Titanium Status

[Dean_G]

Is the only way to get titanium status through points ownership or is possible with multiple weeks?

 

[Hindsite]

Enrolled weeks also carry the status of their elected points value.

 

[jwalk03]

Points or enrolled weeks. Otherwise have to do it the hard way with 75 ENCs

 

[daviator]

You don’t have to own any points at all to be Presidential or Chairman’s Club, and the Bonvoy status is a result of that Elite Benefit Level and is not connected (directly at least) to whether you own Abound points or how many you own.

I was Chairman’s Club before I owned any Abound points (and even now, I only own a paltry 1000 points, so it’s a pretty small contributor to my MVC elite level.)

 

[Eric B]

Titanium status comes with fractional ownership at the Ritz-Carlton Destination Club resorts whether or not you enroll them in Abound via the Lion & Crown program.

 

[dioxide45]

Titanium status comes with fractional ownership at the Ritz-Carlton Destination Club resorts whether or not you enroll them in Abound via the Lion & Crown program.

Does this apply for those that buy RCC resale too?

 

[Eric B]

Does this apply for those that buy RCC resale too?

It does. Also, there’s no cost to enroll.

 

[rickandcindy23]

The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant gets the status below the Titanium. A few weeks of Marriott timeshare stays each year have boosted me to Titanium. Rick is lifetime Titanium with Abound. Still, status is not important. They mention it at the check-in desk but not when we check into our resorts, whether the ones owned or the exchanges. Matters not.

We have a 1 bed at MMO starting today, and I fear we will get the garbage dumpsters/ pickle ball court view again.

 

[Big Matt]

I got lifetime Titanium and am grandfathered in. I would say that all it gets you on checkin to MVC is 1000 points. I get a lot more love at hotels and resorts.

 

[dioxide45]

We earn Titanium status through ENCs alone. We are both lifetime Platinum, but we also generally stay at mid to lower level hotels and usually just staying for a night. It isn't like we are getting big upgrades or even care about them that much. So the status doesn't matter as much as 75 ENCs were we can choose the Free Night Certificate as one of the Choice Benefits. If they didn't offer the FNC, we woudln't bother chasing Titanium. Right now it is a delicate balance to ensure our stays are balanced between our two Bonvoy accounts so both my wife and I can get there in a year. Having Titanium can be good for the United Silver Elite if you fly United with any frequency.

 

[daviator]

The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant gets the status below the Titanium. A few weeks of Marriott timeshare stays each year have boosted me to Titanium. Rick is lifetime Titanium with Abound. Still, status is not important. They mention it at the check-in desk but not when we check into our resorts, whether the ones owned or the exchanges. Matters not.

We have a 1 bed at MMO starting today, and I fear we will get the garbage dumpsters/ pickle ball court view again.

This is semantics, I guess, but the Bonvoy status you get through your MVC ownership is not “lifetime” status, even though it may stay with you through your lifetime if you never get rid of any of your MVC ownerships and continue to qualify for the elite tier.

Lifetime Titanium status used to be something you could earn, but it is no longer available. The people who have it are grandfathered in. The highest lifetime status you can now earn is Platinum. This is true lifetime status, you keep it for your lifetime regardless how often you stay, or how much you own. And it has nothing to do with MVC, though your MVC stays do help you qualify for lifetime status after enough years.

If Rick is one of those people who actually earned Lifetime Titanium back when they were offering it, then I apologize as he might really have lifetime status. Otherwise his status is contingent on continuing to own (and pay the MFs) on all your MVC ownerships. And your status is contingent on staying in them!

MVC sales likes to claim that being Chairman’s Club gets you lifetime Titanium, but it does not. It gets you annual Titanium for so long as you own, or until they change the program, which they could do at any time.

 

[Hindsite]

MVC sales likes to claim that being Chairman’s Club gets you lifetime Titanium, but it does not. It gets you annual Titanium for so long as you own, or until they change the program, which they could do at any time.

Lots of people get mixed up with sales say Titanium for life vs Lifetime Titanium, even when sales make the distinction.

