Where to complain about Marriott preview package?

[elaine]

I got a call "b/c I was a Marriott Gold" last winter about a Marriott preview package and signed up on the phone for a $199 deposit. I was told that details would be sent to me via email. After thinking of our upcoming year, I realized that we would not likely have time to utilize it. I never received any details via email. A few days later, I called and said I never received any written confirmation and was unlikely to use the package and wanted to cancel it. They refused. I called again the next week and repeated my request to canx and that I never got anything in writing and suddenly the next day I had an email with the details. I have emailed and called several times over the past year, and asked to speak to a supervisor. All of them refused. I wondered if it was some outside marketing group, but they said they are Marriott employees.
It's hard to imagine that Marriott is so desperate for $199 that they would risk bad will from a Marriott gold who pays cash for Marriott vacation club stays. I wonder if corporate realizes that previews plays hard ball. I would likely have signed up a year later and gone to a preview, but not now.
Is there any place I could call or email. I'm prepared to just lose the $199, but it sure leaves a bad taste. Elaine

 

[SueDonJ]

You could try Customer Care: Marriott Vacations Worldwide / Contact Us

Any time we've been solicited for a Preview package they've been upfront about the No Cancellation terms of the deal, and although there's a delay of a day or so in getting email confirmation we've never had to wait as long as four days. Hopefully if you can make your case that your experience hasn't followed normal procedure they'll be willing to work with you. Good luck!

 

[elaine]

thank you. I just looked at my old emails. I bought on Jan 29 and it was 12 days before I got an email. I have my copy of the email:

please cancel this package. I have already called several times and stated that I never got anything in writing and wanted to cancel and refund my credit card. please confirm cancellation.

-----Original Message-----
From: Marriott Vacation Club <marriottvacationclub@email1.marriott-vacations.com>
To:
Sent: Wed, Feb 10, 2016 2:43 pm
Subject: Reminder: Book Your Vacation Dates

 

[SueDonJ]

The difference could be that we booked our few Preview stays immediately during those first phone calls, then the confirmation email came a day or so later. I don't know what the usual email turnaround time is supposed to be if you commit to a Preview during the first call but don't book the stay immediately. Hopefully somebody else knows that.

 

[elaine]

I sent an email to customer care and we'll see what happens. It's only $199, but it's such a silly penny-wise, pound foolish thing for them to stick it to me, esp. when I called within a few days to say it wouldn't work next year for us.

 

[Luanne]

It might be a little late now, but I'd put the amount in dispute with the credit card company. You should be able to provide them the information needed to show when you contacted Marriott and how long it took them to respond.

 

[elaine]

I didn't consider that, as I did agree to the package, so it's not a fraudulent charge. We would love to do the preview another time, just not next year. I'm hoping Marriott customer care will see the big picture of pre-retirees with significant Marriott hotel stays and refund the $199. If not, live and learn.

 

[Luanne]

I didn't consider that, as I did agree to the package, so it's not a fraudulent charge. We would love to do the preview another time, just not next year. I'm hoping Marriott customer care will see the big picture of pre-retirees with significant Marriott hotel stays and refund the $199. If not, live and learn.

It may not be a fraudulent charge, but you did try to cancel. Is there anything in the paperwork, or offer, that allows you to cancel in a certain amount of time?

I know we paid up front for a Marriott package a few years ago (which we did end up doing) and I honestly don't remember if there was a cancellation clause in it.

 

[elaine]

nope-only thing that ever came was the email 12 days later. I looked for a canx clause, as I thought there must be a 3 days type of thing, but saw nothing. Pretty odd for Marriott, I thought, which is why I asked if they were Marriott employees vs. 3rd party marketing.

 

[Luanne]

I would look at it as, what was my objective. Did I really want to cancel, or did I want to be able to change the date, or extend, so I could use the package in the future. You've said the money isn't the objective, but you also said you wanted to cancel. So, I'd work with that. Put the amount in dispute. Tell your credit card company you attempted to cancel (provide the emails if they ask) and let them know there was no response. Most of the time the credit card company will handle it and in the cases where I've had to go this route, most of the time I did not have to pay.

 

[VacationForever]

Never divulge credit card (or social security numbers) to anyone on the phone who cold calls. Many vacation teasers over the phone are scammers trying to steal credit card information. Sometimes there are credit card "offers" of 5 percent cash back etc, when you say, ok, they want social security number. No thank you in both cases.

I know you received an email from what appears to be Marriott Vacation. I have not spent time to research to see if that is even a valid Marriott email address or scammer just getting an email address that looks like a Marriott email address. If it is not Marriott, then it would explain why you are not going to get your $199 back.

Updated: I just did a quick scan on email at Marriott's site. The email address is in this format MVCICustomer.care@vacationclub.com. It tells me that more likely than not you were not dealing with Marriott main office, and possibly with some outside commission based marketing company, if legitimate.

 

[VacationForever]

duplicate post... dunno why.

 

[elaine]

no, it was Marriott. Update-Marriott called me within 30 minutes of my sending the email to customer care and is refunding the deposit. They were very nice and also offered to extend to preview for another year, but after the past issues, I just accepted the refund and thanked them for the quick response. thanks, tuggers!

 

[smithde]

We were able to extend the timeframe on a preview package. If you want to use it later, you may want to ask for a time extension.

 

[SueDonJ]

no, it was Marriott. Update-Marriott called me within 30 minutes of my sending the email to customer care and is refunding the deposit. They were very nice and also offered to extend to preview for another year, but after the past issues, I just accepted the refund and thanked them for the quick response. thanks, tuggers!

Thanks for the update, and I'm glad that you're happy with their response.