Marriott Rewards and SPG Program Changes Announced 4/16/18 [Threads merged.]

[Almond123]

This says this will be effective August of 2018 and that in 2019 there will be more to come....

 

[VacationForever]

This link is very clear. It looks like everyone goes up a level within Marriott Rewards:
https://members.marriott.com/marriottrewards/

MVC has to clarify member elite status, anything we say here is just speculation.

 

[sb2313]

MVC has to clarify member elite status, anything we say here is just speculation.

There’s a post in one of the Mvci fb pages where Mvci twitter rep stated clarification will come by August 1st.

 

[VacationForever]

There’s a post in one of the Mvci fb pages where Mvci twitter rep stated clarification will come by August 1st.

So they want to leave us all anxious for the next 3.5 months. Eyeroll...

 

[catharsis]

I'm afraid the short version is we have no idea what MVC will do with the existing MVC-Marriott translation levels.

e.g. assuming that presidential and chairmans will get translated to the same level in the new program would not seem to make sense/be an obvious conclusion for me.

Probably the most critical questions I think are whether there will continue to be elite nights credit earned for TS stays and whether the MF payments etc would count as 'qualifying spending' towards the 'ambassador' tier.

 

[VacationForever]

I'm afraid the short version is we have no idea what MVC will do with the existing MVC-Marriott translation levels.

e.g. assuming that presidential and chairmans will get translated to the same level in the new program would not seem to make sense/be an obvious conclusion for me.

Probably the most critical questions I think are whether there will continue to be elite nights credit earned for TS stays and whether the MF payments etc would count as 'qualifying spending' towards the 'ambassador' tier.

Well, based on translation table, Presidential / Chairman's Club should become Platinum Premier.

With regards to TS MF payment, I don't think many of us exceed 20K a year, unless someone runs a rental business. But MF should count towards the 20K. Whether they do or not, we won't know until MVC tells us.

 

[Superchief]

As I review the program changes, the key outstanding issue is the new category level requirements. Points for each level increase substantially, so it will be interesting to see the cat level changes for individual properties. I also have a current award certificate to extend and am waiting to see what my options and time constraints will be.

 

[VacationForever]

As I review the program changes, the key outstanding issue is the new category level requirements. Points for each level increase substantially, so it will be interesting to see the cat level changes for individual properties. I also have a current award certificate to extend and am waiting to see what my options and time constraints will be.

We have a planned 5 nights stay May of next year which we just booked a travel package last week, with the intention of asking MR desk to extend it once May comes about. I am hoping the category does not change right away and we are still able to keep the certificate as it is and apply to that hotel with the current stated category.

My guess is that travel package is dead. That is going to be really sad for us. We convert our timeshare every other year to MRP/SPG points and find the travel packages of tremendous value. 3 points of new points to 1 airline point is just going to be bad conversion ratio. We will have to rethink it and maybe simply use our timeshare locally more and cut down on overseas vacation.

 

[dioxide45]

We have a planned 5 nights stay May of next year which we just booked a travel package for last week, with the intention of asking MR desk to extend it once May comes about. I am hoping the category does not change right away and we are still able to keep the certificate as it is and apply to that hotel with the current stated category.

My guess is that travel package is dead. That is going to really sad for us. We convert our timeshare every other year to MRP/SPG points and find the travel packages of tremendous value. 3 points of new points to 1 airline point is just going to be bad conversion ratio. We will have to rethink it and maybe simply use our timeshare locally more and cut down on overseas vacation.

It sounds like on 8/1, they will convert the certificates to one based on max number of points. We also have a 5 night category 5 certificate sitting in our account. We actually had it tied to a Barbados reservation for next month but thought we could cancel the reservation and book an AirBnB instead and save the certificate for Europe. Our plan was to upgrade the certificate to extend its life, but there was a big mess up by Marriott Rewards and the certificate was cancelled and only 5000 credited to my wife's MR account. They did get it fixed though and reissued the certificate which is now good for a year. Though we have no idea what the utility of it will now be. Wish we would have just kept it tied to the Barbados Courtyard. But it didn't seem to make sense when we were able to book a five night AirBnB for $500. It made more sense to upgrade the cert and use it for Europe where one night in a hotel can be $500. Hindsight they say.

 

[frank808]

Alright I like the new program. Having too many nights but not enough mrp was keeping me from lifetime gold and platinum. Now next year I will qualify for lifetime gold and in 3 years I should get lifetime platinum.

Seems Marriott took the best of both programs and I don't see any obvious devaluations. I guess I won't make plat premiere with ambassador as I don't spend $20k a year in hotel stays. Though I am waiting to see what the annual choice benefits at 50 and 75 nights are.

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[VacationForever]

Alright I like the new program. Having too many nights but not enough mrp was keeping me from lifetime gold and platinum. Now next year I will qualify for lifetime gold and in 3 years I should get lifetime platinum.

Seems Marriott took the best of both programs and I don't see any obvious devaluations. I guess I won't make plat premiere with ambassador as I don't spend $20k a year in hotel stays. Though I am waiting to see what the annual choice benefits at 50 and 75 nights are.

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But lifetime platinum requires 600 nights and 10 years of platinum.

 

[DEScottzz]

One devaluation that's important to me: I have Marriott Gold as a result of owning MVC points. They've taken lounge access away from that level. I'll likely complain to MVC.

 

[VacationForever]

One devaluation that's important to me: I have Marriott Gold as a result of owning MVC points. They've taken lounge access away from that level. I'll likely complain to MVC.