In reality the Abound related status goes beyond someone's lifetime and onto the next generation if they care to take it on. I've even heard of some families who own in a trust who annually tactically switch the timeshare status around owner family members depending on what their travel plans for the year are. That's a level of planning I can't get to!!!

 

[craigc]

Lots of business travel.....do not miss my road warrior days.

 

[Eric B]

Lots of business travel.....do not miss my road warrior days.

That many elite night credits should get you Titanium status well into your afterlife!

 

[Retired2025 aka AlmostRetired]

I am Lifetime Platinum. I used to be yearly Titanium but it is getting harder and harder to achieve it.
The reason is Marriott has closed the loopholes in getting credit for stays when you do not actually stay. This is not a bad thing since it does increase the chances of getting value for having “legitimate “ status.

The two greatest values to me on status at Marriott lounge access/ breakfast that offer it with status and room upgrades. The first there is no difference between the two levels. The second is based on availability at check-in and titanium is a tiebreaker that can sometimes get negated if you call late night before checkin or early in the morning of checkin. They can often see potential availability and sometimes pre assign a room. Both values get negated by a location proximity to where I need to be and my corporate discount at other brands. The discounts still apply even in retirement since it is tied into my loyalty number.

Closing the loopholes
We all know Marriott Systems allowed you to go into the record and change reservation name. When you changed the name, the system did not check to see if the name in the reservation matched the rewards number. You would get credit even if you did not stay if the person checking in did not change it at check in. This would be the case in both timeshares and hotel reservations. I use to make hotel reservations for a few close friends and family members so they could take advantage of my corporate discount and Marriott status. Now, the rewards number and the name in the reservation must match.

The name change form for point and week reservation takes the Marriott rewards number out of the reservation and it can’t be added back in after name change because of system checking on matching rewards number and name. All rentals no longer get me credit. I used to have a 75% success rate in getting credit without staying before the system change.

 

[Hindsite]

I used to have a 75% success rate in getting credit without staying before the system change.

You were never allowed to do this under the terms and conditions you agreed to when you made the reservation. All that changed was the enforcement of the rule in the system.

 

[daviator]

I am Lifetime Platinum. I used to be yearly Titanium but it is getting harder and harder to achieve it.
The reason is Marriott has closed the loopholes in getting credit for stays when you do not actually stay. This is not a bad thing since it does increase the chances of getting value for having “legitimate “ status.

The two greatest values to me on status at Marriott lounge access/ breakfast that offer it with status and room upgrades. The first there is no difference between the two levels. The second is based on availability at check-in and titanium is a tiebreaker that can sometimes get negated if you call late night before checkin or early in the morning of checkin. They can often see potential availability and sometimes pre assign a room. Both values get negated by a location proximity to where I need to be and my corporate discount at other brands. The discounts still apply even in retirement since it is tied into my loyalty number.

Closing the loopholes
We all know Marriott Systems allowed you to go into the record and change reservation name. When you changed the name, the system did not check to see if the name in the reservation matched the rewards number. You would get credit even if you did not stay if the person checking in did not change it at check in. This would be the case in both timeshares and hotel reservations. I use to make hotel reservations for a few close friends and family members so they could take advantage of my corporate discount and Marriott status. Now, the rewards number and the name in the reservation must match.

The name change form for point and week reservation takes the Marriott rewards number out of the reservation and it can’t be added back in after name change because of system checking on matching rewards number and name. All rentals no longer get me credit. I used to have a 75% success rate in getting credit without staying before the system change.

I hate to say it, but you, and others like you, are the reason they've had to implement all of the pain-in-the-neck changes of the past few years. You've been cheating the system and breaking the rules for years and now you're unable to do so. You may not see it that way, but that's the reality.

You are fortunate, because many other people who used the same tactics have had their Bonvoy accounts permanently closed and all points forfeited. They are really on top of this now, I don't even think you can get away with a spouse checking in before you. If you don't go to the front desk on arrival and prove that you are physically there, you are likely to find your account closed for fraud. Some of the Marriott forums on social media are full of people crying about closed accounts.

