Originally Posted by BrightlyBob

How did I allow this to happen?

As a long term Marriott elite, I try to ensure I get good all round value from the rewards program. This does not mean the maximum value per point, although stays in both Moscow and Monaco have in the past produced excellent returns! Sometimes this means paying in cash when I would prefer to use points, and vice versa. Sometimes it's easy, such as registering for the megabonus promotion, something I've always done as soon as the email is received.

So what happened to my brain for the Spring Megabonus? I was sure I registered but it seems I didn't. I had 6 stays, enough for the 3 Cat4 certs.

Now I can already hear the hoots of derision from other FTers concerning the devaluation of the certificates, but I still value them. Certainly the latest recategorisation has reduced the number of establishments these can be redeemed at, but over 2/3rds of Marriott hotels still fall in this Cat1-4 area, and with hotel rates firming up, these certificates can be redeemed at rates in excess of £100/$150 per night.

Now as it happens following a family diagnosis we are now planning a visit "home" to Canada, where the nearest hotel to the family is a Cat2 Courtyard going for $170 night.

Yes, I know *sigh* the $170/night Cat2, who'd have thought it?

So those 3 nights of Cat4 certs are worth over $500. And I forgot to register... OUCH!!

I therefore rang the Rewards helpline to see if I could get round this problem, and spoke to a very nice lady who, alas, couldn't help. Failure to register shuts down the computer (and I should have registered weeks ago) so there's no means of awarding them now. It probably doesn't help that I was also 2 days after the end of the promo. But I am aware that there can be variances in the helpfulness of MR assisitants...

So here's the question. Can I now, 3 days after the end of a megabonus promo register retrospectively to get the 3 nights certs, or is that it?

I eagerly await the expert opinions and experiences of my fellow FTers...