Dec 4, 2018, 10:44 am
Last edit by: HHQX888
Ambassador Service general email address: [email protected]
Ambassador Service general phone line (USA): (866) 924-9885
Europe: +353-21-4861 222
USA: +1-866-924-9885
Asia : +86-20-38157156
Ambassador Service general phone line (USA): (866) 924-9885
Europe: +353-21-4861 222
USA: +1-866-924-9885
Asia : +86-20-38157156
Marriott Bonvoy ‘Ambassador Elite’ Level : experiences (2020 and earlier)
Jan 7, 2019, 2:17 pm
#1831
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Southern California, USA
Programs: Marriott Ambassador and LTT, UA Plat/LT Gold, AA Gold
Posts: 8,764
Do you manage to get it changed on the other 4 occassion?
I wonder if the reason is similar to why you cant easily change name on airline ticket (at least in Asia/Australia not sure other countries)
To prevent people hoarding ticket on very busy period and resell them (through black market) at higher price and then change the name on the ticket to buyers name.
I wonder if the reason is similar to why you cant easily change name on airline ticket (at least in Asia/Australia not sure other countries)
To prevent people hoarding ticket on very busy period and resell them (through black market) at higher price and then change the name on the ticket to buyers name.
The conference/meeting affiliation rate may be part of the IT issue in this case...but it wouldn’t have been an issue for my Ambassador with SPG. It is now with Marriott. The hotel front office manager is supposed to call me later today with a possible resolution. But I’m not optimistic. I only wanted to forestall the inevitable nightmare of getting my proper elite night credit afterward. Alas...
Jan 7, 2019, 4:55 pm
#1833
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Southern California, USA
Programs: Marriott Ambassador and LTT, UA Plat/LT Gold, AA Gold
Posts: 8,764
With SPG, I was able to get it resolved easily for the previous instances. This is my first instance with Marriott.
The conference/meeting affiliation rate may be part of the IT issue in this case...but it wouldn’t have been an issue for my Ambassador with SPG. It is now with Marriott. The hotel front office manager is supposed to call me later today with a possible resolution. But I’m not optimistic. I only wanted to forestall the inevitable nightmare of getting my proper elite night credit afterward. Alas...
Jan 7, 2019, 5:03 pm
#1834
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: SYD
Programs: UA GS, BA Gold, Marriott Titanium/LT Plat, IHG Gold, National Exec Elite, Hertz PC
Posts: 1,419
I've had an ambassador for two years. As I tend to go to the same properties, where I know the front desk staff by name, I rarely use my ambassador. If I want a suite, I just ask the front desk in advance and they make that happen. Typically larger than standard suites too. If my wife is coming, I tell them it's a special occasion, and we get wine, chocolates, cookies for the kids, etc.
I did reach out to my ambassador a few times recently and had a very positive experience. The first time to shorten a reservation made months earlier for a now sold out property. She contacted the property and took care of that. I also got upgraded from a junior to a larger suite, although I'm not sure about why.
This week, we're going on our annual ski holiday in Canada. My ambassador reached out to the property to get me a free 16 night suite upgrade, without using any SNAs (I still have 15). I'm super happy about that.
I did reach out to my ambassador a few times recently and had a very positive experience. The first time to shorten a reservation made months earlier for a now sold out property. She contacted the property and took care of that. I also got upgraded from a junior to a larger suite, although I'm not sure about why.
This week, we're going on our annual ski holiday in Canada. My ambassador reached out to the property to get me a free 16 night suite upgrade, without using any SNAs (I still have 15). I'm super happy about that.
Jan 7, 2019, 8:37 pm
#1835
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Redondo Beach, CA USA
Programs: UA 1KMM, Bonvoy LTE+A, HH D, Nat'l EE, Hertz Plat, Avis PC
Posts: 3,710
100 nights isn't much of a threshold. 125 or 150 nights, especially now that you can't game the system with events, would be enough to thin the ranks.
$20,000 is a high threshold for people staying in flyover country and Southeast Asia, but not that high for someone who only stays at hotels in New York, Boston, San Francisco, Washington, Los Angeles, Miami, London and Paris.
$20,000 is a high threshold for people staying in flyover country and Southeast Asia, but not that high for someone who only stays at hotels in New York, Boston, San Francisco, Washington, Los Angeles, Miami, London and Paris.
I think elite benefits should be independent of the Ambassador service, and vice versa. Of course there will also be many road warriors who qualify for both platinum premier status and Ambassador service, but I don't think Ambassador should be considered an elite level "above" platinum premier (as many here seem to think it is). Even today the level is called "Platinum Premier WITH Ambassador", not PPE+A as many of us abbreviate it in our profiles here.
Jan 7, 2019, 8:56 pm
#1836
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Southern California, USA
Programs: Marriott Ambassador and LTT, UA Plat/LT Gold, AA Gold
Posts: 8,764
How convenient it would be for so many were elite status only dictated by number of nights and Ambassador service (and it is a status, too, in case anyone missed that) were dictated by some minimum spend. How convenient that would be for the road warriors spending $90 a night on government or corporate rates. How convenient that would be for customers staying at less expensive properties. How convenient that would be for people who don’t spend as much as so many others.
Marriott wants to reward the customers that are most lucrative. Period.
Fortunately, Marriott smartly learned from its own metrics and those of SPG. It also learned from the airlines. Better to continue to allow the old elite Marriott and SPG structure of 25, 50, 75, and 100 nights...but only allow top tier of 100 nights for the most lucrative customers who spend the most. Marriott presumably chose the $20K spending threshold with 100 nights because their numbers suggested a population of Ambassador level guests that could achieve those thresholds which Marriott believed was appropriate.
