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Major Changes In Marriott Rewards

lll1929

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I am very saddened to read about the new travel package point values.

Along with the creation of Cat 8, I too wonder about the shift of hotels from one category to another.

I am sitting here trying to figure out if it's best to try and redeem points for one last low value package (250,000 cat 6 and 120000 miles) or to accept the new structure and know it will take longer for me to earn that same package after Jan. To redeem now, I would have to purchase 50000 pts in Dec 08 and again in Jan 09 which is $1250.00. The more I think about it, the more I feel like it's NOT worth it.

I have never exchanged my week for points and at this rate, I never will.

I know everyone is changing their rewards packages, but I think this is an extreme change. Far worst that the American Airline changes.

I am truly bummed. :annoyed:
 

Pens_Fan

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I don't think that the salesperson ever promised me that the amount of points that I could trade my week for (or that were given as an incentive) would always be able to purchase the same amount of nights forever.

I'm sure that they showed me an example of what they could get me at the time of sale, not what they could get me forever. That would be like thinking my paycheck would always be able to purchase the same amount of goods.

It's just not practical.

Do I like it? Of course not, but you deal with an ever changing economy.
 

thinze3

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I bought my first Marriott resale and my second from Marriott. The thinking was that would be able to take that 1st class trip to Europe every few (or more) years using my MR points.

My second honeymoon (25th anniversary) to Europe in summer 2010 was to be done using TWO Marriott Cat 7 travel packages totalling 540K points. I will have about 590K points after purchasing 100K points direct from Marriott in January. With the newest changes, using travel packages for this trip is now out of question!

I can't tell you how disappointed I am.

I WISH I HAD NEVER BOUGHT FROM MARRIOTT! :mad:


Terry
 

Jpollo

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How come so many folks are surprised by this? Every point membership program I've belonged to over the years has experienced point "inflation". You kinda have to expect it.

DVC is explicit about this... that point requirements for hotels and cruises will go up over time. I imagine it's addressed somewhere in the Marriott program details as well.

Jason
 

thinze3

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How come so many folks are surprised by this? Every point membership program I've belonged to over the years has experienced point "inflation". You kinda have to expect it.

DVC is explicit about this... that point requirements for hotels and cruises will go up over time. I imagine it's addressed somewhere in the Marriott program details as well.

Jason

There is a difference between points deflation and totally revamping the system, which is what they are doing. Also, for timeshare owners, some of our points deflation is built in to the annual cost of our maintenence fees. $750 MF from 3 years ago are gone and are now replaced with $1000 in the mainland, while $1100 MF's are replace with $1500+ in Hawaii.

So essentially a 150K point Cat 7 for 7 days that used to cost 1.5 years of MFs would have cost $1125. Now that same room is 210K points and costs 2.1 years of MFs at a cost of $2100. This is assuming that that hotel has not been upgraded to a Cat 8 which would make the cost $2400.

IN THREE YEARS!!
 

LilMsFoodie

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Your stays at the timeshare accrue to the nights. I am a Platinum member and just got a letter today regarding the new points. I do not want my timeshare anymore but I might as well trade for points if this new rule applies. At least I'll get something for the money spent. I prefer full service hotels and it took owning a timeshare to finally understand that. A friend just took $5k for their Grand Vista so I fully expect the prices to continue falling.
 

Latravel

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Saying you'll never buy from Marriott or use the Marriott Visa really only hurts yourself. EVERYTHING and every program has gone up in price. Your only other option is paying for trips using a lot more cash vs. waiting longer to accumulate more points for FREE trips.

As much as I dislike it, it's still the better value. It's interesting, though, how so many people here that put down the value of points in the past are now so upset. I remember so many posts here where people stated that points are not important to them.
 

Pens_Fan

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Points are not overly important to me.

I don't purchase them, I don't trade my timeshare for them.

If I pick up points here and there for the charges I make on my Marriott Visa (which is paid off in full at the end of each month), that allows me to get a free night at a hotel when I go to a hockey or baseball game then so be it.

