Can I book into a higher season and bigger unit size than what I own?
A: You may book into a resort with a higher grading and/or bigger unit size, 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 Spacebankings only and cannot be combined with lower season Spacebanked points.
Can I Spacebank online?
A: You can Spacebank your ownership on RCI.co.za by going to “Manage my membership > Spacebank”. If you cannot find your unbanked ownership here, please refer to “I want to Spacebank my week but when I go to the Spacebanking screen, I get the message 'No ownership found to Spacebank'." within the FAQ’s.
Can I swap or change my confirmed holiday for a later date or a bigger unit size?
A: Should you wish to swap or change your confirmed holiday after 5 (five) working days of the original booking date, you will be able to do so, however you will be required to pay a new Exchange fee. Please see Terms and Conditions below.
6.12 You may at any time change your exchange holiday booking by notifying RCI® before the check-in date. Other than an exchange holiday booking change made within 5 (five) working days day of the original booking date, your initial exchange holiday booking fee is however not refundable or transferable thereafter and you may request an exchange holiday booking change at an additional exchange holiday booking fee.
Can points be combined from different files to gather more trading power?
A: Points on one file cannot be combined with points from another file to increase trading power.
Can RCI® resend my Confirmation Letter?
A: Yes, RCI® can resend your Confirmation Letter. For ease of use, you can also reprint your letters and email them to yourself from rci.co.za.
Can the season that I purchased change?
A: Our seasons are determined by the Gauteng school holidays, as per the South African Government Gazette and may change annually. Please refer to the RCI® terms and conditions, under ’Spacebanking’, for more information.
How do I access my online account?
A: To access your RCI® membership online you’ll need a login to rci.co.za. Register a login, should you not already have one.
How do I add additional timeshare ownership to my existing RCI® membership?
A: Contact our Member Queries team on 011 258 0100. They will assist you with adding additional timeshare ownership to your existing RCI® membership. They will require a copy of ownership confirmation such as a share certificate or levy statement to proceed.
How do I cancel my confirmed holiday?
A: To cancel your confirmed holiday, you will need to call our Member Experience team on 011 258 1000 (option 4). One of our guides will assist you in cancelling your holiday. You are not able to cancel a holiday on RCI.co.za.
Please refer to section 6.8 onwards in the Terms and Conditions with regards to cancelling an Exchange holiday and sections 8.5 & 8.6 onwards for cancelling a Rental holiday.
How do I change my password for RCI.co.za?
A: You can change your password once logged in. Go to “Manage my Membership > Personal Details” Personal details tab. For your security, you may not re-use your previous eight passwords and your current password must be at least three days old before you can change it. Your password must be a minimum of seven characters and must include at least one letter and one numeral e.g. rci1111.
How do I issue a Guest Certificate on RCI.co.za?
A: Your booking is only transferable with an RCI® Guest Certificate which carries a small, non-refundable fee.
A Guest Certificate can be issued on RCI.co.za either during the booking process or after a booking has been made.
To add a Guest Certificate during the booking process, look out for a “Give holiday to friends or family” link on the “My Basket” page. Click this link and follow the steps.
To add a Guest Certificate to an existing booking, go to “Manage my membership > View/Print transactions”. Select the desired booking and click on the “Add guest certificate” link and follow the steps.
Go to “Manage my membership > Family and Friends” to manage your Friends and Family list on RCI.co.za.
How do I join RCI®?
A: In order to become an RCI® member, you need to own timeshare in the form of a week(s) at an RCI®-affiliated resort. If you are a member of a holiday club, please check with your club to see whether it is affiliated to RCI®.
How does RCI® determine its Exchange fee – Bonus and Rental Extra Holidays?
A: Bonus and Rental fees fluctuate based on seasons, rating and the unit size that is requested.
How does RCI® determine its Exchange fee for a points Exchange?
A: RCI® determines Exchange fees based on whether you are travelling locally or internationally, when you book and what your length of stay will be.
How does RCI® ensure that members are communicated to effectively?
