Red, White and Blue – What Are The Timeshare Seasons?

The timeshare year is divided into seasons, it is these timeshare seasons which govern when you can use your timeshare. In the timeshare industry the seasons names can differ, instead of the traditional Summer, Winter, Spring and Autumn, most timeshares go by Red, White and Blue. This is the system used by Resort Condominiums International (RCI), although II(Interval International employs a moderately different system of Red, Yellow and Green, which for all intents and purposes works in the same way.

Red weeks are usually referred to as the “high season” due to the higher demand in these weeks. This usually ties in with the best weather and the summer holidays – so properties with two and three bedrooms during red weeks are like gold dust in the best resorts such as Anfi Beach, Gran Canaria or Sheraton Pine Cliffs Portugal. White (or yellow weeks to Interval International) are thought of as “medium season” and Blue weeks, or Green are low season.

Calling them seasons is slightly confusing though, rather than working like Spring, Summer etc, the dates of timeshare seasons can vary depending on the club and the developer who own the timeshare. For the most sought after locations in constant high demand this can vary even more. Gran Canaria is “red” or high season because of the climate of the area and its popularity throughout the year. Public holidays give great weight on what the type of week it is, in US resorts Independence day or New Years day in Scotland dictate high season.

The timeshare seasons used by RCI and Interval International aren’t the only systems used though, some developers choose to use their own classifications for seasons. Marriott Marbella Beach Resort is a prime example of this, its high season weeks are named Platinum time within the resort and as red weeks with II.

Fixed and floating weeks are also governed by these timeshare seasons. A fixed red week timeshare is a set date within peak season of a resort, but a white floating week can be any available week within the mid-season. Fixed weeks (sometimes known as units not only guarantee the same date of time of your timeshare, but also where your timeshare is located within the resort. For timeshare owners who wanted a particularly spectacular view of the sea buying a fixed unit is certainly the best option.

If you are in the process of selling timeshares or looking to in the future, it is the season (red, white or blue) which will be most important for its sale price (in addition to resort location, number of beds etc). Equally for those thinking about trading or exchanging their timeshare through RCI or other company the season of the timeshare has real importance in the “trading power” i.e. what you can trade it for.

The different methods for indicating timeshare seasons most often reference demand over any other factor, and are the best idea of price. The emphasis on date is not so important because there is no universal standard between destinations. If you are about to buy a timeshare at a particular club at a specific time of year it makes life easier if you establish the type of week first; that way a “2 bed high at Anfi beach” will mean much more.