If MVC uses the new table, your Marriott Gold SHOULD become Platinum.

 

[sb2313]

If MVC uses the new table, your Marriott Gold SHOULD become Platinum.

The logical thing would be each category gets “bumped up” to basically reflect what it currently is, but I wouldn’t bank on anything until it’s in writing. It’ll be a fun of few months to see if chairman’s club retains same benefits with getting plat preferred and if choice of suite nights, ect are included or if those will require 50/75 nights to earn them.

 

[DEScottzz]

If MVC uses the new table, your Marriott Gold SHOULD become Platinum.

I hope so. I first read everything in the Points Guy's web site, in which the tables were too small to be intelligible. But that would be reasonable if it comes to pass.

 

[NiteMaire]

The Points Guy has a great write up at
https://thepointsguy.com/news/ins-and-outs-marriott-new-elite-program/

It doesn't discuss MVC, but has good info. I'll hit lifetime platinum before Aug so it looks like I'll be grandfathered into Lifetime Platinum Premier. I'm not sure it can be earned after 2018 since the lifetime announcement stops at Lifetime Platinum 50 (current Gold that becomes Platinum) except to state current LP will be LPP. We shall see.

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[BocaBoy]

The way I look at it, don't get hung up on the elite tier names. Essentially, current Marriott Gold equals future Marriott Platinum. So it is not an upgrade, merely a name change. Same with current Platinum becoming Platinum Premier. The reason the names are changing, I think, is because Starwood has a Gold level at 25 nights. All in all, it seems like the changes were well thought out and reasonable.

 

[BocaBoy]

The new Lifetime tiers apparently have no points requirement. I believe that is because the Starwood program did not even track lifetime points, so there was not a good way to fairly consider points for lifetime status in the combined program.

 

[frank808]

I’m relieved - the changes look positive overall.

https://members.marriott.com/faq

Gold becomes Platinum and Platinum becomes Platinum Premier.

Good news also for Lifetime Gold members who will become Lifetime Platinum.


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Not if you don't have the 7 years required. But I am not complaining as the lifetime changes benefits me tremendously.

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[Steve A]

What about the travel packages? And will SPG points still count for three Marriott points?

 

[VacationForever]

You do need tenure if you have not already achieved the lifetime status.

• LIFETIME SILVER ELITE
  250 Lifetime Nights + 5 Years* Elite Status
  
  • Points Never Expire
  • All Silver Elite benefits
• 
  
  LIFETIME GOLD ELITE
  400 Lifetime Nights + 7 Years* Gold Elite Status or Higher
  
  • Points Never Expire
  • All Gold Elite benefits
• 
  
  LIFETIME PLATINUM ELITE
  600 Lifetime Nights + 10 Years* Platinum Elite Status
  
  • Points Never Expire
  • All Platinum Elite benefits

 

[hangloose]

It sounds like on 8/1, they will convert the certificates to one based on max number of points.

Where did you read this in the MR/SPG program merger docs? I looked, but couldn't seem to find any info on how they plan to handle existing hotel certificates or vacation packages.

I have a 7 night Cat 8 sitting in my MR account and will likely plan to purchase another soon. I may not use either by 8/1, so curious what this will translate into with the new program and whether it benefits me or not to use prior or after.

 

[dioxide45]

Where did you read this in the MR/SPG program merger docs? I looked, but couldn't seem to find any info on how they plan to handle existing hotel certificates or vacation packages.

I have a 7 night Cat 8 sitting in my MR account and will likely plan to purchase another soon. I may not use either by 8/1, so curious what this will translate into with the new program and whether it benefits me or not to use prior or after.

I saw this in the FAQ. It seems to be specific to the free night cert. Not sure if similar applies to travel package certs.

https://members.marriott.com/faq/

I have a Free Night Certificate from a Marriott Rewards or Ritz-Carlton Rewards credit card. Can I use it at an SPG hotel (or vice versa) after August?
Members may book a redemption reservation with an existing Free Night Certificate under the current terms up until August 2018, even if the arrival date is after August 2018. Starting in August, any outstanding Certificates will be updated from Category-based to points-based values in the new combined redemption chart and may be used for stays at Rewards or SPG hotels up to the points value displayed on your updated Certificate. For example, you will be able to apply a Marriott Rewards Free Night Certificate to an SPG stay, or an SPG Free Night Award to a Marriott Rewards stay. Ritz-Carlton Rewards Free Night Certificates can also be applied to Marriott Rewards and SPG hotels.

 

[lifeasus]

One devaluation that's important to me: I have Marriott Gold as a result of owning MVC points. They've taken lounge access away from that level. I'll likely complain to MVC.

Need help regarding this. We are scheduled to sign documents tomorrow to purchase 4000 points from MVC. One of the reasons we decided to go to 4K instead of 3500 was the added benefit of obtaining lifetime Gold status with MR. We had recently obtained this with stays and credit card usage, but the ease of having it permanent was a huge selling point for us. Then, today we read about the upcoming changes. Yes, our gold status with MR will go to platinum. But tomorrow we are signing a contract stating we will have gold status via MVC. Our sales rep can’t answer if it will be changed to Platinum. Any opinion on insisting it’s added as an addendum before signing and paying?


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[Wei339]

My understanding for those MVC members who were given Gold Elite with the Marriott Rewards Program will be moved to Platinum Elite in August. Whether MVC will continually grant the new Platinum Elite status to MVC members upon each renewal Year remains to be seen.