 Meet Michelle and Claude Livingston, and empty nester couple living in Denver, Colorado.*
Claude is a retired bank executive for a local branch of a national bank headquartered in Denver. Michelle, a former teacher, still substitutes for the local school district on an occasional basis. With two grown children, who are married and starting families of their own, Claude and Michelle have just recently become grandparents.
YEAR 1: Begins with 80,000 RCI Points
California Dreamin’
To escape the snowy streets of Denver, Michelle and Claude logged onto RCI Points and were pleasantly surprised to see availability at the Laguna Surf Resort in Laguna Beach, California. With nothing to stop them from grabbing the reservation (retirement has its advantages!) they are able to make a quick getaway to this popular seaside resort for only 9,000 Points (using their Bonus Week option). Overlooking a one-mile stretch of beach, the view is especially striking from the observation deck or while soaking in the whirlpool spa on the rooftop sundeck. Long, leisurely strolls along the beach at sunset add to the magic of the vacation.
Week: 6 in Medium Season
Accommodations: 1-bedroom
Length of Stay: Full week
Point Value: 9,000 (Bonus Week)
Balance: 71,000
A Palm Springs Getaway
With Palm Springs, California, just a few hours’ drive away from Laguna Beach, the Livingstons traded their coastal accommodations for a villa in high desert known as the playground for the rich and famous. Vacationing at The Villas of Palm Springs, a Resort of International Distinction, they are in the heart of all the area attractions. Best known for its sunshine, golf, tennis, and swimming pools, several major tournaments are played at area courses and courts. On-site Claude and Michelle enjoy the swimming pool and hot tub.
Close by, they can find horseback riding, hiking, biking, museums, and shopping. Venturing into the mountains surrounding Palm Springs opens up new possibilities with excellent cross-country skiing and hiking trails boasting beautiful vistas. However, for this vacation, their main goal is to relax by the pool and work on their golf game.
Week: 7 in High Season
Accommodations: 1-bedroom
Length of Stay: Full week
Point Value: 34,500
Balance: 36,500
A Jaunt to Las Vegas
Joining up with friends on a quick getaway to Las Vegas to catch a Celine Dion show, Michelle and Claude book a room at Summer Bay resorts, a half block from the Las Vegas Strip. On-site amenities include an exercise room, business center, and gift shop, as well as 12 outdoor pools and five Jacuzzis throughout the 18-acre complex. After seeing the show at Caesar’s Palace on Sunday, the couple tries their luck at the tables. A final buffet dinner with friends before departing Wednesday morning makes this quick getaway a fun yet inexpensive getaway, that holds promise for a yearly event!
Week: 13 in High Season
Accommodations: 1-bedroom
Length of Stay: Sun/Mon/Tues
Point Value: 7,564
Balance: 28,936
Discovering a Central American Retreat
Opting for an international experience without crossing the Atlantic or Pacific Oceans, Michelle and Claude decide to enjoy their final vacation of the year at the Coronado Golf and Beach Resort, a Gold Crown Resort in Panama. From playing 18 holes of golf at the Fazio-designed course, to enjoying a game of tennis, and swimming in the warm calm waters, Claude and Michelle have found their perfect retreat far south of the border. One afternoon while Michelle is shopping in an open air market, Claude tries his skill at the official Land Rover Experience Jungle Track. The forever romantics, on their last evening they enjoy a moonlit stroll on the resort's exclusive black-and-white-sand beaches.
Week: 47 in High Season
Accommodations: Studio
Length of Stay: Full Week
Point Value: 29,500
Balance: -536 (borrowed from Year 2)
YEAR 2: Begins with 79,464 RCI Points
(A renewable 80,000 Points minus 536 points borrowed in Year 1)
A Summer Experience Down Under
When the winter is in full tilt in the Northern Hemisphere, those down under are enjoying the warm days of summer. Claude and Michelle pack their swimsuits, polo shirts, and shorts and board a flight bound for Australia, where they head to Don Pancho Beach Resort at Kelly's Beach on the eastern shore. Here the Great Barrier Reef begins with the two coral Islands, Lady Musgrave and Lady Elliott Islands.
Claude and Michelle board a catamaran for a snorkeling tour and enjoy an picture perfect day exploring a new world, just inches under the surface of the sea. While not the season for humpback whales (mid Aug-Oct), the giant turtles at the Turtle Rookery at Mon Repos are still inhabiting the area (from late November to late January), which the Livingstons get a chance to see first-hand, as the gentle beasts make their way to the shore to lay their eggs. In addition to the abundance of nature activities, Claude and Michelle also tour the famous Bundaberg Rum Distiller and Bert Hinkler Memorial before leaving this summer land of incredible sights and experiences.
Week: 4 in Medium Season
Accommodations: 1-bedroom
Length of Stay: Full Week
Point Value: 24,500
Balance: 54,964
Seeking the New Age Life in Sedona, Arizona
Located in rugged canyons and sheer red cliffs, Sedona blends natural beauty with modern and ancient culture for an uplifting spiritual adventure. Michelle and Claude book a four day getaway to the Gold Crown Sedona Springs Resort to explore the area on a Jeep tour and visit numerous nearby American-Indian ruins.
