Marriott Bonvoy? (Potential new program leak)
#376
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: COS
Programs: UA Gold/1.5MM (several years running now!), Marriott LTTE, Hertz Prez
Posts: 1,899
They can call the program and the elite status tiers whatever they want, but until there is a clear delivery of the benefits then whatever changes they make are worthless. Look at the J.W. Marriott property in Costa Rica that is openly giving a f–ck you by posting on its website that it won't give suite upgrades to customers who are other eligible for suite upgrades. If that's not bad enough look at all the properties, across multiple brands and including even Marriott-managed properties, that are claiming a piece of toast or a muffin and a cup of coffee is a compliant elite status breakfast.
The suite upgrade and breakfast shortcomings are symptoms of the loophole disease that has taken hold within the Marriott ecosystem. I personally consider the "standard room" award availability loophole to be the most gaping and pressing, but of course different members will hold differing priorities. At the end of the day it remains to be seen if this is just a bad patch we're all going through following integration, or if Marriott has committed long-term to prioritizing the whims and baser instincts of their property managers over the supposed benefits they've promised to their most loyal customers.
But since this is the Bonvy thread - and new status tiers are incorporated into that leak - I am throwing in with the camp that the name isn't bad, and that the program represents incremental progress towards proper status recognition with the eradication of the word "platinum" in all but a single status tier.
#377
Suspended
Join Date: Jun 2005
Programs: Delta Diamond, Marriott Ambassador & Lifetime Titanium, Hertz President's Circle, United Silver
Posts: 6,334
I think I agree with your post overall, but I do believe that proper status recognition wasn't ever going to take hold until the "Plat is Plat" situation was/is resolved. So in my view this is progress, albeit minor in comparison to the scale of some of the bigger outstanding problems, a few of which you've identified in your post.
The suite upgrade and breakfast shortcomings are symptoms of the loophole disease that has taken hold within the Marriott ecosystem. I personally consider the "standard room" award availability loophole to be the most gaping and pressing, but of course different members will hold differing priorities. At the end of the day it remains to be seen if this is just a bad patch we're all going through following integration, or if Marriott has committed long-term to prioritizing the whims and baser instincts of their property managers over the supposed benefits they've promised to their most loyal customers.
But since this is the Bonvy thread - and new status tiers are incorporated into that leak - I am throwing in with the camp that the name isn't bad, and that the program represents incremental progress towards proper status recognition with the eradication of the word "platinum" in all but a single status tier.
The suite upgrade and breakfast shortcomings are symptoms of the loophole disease that has taken hold within the Marriott ecosystem. I personally consider the "standard room" award availability loophole to be the most gaping and pressing, but of course different members will hold differing priorities. At the end of the day it remains to be seen if this is just a bad patch we're all going through following integration, or if Marriott has committed long-term to prioritizing the whims and baser instincts of their property managers over the supposed benefits they've promised to their most loyal customers.
But since this is the Bonvy thread - and new status tiers are incorporated into that leak - I am throwing in with the camp that the name isn't bad, and that the program represents incremental progress towards proper status recognition with the eradication of the word "platinum" in all but a single status tier.
I said it in legacy Marriott: It makes no sense (or cents) to screw business travelers when they're on their own dime or on points for their yearly vacation with the wife, husband, partner, boyfriend, girlfriend, or significant other. Like many of us, I can expense breakfast, drinks and the like when I'm traveling most of the year, staying at airport hotels or an unmemorable downtown business hotel.
Getting the excellent M Club breakfast that I do when I stay at the Marriott Georgetown in Washington, D.C., isn't nearly as important nor valuable as it would be if I would got that same breakfast at a property when I'm on vacationing and trying to keep my wife happy. The same for the very nice executive lounge at the J.W. Marriott Grosvenor House in London. As much as I complain about fake champagne I appreciate a halfway decent Spanish cava that is served on a complimentary basis when I'm on my yearly award-redemption trip to London. It means I can save $30-50 in drink expenses per night.
Look at Scrub Island, Autograph Collection. My boss has ambassador status, like me. Him and I do events. Until this year, we each did between $200,000 and $250,000 per year in events with Marriott. He spent like a million points for 10 days over Thanksgiving at Scrub Island, booking a couple of rooms for him and his kids. He even paid several hundred dollars in a co-pay for a suite. And how does the property treat him? A muffin, some bread and a cup of coffee in a box for breakfast. That's it.
