RCI Timeshare Exchange just keeps growing!

Earlier this year, RCI,  a Wyndham Worldwide brand, announced the addition of 34 new timeshare and resort affiliations. This brings the total addition of properties new to affiliation with RCI to 56 for the year 2011. Included among the newcomers are:

Palmyra Resort & Spa in Jamaica

Fiesta Americana Villas Acapulco in Mexico

Inn at St. Ives in Michigan

Huangshan Grandview Resorts Hotels in China

Geoff Ballotti, CEO, RCI, explains, “We have welcomed some fantastic new properties to our global network of affiliated resorts in the first two quarters of 2011. All of these destinations add to our portfolio of high-quality exchange resorts, which is already the largest in the world, and will give our subscribing members even more choice and flexibility in planning their next vacations.”

Each of the new timeshare resort affiliations for RCI exchange has been added in one or more of the following RCI timeshare exchange programs: the RCI® Weeks program, the RCI Points® program or The Registry Collection® program. Nine of the new additions are under construction at this time and will become available as they open.

See the RCI media release here.

Additional related The Timeshare Authority blog news:

RCI Timeshare Exchange Announces Expansion to China

RCI Announces Over 100 New Affiliated Timeshare Resorts (2010)

RCI Timeshare Exchange already offers over 4,000 affiliated resorts in approximately 100 countries. This week, the timeshare exchange company, which is part of Wyndham Worldwide, announced it is expanding its network through affiliation with China’s Shining Star Vacation Club, Xing Yao Shui Xiang Resort.

Adrian Lee, managing director, RCI Asia, says, “The addition of Shining Star Vacation Club, Xing Yao Shui Xiang represents another opportunity for RCI to offer great exchange options to our 3.8 million members worldwide. Located in a region that consistently boasts great vacations, this development reaffirms RCI’s commitment to offering great vacations in highly desirable destinations in Asia and globally.”

Located in the Jia Lize wetland in Kunming, the Shining Star Vacation Club, Xing Yao Shui Xiang Resort includes more than 10,000 diverse vacation accommodation spread across theme resorts, hotels, holiday villas and town houses. Within the resort area are theme parks, a conference center, an equestrian club, a fishing club, a Phil Mickelson designed golf academy and driving range, and shopping and dining areas.

Additionally, this China timeshare resort offers spaces that sound delightful but may not typically be found in most US timeshare resorts. These areas include an ecological wetlands park, extensive lavender and sunflower fields and an organic fruit and vegetable garden.

Li Ji Feng, assistant general manager of sales for Shining Star Vacation Club, says, “This affiliation with RCI represents an important opportunity for us. We are excited to be able to expand our business areas, provide new opportunities for our customers and bring the beauty of China to new global audiences.”

The first annual GNEX 2011 conference was held this May at the Atlantis Resort in the Bahamas. The beautiful destination and the opportunity to discuss many of the timeshare industry’s burning issues, as well as network and build business alliances, attracted representatives from over 80 timeshare or timeshare related companies. Sell My Timeshare NOW was proud to have participated in this inaugural event.

And as we have already shared here on the Timeshare Authority blog, GNEX 2012 will be heading to Cancun, Mexico and the Ritz Carlton Cancun; the only AAA Triple Five Diamond oceanfront resort in the world. Dial an Exchange (DAE) timeshare exchange has already made their commitment to GNEX 2012 as a Gold Sponsor.

To see video highlights from this year’s conference, go to GNEX 2011 Highlights. And for comments from Jason Tremblay, CEO of Sell My Timeshare NOW, click on the video below.

Related topics in the Timeshare Authority blog:

Timeshare Industry GNEX 2012 Convention Among the Many Events Headed to Mexico

Timeshare Industry’s GNEX Expo Chooses Christel House as Charity of Choice

Sell My Timeshare NOW at Global Timeshare Conference GNEX

A round of applause, on our feet, and loud cheering for Vivienne Noyes-Thomas who has made it to Mount Everest Base Camp! Vivienne is a former RCI timeshare executive who has taken on the Himalayan challenge of climbing Everest and in the process is fundraising for Christel House charity.

Making it to Everest Base Camp took 10 tough days to reach the destination, which is 17,600 feet above sea level. As Vivienne explains, “It was physically very hard work, sometimes mentally very hard work too. But I was fit enough, thank goodness, and have very few issues with the altitude, just some flashing lights in the eyes during darkness, a typical Khumbu cough as they call it here, which is very common because of the altitude and some swelling around the eyes and in my toes.”

