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Major Changes In Marriott Rewards

lll1929

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Don't know if this eases any of the pain, but found this on MVCI website.



We’ve created 5-night travel packages that include your hotel stay and airline miles. Travel to nearly 2,900 Marriott hotels worldwide* and choose how you get there.

For details about the Marriott Rewards program changes, please click here.

5-Night Travel Package Rewards for Marriott Vacation Club Owners

5 Nights in Hotel Category
50,000 Airline Miles
70,000 Airline Miles
100,000 Airline Miles
120,000 Airline Miles

1- 5 165,000 185,000 215,000 235,000
6 180,000 200,000 230,000 250,000
7 200,000 220,000 250,000 270,000
8 230,000 250,000 280,000 300,000

Participating Airlines (subject to change): Air Canada, Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, British Airways, Continental Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Frontier Airlines, Mexicana, Northwest, United Air Lines, US Airways, Varig Brasil, Virgin Atlantic


5 Nights in Hotel Category
35,000 Airline Miles
50,000 Airline Miles
70,000 Airline Miles
85,000 Airline Miles

1- 5 165,000 185,000 215,000 235,000
6 180,000 200,000 230,000 250,000
7 200,000 220,000 250,000 270,000
8 230,000 250,000 280,000 300,000

Participating Airlines (subject to change): Air Berlin, Air China, Air France/KLM, Alitalia, ANA, Asiana Airlines, Cathay Pacific, China Southern, Emirates, Jet Airways, LAN, Lufthansa/Miles & More, Qantas, Singapore Airlines, SN Brussels Airlines, TAP Air Portugal


5 Nights in Hotel Category
32 Credits
48 Credits
64 Credits
80 Credits

1- 5 165,000 185,000 215,000 235,000
6 180,000 200,000 230,000 250,000
7 200,000 220,000 250,000 270,000
8 230,000 250,000 280,000 300,000

Participating Airlines (subject to change): Southwest

Can you provide a link to this information or verbal provide directions to this info once we are logged into our MVCI account.
Found the link: When you are logged in to MVCI, click owner benefits and specials on the right side:

You will see Owner Special Highlight: Marriott Rewards Enhancements
On January 15, 2009, Marriott Rewards members may vacation without blackout dates, redeem 4 nights and get the 5th night free, and enjoy a 50% Platinum Elite Bonus. As a Marriott Vacation Club Owner, you will have the added benefit of 5-night travel packages. Click here for details.



I personally like the option of fewer days for the same points as before. I know this is still a downer for heavy travelers, but for those of us in this for the occasional trip, this is soo much better than the 7 day travel packages effective 1/15/09.

Thanks
 
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LAX Mom

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Tom-

I just found that info on the MVCI site and it looks like there are additional points charges on these 5 night packages. On the 7 night packages you take the hotel cost and add 120,000 points for the 120,000 miles. It's a 1 for 1 exchange.

However, this new table indicates a charge of 300,000 for 5 nights in a category 8 (4x40,000). The hotel portion should be 160,000 and 120,000 for the hotel would make it 280,000 not 300,000.

Same thing with the category 7 package. 4 nights (5th night should be free) at category 7 is 140,000 (4X35,000). Add 120,000 and the package should be 260,000, not 270,000.
 

lll1929

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LAX Mom

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I think the rest of the points being charged are for the airline miles.

Yes, but on the current travel packages and the new ones announced for Jan. 15, a 7 night stay package is the hotel cost plus 120,000 additional points for 120,000 airline miles.

In other words, the airline miles are awarded on a 1 for 1 basis. These 5 night packages available to MVCI owners charge more than 1 for 1 on the miles. It's an additional 20,000 on a category 8 package, 10,000 on a category 7 package.
 

ann824

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This 5 night vacation package is interesting. The posters on flyertalk are asking for this very thing to be available. They are saying they would prefer them to reduce the nights to 5 rather than raise the points so much. I guess they have to give some incentive to buy from developer.
 

alchook

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I'm not sure I find the new system so bad, if they do what they seem to be promising.

For instance, I've been thinking I'd like to stay at the South Beach Marriott using points. I've found that reservation to be nearly impossible to make in the high season. From what I can tell, to book it now would cost 240,000 points instead of 150,000.

But it doesn't help much for the cost to be 150,000 points if the reservation is always unavailable.

The hotel charges $675/night, including tax. A seven night stay for 240,000 points works out to roughly 2 cents a point, which isn't bad.
 

tombo

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I'm not sure I find the new system so bad, if they do what they seem to be promising.

For instance, I've been thinking I'd like to stay at the South Beach Marriott using points. I've found that reservation to be nearly impossible to make in the high season. From what I can tell, to book it now would cost 240,000 points instead of 150,000.
But it doesn't help much for the cost to be 150,000 points if the reservation is always unavailable.
The hotel charges $675/night, including tax. A seven night stay for 240,000 points works out to roughly 2 cents a point, which isn't bad.


