Originally Posted by
Flying for Fun
A 7 night certificate = 45K (7.5K * 6)
A 5 night certificate = 30K (7.5K * 4)
Fifth Night Free
That is what your certificates are worth in MR points in the current MR Program. Not 150K/100K
I think the difficulty for a lot of people is that they are confusing the value of the certificate in MR points and the potential redemptive value of the certificate when it is attached in dollars in the current MR program.
They are also failing to realize that the current MR Program will be wrapped up in a couple of weeks and after August 1st MR as you know it will be defunct. As such, it is within Marriotts rights to just quash the floater certificates and move forward. I think it is unlikely they will do that, instead returning the 45K points value of the certificate to the members account in the New Program making the member "whole."
You can still use the 45K for a week long stay in the New Program in a Category 1 property just as you can now. In the current MR, the added redemptive value of being able to redeem for a property up to and including category 5 will be lost. That is your devaluation.
All the talk about "indefensible," civil acton, small claims and class action lawsuits is just nonsence. On what grounds would you sue? "Marriott devalued their loyalty program and my points aren't as valuable as they used to be when I try to redeem them!"
Everyone needs to step back and look at this objectively and keep the emotions out. The certificare itself is NOT worth 150K MR points! It may have a redemptive value of up to 150K in MR now but that program and the opportunity to make such a redemption goes away in a few weeks.
If anyone truely believes they are entitled to 150K unrestricted points in the New Program they are not being realistic. If you have 2 floaters and expect to take a 300K windfall and book 6 nights in the Maldives, you are dreaming! It is time to wake up!
Just like in any casino, the odds are in favour of the house. Now, consider the house can change the rules, with or without notice at anytime in it's sole discretion. Still like those odds?
If you get the residual 45K MR points value of the certificate returned to you, that is a bonus. Marriott is not obligated to give you anything.
James
If this is what ends up happening, it ends up happening. And I don't expect Marriott to break their backs to be generous, but I think most just feel like the above scenario would represent a massive devaluation not normally seen and that they at least make it
fair.
I think the fairest way to do it would be to offer up 7 individual 1 night certificates at the appropriate category hotels for each package. They could round down even I would think if it's close, although maybe they offer people the opportunity to pay a small difference in points to round up. This way, it offers the loyalty members more flexibility with using their certificate and for them to get the same value that they would have otherwise gotten. Shouldn't really cost the hotels anything more either, especially since Marriott won't have to deal with points and people using them for fewer nights at more expensive properties. And maybe they are a bit more restrictive moving forward with allowing further extensions beyond a year (in fact I think that's a likely outcome if they were to do this so they don't have these floating around beyond a year). And maybe if it's not booked before peak rates come into play that they can't be used for peak dates. This would all seem fair to me.