Last edited by hhoope01; Jan 1, 2019 at 9:09 pm Reason: Per FT Rule 16, removed offensive language reference.
#378
Join Date: Dec 2011
Posts: 14
I said it in legacy Marriott: It makes no sense (or cents) to screw business travelers when they're on their own dime or on points for their yearly vacation with the wife, husband, partner, boyfriend, girlfriend, or significant other. Like many of us, I can expense breakfast, drinks and the like when I'm traveling most of the year, staying at airport hotels or an unmemorable downtown business hotel.
Reward Stay should have breakfast included always. It's about the chain rewarding their patrons not on this stay, but for all the others stays used to build up the points.
#379
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: DUB-BOS
Programs: various
Posts: 3,690
OMAAT has a post with the logo for the new Marriott Bonfire program, and yes it’s almost as bad as Hyatts.What on earth are they thinking with this crap.
#380
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: LGA/JFK/EWR
Programs: UA 1K1.75MM, Hyatt Globalist, abandoned Marriott LTT (RIP SPG), Hertz PC
Posts: 21,171
I'd expect nothing more from Marriott
#381
Moderator: British Airways Executive Club, Marriott Bonvoy
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Englandshire
Programs: SPG LT Plat, BA G, BD*LG, MG Blue+ ...
Posts: 16,032
#382
Suspended
Join Date: Jun 2005
Programs: Delta Diamond, Marriott Ambassador & Lifetime Titanium, Hertz President's Circle, United Silver
Posts: 6,334
#383
Join Date: Apr 2015
Programs: Some
Posts: 5,252
To me, the logo is fine, not as nice as the old SPG logo or even the old Marriott logo, but better than the weirdly-justified car crash that is the World of Hyatt Logo (Or World O F Hyatt as it reads to me). The problem with Bonvoy is entirely the name that make it sound like some kind of rare orangutan.
#384
Join Date: Feb 2018
Programs: Bonvoy :Ambassador , ALL :Diamond, Skywards :Silver, Krisflyer :Silver
Posts: 2,808
Can I keep my The Ritz-Carlton Rewards logo?
looks better than others options
looks better than others options
#385
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: 100,413
Yeah, but it would be deceptive in that most Starriotts are nowhere the quality of RC. Some would probably say it has class associations or wouldn't be liked by millennials. I liked the SPG logo and colors, but to me the old Marriott (including the typeface) one just looks old in style and is too closely associated with full service Marriott properties and the chains that say "by Marriott" on the sign such as RI. There aren't good connotations.
#386
Join Date: Jun 2015
Posts: 343
Why didn't they just go with Bon voyage? It seems like that was the intent, they were attempting to convey, but it sounds so much worse.
#387
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 7,904
Yeah, but it would be deceptive in that most Starriotts are nowhere the quality of RC. Some would probably say it has class associations or wouldn't be liked by millennials. I liked the SPG logo and colors, but to me the old Marriott (including the typeface) one just looks old in style and is too closely associated with full service Marriott properties and the chains that say "by Marriott" on the sign such as RI. There aren't good connotations.
#388
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: New York
Programs: Bonvoy LifetimeTitanium, UA Plat 2MM, LHW LeadersClub, IHGPlat, HiltonDiamnd, ASMVPG100K, WyndDiamnd
Posts: 1,227
Titanium Elite
Just looking at my status on the app and it says that I am Titanium Elite.I am still Platinum Premier Elite on the website.
#389
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Barcelona, London, on a plane
Programs: BA Silver, TK E+, AA PP, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott LT Plat, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 13,048
^ I am getting tired of being greeted as a Platinum.
#390
Moderator, Marriott Bonvoy & FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: McKinney, TX, USA
Programs: United Silver; AA Plat/2MM; Marriott LT Titanium; Hilton Gold
Posts: 11,727
My elite status is still showing PP on the App. But if I look at my nights details, it says "Renew Lifetime Titanium Elite at 32 nights". I didn't realize that I need to have more nights each year to renew my LT status.