Your Guide To RCI

YOUR GUIDE TO RCI

Welcome TO A WORLD OF HOLIDAYS

Welcome to a new world of holiday experiences in top-quality resorts at destinations all over the world. You are only a few moments away from starting to take advantage of everything your RCI Membership offers you, at over 4,200 resorts.

You can learn more about the services, benefits and how the Exchange system works in this RCI Member Guide.

3 EASY STEPS: Here is a Quick Start Guide to activate your membership

1: REGISTER!

It’s quick and easy. To activate your account, simply visit RCI.co.za and follow these easy steps:

• Click “Register a login’’ (within the login box)

• Submit your email address or mobile telephone number

• Your unique password will be sent to you either by email or SMS, then you can start planning your next holiday

2. DEPOSIT YOUR TIMESHARE

Your points are automatically allocated when you Deposit your timeshare with RCI. Knowing how many points you receive for your timeshare will help you plan where and when you can Exchange.

3. EXCHANGE!

Now that you have Deposited and have trading points, you can start searching for your first Exchange Holiday!

This RCI Member Guide is designed to walk you through the complete process of Depositing and booking your RCI holidays. But, we are just a phone call away if you need advice or assistance with any aspect of your membership.

We look forward to hearing from you and helping you plan the first of many memorable holidays with us.

Your home resort (where you purchased your timeshare week/s) is affiliated to RCI which means that owners, like you, can travel to more than 4,200 resorts around the world. As an RCI member, you can choose whether to holiday at your home resort or consider exploring other holiday destinations around Southern Africa or the world through the RCI Exchange Programme. Your membership with RCI gives you the flexibility to use your Points for holidays at other resorts.

Experiencing new holiday opportunities is exciting and so simple. Should you decide not to return to your home resort, you can Deposit your week in Exchange for RCI trading points, and using these points to book a holiday at another resort (this is known as an Exchange Holiday). It’s really simple. Please keep in mind that RCI does not build, own resorts or sell timeshare.

With over 4,200 affiliated resorts worldwide for you to choose from, RCI can take you there. Whether it’s a luxurious beach holiday, a well-earned bush break or a last-minute weekend away somewhere closer to home, the choice is yours.

This guide provides you with all the information you need plus step-bystep instructions on how you can get the most out of your RCI Membership – so that you can enjoy maximum holidays for minimum hassle.

Here’s a quick overview of the difference between RCI Membership and your home resort

YOUR RCI MEMBERSHIP

• Access to Exchange Holiday options at resorts around the world and other RCI holidays

• Access to member only cash holidays at resorts where no Exchange of trading points is needed

• Exclusive access to RCI cash holiday options

YOUR HOME RESORT

• Where you bought your timeshare

• Owns and maintains the resort property

• Collects annual levy fees

YOUR OWNERSHIP and RCI

Depending on how you would like to manage the payment of your RCI Membership, for your convenience we offer you two types of RCI Membership:

RCI PREMIER MEMBERSHIP

Holidays should be relaxing. So make it easy on yourself.

Take the hassle out of renewing your membership and enjoy the benefits of becoming a Premier member:

• Save money

• Automatic renewal each year – hassle free

• Safeguard your ability to book holidays into the future

As an RCI Premier member, your banking or credit card details will be stored securely on your membership file and your membership will be automatically renewed each year until you tell us otherwise. RCI uses SSL certificate encryption to ensure your information is safely and securely stored.

STANDARD MEMBERSHIP

As a Standard member, your annual membership is not automatically renewed. You will need to manually renew your membership on an annual basis to ensure that it remains active.

Register ONLINE

TO EXPLORE THE WORLD OF RCI

With the convenience of 24-hour/ 7 days a week access, more and more members have discovered the benefits of registering on RCI.co.za.

It’s definitely the quickest, most convenient way to start planning your holiday.

All the great benefits and new tools are listed below, so visit RCI.co.za to become part of the RCI community and start planning your next holidays.