Marriott’s $20K spending threshold also mitigates what I always presumed was a SPG bias toward those Ambassador guests who spent the most.
My guess is is that the future eventually will bring an even higher spending threshold for Ambassador status. Perhaps a spending threshold for Platinum Premier. Whatever will cull the Plat Premier and Ambassador guest numbers after 2020 to the population goals that Marriott intends.
Marriott wants to reward the customers that are most lucrative. Period.
Fortunately, Marriott smartly learned from its own metrics and those of SPG. It also learned from the airlines. Better to continue to allow the old elite Marriott and SPG structure of 25, 50, 75, and 100 nights...but only allow top tier of 100 nights for the most lucrative customers who spend the most. Marriott presumably chose the $20K spending threshold with 100 nights because their numbers suggested a population of Ambassador level guests that could achieve those thresholds which Marriott believed was appropriate.
Marriott’s $20K spending threshold also mitigates what I always presumed was a SPG bias toward those Ambassador guests who spent the most.
My guess is is that the future eventually will bring an even higher spending threshold for Ambassador status. Perhaps a spending threshold for Platinum Premier. Whatever will cull the Plat Premier and Ambassador guest numbers after 2020 to the population goals that Marriott intends.
Jan 8, 2019, 3:36 am
#1837
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: HKG • Ex SFO, NYC
Programs: UA 1K, AA EXP; Marriott Amb; Hyatt Globalist; Shangri-la Diamond; IHG SpireAmb; Hilton D; Accor G
Posts: 3,319
Someone else had the idea (maybe it was even you) that I very much agree with--your STATUS should be based on number of nights, and the addition of Ambassador SERVICE should be based on spend. There could be platinum premier members who stay many nights at low-cost properties (who get the commensurate benefits), and base members who have an Ambassador (to provide them the personalized service a high-spender deserves and probably expects).
I think elite benefits should be independent of the Ambassador service, and vice versa. Of course there will also be many road warriors who qualify for both platinum premier status and Ambassador service, but I don't think Ambassador should be considered an elite level "above" platinum premier (as many here seem to think it is). Even today the level is called "Platinum Premier WITH Ambassador", not PPE+A as many of us abbreviate it in our profiles here.
I think elite benefits should be independent of the Ambassador service, and vice versa. Of course there will also be many road warriors who qualify for both platinum premier status and Ambassador service, but I don't think Ambassador should be considered an elite level "above" platinum premier (as many here seem to think it is). Even today the level is called "Platinum Premier WITH Ambassador", not PPE+A as many of us abbreviate it in our profiles here.
Jan 8, 2019, 3:45 am
#1838
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: In the air
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Bonvoy LT Plat, Hilton Gold, GHA Tit, BA Gold, Turkish Elite
Posts: 8,712
This is all splitting hairs. There are winners and losers with each way of qualifying for status. Marriott’s only just decided what theirs will be for the new programme and I hope they will stick with what they have and work to actually get the benefits realised on the ground for the next year or two as opposed to instead focusing on changing things again.
Jan 8, 2019, 6:21 am
#1839
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: South Florida
Programs: AA LTG (EXP), Hilton Silver (Dia), Marriott LTP (PP), SPG LTG (P) > MPG LTPP
Posts: 11,329
I think what DJ_Iceman was proposing was to separate the two and allow ANY status tier capable of having Ambassador service solely based upon their spend. I also feel this makes sense. If Marriott wants to court the high spenders then do so without regard for the number of nights. Facilitating spending money at Marriott has got to have positive impact on the bottom line. Using nights to wrangle in the road warriors also has an impact.
Jan 8, 2019, 7:06 am
#1840
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
Programs: A3*Gold, SPG Plat, HyattDiamond, MarriottPP, LHW exAccess, ICI, Raffles Amb, NW PE MM, TWA Gold MM
Posts: 100,369
NO, for this status year (PPwithAMB through January 2020) there's not yet a revenue requirement for those who had 100+ legacy Starwood nights.
Jan 8, 2019, 7:17 am
#1841
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: NY Metro
Programs: SPG Titanium, United Premier 1K
Posts: 1,600
If you just started your Ambassador status, I would suggest requesting someone different now.
Jan 8, 2019, 8:12 am
#1842
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: TPA/DFW/K15
Programs: AA EXP, Mar AMB, HH LT DIA
Posts: 1,649
... My guess is is that the future eventually will bring an even higher spending threshold for Ambassador status. Perhaps a spending threshold for Platinum Premier. Whatever will cull the Plat Premier and Ambassador guest numbers after 2020 to the population goals that Marriott intends.
Jan 8, 2019, 8:16 am
#1843
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: South Florida
Programs: AA LTG (EXP), Hilton Silver (Dia), Marriott LTP (PP), SPG LTG (P) > MPG LTPP
Posts: 11,329
That is presuming MPG will maintain their current staff and not reduce it as members roll off the program. If the bean counters are in charge then they will work to keep the same ratio or raise it so each ambassador has the same or more members assigned.
Jan 8, 2019, 8:21 am
#1844
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: In the air
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Bonvoy LT Plat, Hilton Gold, GHA Tit, BA Gold, Turkish Elite
Posts: 8,712
I am pretty sure that Marriott fixing their IT and rolling out some Ambassador training and SOPs will benefit service much more than just increasing the minimum spend.
Jan 8, 2019, 8:59 am
#1845
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: SLC/HEL/Anywhere with a Beach
Programs: Marriott Ambassador; AA EXP 3MM; AS MVP, Hilton Gold, CH-47/UH-60/C-23/C-130 VET
Posts: 5,234
The numbers will go down on February 1, so hopefully service will go up!
