New Marriott Rewards Property Categories and Travel Package Requirements effective Aug '18

[NJDave]

@NJDave: I have done what you propose and it does work.

Thanks. I called tonight but the system was down. I have a reservation in my name. I just need to get the points transferred to order the certificate. I booked something that I wouldn't mind keeping (i.e. Atlantis) but I will still likely cancel.

 

[CalGalTraveler]

I am trying to figure out whether to pull the trigger on a low end travel package or simply use points on a 4 night Ritz Carlton Kapalua stay.

Have roughly 560k Marriott points.

Currently I am reserved for a 4 night stay next summer in a 1 Bdrm OV Residence at Ritz (400,000 MR pts + $250). This fills a gap between 2 TS week reservations that I cannot change (WKORVN OF and Maui Hill) so 7 nights from a travel package would be wasted. Plus the resort fees and extra points/cash needed to upgrade to OV for a week would break the bank.

Options:

1) Stay with Ritz Kapalua Residences leaving 160k MR points for another vacation.

2) Buy a low end 7 night travel package for the points/air 270k leaving 290k points to use at another Marriott Maui property - not enough for the Ritz. MVC is not available and I need at least a 1 bdrm condo for family. We don't own MVC (Vistana only) so would not qualify for a 5 night.

3) Buy the low end travel package and pay cash to rent 4 nights at non-Marriott/Ritz condo.
a) any opinions on Outrigger Maui Kapalua Villas OV? How do they compare to the Ritz residences on view etc. (we prefer view over fancy but also want decent lanai and interior).

What would you do?

P.S. we have struggled to find good use for the 7 night packages in the past. 5 nights would be better - if they happen to offer 5 nights when I call, what are the points for a low end 1 - 5 package?

 

[TXTortoise]

165k to 235k. Login to your MVCi acct to see chart.
https://owners.marriottvacationclub.com/timeshare/mvco/marriottRewardsOwnerSpecials


1 - 5 165,000 185,000 215,000 235,000

Call MVCi to book these.

 

[kds4]

165k to 235k. Login to your MVCi acct to see chart.
https://owners.marriottvacationclub.com/timeshare/mvco/marriottRewardsOwnerSpecials


1 - 5 165,000 185,000 215,000 235,000

Call MVCi to book these.

Get these prices while they last. Sometime in the next 2 weeks they will disappear (without further warning from MR).

 

[Safti]

Get these prices while they last. Sometime in the next 2 weeks they will disappear (without further warning from MR).

How do you know there will not be further warning. They have already published the pricing of the 7 night.

 

[JanT]

Ok, I have a question about TPs. If I purchase a travel package and use the hotel certificate, is the certificate good for only a standard room? I.e., I want to go to Marriott Crystal Shores for a week and want to use my hotel certificate. The only availability is for a 2BR unit during the time I want to go. Can I use the certificate for that or will I have to use additional points to upgrade from a standard room to the 2BR?

 

[CalGalTraveler]

Ok, I have a question about TPs. If I purchase a travel package and use the hotel certificate, is the certificate good for only a standard room? I.e., I want to go to Marriott Crystal Shores for a week and want to use my hotel certificate. The only availability is for a 2BR unit during the time I want to go. Can I use the certificate for that or will I have to use additional points to upgrade from a standard room to the 2BR?

The cert will only cover a standard room. You will need to add points or cash to upgrade.

 

[JanT]

Thanks, CalGal - that's what I thought but wanted to double check.

The cert will only cover a standard room. You will need to add points or cash to upgrade.

 

[kds4]

Get these prices while they last. Sometime in the next 2 weeks they will disappear (without further warning from MR).

At this point, there is no confirmation that 5 night travel packages will be available in any form under the new combined loyalty program taking effect this month. If 5 night travel packages will still be available to MVCI owners going forward, they will be at higher redemption costs than they currently are (just like the 'new' higher rates coming for redeeming 7 night TPs).

So, sometime in the next 2 weeks the 5 night TPs at the current published rates will cease to be offered. That's why I recommended getting them sooner than later.