BENEFITS OF REGISTERING ON RCI.co.za TODAY

• It’s free to register

• Access to exclusive online only offers

• Manage your RCI Membership all in one place

• View all your promotions instantly

• Access in depth, up to date resort information

• Share holidays with family and friends by issuing Guest Certificates

HELPING YOU PLAN YOUR NEXT HOLIDAY

• It’s easy to find your next holiday by using the convenient search filters

• Learn about RCI’s 4,200 international and 170 local resorts in the online Resort Directory with images, amenities, area attractions, interactive maps, local weather and season calendars

Update your details on RCI.co.za

• View resort recommendations and featured resorts

• View your detailed trading points balance

• Save your favourite resorts for quick access later

• View the latest resort offers available

• View your resort requests

• Access your upcoming holiday and Deposit details

RCI.co.za: YOUR ONE-STOP SHOP

• Book your local and international holidays effortlessly

• Book Exchange and Extra Holidays (Bonus and/or Rental)

• Keep up to date with your points and timeshare

• Update your family and friends, favourite resorts and personal details

• Deposit your week(s) at your own convenience

• Renew your RCI Membership in 3 quick steps

• Add RCI Holiday Protector to your local and international Exchange and Bonus holidays to give you peace of mind (see page 21)

• Add a resort request for holidays that are not yet available

Depositing and trading POINTS EXPLAINED

If you are unable to use your timeshare week(s) or you’d like to experience a different resort, you can ‘trade’ it with RCI. This is called Depositing. In return for Depositing your timeshare, you receive trading points that you can put towards a holiday at another resort. Trading points are determined by the season, unit configuration and resort grading of your timeshare as well as how many days before the check-in date you Deposit. The earlier you Deposit, the more points you get rewarded with. For example, you get rewarded with an additional 10% trading points simply by Depositing your timeshare 180 days or more prior to the check-in date of your timeshare.

IT ALL STARTS WITH A DEPOSIT

When you (and other RCI members) Deposit your week(s) with RCI, these week(s) become available to other RCI members who have enough trading points to Exchange into the respective resorts.

By Depositing your week(s), you also receive 35 Bonus holiday days, for the year in which your week’s check-in is in. A Bonus holiday is a holiday that does not require any trading points. You simply pay a cash fee, which is on average lower than the same accommodation compared to the open market.

GETTING the MOST from YOUR TRADING POINTS

What if my desired Exchange Holiday requires less trading points than the trading points I received from my Deposit?

If the trading points needed for your Exchange Holiday are less than the trading points you received for your Deposit, the remainder of the points can be used for future Exchange Holidays.

What if my desired Exchange Holiday requires more trading points than the trading points I received from my Deposit?

If you have trading points available from another Deposit you may combine thesepoints to make up the full trading points required.

How long are my trading points valid for?

The trading points that you receive from your Deposit are valid for 36 months (3 years).

Your trading points are linked to the transaction date of your Deposit and, depending on which quarter you Deposited your week in, will decide on when they expire. The expiry dates are quarterly, ending: 31 January, 30 April, 31 July and 31 October.

For example: If the week you own starts on the 15 August, you can Deposit your week with us as early as 15 October the previous year (depending on your resort). The latest you can Deposit your week is the day of check-in. Once your week is Deposited you can use the trading points for up to a maximum of 36 months thereafter.

Deposit window: 23 months before check-in date of the week

Travel window: 36 moths

2 years prior 1 year prior 1 year after

2 years after 3 years after Date of Deposit

If you have trading points that are due to expire and would like to use them for a local holiday, you will need to ensure your holiday check-in date is before the date the trading points expire. If you would like to use them for an international holiday, you will need to ensure your holiday is booked before the date of expiry of the trading points.

How to EXCHANGE YOUR WEEK

The Exchange process is simple. Follow these 3 steps to book your holiday.

1: DEPOSIT

Deposit your week(s) early to maximise your trading points. Deposit on RCI.co.za or call us on 011-258-1000. Once you have Deposited your week(s) you can begin searching for your next holiday. (Depending on your resort, your annual levy payment might need to be verified by your home resort before the Deposit of your Week(s) to RCI can be finalised. So, always make sure that your annual levy, for the year in which you would like to deposit, is paid up).