A: RCI® sends communication to its members using the contact details provided by each member. By updating your details regularly, and when these change, RCI® can communicate to you effectively. By subscribing to receive communication via SMS and email, you will receive RCI® news and promotions.
How long do I have to use my points received from my Spacebank?
A: You will get a minimum of 36 months validity on your trading points from the date of Spacebanking. The expiry dates have been moved to an annual quarterly basis, ending: 31 January, 30 April, 31 July and 31 October. Example: If you Spacebank your timeshare between 1 May 2012 – 31 Jul 2012 your points will expire on 31 July 2015.
How many points do I need for an international Exchange?
A: International Exchanges work on a 7 night stay and work on a week for week basis. This means that you can exchange your full week for a full week overseas. The number of trading points you will use for the international Exchange is equal to the value of the week that you are exchanging. No matter where you exchange internationally, the value of points will always equal the value of trading points you received for your Spacebanking that you are exchanging.
I am trying to get a new password, but I keep getting the message saying that my membership number or email address/mobile number is incorrect.
A: When requesting a new password, you need to ensure you enter in the email address/mobile number you have registered on your RCI® file. If your email address/mobile number has changed, you will need to contact RCI® to update it on our systems before you can request a new password.
I get no results with my search criteria.
A: Try to broaden your search criteria by doing the following:
• Include Bonus and Rental holidays in your search criteria.
• Be as flexible as possible with your check-in dates.
• If there is still no availability, consider loading a request.
I have made a request for an Exchange holiday - what do I do now?
A: Our booking system checks automatically for request matches daily. When there is a match that best suits your requirements, RCI® will contact you to check if you would still like this holiday. You will have 24 hours to confirm the booking, after which the accommodation will be offered to the next RCI® member on the Waitlist. To guarantee you receive these match updates timeously, please ensure that your details are up to date.
I have made my booking online. How do I get my Confirmation Letter?
A: Once you have confirmed and paid for your booking, you will be automatically directed to the Thank You page. The details of your booking will be displayed with a link to view or print the Confirmation Letter. Alternatively, you can go to ‘Manage my membership > View/Print transactions’. From this page you can view, print or email any of the Confirmation Letters displayed.
I want to Spacebank my week but when I go to the Spacebanking screen, I get the message 'No ownership found to Spacebank'.
A: You have either Spacebanked all your weeks, or the ownership for your resort has not yet been loaded onto your file. If your ownership is a flexi week – this cannot be Spacebanked online. You will need to contact your home resort first to get an allocation and then contact the RCI® Call Centre on +27 11 258 1000 with your ownership details.
If I do not have points with RCI® can I still book a Bonus holiday?
A: You do not need points to do an Extra Holidays-Bonus, however you will need to have a Spacebanked timeshare for the year in which you want to take the Bonus holiday.
Should you not have any ownership Spacebanked, you can still book Extra Holidays-Rentals which are available to all RCI® members and do not require a Spacebank to qualify. These are available at any of RCI®’s rental portfolio of resorts worldwide. Rental rates can be up to 50% lower than the same accommodation offered to the open market.
What are Expiring Points?
A: In exchange for a Spacebanked week(s), an RCI® member receives points. There is a minimum of 36 months validity on your trading points from the date of Spacebanking. The expiry dates have been moved to an annual quarterly basis ending: 31 January, 30 April, 31 July and 31 October. Example: If you Spacebank your timeshare between 1 May 2012 – 31 Jul 2012 your points will expire on 31 July 2015. Once this date has passed, your trading points would have expired.
What are Extra Holidays – Bonus?
A: Once you have deposited your ownership, you will be eligible for 35 Bonus holiday days for the year in which your Spacebanked timeshare check-in date falls. These may be booked at any RCI®-affiliated resorts around the world, subject to availability. No trading points are required for a Bonus holiday booking, but you will need to pay a special Bonus fee, which is, on average, lower than the same accommodation on the open market.
What are Extra Holidays – Rental?
A: These holidays are available to all RCI® members whether they have Spacebanked their ownership or not. You may make any selection from the RCI® Rental portfolio of resorts around the world, paying a special RCI® member rate. There is no limit to rental holidays, even during Peak season.