Other than that, I could care less.
 

rsackett

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Saying you'll never buy from Marriott or use the Marriott Visa really only hurts yourself. EVERYTHING and every program has gone up in price. Your only other option is paying for trips using a lot more cash vs. waiting longer to accumulate more points for FREE trips. ...

One always has choices in life! Saying that you will never buy from Marriott, is not the same thing as saying that you will never own a Marriott. This change just makes buying resale that much more attractive.

The Marriott Visa is less valuable that it was last week because of this change. For some it will now make more sence to get a card that offers rebates, or some other form of kick-back.

Ray
 

iamnotshopgirl

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OK I'm getting the part where Marriott Rewards has increased the points necessary for obtaining different catagories for hotels/flights packages. So what is the value of a point? Is it still .0125 or is it now less? Or does it just cost more in points to obtain the different rewards levels? I do not trade my t/s for points because with the last devaluation it was not worth it for me to do. However, if Marriott is charging more in points for resorts (upping their end) how is it FAIR to owners at the other end who are locked in at their contract levels? I also get the part where Marriott is a Corperation and is in the business of making a profit for it's shareholders. Since the owners already paid their hard earned $$$$$$$ they matter little.


bob
 

Jpollo

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There is a difference between points deflation and totally revamping the system, which is what they are doing.
IN THREE YEARS!!

And you're surprised by this? Just increasing point requirements would be too ham-handed of an approach.

Point deflation isn't just increasing point requirements. Altering tier structures, applying more fees, initiating more restrictions, etc. all go into the mix of making the bottom line cost higher. In a few years I would expect the next move by Marriott to deflate points will be to re-instate blackout periods.

That's why points never appealed to me because Marriott and every other reward program will continually deflate the value of the points over time.
 

Jpollo

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Goodbye to our Marriott Visa.

I called to cancel ours last month. In response they dropped the interest rate from 15 to 10% (we typically pay it off each month... but it's nice to have the lower rate for those times we do carry a balance for a couple months.)

They also gave me 3,000 points to keep it open.

So I took them up on the offer and will cancel in a couple of months before the next annual fee.

So you might try to eek out a couple of benefits before you actually cancel.
 

gregloucks

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Existiing Travel Package Certificate

I can't see in the announcement how existing travel package certificates will be handled. For example, if you have an exixting category 7 travel package certificate, will that still get you a week at a category 7 hotel for a post 1-15-09 reservation? If not, how will it be valued?
 

LAX Mom

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I understand that Marriott has to make changes to the points over the years. Dave has written some very logical posts about the effect of inflation on points and free hotel stays.

However, I object to the changes in the points requirements. I prefer an incentive for longer (7 night trips) in the current program. It now costs 35,000 per night in a category 7 hotel, 150,000 for a 7 night stay. Under the new program, the 35,000 doesn't change but it now costs 210,000 for the 7 night stay. That's because they don't give you a discount on additional nights like they currently do. Well, there is a discount at 5 or 10 nights, but not for any other stay.

So for people who like to use a free night occassionally there isn't much difference in the new program, except the category 8 properties.

For other, like me, who prefer a longer stay or a travel award there is a big jump in points!!

I would prefer they kept the program the same and adjusted the points across the board, maybe by 20%.

As far as I know, Marriott has not changed the purchase price of .0125 per point. Even at that rate I paid cash (around $320 per night) in Copenhagen last summer because the points would have cost 55,000, or $687. It was pretty close to equal in price and I decided I'd rather pay cash and earn more points.

There are other options to a Marriott VISA. You can earn cash rebates or airline miles. So unless I think the MR points are a good value, I'll opt for cash on another card.
 

LAX Mom

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I can't see in the announcement how existing travel package certificates will be handled. For example, if you have an exixting category 7 travel package certificate, will that still get you a week at a category 7 hotel for a post 1-15-09 reservation? If not, how will it be valued?