2: EXCHANGE SEARCH

Simply visit RCI.co.za to search for and book your Exchange Holiday. If the holiday you want is not available yet, add a resort request. A resort request will automatically place you on a system-generated waitlist and RCI will notify you once your requested unit becomes available. Alternatively call us on 011-258-1000 and tell us when and where you want to go and we’ll discuss the options with you.

3: EXCHANGE CONFIRMATION

Once you have found your perfect holiday, you can easily book and securely pay the Exchange fee on RCI. co.za. Your Confirmation Letter will be emailed to you on completion of the booking. Alternatively, contact an RCI Travel Guide on 011-258-1000 to facilitate your Exchange.

Important: You need to show the confirmation letter in order to check-in to the resort, so please take it with you to the resort.

For peace of mind, don’t forget to add RCI Holiday Protector to your qualifying bookings. Visit RCI.co.za to learn more about this product offered to RCI members.

RCI GUEST CERTIFICATES

Did you know that if you are unable to use your week, you can give the gift of a holiday by issuing a Guest Certificate to friends or family? Please just remember that it can be used only by the person(s) named on the Guest Certificate and must not be used by anyone under 18 years of age, or 21 years of age for travel to the USA. There is a transaction fee –visit RCI.co.za or call us on 011-2581000 for more information.

Different OWNERSHIPS

Depending on your home resort, there are different types of ownership. These different ownerships will have an effect on how you Deposit your timeshare with RCI.

CONVENTIONAL OWNERSHIP: FIXED WEEK

A fixed week means that you own the same unit and week every year, at the same resort.

Pay your annual levy fee to your home resort and then you can Deposit your week directly with RCI.

CONVENTIONAL OWNERSHIP: FLOATING WEEK

A floating week means that you own a specific unit in a specific resort but you’ve bought a week over an event or holiday that may not necessarily fall within the same date range each year e.g. the Easter weekend.

You need to contact your home resort to obtain your unit number and week number before you Deposit with RCI.

CONVENTIONAL OWNERSHIP: FLEXI WEEK

A flexi week means that you have purchased the use of a unit with a specific occupancy, in a specific season, for each year of your ownership.

Please contact your home resort to obtain your unit number and week number before Depositing with RCI. Just make sure that your annual levy on your ownership is paid for the check-in year that you want to Deposit.

CLUB OWNERSHIP

This is when you have purchased holiday points from a holiday club. Many reputable clubs are affliated to RCI, as it allows them to enhance their holiday offering by offering a wider selection of local as well as international destinations to their members.

Holiday OPTIONS

EXTRA HOLIDAYS

The benefits of RCI Membership go beyond Exchange Holidays. We also offer other ways to experience amazing destinations.

Extra Holidays are holidays at RCI affiliated resorts locally and abroad, for which you do not use your trading points. Instead, you book them with cash, just as you would book a regular hotel stay. The cash fees are, on average, lower than the same accommodation on the open market. That aside, Extra Holidays are just like RCI Exchange Holidays – you get the same resortstyle accommodation, benefits and amenities that you would expect from an RCI holiday.

There are two types of extra holidays;

EXTRA HOLIDAY BONUS

When you Deposit your week(s), you will receive 35 Bonus Holiday days. These days are available for check-in dates that fall within the same year as the ownership you have Deposited. A competitive cash fee is payable.

EXTRA HOLIDAY RENTALS

These holidays are available to all RCI members and no Deposit is required to acquire these holidays. These holidays are sourced by RCI for your convenience and add to the variety of accommodation available to you in highly sought-after destinations. You can book resorts during any holiday season (regardless of when you own timeshare) and there is no limit to the number of RCI Extra Holiday Rentals that you can book.

INSTANT TIME HOLIDAYS

Instant time holidays are great value if you can travel at short notice. These holidays are available with close-dated check-in dates, where you pay an increased exchange fee but receive a discount on the trading points used. This offers you the opportunity to book into resorts with a higher trading points value than you are not usually allowed to book.