People here always quote the highest most exorbitant Marriott room rates(like $675 a night) they can find to make the points sound good. These prices are straight off of the Marriott web site with reservations for 12-13 to 12-20 2008. This is not priceline or even special Marriott rates (no AARP, no gov't, no AAA). These are the standard rates. Prices range from $299 a night for a city view room to $449 a night (which drops to $419 on 12-14 for weekdays) for an oceanfront room with private balcony.

When comparing the great points savings to room rates, take a minute to see what the rooms actually rent for, not what the Marriott salesmen tell you they rent for. You can also look for specials on travelocity, Priceline, hotels.com, etc. to find some good deals. Who would ever book a room using the highest rate you can find? I myself shop around everywhere on the web to get my lodging for the best price I can find. Using real prices the points needed don't seem like near as good of a deal, especially after the devaluation. Also, when you pay with cash instead of points you can easily get a room during peak seasons. Just enter your desired dates on the Marriott web site and check availability. With cash you aren't a second class customer fighting for the limited number of rooms available to those using points.

Select Rates – Step 2 of 6
My Stay
South Beach Marriott
161 Ocean Drive
Miami Beach, FL 33139 USA


Check-in: Saturday, December 13, 2008
Check-out: Saturday, December 20, 2008
Number of rooms: 1
Number of guests: 2
Hotel Fact Sheet
Maps & Transportation
View Photo Tour Detail

1 of 35
Sort by:
Price Room Type Guest room, 1 King or 2 Double, City view, City view Room details

329.00(USD)per night Rate rules Reserve a Room
14 day advance reservation* Must book 14 days in advance* Overlooks construction adja.to the hotel* Limited 2 double beds
The rate for this room changes on 12/14/2008 to 299.00(USD) per night

Guest room, 1 King or 2 Double, City view, City view Room details

359.00(USD)per night Rate rules Reserve a Room
Deco view (Non-water view) * Maximize your value while staying on South Beach * 1 king or Limited 2 double beds *
The rate for this room changes on 12/14/2008 to 329.00(USD) per night

Guest room, 1 King or 2 Double, City view, City view Room details

379.00(USD)per night Rate rules Reserve a Room
Stay for Breakfast-for up to 2 adults and children 12 and under Standard Room (1 king or 2 double beds)
The rate for this room changes on 12/14/2008 to 349.00(USD) per night


Guest room, 1 King or 2 Double, Ocean view Room details

419.00(USD)per night Rate rules Reserve a Room
Coastline scene, Enjoy a magnificent Oceanview of South Beach Coast from your private balcony, 1 king or 2 double beds
The rate for this room changes on 12/14/2008 to 389.00(USD) per night


Guest room, 1 King or 2 Double, Oceanfront, Balcony Room details

449.00(USD)per night Rate rules Reserve a Room
Spectacular ocean front view from your private balcony, over- looking the beach, 2 Double beds & Limited kings
The rate for this room changes on 12/14/2008 to 419.00(USD) per night
 
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wuv pooh

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People here always quote the highest most exorbitant Marriott room rates(like $675 a night) they can find to make the points sound good. These prices are straight off of the Marriott web site with reservations for 12-13 to 12-20 2008. This is not priceline or even special Marriott rates (no AARP, no gov't, no AAA). These are the standard rates. Prices range from $299 a night for a city view room to $449 a night (which drops to $419 on 12-14 for weekdays) for an oceanfront room with private balcony.

I believe the quote was referring to high season. Dec 13 is probably one of the lowest demanded weeks of the year and the rates are $300+ + tax. I would guess that high season is correspondingly higher. Try pricing Easter week. I agree that people do overvalue the benefit sometimes, but making some rooms available for all times does add a significant value if you can use it. Also, most people don't like to mess with price line, private renters, etc. which provide the better deals.
 

tombo

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I believe the quote was referring to high season. Dec 13 is probably one of the lowest demanded weeks of the year and the rates are $300+ + tax. I would guess that high season is correspondingly higher. Try pricing Easter week. I agree that people do overvalue the benefit sometimes, but making some rooms available for all times does add a significant value if you can use it. Also, most people don't like to mess with price line, private renters, etc. which provide the better deals.

Like I said everyone wants to quote the highest week of the year (Easter) which you will NEVER get using points. There might not be blackouts anymore, but during the highest demand weeks of the year I would doubt that they have more than one or two rooms available for points. Check frequent flyer miles availability on high travel dates and you won't find many (if any) of those either.

