We bought a smaller package (under 10k total) and are about to use it for the first time. I can say if you use the RCI trade offs, you'll more than pay for it quickly. Its hard as hell to get a specific date at a specific resort, but saves THOUSANDS when it hits. We recently booked a ski trip in Steamboat for like 400 bucks. That's literally what one night costs at the place we booked, and we are getting the entire week for 400. Once you start using this feature, you'll "get your moneys worth" several times over the years. - The "free weeks" they throw in are pretty much worthless. They're obscure resort rooms in the offseason, in places you probably dont want to go to anyway. They try to act like they're all over the world but thats bullshit. -Make sure they write the yacht access into the contract. they talked about it several times but didnt actually put it in writing, so we arent getting that privelege. Im going to discuss it with them in person when we return in a few months, as that was absolute bullshit as well.
The below is exactly what I was going to point out, but with the SFX (San Francisco Exchange) program. By way of example of "hard/real money savings," when some friends of ours got married and wanted to honeymoon on Maui for a week, and wanted us along for the ride to have friends to party with, I booked the four of us a 2-bed/2-bathroom condo in Kihei. It cost out of pocket ~$700 with the transfer fee. So, $700 for the week for that, as compared to the Sheraton Black Rock in Lahaina, at which (at the time, more expensive now) rooms were running at ~$550/night. So, 2 rooms times 7 nights times $550/night = $9,800! So, I saved $9,100 on that one vacation for the lodging. Variations on this same theme in Mexico, Caribbean (St. Thomas, St. Martin, St. Barth's, etc). Setting up a trip to Maui, having the Other Dude pay for the whole thing next, as he can't touch the ~$750 rate we're having to pay for the week if we did normal booking on Kuai.
No it is not worth the cost at all! I have never been able to get service when I have requested. I am on hold as we speak trying to book a reservation and I have been on hold for 28 minutes and still waiting. But you miss a payment and I can assure you they will be all over you! I have been a member for years and have booked 4 trips since joining by calling resort myself and booking independently. DO NOT JOIN! They are worthless other than to get your blood pressure up!