 

[kds4]

Ok, I have a question about TPs. If I purchase a travel package and use the hotel certificate, is the certificate good for only a standard room? I.e., I want to go to Marriott Crystal Shores for a week and want to use my hotel certificate. The only availability is for a 2BR unit during the time I want to go. Can I use the certificate for that or will I have to use additional points to upgrade from a standard room to the 2BR?

I learned from an MR rep that the answer is 'it depends on the property'. If you are a Platinum or higher, some of the hotel properties will 'upgrade' you to a better/larger room (even a 2BR) based on your MR status. However, for MVCI properties (like Crystal Shores), I would expect to pay the additional points to upgrade.

 

[Mr. Vker]

I learned from an MR rep that the answer is 'it depends on the property'. If you are a Platinum or higher, some of the hotel properties will 'upgrade' you to a better/larger room (even a 2BR) based on your MR status. However, for MVCI properties (like Crystal Shores), I would expect to pay the additional points to upgrade.

I Would NEVER count on that at a MVCI. If you do the base reward, its only good for the guest room/lock off portion. Sure, you MAY be upgraded but its rare at a MVCI and I am lifetime Plat in MR. if you have more people than will fit then you are in trouble. The other thing to remember is that some properties-like Phuket-only have two bedrooms. So the MR points required are the base + the extras for the two bedroom upgrade at time of booking/award.

 

[bazzap]

I have never, ever heard of anyone receiving an upgrade at an MVC resort through their MR status.
I too am Lifetime Platinum and I have over 100 weeks of stays at multiple MVC resorts.

 

[kds4]

Agreed. The reference was made for stays at hotel properties and to expect to pay the upgrade charge at an MVCI property.

 

[kds4]

I Would NEVER count on that at a MVCI. If you do the base reward, its only good for the guest room/lock off portion. Sure, you MAY be upgraded but its rare at a MVCI and I am lifetime Plat in MR. if you have more people than will fit then you are in trouble. The other thing to remember is that some properties-like Phuket-only have two bedrooms. So the MR points required are the base + the extras for the two bedroom upgrade at time of booking/award.

I will say that I believe there is a reasonable possibility (based on the upcoming property Category realignment) that MVCI resorts will be ranked based on their 'actual' available accommodation (resulting in situations where the 'upgrade' charges will no longer apply). I am referring to the dedicated 2BR properties that offer only 2BR units and have no lock-offs. An example would be OceanWatch. Hopefully, the new rate of 60k MRPs per night (as a new Category 6) will get you the 2BR units they offer without any 'upcharges'.

If a property only has 1 type of unit, the advertised price is what you should pay. Where a property has multiple unit sizes, the advertised MRP redemption would apply to the smallest accommodation type and you would 'upgrade' from there. Under the old system, I think these lines may have been blurred?

 

[AlmostRetired]

I am not accountant but loyalty points have a monetary value and should be accounted for on a company's balance sheet. I wonder how many points Marriott is reducing their point liability during this rush to use points before the Aug 17th cut over. I am guessing by at least 50% or more. I am down to my lowest level since owning a timeshare (32K). Member since 1994 and based on lifetime numbers over 2.5M points. With 615 nights I may be the rare member that is short on nights not points in the current scheme.

 

[TXTortoise]

I was wondering about that, along with whether the influx of FF miles from TPs to the big three domestic carriers was statistically significant to them...or if they care.

Though an unused TP would have a similar liability on the books as MRs, correct?

 

[controller1]

I am not accountant but loyalty points have a monetary value and should be accounted for on a company's balance sheet. I wonder how many points Marriott is reducing their point liability during this rush to use points before the Aug 17th cut over. I am guessing by at least 50% or more. I am down to my lowest level since owning a timeshare (32K). Member since 1994 and based on lifetime numbers over 2.5M points. With 615 nights I may be the rare member that is short on nights not points in the current scheme.

The liability on Marriott's balance sheet for the loyalty points is only reduced when the points are used through the provision of services (ie. after the hotel reservation is used or the points are transferred to an airline in a final transaction). The liability is not reduced when a hotel reservation is made with points, only after the reservation is used.