I disagree that the week before Christmas is a low demand week, but let me use Valentine's week in February (including Valentine's Day) for a high season example. Except for the Valentine's day rates (which is what so many points lovers want to quote), the other 6 days of the week are a low of $419 a night (with optional free meals for the kids) to $509 for an oceanfront room with a private balcony. The HIGHEST PRICE IS ON VALENTINE"S DAY for oceanfront with a private balcony is $689 (barely above the $675/night quoted previously). In addition, you would never get an oceanfront room w/ private balcony anytime (much less high season) for 240,000 points. I doubt you would ever be able to reserve Valentines Day week with points either, but even if you can, who can argue that this February week isn't one of the prime weeks of the year in Miami? I know that there are millions of people who like Priceline, Travelocity, and numerous other sites you can search to find the best deals by simply surfing the web. However, without even searching for a bargain I found these prices by simply typing in the dates on the Marriott web site.

If I was traveling to South Beach, I would find much cheaper prices at the Marriott South Beach, or at a comparable resort by looking around on the internet for some good deals. I won't pay sticker price when I buy a car either, I shop around. I guess that is why I buy all of my timeshares re-sale too, I like to get the best deal I can when I am spending my hard earned money.


South Beach Marriott
161 Ocean Drive
Miami Beach, FL 33139 USA

Check-in: Saturday, February 14, 2009
Check-out: Saturday, February 21, 2009
Number of rooms: 1
Number of guests: 2
Hotel Fact Sheet
Maps & Transportation
View Photo Tour Detail
1 of 35
Sort by:
Price Room Type Guest room, 1 King or 2 Double, City view, City view Room details

599.00(USD)per night Rate rules Reserve a Room
Deco view (Non-water view) * Maximize your value while staying on South Beach * 1 king or Limited 2 double beds *
The rate for this room changes on 02/15/2009 to 419.00(USD) per night

Guest room, 1 King or 2 Double, City view, City view Room details

599.00(USD)per night Rate rules Reserve a Room
Escape Family Time Pkg * 1 king or 2 double beds * Includes freemeals for kids 12 under,accompanied by an adult on regular menu
The rate for this room changes on 02/15/2009 to 419.00(USD) per night

Guest room, 1 King or 2 Double, Ocean view Room details

659.00(USD)per night Rate rules Reserve a Room
Coastline scene, Enjoy a magnificent Oceanview of South Beach Coast from your private balcony, 1 king or 2 double beds
The rate for this room changes on 02/15/2009 to 479.00(USD) per night

Guest room, 1 King or 2 Double, Oceanfront, Balcony Room details

689.00(USD)per night Rate rules Reserve a Room
Spectacular ocean front view from your private balcony, over- looking the beach, 2 Double beds & Limited kings
The rate for this room changes on 02/15/2009 to 509.00(USD) per night
 
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Latravel

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Since when is $400-$500 a night for a hotel room as you quote, just small change? I am grateful for points that allow me to stay in those rooms for just the cost of the points. Yes, you can get rooms and airfare with points, it's been proven many times on this board. You just need to plan ahead. Now it appears that it should be easier without blackout dates. The reality is the cost of hotel rooms have gone up considerably, hence the increase in the number of points to get them.
 

alchook

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Except for the Valentine's day rates (which is what so many points lovers want to quote), the other 6 days of the week are a low of $419 a night (with optional free meals for the kids) to $509 for an oceanfront room with a private balcony.

$429/night is $2933/week, or, as far as I can tell, $3314 including tax.

At 240,000 points, that works out to 1.38 cents per point, which isn't a bad point return.

The question, as I said, is whether there the availability they are promising will materialize. I'll admit to being pretty skeptical, but right now I have tons of miles and points that seem, at times, to be nearly impossible to use.

I'd probably trade off a higher point redemption rate for better availability.
 

tombo

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Except for the Valentine's day rates (which is what so many points lovers want to quote), the other 6 days of the week are a low of $419 a night (with optional free meals for the kids) to $509 for an oceanfront room with a private balcony.

$429/night is $2933/week, or, as far as I can tell, $3314 including tax.

At 240,000 points, that works out to 1.38 cents per point, which isn't a bad point return.

The question, as I said, is whether there the availability they are promising will materialize. I'll admit to being pretty skeptical, but right now I have tons of miles and points that seem, at times, to be nearly impossible to use.

I'd probably trade off a higher point redemption rate for better availability.

That $3314 for the week is still the rates for a prime Valentine's day weeks which will probably be hard if not impossible to get. A non peak week can be had for around $2500 inc tax which is about 1 cent a point. 1.38 cents a point in February and 1 cent a point in December are a long way from the 2 cents to 3 cents a point people often quote here.

Believe me I would never say that $250 a night is a cheap room, much less $400 a night. I searched on every web site I could for a room in downtown Atlanta for the SEC championship game and the best I found was the Courtyard for $350 a night. That is way higher than I was hoping to pay but everything is sold out so I have to pay that rate. I have stayed at the same place on a regular non game weekend for $189 a night. Demand drives prices and of course location, location, location.