RCI GUEST CERTIFICATES

Share the fun you get from your RCI Membership with friends or family by issuing a Guest Certificate.

HOLIDAY PLANNING

The RCI Directory of Resorts on RCI. co.za is the ultimate holiday planner, packed with over 170 local and over 4,200 international resorts in RCI’s Exchange network. View resort images, overviews, amenities and so much more!

RCI HOLIDAY PROTECTOR

The RCI Holiday Protector is exclusive to RCI members. Ensuring that their local and international Exchange and Bonus holidays are protected from unforeseen events. Holiday Protector offers a *free replacement holiday should you have to cancel or *curtail your holiday due to unexpected events i.e. death, sudden illness, injury of your traveling companion, a member of your immediate family as deemed necessary by a medical practitioner.

* Subject to the RCI Holiday Protector Terms and Conditions

Frequently asked QUESTIONS

Q: Do I have to holiday in the same year as the week I’ve Deposited?

A: You can Deposit this year’s week and use the trading points received for an Exchange Holiday up to 36 months later.

Q: Can I book into a higher season and bigger unit size than what I own?

A: You may, provided you have sufficient points for the Exchange. All members may Exchange into Blue, White and Red seasons. Specific conditions apply when Exchanging into Peak season. Peak week owners can Exchange into Peak season, provided they have sufficient Peak week points available to use. Non-Peak week owners can only Exchange into Peak within 30 days of check-in (subject to availability) and only if they have the required amount of points. Peak week points are allocated for Peak week Deposits only and cannot be combined with lower season Deposited points.

Q: Can the season that I puchased change?

A: Our seasons are determined by the Gauteng school holidays, as per the South African Government Gazette and may change annually.

Q: Can one combine trading points from different membership files to gather more trading points?

A: No, trading points on one file cannot be combined with trading points from another file to increase trading points.

Q: Can I cancel a confirmed Exchange?

A: We ask you to notify us of any cancellation by telephone or in writing as early as possible. Terms and conditions apply to cancelling your holiday. For more information on the cancellation policy, please refer to the RCI terms and conditions.

Q: How do I update my contact details?

A: Simply log into RCI.co.za, access ‘Manage my membership - Personal details’ or call an RCI guide on 011-2581000.

Q: Does RCI own the resort I have my timeshare at?

A: RCI does not own any resorts, your resort is affiliated to us so their timeshare owners can receive all the benefits of being an RCImember.

MORE Information

BOOKING TERMS AND CONDITIONS

All bookings are subject to availability and the standard terms and conditions of RCI Membership. Transaction fees apply – call us for more information. Visit RCI.co.za to view the comprehensive terms and conditions.

NEW MEMBER HOLIDAY DISCOUNT

Refer to your Welcome Letter for your new member discount vouchers. These vouchers are subject to availability and booking terms and conditions.

RCI HOLIDAY PROTECTOR

For full details and terms and conditions, visit RCI.co.za. Please note that this product applies to local and international Exchange and Bonus holidays only.

DEPOSITING YOUR WEEK

By Depositing your timeshare week(s), you (subject to these terms and conditions) permanently relinquish all rights of use in respect of those timeshare week(s) for the period deposited. Subject further to these terms and conditions, Deposited timeshare week(s) cannot be cancelled/returned to you and your right of use shall be permanently forfeited to RCI once Deposited with RCI.

Get in TOUCH

To search, book a holiday, put yourself on a waitlist and manage your membership, simply visit RCI.co.za. It’s easy to register a login on RCI. co.za, simply click on “Register a login” and follow the instructions.

If you prefer to speak to one of our skilled Travel Guides, call us on 011-258-1000. Our Call Centre is open from 8am until 5pm, Monday to Friday and on Saturdays from 8am until 12pm. We are closed on Sundays and Public Holidays.

If you have any questions or queries, contact our Member Experience team on clientrelations@rci.com.