I'm not trying to be a jerk, I appreciate your contributions here. But putting your Bonvoy number on a room and then not using it yourself has always been completely against the rules.

 

[Retired2025 aka AlmostRetired]

First, yes I took advantage of loophole in the Marriott System. I discovered it by accident, but one discovered, I used it. I can say for sure, I haven't done it again since the loophole was closed.

On a timeshare rental, I change the name at deposit and after receiving the signed agreement. If you follow the rules for a name change (calling MVCI at first, the name change form after), when the name change is done, the reward number is blanked out when the name is added. I wanted to make sure my rewards number remained in the record so I do not lose control until payment in full. If my memory serves me, the reward number can't be removed in self service mode. The system did not check to see if the name and the rewards number matched so if not changed or caught at check in, I or anyone got stay credit and whatever check in points credit at check out.

you were never allowed to do this under the terms and conditions you agreed to when you made the reservation. All that changed was the enforcement of the rule in the system.

You are correct.

hate to say it, but you, and others like you, are the reason they've had to implement all of the pain-in-the-neck changes of the past few years. You've been cheating the system and breaking the rules for years and now you're unable to do so. You may not see it that way, but that's the reality.

I am not sure what pain in the neck changes you are referring to but the one I hear the most complained about is losing the ability to go onto the reservation system and making the reservation name change yourself. The reservation system was never intended to be a self service name change system and is in fact against the rules. The rule for name changes have always been through MVCI directly and once implemented the name change form. This widely used loophole has been posted on TUG a number of times.

A point I will disagree on is the reason for closing the self service loophole. I can only hope it was for security reasons. With the name and reservation number, someone other than a reservation holder can rent a until multiple times showing name change proof each time. Marriott's reservation system facilities this. Also, Marriott loses complete control of who is actually using the unit with the loophole.

Lets be honest, raise your hand if you ever used the unintended self service name change ability in the reservation system. . You are possibly co-contributor to the loophole fix to the unintended security risk function.

Raise your hand if you may received credit you did not deserve. If yes, how many of you called Marriott to correct it.

I'm not trying to be a jerk, I appreciate your contributions here. But putting your Bonvoy number on a room and then not using it yourself has always been completely against the rules.

You are absolutely not being a jerk and you are 100% correct, even though discovered by accident, what I did is against the T&C's/rules.

 

[Hindsite]

You don't loose control even if your Bonvoy number is no longer on the reservation. You can look it up and change it anytime with the reservation number. You didn't gain anything other than getting ENC you were never entitled to.

 

[Dean]

You are absolutely not being a jerk and you are 100% correct, even though discovered by accident, what I did is against the T&C's/rules.

Their rules and their decision whether to enforce them. I'm definitely a rule follower but if they allow it, that's on them. To hold otherwise would require one decline every courtesy that a Bank, CC or retailer offered out of good will and any similar flexibility. But I agree this is likely the reason they've made it more difficult.

 

[lorenmd]

i make titanium every year with my timeshare stays. i also love the benefits i get at hotels. my kids or friends have me book for them and if i put 2 adults and then call and have their name added as the second adult, then they can check in. they like getting upgrades and free breakfast.

 

[chunkygal]

That many elite night credits should get you Titanium status well into your afterlife!

Do you think when you get to the pearly gates they ask if you want points or the free breakfast?

 

[Eric B]

Do you think when you get to the pearly gates they ask if you want points or the free breakfast?

If you're Titanium you get free breakfast and the points!

 

[TolmiePeak]

Do you think when you get to the pearly gates they ask if you want points or the free breakfast?

Plus you will be able to skip the check in line. Can't wait until I hear all of the complaining from titanium members when they realize their status doesn't transfer to the afterlife.

 

[chunkygal]

Plus you will be able to skip the check in line. Can't wait until I hear all of the complaining from titanium members when they realize their status doesn't transfer to the afterlife.

Tug everlasting