Vivienne continues, “We were very privileged to be able to spend the night at Base Camp, thanks to our connections with US climber Charlie Wittmack, who is making his second summit attempt on Everest, plus Nuptse and Lhotse, later this month. His team had prepared a little tented village for us on the ice of the Khumbu glacier, 2-person tents in the middle of that vast wilderness of ice and rocks!

“It was surreal to be there with the full moon hovering right over Everest in the moonlight on the top of the world – an unforgettable 24 hours in my life, even more so for the heroic cancer survivors who were part of our group.”

You can read more about Vivienne Noyes-Thomas’ experience at RCI Ventures: Everest no match for Noyes-Thomas.

So far, her efforts have raised more than £2,400 from the expedition, but you can still donate to her venture. Your donations, through Christel House, help needy children and their families around the world.

Dial An Exchange (DAE) North America timeshare exchange has announced its new partnership with some very special resort properties—and they are not timeshare resorts.

Through the creation of daeOptions, the more than 300,000 timeshare owners and DAE members will now be able to rent or exchange their timeshare week for a seven-night stay at a large number of non-timeshare properties. Rentals for DAE members at non-timeshare properties will be at highly discounted rates while exchanges will be available to them when they deposit their timeshare week and pay an exchange fee that ranges between $350 to $450.

The new resort destinations for daeOptions include Chicago, Illinois; San Antonio, Texas; St. Petersburg, Florida; Orlando, Florida Braintree, Massachusetts; Cambridge, Maryland; San Diego, California; Anchorage, Alaska; Oahu, Hawaii; and Whistler, British Columbia.

Tanya Bleuel, Director of Yield Management for DAE, says, “The new program opens a world of vacationing options to our members. Whether the member exchanges or rents at members’ only prices, they are getting a great deal.”

More about Dial An Exchange Timeshare Exchange

It’s interesting that Dial An Exchange has made the timeshare ownership experience better by adding non-timeshare properties to their offerings. Dial An Exchange has always been a fast growing, forward thinking leader in the industry, including offering a no-membership fee option for its member/owners. Through Dial An Exchange, timeshare exchange fees are not billed until the exchange is confirmed.

Today, DAE has offices in Europe, the United States, New Zealand, South Africa and Asia, and the United Kingdom to better serve its members.

Last week at the first annual GNEX Timeshare Conference and Awards, Dial An Exchange (DAE), one of the world’s largest independent timeshare exchange organizations, earned three prestigious awards.

GNEX, the Global Networking Expo & Perspective Magazine Awards Gala, held its first global timeshare conference at the Atlantis Resort, Paradise Island, Bahamas. The awards presentation gala was an important part of the two days of meetings and networking.

In the category: “Best Industry Leader,” Dial An Exchange CEO, Francis Taylor, was named the winner, while the timeshare exchange company itself was selected as the “Best Place To Work” in the international competition. Dial An Exchange’s customer service team was honored as the timeshare industry’s “Best Project Team.”

Silverleaf Resorts announced last week that its shareholders have approved a merger with Resort Merger Sub Inc., which is an affiliate of Cerberus Capital Management LP. The merger is expected to close this week. Once the merger is complete, Silverleaf will become a private company, wholly owned by SL Resort Holdings Inc., an affiliate of Cerberus, and its common stock will no longer be traded on NASDAQ.

Silverleaf timeshare owners should not anticipate any interruptions in services because of these changes.

3 Facts You May Not Know about Silverleaf Timeshare

1. All Silverleaf Timeshares are classified as either a Getaway Resort or a Destination Resort.
2. All Silverleaf Getaway Resorts are timeshares located within a two-hour drive of a major metropolitan area.
3. Silverleaf Destination Resorts are timeshares located at a unique venue, perhaps exotic or remote, but always highly desirable.

Flexibility for Silverleaf Timeshare Resales and Silverleaf Timeshare Rentals

Whether you are seeking a getaway vacation or a destination experience, Silverleaf timeshare exchange is flexible. There are fourteen great timeshares in the Silverleaf Resort internal exchange network plus access to more than 300 resorts worldwide through an external timeshare exchange. For Silverleaf timeshare owners and timeshare renters, the choice isn’t “if” they vacation, it is only “where” they vacation.

There are great deals on Silverleaf timeshare resales and Silverleaf timeshare rentals as well as timeshare resale financing through Prosper. And if you are a Silverleaf owner looking to sell Silverleaf timeshare or to rent Silverleaf timeshare, contact the timeshare resales and rentals experts at Sell My Timeshare NOW.

• Share this:
• Share
• Email
• Print

 

Topics: Silverleaf Timeshare, Timeshare Blog, Timeshare Exchange, Timeshare News, Vacation

Despite the challenging economy, the cruise industry continues to grow, year over year, according to information released during the Cruise Lines International Association’s seventh annual conference, Cruise 360.

