I am currently a 2011 Gold (expiring 2/2012). Having tasted some of the good life of better-than-nominal-silver elite status, I am interested in this continuing. However, I won't end this year with 50 nights or anywhere really close to it.
I've seen posts about the gold 12 / platinum 18 challenge.
First, since I am still gold (i.e., through Feb 2012), would I be able to participate/initiate a challenge, since I know my status will expire in February?
As best as I understand it, if I want to do the Platinum challenge, I should call MR and assuming they let me do it:
-If I called in early/mid-January, I'd get through the end of April 2012 (i.e. 3 full calendar months plus any remaining days in January) to get the 18 nights, right?
-I'd immediately get Platinum status (including any related platinum perks/upgrades?) for the period regardless of whether I met the challenge (i.e., thru April)
-If I satisfied the challenge, I'd have platinum status through Dec 2012 and then the following year would have gold status through Dec 2013, right (soft landing)?
-Any types of rates not allowable in the challenge (government rate, other discount codes)? I assume free nights not included in challenge?
-Any other tips?
Programs: US CP, Marriott Plat, HHonors Gold, Hertz 5*
Posts: 529
To answer your questions, the best way i can:
1. You have to complete the nights in 90 days. I had a challenge last year and they didn't round it up to the end of the month (made it the last day).
2. Yes, given that you didn't have a challenge in the past 12 months. If you did, they can only provide a "manual challenge" that will yield you Plat when/if you complete it.
3. You will have status till February 2013. Soft landing is not a rule, but it is granted to members based on their past with Marriott. I wouldn't expect a soft landing, especially if i had earned my status through a challenge (Getting 2 years of elite status with 18 nights is a little bit greedy, don't you think..?? )
4. Have no idea about corporate rates, but my AAA rate worked just fine!! No award nights are taking into account and only actual nights count towards your challenge (i.e. can't do the event thing to get 10 nights).
5. Tips: You ll be Gold till the end of February 2012. So there is no rush to ask for a challenge, unless you have many stays scheduled in the first two months of 2012.
Nikolaos- Thanks for the reply. Very helpful. I'm thinking of doing the challenge early (even if it overlaps with my remaining Gold thru Feb2012) because that is when I know I'll be staying a bunch at Marriott-family hotels.
Actually, now that I think of it, do Ritz stays count towards the Marriott 12/18 challenge nights? I hope so! I had assumed yes, but if someone can confirm, I'd appreciate it.
If you start a challenge on July 1st, 2012 and complete it, you will have Platinum until 2/2014. You get bumped up to Platinum the day you start your challenge.
not always as there are 2-ways they do the challenge -- immediate or after you complete the requirements of the challenge........... but the big question is, why would you not start the challenge on 01 Jan??
Quote:
Originally Posted by docr775
If you start a challenge on July 1st, 2012 and complete it, you will have Platinum until 2/2014. You get bumped up to Platinum the day you start your challenge.
not always as there are 2-ways they do the challenge -- immediate or after you complete the requirements of the challenge........... but the big question is, why would you not start the challenge on 01 Jan??
Just like airline status, if you do a challenge at the beginning of the year, you get status for the rest of the year. However if you do not fully qualify, you lose status at the beginning of the following year. For example: if you do the 12 nights required for a gold challenge between January and February, you will get gold status for the rest of the year, however you have to get your 50 nights by December 31st to keep gold for the following year. If you start a challenge in July, you get gold for the rest of the current year AND the following year. I signed up for a Gold challenge on August 1st of this year and completed it by the end of the month. My gold card expires 2/13.
You can do the challenges once every 12 months. Based on that here is my scenario which seems to be a good way to time it (I think)
I am in the middle of the platinum challenge (18 nights in 90 days). I started around Oct 17th and have until Jan 31st to complete.
After I complete it I will have platinum status until at least the end of Feb 2013. If I don't make the 75 nights in 2012 to keep platinum status, I would lose it March 1 2013. The key is that you can do the challenges once every 12 months. So if you don't make the status level following a challenge you can always restart the challenge after you lose it.
In my case if I don't make platinum in 2012 with 75 nights, I will re start the challenge in March 2013 when I would lose platinum status anyway. By timing it this way you should be able to keep whatever challenge status you go with fairly consistently (unless Marriott takes away the challenges in the future)
I hope that helps and if someone sees a flaw in my scenario please let me know
J
Programs: DL Silver, Marriott Platinum,Hertz Pres Circle
Posts: 84
Quote:
Originally Posted by docr775
Just like airline status, if you do a challenge at the beginning of the year, you get status for the rest of the year. However if you do not fully qualify, you lose status at the beginning of the following year. For example: if you do the 12 nights required for a gold challenge between January and February, you will get gold status for the rest of the year, however you have to get your 50 nights by December 31st to keep gold for the following year. If you start a challenge in July, you get gold for the rest of the current year AND the following year. I signed up for a Gold challenge on August 1st of this year and completed it by the end of the month. My gold card expires 2/13.
I did exactly that and I will attempt to do yet another challenge next year and this time, I will go for platinum
Sorry for the newbie question, but is it common practice for MR to award a challenge any time it is requested? I am currently silver, but I have every night until the beginning of February booked in a Marriott hotel, so I was hoping to call tomorrow morning and be given a platinum challenge to get those benefits for these stays. If I start one of the stays tonight, is it possible that they will give me the bonus points for that stay even though it will have already started when the challenge is requested?
I called the MR Gold line to sign up for a Gold Challenge but asked to check when my Gold would expire (since I'm at the mid-30s in elite nights this year). Was pleasantly surprised to be told that corporate had reviewed my account recently (as others on this board had mentioned) and given me Gold through end of Jan2013. I asked how this happened and the answer was similar to what others have told (reviewed usage and perhaps over the past 3 years?).
BTW, like others in another thread, I did have that one day about a monght ago on the MR website where it flashed a message that said something like: congrats, you are renewed for Gold (or something like that). But that message went away after one day. So, that probably was when they reviewed the account?
In case others are wondering about my earlier question, the rep did note that Ritz stays count toward the gold/plat challenge nights (any paid stays at Ritz or Marriott brands count).
It is usually 12 days for gold and 18 for Platinum.
Also when I called and did mine a few years ago the CSR told me to call about the 2nd or 3rd of the month that way you get that month plus 3 additional months to earn it. It was true for me, my sis and mom.
Just on a side note, if you are close you can book a meeting room for 10 elite nights. My mom was short last year by 8 nights. We booked a meeting space for my daughters bday party. cost was about $150, they let us have access to the pool and the 9 years old thought it was great! (And I didn't have to have them at my house)
Programs: US CP, Marriott Plat, HHonors Gold, Hertz 5*
Posts: 529
Quote:
Originally Posted by ljknecht570:17956031
Just on a side note, if you are close you can book a meeting room for 10 elite nights. My mom was short last year by 8 nights. We booked a meeting space for my daughters bday party. cost was about $150, they let us have access to the pool and the 9 years old thought it was great! (And I didn't have to have them at my house)
Just a note, event nights do NOT count toward challenges!!
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