I'm really confused with the merge. I have this P830 PARTIAL PKG-CAT 1-5 expiring 3/9/19. It was extended once pre merge. What are my options?

1. can it be extended again?
2. is it good on any cat 5 on new chart or just Marriott/4p?
3. Where should I go? (would travel 1/19-1/26 and up for anything warm, bringing a 4 year old...long plane ride from ORD is OK)
Thanks for any help, have to get something planned out (unless there is a way to extend/convert to something of equal value)

Just got off the phone with a competent MR agent and had requested a credit for my OC6 that had a reservation attached (now a NC4) to it, was given a 30K points refund.
Not sure if that is the correct amount but I'll take it. Considered myself lucky as I was told last month that this was not possible and this was done in less than 15 minutes.^

Purchased the 120 mile / 7 day original category 7 travel package in August, called back 8/14, and upgraded it to a cat 8 by adding another 30,000 points. I did so as agent advised the cat 6 SPG hotel i wanted would be available once categories were reclassified. I quickly found out a few days later I was advised incorrectly.
Fast forward to post 9/18. It took 4-5 calls before I finally got a hold of someone who understood what I meant when I said I wanted 30K back because the old category 7 (330k point cost) and old 8 cert. (360k point cost) both pointed to a new cat 5. and I ended up paying an extra 30K points for the old cat 8 and not getting any benefit when it points to the new cat 5. She understood, and cancelled my travel cert, and reissued it as a new cat 5 and then gave me 30k points back i saw in my acct that day.

Fast forward another 10 days . I tried to attach the 7 day cert.. to a SPG cat 5 propriety. I called Rewards 1 week ago, and was advised that I would not be able to attahc my certificate to any SPG properties. I HUCA, got same answer. Fast forward to today. Called rewards again this morning. This time I was told I need to speak with an SPG travel adviser who said the cert was worth only 105,000 points (that is the cancellation value as I understand it) and I could not use it for a 7 day, but could use it for a 3 days at a SPG cat 5 property that charges 35K points per night. (3 time 35K =105,000 cancellation value).
So, I HUCA. Got another Marriott rewards advisor and this time I asked about attaching the 7 day cat 5 certificate to a cat 5 Marriott Courtyard property. She checked with her supervisor and came back and told me the cert was only was worth 105k points and I would need another 105K points in addition to the cert if I wanted to use it at the Marriott cat 5 Courtyard. I asked to speak with the person she got her info from and even though my call now hitting 60 minutes long , I was conveniently disconnected.

No, that is not possible. I believe OC5 and OC6 packages are mapping to NC1-4, but for the OC6, you should get 30k points back to make you whole w/ OC5 holders.

Does this look right?
 

it's fine

Where are people seeing the cert number?
 

If I look in my activity I can see -270000 for travel package (but no associated number for the cert) and this is for multiple dates (multiple redemptions)
If I look in my reservations I see "e-cert attached" and will be sent to the hotel - but no details eg number of the cert.
People seem to be able to see details I cannot (eg screen shot below and previous posts about cert numbers)
What am I missing? (reservation were made pre "merger" with spg points transferred to marriott if that matters - I only see 270k points added then 270k deducted). When I called I was able to get the cert number from phone agent for 2 reservations - but he couldn't tell me where I should be able to see them. Of course if I can't see them I also can't see expiration date.

Hello everyone,
I'm sure this has been discussed, but I can't seem to find a thread. I purchased a 7 night package that after the merger converted to a category 1-4 stay. I, of course, was hoping for the conversion to be to a category 1-5. Obviously that didn't happen. So, now, I'm stuck trying to figure out a decent location to stay for 7 nights at a category 4. I have two kids, ages 1 and 3, so finding a location with a lounge is realllllllly helpful for seven nights. Has anyone found a hidden gem category 4 hotel? I'm open to traveling quite a distance, but the place has to have drinkable water since I'm traveling with two small kiddos.
If there is already a thread on this, can someone point me in the right direction?
Thank you so much!
Ashley

Just another data point for the group

Called the Plat Line (1-866-576-5696) just now, the automated system did prompt asking for my Marriott number and I got an Rewards agent in 5min!! I was be able to attached an OC5 to an existing NC4 non points-advanced Four Points reservation that got converted from the old 9 digits SPG to the new 8 digits Marriott confirmation number. Took about 15 min to convert the OC5 to NC4 and attach the cert. On the hand, say no upgrade category allow until further noticed, even after using the excuse that I was told category changes are allow when I order the cert.

--added info--

BTW, cert exp date did not backdated as with all experience reported here.

Yeah, new certs are one year from issuance date. So just hold out on converting and then convert and get 1yr.

Personally I found it hard to see many good places in CAT-4.
CAT-5 is much much better. I suggest getting more points and upgrading to CAT-5. Loads of posts upthread about how to upgrade your cert.

Yes, the incremental points for a Cat 5 could be well worth it.

Indeed NC5 are nicer! A lot of NC5 used to be OC6 to OC8 which an OC1-5 wouldn't have got you into either. Yes, you could upgrade old certificates in the now defunct former, Marriott only program. We were notified upgrades were not possible after converting into the new program. Although some have successfully skirted around the policy, I think the likelihood of doing so will decrease as time goes by. I redeemed for an OC8 and attached it to the property I wanted prior to 8/18 and have spent a total of zero minutes in contacting Marriott. It has been stress free. :) Did I overpay 30K by attaching in the old program? Apparently I did. If I don't get those points back, will I be upset? Not at all. I got what I wanted within the confines of the old program. There were no gurantees I would have gotten what I wanted in the new program or if inventory would still be available for my dates after the hiatus. I call that insurance and well spent too.

Anyone who didn't attach was speculating even if holding off for a Legacy SPG property.

Prior to 8/18 I also redeemed 4 nights, 5th free & paid for a sixth night at the Satiago Marriott Hotel Chile in the beautiful suburb of Los Condes. It was formerally 20K a night and is now a NC4. As a PP I was treated like royalty, friendly efficient staff, nice lounge, I had breakfast daily in the restaurant in lieu of the welcome points which they gave me anyways. I was also upgraded to a Full Suite, corner room, top floor for the six nights. As a non Chilean, you are also exempt from paying the 19% VAT.

Look at this list of NC4 properties and see what is of interest, some of those will be OC5. I don't understand some that aren't interested in NC4 that they were happy to stay at when it was an OC5. I guess 4 is less than 5 so it can't be as good.

My thoughts of course.

James