Last year, in the US alone, the cruise industry contributed $40 billion to the economy and created 350,000 jobs. And although 15 million passengers enjoyed one or more cruises in 2010, with 72 percent of them being from the US, Canada, or Mexico, only 20 percent of Americans have ever been on a cruise, indicating a large, untapped market of future cruisers.

Timeshare Exchange for Cruises

Obviously not all timeshare can be exchanged for cruises. In some cases, timeshare exchange for a cruise is made through the timeshare company; in other cases, it is made through a timeshare exchange service. And sometimes timeshare points are “spent” to “buy” a cruise instead of their typical use for timeshare vacation weeks. Because of the variety of ways to exchange timeshare for a cruise, the protocols and requirements of each avenue vary.

When you exchange timeshare or use timeshare points for a cruise, be sure you ask about any additional costs that may or may not be covered by the exchange. One example is your port fee.

Port fees are typically included in the cost of a cruise when you buy the cruise directly, but when you are using timeshare exchange or timeshare points to cover the cost of your cruise, the port fees may be an add-on. Port fees cover the change for the cruise ship to dock and include a wharf or passenger charge; a port entry fee; and a dockage fee depending on the ship’s size and length of stay.

Other fees that are not always covered by timeshare exchange could include things like taxes, transportation to and from the ship or while in port, and charges that would be add-ons for any cruiser, no matter how you paid for the experience.

Bottom line: Be sure you understand fully what your timeshare exchange covers and which expenses will be up to you to cover out of pocket. Then pack your flipflops and your suntan lotion for a Bon Voyage!

Additional Timeshare Resources

Smugglers’ Notch timeshare resort is a popular ski destination in the heart of Vermont’s Green Mountains. Starting in June 2011, Smugglers’ Notch timeshare will offer both deeded timeshare ownership and timeshare points through Wyndham Vacation Ownership.

In the past, the 300 timeshare condos at Smuggler’s Notch have all been owned solely through deeded property ownership in which a timeshare owner owns a specific condo for a set interval each year. Thanks to a new agreement with Wyndham timeshare, it will soon be possible to buy Smugglers’ Notch timeshare points, which can be used either at Smugglers’ Notch or for timeshare exchange through the Wyndham Vacation Ownership network. This new flexibility in ownership will allow holders of Smuggler’s Notch timeshare points to stay where they choose and in intervals that best fit their schedules. The agreement between the resort and Wyndham timeshare will set aside the equivalent of 40 timeshare condos for the Wyndham timeshare points program.

Scott Tobin, director of Smugglers’ Notch vacation ownership, says, “The inventory set aside for the program will be registered into a trust. You’ll be buying an interest in that trust and you’ll receive points to travel anywhere in the Wyndham exchange network, including obviously, coming back to Smugglers’ Notch.”

More than a Timeshare Ski Destination

Owners at Smugglers’ Notch enjoy the on-site skiing, snowboarding and other winter sports, but recognize that this resort is an excellent year-round destination for a family vacation. The resort is located approximately 30 minute from Burlington’s Church Street Marketplace and is only a short drive from the village of Stowe.

Summer activities at Smugglers’ Notch include the water park at Notchville Park, mini golf, fishing, hiking, swimming and tennis.

RCI has unrolled a new level of membership for its timeshare exchange members. Launching RCI Points Platinum, RCI is now offering a premium tier in timeshare enjoyment opportunities with exclusive privileges and lifestyle benefits.

Geoff Ballotti, CEO, RCI says, “Timeshare owners are always looking for more value from their exchange provider and RCI Weeks Platinum will provide just that — new opportunities for priority access and special member discounts. After the successful debut of the RCI Points Platinum(SM) membership tier last year, we are excited to expand this terrific program to our RCI Weeks members as well. The RCI Weeks Platinum membership tier will offer tremendous lifestyle benefits that our RCI Weeks members can use and enjoy in so many different ways.”

Some of the perks and pluses of RCI Platinum membership will include:

• Opportunities for room upgrades
• Exclusive “first look” access to specially acquired vacation inventory
• Rebates for various RCI transactions
• Access to preferred rates at premier ski destinations
• Discounted green fees at numerous golf courses across North America
• Valuable restaurant discounts
• Advance purchase and front-of-the-line privileges for select theatre and city destination attractions

“As the inventor of vacation exchange, RCI is always looking to develop new products and ideas that will give our members the best experiences and exceed the expectations of our resort affiliates,” says Ballotti. Clearly, with benefits like these for their timeshare owner/members, RCI is doing just that.