Wait a minute. The lowest category TP cert you could buy last year was OC5. So you had already converted an OC5 to a NC4? And then you were able to convert that to a NC5 and get it extended? If that is correct, that's fantastic and great news!

Do you mind to post which US number you call? There are multiple of them - it would be nice that we know the "working" number. Thanks.

We need more details, to make sure it is how margarita girl understands it, or LNJSomers is using the "short cut" to call the OC5 being essentially a Cat 4 cert now.

Anybody knows the difference between NC4 and NC5 when redeeming the NEW TP? My recollection is that it isn't a neatly 60K. So there are some doubts on exactly what was the existing Cat 4 cert... an NC4 or an OC5...

In any case, one could still go upward by a different approach which does not work in the past but works with this particular rep. Of course the system is not hardcoded therefore as long as you have a willing and competent rep, things can still be done...

Do note that method used is wanting to use the cert on a higher category...

Those of you who want to go upward, do so asap with this new twist ...

Did not work for me when I called the UK number. I said that when I bought my TP cert, there were lots of cat 4 beach hotels which were now cat 5s. I said I was willing to pay the extra points required, but the UK agent said there was no way to do it.

Yeah, you got an informed rep who fully understands what the current policy is. When I joked with the guy today he had a few chuckles but firmly said "No, it is no longer allowed.", implying he knew it could be done and might very well performed the tasks in the past.

There are still either uninformed reps or reps misunderstand the essence (taking additional points to issue a higher category cert to facilitating booking has no difference then just "upgrade" the cert... but may be some reps think it differently... So HUCA would still work until finally any rep who has done that got reprimanded after some audit has performed (like the poster got a call within less than 30 min informing the mistake done but the mistake stays), there is still a chance - that may not last much longer though.

Myself, before redeeming the OC I had combed thru the new chart and determined there were properties I could use it should an upgrade was not possible. So not a big deal to me, even though if possible, it would be very nice to have nice hotels on the cheap. :)

I don't, I just know the 5 night 100 mile TP is 893T...

Is there a cutoff time to getting someone that can help? Called a few minutes ago and both agents were clueless about converting to the new category, let alone converting to a new higher category.

DP: called in a regular points reservation, decided to convert my OC Cat 5 to a NC Cat 4 (no upgrade) before expiration. Got transferred to Rewards line; rep said she couldn't do that (she "didn't havve the right equipment for that"?). She put me on hold, and 3 or 4 minutes later the cert was changed. PLUS I got the 45K refund value for the old cert. I didn't think that was supposed to happen.

What's it called when you get more than you're supposed to? Nonvoyed?

i got bonveyed by a 'helpful' agent...whilst on hold looking into converting to a higher category, the agent decided to do me a favour and convert to NC1-4 to extend my expiry date. There goes my shot at upgrading to a higher category on that certificate.

As a DP, it was an OC6 so I got 15k back on the 5 night cert.

Update: the 45K got wiped with the overnight reset. So...Voyed, I guess.

Quick Q - When you convert to a new cert, you get 12 months from that date until expiry of the new cert, but if you still have not used it by 11 months later, can you extend the new cert a further year as a once-off by asking?

i.e. like we used to be able to do pre merger

Bonvoyed AGAIN while on hold. Took it upon themselves to convert to NC1-4.

Anyone have success getting these things refunded? I have no use for NC1-4!

EDIT: spoke to a number of agents, all said it's not possible and anyone doing it is breaking the rules. Says very clearly in the process how they map and upgrades are not allowed.

Looks like the upgrade party is over...agents in USA/CANADA/UK are all saying the same thing.

Just got off the phone with the UK rewards line and was able to convert my OC6 partial package to an NC5 by paying 30k extra points. It took some discussion to get an NC5 instead of the NC4 she wanted to give me. Definitely the word has spread to most agents that there is no flexibility involved in the conversion anymore. The agent I talked to was not British, possibly a Slavic accent, and she told me initially that agents have a chart and rules have been passed down that they are not allowed to deviate from the chart when it comes to conversions and my OC6/P870 was shown in the chart as only converting to NC4/QP83 and she was quite firm that was all I was allowed. I pressed her explaining that my OC6 was in the middle of the new package categories and if she converted to a QP83 it would not be a straight conversion, I would get a 30k refund, so since I was in the middle of the NC4 and NC5 packages I thought it should be allowed to convert to the NC5/QP91 knowing that it would cost an extra 30k points which I had in my account. I also said that I had heard of other people doing this conversion and that I had heard it was allowed (I was not certain it was allowed now but I tried to sound confident that I was right). She said she would check and put me on hold. She came back a couple of minutes later to say she had confirmed that my case was a known exception and I was allowed to convert to the QP91 and then she put me on hold to do the conversion. It took quite a while to get done but she did it. Clearly the agents can order any package they want but they been warned not to deviate from the chart so most will not.

If you have an old cert that maps in between two NC categories it seems like there is an allowed exception to the conversion table to allow you to up-convert to the next higher category with a 30k cost rather than take the Marriott conversion chart's down-conversion and a 30k refund. I think the only OC packages that fall in the middle are the OC6 and the OC8. Other than that you may have a hard time converting up categories now what with the agents seeming to have been read the riot act on following the conversion chart.