Afternoons are spent lounging by the resort's pool. Pleasant temperatures prevail, making a walk along Oak Creek, a bike ride in the countryside, or a round of golf an everyday occurrence. In addition to the surrounding scenery, the Livingstons visit outstanding art galleries, experience a traditional sand painting ceremony, and enjoy fine dining in the many wonderful restaurants.
Week: 9 in Medium Season
Accommodations: 1-bedroom
Length of Stay: Mon/Tues/Wed/Thurs
Point Value: 12,960
Balance: 42,004
Leg One of the Canada Excursion: Victoria
Rated by readers of Traveler magazine as "the friendliest city on Earth," the seaport city of Victoria, British Columbia in Canada boasts a dry, moderate climate. With flower-adorned lampposts and golf at every turn, Victoria surrounds Claude and Michelle with beauty and tradition. Gourmet restaurants abound. Perfectly preserved 19th-century structures are everywhere--including their home base at Destinations at Royal Victoria Suites, a Gold Crown Resort, which is a stunningly re-created architectural masterpiece complete with rooftop barbecue, hot tub, and 8,000-square-foot day spa). The two shop 'til they drop on Government street, making the most of a favorable exchange rate on the U.S. dollar.
Week: 24 in High Season
Accommodations: 1-bedroom
Length of Stay: Sat/Sun/Mon
Point Value: 24,640
Balance: 17,364
Leg Two of the Canada Excursion: Bustling City of Vancouver
From Whistler, Claude and Michelle head south for a few hours’ drive before arriving in the West’s most exciting port city of Vancouver in British Columbia. Destinations at Rosedale on Robson, a Gold Crown Resort, gives them access to the heart of Vancouver, while offering panoramic views of the city and mountains. More than 100 top restaurants are nearby, along with theaters, clubs, casinos, Yaletown, the Historic Gastown, and Chinatown (North America's largest).
Michelle and Claude enjoy a leisurely stroll around Stanly Park, a lush peninsula jutting out into the Sound watching a cruise ship as it departs the harbor en route for Alaska.
Week: 25 in High Season
Accommodations: 1-bedroom
Length of Stay: Thurs/Fri
Point Value: 17,360
Balance: 2
YEAR 3: Begins with 80,002 RCI Points
(A renewable 80,000 Points plus a carry over of 2 Points from Year Two.)
Rocky Mountain High
With both of their grown children still living in the Denver area, Claude and Michelle thought it would be fun to host a family reunion in the mountain resort of Estes Park, where they took their children every summer for family vacations. Booking two, 2-bedroom units at the Rams Horn Village in Estes Park gave the Livingstons plenty of room. Located at the entrance to Rocky Mountain National Park, this Gold Crown Resort offers a vacation of scenic beauty and relaxation, with glimpses of elk and deer right from their front porch.
Fishermen from way back, Claude, his two sons, and now his grandson too, spent a day fishing on the Big Thompson River, while Michelle and the girls browsed through the many resort shops in town. They all enjoy renting canoes and rowboats on Lake Estes and playing miniature golf. On-site, the resort’s heated pool and hot tub provide more good times for the family. A wonderful vacation experience, it was to be the first of many family reunions for the Livingstons.
Week: 33 in High Season
Accommodations: 2 of the 2-bedroom units
Length of Stay: Sun/Mon/Tues
Point Value: 47,520
Balance: 32,482
Santa Fe at Christmastime
What better way to spend the week after Thanksgiving than seeking out the truly unique Christmas gifts available in Santa Fe, New Mexico? Known as the City Different. Santa Fe attracts upwards of 1.5 million visitors each year from around the world, but few can be found in the shops this late in the year. And that makes the shopping experience all the better. Michelle and Claude book a room at Vacation Inernationale Villas de Sante Fe, a Resort of International Distinction. It is the perfect home base for touring their choice of over 250 art galleries and museums, and browsing the many handcrafted items in authentic Native American shops. With more than 225 exquisite restaurants in the city, they have their choice of delicious cuisine.
While walking home one evening, a light dusting of snow began falling throughout the town, gracing the pueblo style buildings with a near magical glow in the moonlight. No wonder they call New Mexico the Land of Enchantment!
Week: 48 in Low Season
Accommodations: 1-bedroom
Length of Stay: Full week
Point Value: 19,000
Balance: 13,482 (saved for another big family vacation in Year 4)
Your Own Flexible Travel With RCI Points?
Become a Holiday Club member today and get instant access to our most flexible and affordable member benefit -- RCI Points. Give our friendly timeshare experts a call now.
*Editor’s Note: Profiles are not real people. The reservations represented are examples only based on actual point values (as of May, 2005) for the given week/unit/resort and are not a guarantee of availability at the time you request your own reservations.
|