I was simply pointing out that the savings (if any) of buying points or trading your week for points are often highly overstated here. To discuss 1 cent to 1.4 cent per point redemption rates would be a realisitic discussion. Of course it all comes down to how much you actually pay per point. How many points do you get for your week, and how much MF's did you pay for the week you gave up? If you spend $4000 in MF's for enough points to stay here a week it was not a deal. $3000 in MF's if you don't get a high demand season week is still not a deal. For $2000 in MF's it is a great deal. Use real figures and you can get real estimates on the value of points.
 

Latravel

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Geez, I still don't understand why people who put down the value of points as unimportant and almost worthless are soooo very upset that the points requirements have changed! :confused:

Can someone please explain this to me? I thought you didn't care! :shrug:
 

thinze3

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Does "No blackout dates" mean points use if any room is available?

I have a question about Marriott's 2009 Policy Changes.

Marriott is touting the "No blackout dates" as a major selling point. But does "No blackout dates" mean you can always use points in lieu of cash if any room is available to be reserved? Or, are the number of rooms available to be used with points still limited to a small percentage?

This may be a play on words and only mean that certain dates that used to be blacked out are now available, but the number of rooms available for points use may be highly restricted.


Terry
 

Dave M

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Generally, you should be able to use points if a room is available. But for some special events (e.g., NASCAR, Super Bowl, major conventions, peak weeks, etc.) there will be limitations:
Hotels may limit the number of standard rooms available for redemption on a limited number of days.
 

IngridN

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Generally, you should be able to use points if a room is available. But for some special events (e.g., NASCAR, Super Bowl, major conventions, peak weeks, etc.) there will be limitations:

Dave, I've read somewhere that it's only if "standard rooms" are available. I interpret that to mean you could not book for points if all the standard rooms have been booked and only view or other non-standard rooms are available.

Any idea of how many "standard" vs. non-standard rooms Marriot hotels have or is that dependent upon the speficif hotel?

Ingrid
 

rsackett

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Are "PointSavers" gone?

Ray
 

Dave M

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PointSavers will still be offered:
PointSaver Rewards will continue to be offered at up to a 33% points discount off Hotel Rewards. PointSavers Rewards are available for limited time periods, and participation and availability of PointSavers Rewards are at the discretion of the hotel. Members can redeem their points for PointSavers Rewards at participating Marriott-brand hotels when available.
See the FAQs at the link in the first post in this thread for the answers to most questions about the changes.
 

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Geez, I still don't understand why people who put down the value of points as unimportant and almost worthless are soooo very upset that the points requirements have changed! :confused:

Can someone please explain this to me? I thought you didn't care! :shrug:

If you explain to us why you insist on putting anybody down that says it's not worth it to pay developer prices just to get the points option.

I don't know about anybody else, but I never said that points are worthless. What I've said and other people have said, is that we don't think it's worth it to pay 2x - 3x resale prices just to get the points option. I don't think anybody said you couldn't get nice travel packages with those points. We do argue about their value, and that will be an ongoing argument, I'm sure. We're just going to have to disagree about how you value your travel packages.

No matter how you look at it, the number of points you get with the option is fixed at the time of purchase, and points get devalued over time.

If all you're looking for is an argument, go have it with somebody else. If you are willing to discuss it respectfully without putting anybody down that disagrees with your position, that's fine.

-David
 
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davidvel

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This should be entertaining. I received the following e-mail from Marriott Rewards (as I am sure you all did):
By now you know we've made big changes to Marriott Rewards ... so big, we're giving you access to the top. Ask questions, give feedback. Get the story straight from the Marriott Rewards team.

It's an exclusive Insiders forum just for Elite members — your chance to discuss new program changes for 2009 including:
No more blackout dates
Redeem 4 nights, get the 5th redemption night free
Platinum bonus becomes 50% on points earned during stays

Plus ... a video dialog with Ed French, Marriott Rewards SVP. He'll answer your questions and discuss how to make the most of your Rewards.

This is a special forum to give you a direct connection to us. But the Insiders online community is still all about you. Share your thoughts, post your questions, get ideas for 2009.

Join the conversation!


The "Marriott Rewards Team" will rue the day they set up their own forums if the TUGs start posting there!
 

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I like that they are asking for feedback. Do you think they might reconsider some changes after getting feedback? If not, why are they asking for peoples opinions?
 
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LAX Mom

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Do you think they might reconsider some changes after getting feedback?

Not a chance!!!

Edited to add....
1) they knew many people would be unhappy when they changed the redemption points structure
2) they've spent a lot of time preparing these changes
3) it was time for a points increase, it's been several years since the last one

I just don't think there is anyway they'll change back to the old system. We're stuck with this new program.
 
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