Originally Posted by Marykatesmom

I joined the RC rewards program immediately upon it being established and then got the CC without hesitation when it was opened by JP Morgan. I earned the RC lifetime Platinum level and still have the card I was issued like a memento of much better times. Of course, it was folded into the Marriott program but they let me keep my status. The CC was acquired by Chase and things pretty much continued forward with the CC but RC was always very, very good to me in all its properties while I was a RC Platinum but unimpressed to almost disdainful of my Marriott Lifetime Titanium. Such is life.

There had always been a dedicated concierge or club level phone number to use to attach the upgrade Certificate to a standard rack rate hotel room or the RC $100 property credit room. That number slowly melted away and is now discontinued. It became quite a hassle to get the certificates because no one knew how to attach them and it was a lengthy process as I got bounced around and up the chain until I found an agent that could do it. It was often confused with the RC Property credit or I was just upgraded to a paid CL room. I had a lengthy phone call with Chase while an agent tried to get me the dedicated number (maybe I missed a change?). After forever on hold he gave me this number 1-877-231-7916. Discontinued. A Googled number 1-800-542-8680 while gets an automated "Welcome to Ritz Carlton", is actually central reservations.

During Covid the CL upgrades were useless as the lounges were closed everywhere and coupled with the closing of the Battery Park location there was limited availability. As they slowly opened up, on the weekends, I had some stays but the lounges were not nearly what they were preCovid. While they did extend the dates of all of the Upgrade Certificates, there simply wasn't enough open lounges to use the certificates. Such is life.

The most recent disastrous change is Marriott has reconfigured its Club Upgrades and no longer uses the "certificate" approach but now I am forced to use a "code" that is entered at the time of booking. This drastic change now means I can no longer get a "Club Upgrade" but rather approximately $100 or $200 off a night for a club room. Instead of a regular rack rate for a standard room with an attached Club upgrade I am paying much, much more. You can no longer book a room, and then when you receive your CL certificates, add them to your room. This is a serious downgrade in the value of the club upgrades. RC does not honor SNA, which I believe was wise since they are less than useless, but this downgrade in benefits is a slap in the face to some of Ritz's most loyal customers and is really part of the pile on like the useless Ambassador Elite status I have.