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Your First Timeshare!
You
bought it, it's recorded in your name, the resort knows who you are.
Now what? Allow us to spend a few moments of your times making some
suggestions.
If
Timeshare Gems sold you the week all of the above should be true or will
be soon; the week has been recorded into your name, the resort notified,
all fees paid current, and you're ready to begin a lifetime of vacations
using timeshares. However, it’s always smart, and recommended, to
verify everything. Here's where to start:
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Contact the resort and make sure
everything is as it should be;
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The
resort has you listed as the owner |
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Verify that the fees are paid up to date. RCI and Interval
International, not to mention the home resort, will want to make
sure you’re paid up before you can bank or reserve a week. Do this
early to avoid hassles later. |
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If
you have a floating week make sure you have the current floating
calendar and know what weeks you’re eligible to use. |
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Confirm any and all reservations ASAP.
Please, do it. Even if you have a fixed week, say week 47 every year,
confirm with the resort that everything is ready for you. Sometimes
resort have to plan maintenance and they might schedule it during your
week. Always confirm reservations as soon as possible, one month
before your trip, and then again one week before the trip. ALWAYS. |
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Start exploring where you want to travel.
Yes, this is more easily accomplished if you belong to RCI or Interval
International, but there are other options.
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If
you own a resort that is part of a larger family of resorts you may
not need to join RCI or Interval. Some fine examples of companies
that own multiple resorts are;
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Defender Resorts |
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Sunterra |
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Fairfield |
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Silverleaf |
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Shell Vacations |
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Many, many more. |
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These
are just a few. We have sold weeks at all of them and have heard
very positive things about all of them. |
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Decide whether or not you want to join RCI
or Interval International, then do so if you decide being a member
will benefit you. Most people that own a timeshare are members of one
or both of these organizations. Both of them have advantages and
disadvantages. We happen to be members of both.
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People ask us all the time which one is better. Answer? Both of
them are better for certain people. RCI and II both have member
resorts that are not members of the other company. I you want to
visit the Oyster Bay Beach Resort in St. Martin/St. Maarten you have
to be a member of Interval International or own a week there,
because they currently aren’t affiliated with RCI.
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Timeshare owners fit one of two categories most of the time;
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Some owners want to travel to a new resort every vacation they
take, and want the awesome trading ability that being a member of
Interval International or RCI will give you. |
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Some owners want to return to the same resort every vacation.
They want the same unit, same blender, same nice whirlpool tub. |
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Either one is fine. Just try to decide which type of owner you
are. And yes, you can easily join RCI this year, then drop out
for a year next year. |
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Note. If you are new to timesharing you will probably want to join
RCI or Interval International for the first year just to learn from
them. Both of these fine companies provide you with a 250+ page
catalog of all their member resorts, a book that is well worth
thumbing through to become familiar with all of the resorts
available to you around the world. |
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Dream about vacations! Seriously. Dream
about where you want to go. Owning a timeshare and being a member of
either RCI or Interval International opens you up to a huge new world
of vacations. |
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Surf the RCI or II websites, even if
you’re not a member. Both have useful information that will teach you
about what you can do. |
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Join TUG, the
Timeshare Users Group.
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This
is meant as some basic introductory information. We hope it helps.
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