Originally Posted by LDoc

I agree and my guess is that when Marriott finally makes a REAL statement on Travel Packages (floating certificates, reservation changes, SPG property bookings) it will be as follows:

DOWNGRADE
1-time one category downgrade with 30K point refund only for categories negatively affected by the new category map (OC6, OC8, OCTier1-3)

UPGRADE
Based on the new Travel Package rates (see above quote for rate conversions by category)

So, if you have an OC8 (NC5) and downgrade to OC7 (NC5) to get your 30K refund and then upgrade from NC5 to NC6 you will need 180K points for a net cost of 510K (360K - 30K refund + 180K), which is the same as the new Travel Package rate for a category 6 property. Meaning you get no value for booking prior to Aug 18 armed with the old Travel Package rates unless you attached a reservation to a property and going forward do not need to change dates. If your property did not change to a new category after Aug 18, you should be OK to change dates.

If this downgrade/upgrade scenario is executed by Marriott, then not releasing the new category map, letting CSRs misinform their customers, setting a hard cut off date, having a blackout period, using SPG properties as post Aug 18 bookings bait, etc was not a bug; it was a feature realized under the guise of the merger integration to get a lot of points off their books. Most importantly, off their books at the category rate they ultimately wanted by duping consumers that need date changes, wanted to book an SPG property, or who were deceived by the multitude of ill-informed statements made by their CSRs prior to Aug 18 regarding the very information Marriott hid to obfuscate their OWN customers!

But, hey they put a Mormon bible in my room so they must be ethical. RIGHT?