I've read the new info a couple of times and it isn't entirely clear. They didn't address outstanding certificates, only outstanding reservations.

I think you need to actually make a reservation at a hotel before Jan. 15. If you make your reservation after that, it's possible you'll be required to come up with the additional points for the nights you want.

I'm sure many others are wondering the same thing. I have a reservation for March with a cert. attached from a travel package. What happens if I decide to go somewhere else? Can I use that cert for another category 5 hotel? Will I have to pay more points to switch hotels or dates?
 

LAX Mom

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Can someone please tell me what this benefit is?

Marriott rewards has different levels of membership, based on your annual number of nights stayed at Marriott properties.

Silver = 15 nights
Gold = 50 nights
Platinum = 75 nights
Platinum Elite = ?

If you get an Marriott VISA (I think it's the Premier card) you get 15 nights, so automatic silver status.
 

Bill4728

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We finalized our trip to Europe with the european sampler (7 days in 2 or 3 hotels for 150K /pts) a couple of months ago for travel next April. It sure looks like a good move now since we'll be staying in 2 of the new cat 8 hotels.
 

pianodinosaur

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I am at the Marriott Rewards Silver Level. I do not own a Marriott TimeShare. I was hoping to have accumulated enough points next year for a stay at the Marbella or Mallorca resort in 2010. However, the new change will require 210,000 points instead of 150,00 points. There goes our TS stay in the Marriott Marbella Resort. I view this as a major devaluation of my Marriott Rewards Points.

The reason I choose a hotel is a function of location and the reason for my trip. This does not mean that I will avoid Marriotts in the future. However, the Marriott rewards is no longer offers any significant advantages over Starwood Preferred nor can it compete with Hilton Honors as an incentive program.

As of this point in time, I cannot predict what impact it will have on my business travel or how other members of Marriott Rewards who do not own Marriott TSs will respond.
 

thinze3

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One always has choices in life! Saying that you will never buy from Marriott, is not the same thing as saying that you will never own a Marriott. This change just makes buying resale that much more attractive....


Ray

I agree about the resale which is why I wish I had not bought my second unit from Marriott. If Marriott is going to charge more money for rooms, the argument is that they should "charge more points." I do understand this.

But if Marriott also is charging more to rent the rooms at your timeshare and also charge more for the MFs, should they not also give you more points to be able to get a comparable room. Shouldn't 7 days in a 2BR Maui timeshare be at least equal to 7 days in a 400sf Marriott hotel room in NYC?

With this new system 7 nights at your local Courtyard will cost you more points than trading in your 2 BR Maui timeshare for points.


Terry
 
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applegirl

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I don't think that the salesperson ever promised me that the amount of points that I could trade my week for (or that were given as an incentive) would always be able to purchase the same amount of nights forever.
QUOTE]

Yes, but it's just one more misleading sales tactic to people who may or may not understand how a reward points program works. When you go through the sales pitch they tell you that every so many years you could take this great travel package if you turn your week in for XXXX points. They make it sound like it will be forever.

I guess this is part of the reason those who do their research and find out about TUG before they buy their first timeshare are sitting pretty!

I just think it's pretty crapy they don't adjust the value of the timeshare weeks. Thank goodness we don't rely on trading in our Marriott week.

Janna
 

CMF

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I agree about the resale which is why I wish I had not bought my second unit from Marriott. If Marriott is going to charge more money for rooms, the argument is that they should "charge more points." I do understand this.

But if Marriott also is charging more to rent the rooms at your timeshare and also charge more for the MFs, should they not also give you more points to be able to get a comparable room. Shouldn't 7 days in a 2BR Maui timeshare be at least equal to 7 days in a 400sf Marriott hotel room in NYC?

With this new system 7 days at your local couryard will cost you more points than trading in your 2 BR Maui timeshare for points.


Terry


It's OK Terry, they'll make it all up to you with the revamped, Marriott direct purchaser enhanced, reservation system that's coming out any day now.:rolleyes:

Charles
 
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