Chase Ritz Carlton Club Level Upgrade Certificates - Use after Expiry?
 

I'm wondering if the Ritz Carlton 7-day club level certificates can be used to upgrade a stay after their expiry date if they are applied at time of booking (before the expiry date)?

...if not, anyone know if Marriott would do a courtesy extension on them for an Ambassador member?

Marriott does a courtesy extension on them in general. I've done this a few times. Call them to make the booking.

My "very helpful" ambassador concierge informed me that I have to use them by the expiry date :rolleyes:

I'll call in to extend them & apply them to the booking.

Won’t you be issued a new set before these expire? Have you closed the card?

They issue a new set about the same time as the previous year's expire. So if you want to make a future booking say next January, you won't have any certs. You can call them, tell them you want to book with your cert, they'll extend that one cert so you can book.

For example, I did this last year but ended up cancelling my booking so I have 4 certs right now.

I see. I suppose that makes sense in situations where booking in advance is important.

FWIW, many agents regularly fail to attach the certificates properly anyway which has no impact on reserving the room at that rate, so you could always have them make it with an expiring one, which they may or may not even attach, and then call in when new ones are issued to have a newer one attached. If they're willing to extend it though that's potentially even better.

Historically, Marriott has allowed you to extend ONE certificate to complete a booking after expiration.

FYI These are the only certificates in the system that are initially good for 13 months. Your new certs will post exactly one month before your current ones expire.

Also, don’t bother calling anywhere other than the designated phone number for the club level upgrade certificates. I’ve found the agents that answer this line are the only ones trained in how to apply the certs and the rules surrounding them - including making sure you get the $100 credit for a 2-night stay in conjunction with the upgrade, if it is available (sometimes it is and sometimes it isn’t, but on their end it shows up as two separate booking categories - if an agent clicks the wrong one, you won’t get the credit).

Everyone else I’ve ever talked to, including my Ambassador - is clueless about how these certs work.

I just learned that the certificates are only usable @ "participating locations in the United States" per an associate in the "Luxury Specialty Department".

...ugh, talk about killing any real value in these certs for me.

This is incorrect, I used one in Berlin just last summer, and at the Ritz-Carlton HK in December. Just HUCA. Like every group within Marriott, most of the employees don't know what they're talking about. Many will also insist that the $100 credit cannot be combined with the club upgrade even though the rate exists and has been known to people outside the company for years.

figures
 

...well that explains that.

never heard that before

Many people have used outside of the US. HUCA

Tell the agent to search using the rate code Z38. You can use the code Z34 as a proxy for this on the Marriott site, as it will not allow you to search for Z38 but if you get results for Z34 and there are club rooms open it's a good sign.

Always good to see a post from someone who know what they are talking about. Also, if the agent finds a room when booking Z38, make sure they select the rate that includes a $100 resort credit, if available - otherwise it can be a little painful to get the credit added by the property. Some hotels have Z38 rates that don’t include the credit. I’ve never had a hotel refuse to give me the credit if it didn’t post automatically, but it usually takes some explaining.

Do people still have success booking these? When I search the Ritz Sarasota with the Z34 code, rooms come up but the club rooms show at the full price. Also, the "The Ritz-Carlton Rewards Credit Card" rate appears to be significantly higher than the flexible rate or the $100 property credit card rate...is this normal?

Suddenly, it seems like none of the club upgrade rates are available anywhere in the system - any Ritz Carlton, any dates (yes, I know, 2 nights or more). I used it successfully a couple months ago.

Anyone else have any success upgrading with the club upgrade rates? Thanks.