Originally Posted by
slowly
I'm questioning Marriott's ability to retroactively change T&C on certificates already issued which state that they are valid at any Marriott hotel in Europe.
I have looked into this further, and I did in fact speak hastily. If you order a European Hooper reward prior to the change you will be able to use it at
any European property regardless of when you book. As long as the expiration date has not expired on the reward and the stay is booked for reward redemption you will be able to use it. This includes all the properties that will become category 8.
Originally Posted by
frisbeeace
Many of us have unused hotel certificates that were part of a travel package and were issued BEFORE these new rules were announced. We were confidently saving those certificates for the future in the knowledge that they were (are?) extendable at any time. Those certificates may have already expired or may expire soon. So my questions are:
1. What can we do with those certificates that we thought were extendable and will expire before we are able to use them?
2. Can we keep them alive by making a reservation up to Jan 15th even if they expired before that date?
3. What will happen with a certificate that is already attached to a reservation if you need to change dates or hotel beyond its expiration date?
4. Wouldn´t it make sense to establish a deadline for all certificates issued under the old T&C by January 15th, 2010 giving exactly 1 year after the start of the new program?
Question 1: If the hotel portion of a travel package cannot be used you can turn it back in for some points. To be honest, the points you get for returning the hotel portion of a travel package is pretty insignificant. You usually get a better value if you use them for a weekend somewhere when you can get a way for seven nights.
Question 2: You do not need to make a reservation to extend a travel package. Contact guest services and let them know you have a hotel portion of a travel package that will be expiring and ask them to reissue it for you. That will change the valid date to a year from when it is reissued. Keep in mind you need to do this before January 15th.
Question 3: If you think this may happen I recommend you call sometime in January (before the 15th) explain that you are uncertain about the dates and would like to have your hotel portion reissued so that the expiration date is a year form when you call.
Question 4: Some of the current travel packages will be issued after January 15th in order to accommodate redemption reservations made prior to the change. These certificates though will have a final expiration date of sometime around January 15th 2010, regardless of when in 2009 they were ordered.
Originally Posted by
goingbananas
Here is my question. I ordered 3 travel package codes 0830 for Category 1-5 at 235,000 points. I was going to use them this year, but plans have changed.
Now, lets say, I want to upgrade the certificates to a cat. 6 hotel using points in the springtime. Will the additional points (to go from a cat 5 to a 6) cost me 15,000 per certificate (the old rate, 235K for cat 5 to 250K cat 6) vs the new rate, now being 65,000 per certificate. (the old rate 235K I redeemed at for cat 5 to the new rate of 300K for a cat 6 change)?
Technically speaking if you wait until after the change to upgrade the certificate, the old rewards will not be available (meaning you would pay the higher amount) unless you have a reservation using points that was booked prior to the change. My recommendation is that, if possible, you do the upgrade before the change.
Marriott Concierge-
I have an e-certificate from a travel package (category 5) that expires Oct. 2009. Currently it is linked to a March 2009 reservation, but I might not be able to take that trip. I know I can make reservation changes (subject to availability of course) until Jan. 14, but I'm worried my plans may change after that date. I hate to make 20 reservations now just to cover all my options, but I also don't want to have to pay additional points in 2009 to use this category 5 certificate.
Questions:
1) Prior to Jan. 15, can I extend this certificate so it is good until Jan. 14, 2010 or at least Dec. 31, 2009?
2) What happens if I find availability and want to use it at a category 5 in July 2009? Will there be an additional charge for extra points?
Question 1: Yes, see the information above regarding extending the rewards.
Question 2: As long as you have a category 5 certificate and the hotel is a category 5 at the time you booked it, you will not need to spend any additional points.
Ira