What are the benefits of Spacebanking?
A: Upon Spacebanking your ownership, you receive trading points. These trading points can be used to exchange into RCI® resorts locally and internationally. It is always advisable to Spacebank as soon as possible. If you Spacebank 180 days (approximately 6 months) or more before the check-in date of your week, you will receive an extra 10% trading points. Upon Spacebanking, you will also receive 35 Bonus holiday days, to use in the year which your Spacebanked timeshare falls. If you Spacebank a Peak week you also qualify to Exchange within Peak time.
What are the fees for a local and international Exchange?
A: The exchange fee will be displayed to you upon doing a local or international availability search.
Some local and international resorts do also charge for deposits, utility fees (which cover water and electricity usage) as well as other facilities usage. These fees differ per resort and are payable directly to the resort upon check-in or check-out and these fees are over and above the RCI® Exchange fee payable. For the utility fees, please view the "Resort details" on RCI.co.za for your desired resort.
What is a Spacebank?
A: A Spacebank is when you deposit your annual ownership at your resort with RCI® in exchange for trading points. You can then use these points to exchange into other RCI®-affiliated resorts locally and internationally. By Spacebanking your week with RCI®, you give up your right to occupy the unit at your home resort.
What is the difference between an RCI® Exchange, Extra Holidays-Bonus and Extra Holidays-Rental holiday?
A: RCI®'s core business is Exchange holidays, whereby a member uses his trading points, received from a Spacebanking, to exchange into an RCI® affiliated resort. An Exchange fee is payable on confirmation of the Exchange holiday.
35 Extra Holidays-Bonus holiday days are offered to members when their timeshare week(s) is Spacebanked. No points are used for these holidays - the member pays a cash Bonus fee which, on average, is lower than the same accommodation offered on the open market.
Extra Holidays-Rentals are available to all RCI® members and do not require a Spacebank to qualify. These are available at any of RCI®’s rental portfolio of resorts worldwide. Rental rates can be up to 50% lower than the same accommodation offered to the open market.
What is trading power?
A: Trading power is the term used to describe the points you receive from RCI® for your Spacebanked week. This is determined by the season, unit configuration, your home resort’s grading and how early you Spacebank your ownership with RCI®.
What is VOASA?
A: VOASA (Vacation Ownership Association of South Africa) is the regulatory body that governs the holiday ownership industry in Southern Africa. Should you need to know more about the industry, VOASA can be contacted on 021 914 9693 or via email at voasa@voasa.co.za. Alternatively, visit www.voasa.co.za
What should I do if my requested holiday is not immediately available?
A: We recommend that you add a resort request as soon as possible. You can add a request from July for the following year, but is dependent on resort administration. For international requests, add your request at least 23 months prior to the check-in date.
Where can I find out how many points are needed to book a particular resort?
A: For local resorts (Southern African resorts), you are able to view the number of points required for a resort by using a combination of the "RCI Trading Points" and "Season information" calendar located on the "Resort details" page for your desired resorts.
Locate the resort you are interested in, and click on "Resort details". On the "Overview" tab you will see the "RCI Trading Points" at the bottom of the page and "Season information" calendar is located on the bottom right of the screen. Use the "Season information" calendar to identify the season of your travel dates and then you will be able to view the points required per length of stay and occupancy.
Why are some areas and resorts more easily available than others?
A: As a holiday Exchange company, RCI® relies on its members to Spacebank their timeshare with RCI®, in order to offer alternative destinations and resorts to other RCI® members. There is a natural higher demand for certain destinations over others, as well as more demand for certain seasons. To improve the possibility of a successful match to your holiday request, it is recommended that accommodation searches and requests are done as early as possible.
Why does it take more time to deposit my flexi week?
A: A flexi week owner purchases a specific season and unit size. When you request your week to be Spacebanked with RCI®, you will need to contact your home resort first, so that they can allocate a unit to you. Once you have received this allocation, send it to RCI® and we will Spacebank it for you. As there is a third party involved, this process may be delayed.