"3.14 Hotel and Air Travel Packages

3.14.a. All Loyalty Program Rules apply to Members redeeming Points toward a hotel and flight “Travel Package.”

3.14.b. When a Member redeems Points to purchase a Travel Package: (1) the hotel award portion includes consecutive nights at the selected hotel; (2) Miles will be automatically transferred into the participating airline frequent flyer program account that matches the name on the Membership Account; and (3) Travel Packages are excluded from airline partner conversion bonus campaigns. More information on the Travel Packages may be obtained here.

3.14.c. Once a Travel Package is processed:

i. airline Miles cannot be transferred back to the Membership Account; and

ii. the hotel award portion of the Travel Package is non-refundable to the Member if cancelled or not used." (Bolding mine.)

Since the old travel package allowed refunds, extensions and category changes, some representatives continue to allow changes to them. In contrast, those accommodations aren't part of the current Terms and Conditions which were posted before the first new certificates were issued. Although one can make the argument that old certificates should be allowed some flexibility due to policy changes made after purchase, such changes are the quintessential YMMV.

Second Jrey's post, this is a shocking news to me. Is that true?? No cancellation to get back the residue/surrender points?

No, except that there are a number of agents who don't know how to attach it. So you might waste your time there. I just went through about 4-5 agents before someone can attach it. About 3 of them were from SPG.

Anyone got any data points on this matter? Is that true that only the OCs can be canceled and refunded with the 45Ks. The NC can't be refunded??? Once it expires, it just completely disappeared? ?

If I have an OC5 that I need to convert to an NC5, I just need to call and ask them to upgrade it? Pay the 60k points and then attach it to my booking, right?

Is there any specific call centre that works better than others?

Although the Terms and Conditions are quite clear that the hotel award portion of a travel package is non-refundable, I remember at least one poster reporting that he or she received a refund.

I am using a Cat 5 (5 night) TP-new system. It was a Cat 8-old system. Converted and I got back 30K points. Anyway, it was booked and attached to a reservation for June. I needed to move the reservation back two days. Had to call-couldn't make it online. Agent was very helpful and made the change. I asked "Is the certificate still attached?" "Sure is"...well it sure wasn't. Took three calls. Two transfers to fix. The last call was 45 mins-with the same person trying to reattach it. Its done now, but WOW. Didn't think it could possibly be that difficult.

If you're lucky, you may get an CSR who's not only sympathetic but also competent enough to deal with this type of issue. Presently, there're very few of them, unfortunately.

You can't blame all on Marriott. We were all urged to attach the TPs to existing reservations. But a lot people did not do that. Because a lot of the TPs were purchased for speculative purposes. Look around. A lot of the OC1-5 TPs were purchases and the members had no intention to stay at those hotels. So what are the way out of this?? Knock on wood.... And have ourselves to blame too.

Does anyone know how many phone agents Marriott has around the world? And how many just for the US phone number? And about how many are the competent ones who can do TP?