For the first time ever I got a free 1 night cat 1-4 cert in the fall mega bonus. It needs to be used by end March.

So I looked on-line to reserve a night but saw no way to book using the cert. So I call Marriott Rewards and they said I had to book by phone. So I booked the night and clearly stated that I wanted the mega bonus free night cert to be applied to the booking at the cat 4 hotel I had selected.

Now the reservation shows up in my list of upcoming reservations.

BUT.

1. It shows 20,000 points will be deducted from my account. However they have not yet been deducted.

2. On the reservation details it states: "You do not have eCertificates for this reservation. Order eCertificates. If you have not ordered eCertificate(s) 7 days prior to your stay, eCertificates will be auto-ordered for you.

Marriott Rewards told me it takes 24 hours for the free night cert to be applied to the reservation. Why? Surely there should be a better, simpler way to do this?

Will this free night cert get applied to the reservation I made or will it cost me the points?