year in advance will maximize your trading power also when your searching for something in advance and what your looking for does not pull up put yourself on an ongoing search the system will keep searching and if something pulls up we will call you .... the most important thing is dont get to picky ,,, its vacation how much time do your really spend in the room??... you have to remember when you call rci we would love to send you on vacation actually the guides you speak with get paid on commision for sending you on vacation.... the inventory that we have is what other deposit we can give you space if it has been booked by other members and if they have not deposited their weeks ,,,,

timeshare is best for the retired

R of Litt, CO February 2, 2009

R of Litt CO (02/02/09)
Once I came out from under the ether, on Sat 1/31/2009. I discovered that the contract didn't really specify details of what I had purchased. Went to the internet/Google, and discovered that there was no info that I could acess as to what was available. Called the outfit per the phone # on the site and was advised that they were a 'clearing house' not affiliated with RCI or Great Escapes, or Lifetime Vacations LLC,,, But that once I received my ID # from Great Escapes [in about 30 days], I would be able to acess the info on the site????...

Called Bank of America to cancel the Credit Card they [RCI?] had,had issued to me. Long story short, Bank of America said that the only thing that they could do was cancel the card, to call them back in 3-5 days to contest the charge once it was posted and the otherwise the 'merchant' would have to issue the credit..

Did discover in the process that the Merchant Info use wo B of A is a nonexistant address, and the phone # answers as some sort of text messaging service. After notifying B of A they didn't seem to care. The merchant name is Great Escapes at 4259 Southern Florida Av Centennial Co 80112, per B of A Rep 90ACTDM.

Interestingly enough RCI made a CYA tape in which they/he specified that they were NOT affilliated with Great Escapes. HHmmmmm! Fortunately Colorado has a 3 day Right of Rescision law I will be there on Tues morning to hand it to them in person with a witness.

Oh the cancellation clause says that Great Escapes must be notified in writing with in 3 buis days, but there is no address on any of the papers the gave me. The papers do however have a letterhead that Says,,, Great Escapes GE authorized dealer #126- Lifetime Vacations LLC Denver Colorado.. Can't beleive these people are allowwed to continue, Anywhere under Any name.

1750' dollar charge pending. And can't figure out exactly who I'm dealing with. to cancel the 'contract'..

Fred of Calgary, AB January 31, 2009

Fred of Calgary AB (01/31/09)
BLUE BAY& RCI - break our contract; We will never be able to use all our points in our life or the term of the 25year contract. Only 60,000 points per year can be transferredd to RCI and we have MILLIONS of points...RCI and BlueBay are NOT acting in good faith. Blue Bay has NOT return my any of my emails; as I wanted to transfer points to RCI; I cann't believe RCI would be into this kind of business; I would just like to either get my back from Blue Bay or Transfer ALL my Blue Bay points to RCI and be done with; Hoping someone can help;

Martina of Houston, TX January 19, 2009

Martina of Houston TX (01/19/09)
Well I was 18 years old. I went to one of the meetings I was hammered by this sells guy and being so young I was told that I couldnt leave until I signed the contract to get me started on my free vacations. I was stuck being hammered by 4 different sales people until 11:30 ant night, they kept going at me and going at me. My friend went with me to this meeting - and in the middle of pitch she said well you just got your tax refund so that would cover your start-up well one of the sales rep listened into your so called private talk and told the manager - so he offered up more free items that I never got.

I am 27 now - that was the worse mistake that I have ever made it destroyed my credit and my life. I used it one time and it was the worse vacation in my life. I spent over 4 grand on the lowest package; I had a family emergency and needed to get to my mothers. I called up RCI to exchange my points into Flight at that time they said I could, so they set it up.

A month later I tried to set up travel again and the RCI rep said we dont do that. after I told them they did it the month before she said that must have been the special for that month. I stopped paying after that. I tried to cancel my contract the RCI rep said I couldnt until I caught up with payments, and then I would have to pay a 496.71 cancel fee. They preyed on a kid and won. I have had to over come a lot in life and this taught me a VALUABLE LESSION! Always go with your gut!

So far it has kept my credit score below 470 - despite perfect payment on school loans. I cant get a loan on a new car or a house or credit cards - I cant build my credit until this goes away - and for some reason every 3 years they open it up and leave it open for a 5 years as delinquent. I cant claim bankruptcy because I dont have enough debit! Because I cant get any debt to mess up on! Talk about FRUSTRATING! I cant get married either because it will destroy my boyfriends credit to! If you are looking to get a timeshare DONT! It is a waste of time and MONEY! The average vacation for a couple 1 time a year is 700 at a major city with a 5 star hotel! 800 for a all-inclusive vacation in Mexico on the BEACH!

Report Your Experience
If you've had a bad experience -- or a good one -- with a consumer product or service, we'd like to hear about it. All complaints are reviewed by class action attorneys and are considered for publication on our site. Knowledge is power! Help spread the word. File your consumer report now.

Share		Follow us on Twitter.

Back to the top |