Signing up for an RCI Account without being a timeshare owner: Get access to cheap timeshare weeks without ownership!

While I am a big fan of timeshare ownership, owning a timeshare comes with various hassles and expenses.  Timeshare ownership is definitely not for everyone but timeshare vacations can be a very economic way to travel in luxury accomodations. 

Timeshares have a bad reputation but most of those complaints involve exchanging, fees, availability and various hidden costs that aren't disclosed at the purchase.  Rarely do people complain about quality of the accomodations or amenities. 

There are definitely timeshares that are not very nice so you should do you research but there are some great timeshares that easily surpass even some of the finest hotels. 

I highly recommend staying in timeshares and reviewing the various systems before completing any timeshare purchase.  One great way to do so is through Interval International Getaways which I have discussed here and RCI Extra Vacations.  

In this post, we will explore RCI Extra Vacations.  RCI Extra Vacations are week long rentals that you can purchase instead of exchanging your timeshare.  You need to have an RCI account in order to review these opportunities.

If you do not own a timeshare, YOU CAN STILL GET AN RCI ACCOUNT.  In order to do so, you can go to RCI's website and Join.  You need to click the link that says you own a timeshare and the form will ask for details on the timeshare owned but there are no deeds to upload or checks confirming your ownership.  You can put in any resort that you want provided that it is a RCI affiliated resort.  You can search for resorts here:

www.rci.com/resort-directory/landing

I confirmed with RCI that anyone can have an RCI account even if you do not own a timeshare! 

There are many benefits to depositing a timeshare but having an RCI account will allow you access to RCI Extra Vacations. 

RCI Extra Vacations are exactly like Interval International Getaways where you reserve highly discounted weeks for a week long period.  The size of the unit and destinations will vary but these Extra Vacations can be an extreme bargain.  

There is currently a special where you can reserve a week for as little as $199 for the entire week.

Just an example, here are some current available weeks that I found that can be a great bargain. 

​In order to Join RCI, the initial cost for a one year membership is $99.  In addition, they offer a Platinum Membership which comes with various perks, the most significant is a 10% automatic discount on RCI Extra Vacations. 

A 10% discount on these highly discounted weeks can easily cover the cost of the platinum upgrade which is $69 for a year. 

There are additional discounts for a longer term membership periods.

Overall, the ability to get access to RCI Extra Vacations for only $99 for a year is a complete bargain.  RCI has some quality resorts in its portfolio including those from Hilton, Wyndham and Disney not to mention others. 

RCI Extra Vacations is not only a great way to save money on a vacation but a great way to get introduced to the timeshare world without the upfront cost of purchasing a timeshare and the ongoing maintenance. 

Maintenance fees vary across units and programs but most RCI Extra Vacation weeks are offered for less money than those units annual dues.  While there are definitely perks to owning a timeshare including the ability to book in advance, RCI Extra Vacations are definitely a great deal. 

I highly recommend getting a RCI account and spending some time searching the availability to get a better handle on what is offered.  For only $99, it is definitely worth it!

​Good luck searching!