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Originally Posted by EuropeanPete
(Post 30329072)
Maybe this is a generational thing. With my reservations as much as my work output and my finances I rely on apps and websites instead of sheets of paper, emails, Filofaxes, organisers or post it notes. This is generally more effective than the olden days and a lot more efficient. I approach the companies I use frequently with the assumption that they are a good source of reference for my bookings with them, but the OP was not able to do that in this case as we know (Marriott declares it on the website) that the website does not list all reservations and we know that Marriott’s email system is severely malfunctioning at the moment because we’ve either been told that or seen that many messages are getting lost. I’m happy with the argument that maybe I just shouldn’t use Marriott.com until it’s fixed, but creating parallel offline lists is not a “normal” or (in normal circumstances) an effective thing to do. I think this is a bit bold for my money. The first people you meet in a foreign country have significant powers over your liberty: Immigration, police etc. It is their decision, not yours, if they will accept the record on your phone...assuming it hasn't been lost, impounded, stolen etc. Having a back up piece of company headed and footed note paper with your key details on i.e. a forwarding booked flight and hotel reservation, is useful as Happy above has kindly shown. Your decision though. |
Agree with you 100%. I have to get a hard copy bill each time now to be sure I get one!
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Originally Posted by Flying for Fun
(Post 30330656)
Everyone has a printer. It is called "print to file!" I do that and store them in a trip folder and then send the folder to my Partner just in case one of our devices is lost or stolen.
James Because virtually all our airline tickets are issued by the airlines on partner flights - I have found having a hard copy print out often quickly resolved discrepancies or minor hiccup. Air NZ once demanded to see specific print out of an UA ticket before letting me check in. Alitalia once considered us being doubled booked on its flight but our DL print out showed otherwise. QR had problem to check us in at MIA until they studied the AA issued ticket for 10 min and then tapped on their computer for another 5 min, finally declared it was all right... We are heading out next Tuesday for another month long trip - we have separate one way tickers issued by AS - outbound one way on CX, inbound one way on QF. 3 BA issued tickers, 1 on AA and 2 on QF. This is by far the simplest ticketing scenario we have in recent years, and no ferry or long distance buses involved! ;) Would also like to mention about Rental cars - Avis had a major improvement now it no longer automatically converted the local currency to USD on the final page when I made a reservation in Brisbane for our Nov trip. Before it would show local currency up till you pressed the Submit to book, then the final page turned into USD, and also lost all the detailed breakdowns. So I always made a screen shot before the final step. This has proven useful more than once at places such as JNB in South Africa, Zagreb at Croatia, and Adana in Turkey, to name a few times we had to go over the local currency details to determine WHY the final totals did not agree with the reservations. There were times Avis website made mistakes in tax calculation, but there were also times Avis system of a particular country would add Optional Items by default even you never choose those items. That is when the detailed page of the local currency before finalize the reservation came in handy to figure what went awry. Have already mentioned the hotel part how a paper print out would save us trouble so not going to repeat here. Though I truly feel at a sold out hotel, having a paper print out when the hotel denied you had a booking, has resolved the issue in our favor 100% of the time. Of course for those of you the primary trips you made are booked by your corporate travel agencies / personal assistants, business trips, you probably have far less details to keep track on. So a cell phone may indeed all you would need - until, one day you come upon a situation that a printable copy of whatever reservation is needed.. |
Originally Posted by Lizie
(Post 30332057)
I think this is a bit bold for my money. The first people you meet in a foreign country have significant powers over your liberty: Immigration, police etc. It is their decision, not yours, if they will accept the record on your phone...assuming it hasn't been lost, impounded, stolen etc. Having a back up piece of company headed and footed note paper with your key details on i.e. a forwarding booked flight and hotel reservation, is useful as Happy above has kindly shown. Your decision though.
I would absolutely print my passport information every single time I visit Iraq, Iran, North Korea, Venezuela, Syria and Russia, but realistically most Marriott frequent customers are mainly visiting countries where “foreign” is not really a thing which requires extensive paperwork or evidence. We seem to be conflating common sense advice which is not to approach a land border in the DRC with only a Gmail app with a new requirement that anyone who dares book Marriott Group hotels anywhere outside of the US needs to act as if they were Dr Livingstone entering Africa for the first time, even if they’re booking a hotel 5 minutes walk from their home. I understand that “foreign” in Salt Lake City means either hitting the Mexican border or driving into a snowstorm in Canada, but for most Europeans it means a 45 minute drive or flight within a border-free zone. |
I am actually most scared of crossing into US border than just about any other country's:) 5 continents this year and US always the most militant.
