I'm an idiot and forgot to bank my points by midnight last night. (We live outside the US so with travel restrictions there is no way we can use them by Feb 2021)
I have 486 points that I can still transfer to RCI. We've never used RCI. Any advice/warnings/suggestions? How far will 486 points get us?
Sigh.
I have stayed at several RCI properties in the U.S. and Caribbean through DVC and have never had any problems. Over the years, I have also looked at Caribbean, European, and other international RCI properties to see if I could find availability for my travel dates. Below are tips on booking DVC RCI:
1) Check the RCI website to see which resorts are available for booking in your chosen destination. This can be done by clicking the Resort Directory. Once you have decided which properties meet your standards, go to RCI Vacation Search to see which resorts are showing availability for the dates you want.
2) Research any RCI resorts you are interested in beforehand by going to TripAdvisor to read customer reviews. You can also read the reviews on the RCI review page for that resort. Look at the traveler pictures on TripAdvisor to see what travelers are reporting the resort looks like and what the COVID experience is like.
3) The best RCI resorts are those designated with the Signature (key), Gold Crown, and Silver Crown symbols. If the resort you are viewing doesn’t have one of those symbols, you need to really do your due diligence to ensure the resort is up to your standards.
4) RCI resorts are not the same as DVC resorts, so don’t expect the same amenities because they vary by property. Clicking on the room details on the DVC RCI website for each property will tell you what to expect. Not all properties have washer/dryers or full kitchens in a 1 bedroom. These are standard at DVC, but not with RCI. Do your research ahead of time and know what to expect.
5) Booking an RCI property takes some diligence. You can either start an open search on your own or contact DVC to do it for you. If you decide to do your own search, it will require checking the DVC RCI website daily to see if the property you want is available for the dates you want.
6) When you find the property you want, book it immediately on the DVC RCI website. DO NOT call DVC to book it for you. You may loose the reservation (someone else may book it before DVC can)—they don’t tend to stay up long.
7) Most 1 bedrooms on RCI are about 150 points for a weekly stay. The Signature Collection RCI resorts (designated with a key) are significantly more. Check with DVC to see how much you have to pay to extend points you deposit in RCI until February 2022. I believe you are able to do that. 486 points should get you about 3 weeks worth of accommodations depending on where you plan to go. Given the current travel restrictions, a lot of RCI properties are still showing 2020 and early 2021 availability. Of course, go to the resort website to see if the resort is open before you book.
Good luck. RCI is a great option for using your points, you just have to be willing to do the leg work.