Therefore, the purchase of a Travel Package has some reduction in Marriott's liability (the portion of points utilized for the airline miles since that part of the transaction is final) but the portion of the miles allocated to the hotel side does not reduce the liability until the reservation is used.

 

[Mr. Vker]

I am not accountant but loyalty points have a monetary value and should be accounted for on a company's balance sheet. I wonder how many points Marriott is reducing their point liability during this rush to use points before the Aug 17th cut over. I am guessing by at least 50% or more. I am down to my lowest level since owning a timeshare (32K). Member since 1994 and based on lifetime numbers over 2.5M points. With 615 nights I may be the rare member that is short on nights not points in the current scheme.

I think you are right on targert.

I said in another thread that Marriott has stated publicly (financial calls) that they are taking steps to reduce costs of loyalty program. 1) By watering down the program 2) Actually reducing the number of elite members. They dont care if they go other places. They feel that occasional travelers will more than backfill.

 

[kds4]

So, it was 3 'licks' after all (with a transfer to the 'Loyalty Department' of Marriott Rewards as opposed to the 'regular' folks who handle MR redemptions as MVCI never could get into my MR account). The MR Loyalty person was able to redeem all 6 travel packages for me at 1.47 million MRPs (if only I had that with a dollar sign in front of it) ... .

Alas, now I am MRP 'poor' with less than 10k points. So, off to rebuild (after I figure out where to make reservations to attach to these accommodation certificates ... )

Happy to report that 264k United miles posted in under 24 hours of redeeming travel packages yesterday. Now, just waiting on American (which I have been told can be 1 to 2 weeks).

 

[TXTortoise]

Happy to report that 264k United miles posted in under 24 hours of redeeming travel packages yesterday. Now, just waiting on American (which I have been told can be 1 to 2 weeks).

My UA posted next day also, but AA was 3-5 days, but under a week.

 

[Luvtoride]

165k to 235k. Login to your MVCi acct to see chart.
https://owners.marriottvacationclub.com/timeshare/mvco/marriottRewardsOwnerSpecials


1 - 5 165,000 185,000 215,000 235,000

Call MVCi to book these.

TX, I got the chart too and was wondering why there is no Group 4 for JetBlue miles as they are included in the 7 night packages as their own group there (similar to Group 3 for Southwest). Has anyone seen this group in the 5 night packages? The Owner Advisor I spoke to was clueless and of no help in that regard.

 

[Bunk]

1. I have never, ever heard of anyone receiving an upgrade at an MVC resort through their MR status.
   I too am Lifetime Platinum and I have over 100 weeks of stays at multiple MVC resorts.

A platinum/gold is not entitled to a complimentary upgrade for MVC.
The rules specifically say that.

1. Complimentary Room Upgrade: Based on room availability at check-in and limited to a Member's personal guestroom. Upgrades may include rooms with desirable views, rooms on high floors, corner rooms, rooms with special amenities, rooms on Executive Floors, or suites. All upgrades are granted on a space-available basis, as determined at the time of check-in. Upgrades are subject to availability and identified by each hotel. Not available at Marriott Vacation Club.

 

[teach]

TX, I got the chart too and was wondering why there is no Group 4 for JetBlue miles as they are included in the 7 night packages as their own group there (similar to Group 3 for Southwest). Has anyone seen this group in the 5 night packages? The Owner Advisor I spoke to was clueless and of no help in that regard.

 

[teach]

I got a 5 night TP WITH Jetblue miles by calling owner services.

 

[JanT]

I wouldn't count on it either. It's only me and my husband so a guest room would be just fine. I just wasn't sure what the package covered. Thank you everyone for replying!

I Would NEVER count on that at a MVCI. If you do the base reward, its only good for the guest room/lock off portion. Sure, you MAY be upgraded but its rare at a MVCI and I am lifetime Plat in MR. if you have more people than will fit then you are in trouble. The other thing to remember is that some properties-like Phuket-only have two bedrooms. So the MR points required are the base + the extras for the two bedroom upgrade at time of booking/award.