Yeah sure, going into a war torn country or one smacked with pandemic corruption one should be prepared with back up paperwork, but an app should be enough for getting into HK, China, UK or Dubai. I wonder how many of the IT problems are hitting Starwood people more who had to port data into a new membership # and account into. Seems Marriott folks have had less problems. I also wonder if sone if us have bigger issues from downloading apps from not US app stores |
Just one question: how were you even able to enter China without a prinout of the reservation? I‘m asking because I just applied for a Visa last week and the embassy here in LUX requires to see a printed hotel reservation... |
Originally Posted by rylan
(Post 30325365)
I've had that same item in my reservation list on the website for a few weeks also. Nobody at Marriott can tell me why... that is if I can even get a response out of anybody.
Oh and at this point I don't think there is such as thing as a 'shocking Marriott IT fail'. They are so bad on the technology and customer service side now that I have zero expectations. |
Originally Posted by Muerz
(Post 30335285)
Just one question: how were you even able to enter China without a prinout of the reservation? I‘m asking because I just applied for a Visa last week and the embassy here in LUX requires to see a printed hotel reservation... As a UK citizen with visas issued in the US, I never had to provide a hotel reservation for a visa. I think they ask where one intends to stay |
I think when applying for a visa for China you need to show where you are staying and dates to consulate/embassy. The visa authorities are a real nuisance.
When coming into China they almost never ask questions at immigration. They barely speak English. Once you get approval, ie a visa, things should be easy. But have an app or in Marriott's case screenshot as backup. But i've never heard of provlems getting in once you have visa. |
Originally Posted by maniac78
(Post 30328274)
I usually send a runner or carrier pigeon.
I've been using telegrams for this purpose. They're newfangled things but many Starriotts seem to be able to deal with them. |
Originally Posted by SHLTP
(Post 30334622)
I am actually most scared of crossing into US border than just about any other country's:) 5 continents this year and US always the most militant.
Yeah sure, going into a war torn country or one smacked with pandemic corruption one should be prepared with back up paperwork, but an app should be enough for getting into HK, China, UK or Dubai. I wonder how many of the IT problems are hitting Starwood people more who had to port data into a new membership # and account into. Seems Marriott folks have had less problems. I also wonder if sone if us have bigger issues from downloading apps from not US app stores China? I've been questioned when entering mainland China at PVG where I would be staying (beyond the fact that I wrote the hotel's name and address on the entry form) and I was glad that I could just give the agent a hard copy of my hotel reservation as he and the document then disappeared for about ten minutes. I would not have been comfortable giving over my phone in such circumstances. IIRC this happened several times. I've also been asked about hotel arrangements when entering Argentina and having the hard copy of a reservation to show as proof ended the issue. I don't know what would have happened without the printed version as I don't know whether my phone would have worked there. |
Originally Posted by Newman
(Post 30324602)
I have been a Marriott Rewards member for over 20 years. During that time, I have probably made thousands of reservations via the Marriott website.
Whenever I make a reservation, I do three things:
But as usual, people here like to play the victim card and blame Marriott for their failure to take even the most minimal actions to secure a reservation (if indeed you did make a reservation). Marriott owes you NOTHING. When I make a booking, I always put the confirmation number on the Location field of Outlook, right below the description. Additionally, when I leave on a trip, I print everything -- Air itineraries, hotel confirmations, cars, etc. I staple them together, fold into thirds and slip them into my inside jacket pocket. They're easily available at airport counters, front desks, etc. Just takes a few minutes, but has proven invaluable. |
Originally Posted by Newman
(Post 30329048)
What was he possibly thinking of when he never received the almost instantaneous confirmation e-mail?
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It sounds like I can either A) book with Marriott, make absolutely sure I have documentation of the confirmation number digitally or on paper, double- and triple-check that before my trip, worry about the res on my flight and Lyft to the hotel, check other hotels nearby before I arrive just in case Marriott doesn't have the res, and be ready and flexible if the hotel can't find the res at check-in; or
B) Book Hilton or IHG. Gee, I wonder which approach will be easier for me and cause me less anxiety? |
Originally Posted by Viks
(Post 30335726)
Since the attempted merger, Marriott's confirmation e-mails arrive at random times, some instantly, some the next day, some never… (And yes, the problem isn't on my end.)
At least I now have always conditioned myself to get the paper folio. |
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