We were given a low-cost package to Branson with the stiuplation we attend a time-share type presentation. When we decided not to opt for the $20,000 program for a week of time, they sent another salesman to the table.
We are interested in Cruising, not resorts, and told the salesman so. He offered us a "point" system, and said we could just as easily trade our "points" for a cruise any time we wanted to, and save big time. He showed us a "typical" cost of an Alaskan vacation on the Carnival Spirit that one couple got for about $1200 for two, and said we could easily do the same thing.
We were offered the point system for $3700, which he promised we could make up in two-three cruises with no problem. So we signed up. He announced to the group that we had bought a "week" in the program and congatulated us.
When we got home and checked with the ICE and RCI to see what we could do with our points, the answer was "just about nothing" We needed 27000 points for an ICE minimum cruise (we only got 9,000 in our package) and you could only save up for 3 years, which meant we would have to "buy" points in order to get a cheaper cruise, and then only every three years. RCI told us the only thing we could get with our 9,000 points as a 145-day or less "take a chance" call in and see if there was anything available week—nothing else.
So this salesman (not the initial salesman—the high pressure secondary salesman) promised us that we were going to be able to cruise every year by just trading in our points, or take a resort vacation at a number of resorts on their list for nothing, or $69 for the full book of RCI resorts.
When I called back and complained they said that unless we recorded everything the salesman said they couldn't do anything for us. We were supposed to have read the contract (which said only that we had purchased the points), and had only 5 days to renig (we were on the road at the time, with no contact possibilities).
They misrepresented themselves to the max, and we're stuck with a 9000 point package we can't do anything with except pay the annual fee to maintain. Watch your step when you purchase time shares!!!
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