RCI / cruise exchange

RCI / cruise exchange

Our family had decided to look into exchanging one of our weeks for a cruise. We had called the RCI number and was connected with a “cruise specialist” that was going to try and “find us the best cruise for the right price”. Let me say this, I have been on two prior cruises before, both which I booked myself over the internet. I am fairly internet savvy when it comes to finding great deals for travel. However, my family and I decided to look into trading our week for a cruise. What a joke that turns out to be. The guy started quoting us prices at about $2500 PER PERSON with a week trade. At that price I better be ingesting seafood laced with diamonds. When we inquired about other cruises at a little more affordable rate, he quoted us at $1500, then at $1000, $800 and finally $650. After we hung up, I told my family that I was going to research it and see what kind of prices I could find. The first website I looked at (Travelocity) had prices that WERE LOWER than what we were quoted and that was WITHOUT the week exchange. I called the guy back and told him I was a little confused by what I had found. I didn’t understand how I could find similar, if not lower, prices on the internet without the trade than if we had gone through the internet outright. He tried telling me that when you buy cruises off the internet that there are a lot of “hidden government charges and port fees”. When I told him I had cruised before and that I bought both from the internet, he changed the subject. He told him that he would be saving me $300 per cabin than what we could find on the internet. When I told him the numbers didn’t make sense, he didn’t really have an answer, and just kept repeating himself. I never really did see where they were saving me $300 per cabin. I asked him why he was going to take our week and give us the same prices I found on the internet. He told me he wasn’t going to do take the week (when he quoted the fees in the previous conversation, he said that those fees were WITH the exchange). So they were going to screw us on the exchange and we would be out a week. I told him that we would just buy the cruise from the internet instead and he almost started begging me that if we were going to book to book through him (im sure he got the commission). He started treating me like I was the idiot because I wasn’t seeing the logic in wasting our timeshare and not getting any better of a deal than if we had booked it through the internet. My understanding when you were going to exchange for the cruise was that you were going to get a way discounted rate and only have to pay for the all inclusive fee (which I would have understood). Needless to say, we are not booking a cruise through RCI. I think the whole thing is a scam and feel bad for anyone that gets sucked into thinking that they are getting a good deal through them. Kori Click this link to e-mail the message author: Email User

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My wife and I received a cruise voucher from RCI for renewing our membership. We had been wanting to take a cruise, so I decided to look into it. Supposedly the voucher was worth "up to $1200" off the regular RCI rate. I found a cruise to Mexico out of Mobile that we were interested in. The advertised rate was $898 per person, and RCI informed me that they could get that down to 798 per person. I was a little disappointed that there wasn't more of a savings, but my wife is expecting and I really wanted to take her on a cruise. I then asked for a total and if there were any additional fees of which I was unaware, and I found out that there is a $199 fee for using the voucher! So much for $200 room discount! What a joke. When I started searching their site to see what I would have to do to take advantage of their max savings, I found that I could save $1200 per person if I flew to Sydney and cruised to New Zeealand. This whole voucher thing is a scam.

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We had been looking for an Anlaskan criuse. RCI called out of the blue trying to sell a criuse. Was told that we need to pay $895, then they would send us the book with the criuses and we could pick any one we wanted. What a joke!!! They won't send the book until you pay?!?!?! Then 90 days before the cruise we would be charge $1,600 which was the balance of the cost(total cost $2495 for two, not including tax). Same story about the hidden fees / port charges that RCI said are about $270 per person. Telling us that the website don't include this.