I believe this means that reward stays don't count as nights toward the promotion requirements. Paid stays only.

Thanks for the tip! Checked the German site, and got the same 5K per stay starting with second stay offer. With some judicious planning, I might actually be able to max out this promo, that is if I can manage to get away for a long weekend in Vermont...

Exactly the same here -blank info, but visible at the German website. Not that bad - 25K for six stays...

I tried 'I know that xxx got it switched' thing last year to swap the e-certs to pts, MR CS response was a big firm and cold 'no'.

I got ours to switch to 2 stays= 1 free e-cert for the current megabonus and they allowed it as a 'one time' thing only. THe most annoying thing is that what I'm asking for is the 'norm' for the megabonus - if you go to the MR megabonus page the default was 2 stays=1 e-cert thing.

This megabonus is also 2 stays = 1 free cat 1-4 e-cert too:
http://news.marriott.com/2011/12/sta...t-rewards.html

Asking to turn certs already earned into points is different than aksing to be switched to a points based promo before the end of the promo is completely different. Only one person that I ever saw was successful at this, whereas swithcing promos seems to be granted to nearly anyone.

I switched my promos the last two times and MR agents didn't give me any problem.

EDIT: Guess I should have read page 2... I've switched my Megabonus three or four times and never had any problems with the MR agents.

Palmetto Glenn's question is a bit different than just switching your promos. Basically I took the question to be "If I max out the free nights promo, can I then switch over to one of the points promos (i.e. 40K points for 20 nights?)

This is an interesting question. My understanding is that Marriott doesn't actually "change" your promo in their systems. They make a note in your account that you want to change. Someone will then manually go in and add the required points for the version you asked to be in. But, at least in the past, the CSRs couldn't go in and add free night certs to your account. So to receive those, you actually had to be targeted for that promo. They could take out the certs once you earned them and then give you points should you prefer a points based promo instead.

But to answer Palmetto Glenn's question, I don't think most CSRs are going to let you max out more than one actual promo. IOW, you can't get the certs and then max out a 40K promo after that. Basically, that would be the same thing as receiving and maxing out the 40K promo and then asking to be put in the 50K promo and trying to max it out as well. But that is just my guess as I've never actually tried to get a CSR to help me do this.

I just need to vent for a second. I'm just very disappointed in the Marriott program. For more than a year now, my DH keeps getting the same offer of 2 stays = 1 free night cat 1-4. These just don't work for us. We've let at least 2 or more expire. There is like 1, maybe 2 resorts that are cat. 4, none of which we would like to stay at, and most of the city cat. 4s are outside any major city. We would prefer points, but when I called to change, got a big fat NO.

So, since last summer we have concentrated his and our stays at Starwoods, which, when offering free nights, at least you can use them at up to category 6 (this past year was resorts only, which we were happy to use). Starwood also has offered good points promotions in the past year (500/night in the spring, double/triple points currently).

DH was actually Gold at Marriott for a year, but with the promos he keeps getting offered by Marriott, he will probably always remain a silver (while almost making Platinum via nights at Starwood this year). He now only stays at Marriotts when he is attending a conference at one. Other than that, he chooses Starwood.

Additionally, I find the Starwood points much easier to use. There always seems to be a reason why award nights at Marriotts aren't available. Starwoods hotel categories also seem more fair, at least to us. Ex. Frenchman's Reef in St. Thomas (Cat. 7...35,000 pts per night) vs. Westin St. John (Cat. 5...12,000 - 16,000 points per night in high season). So, even given that one can earn Marriott points faster when staying at Marriott (I think it is somewhere around double the amt. of Starwood points, assuming use of Marriott Visa or Starwood Amex and elite bonus), Marriott is saying that Frenchman's Reef is 3 times the amount of points vs. the Westin. Sorry, I'd much rather stay at the Westin as I believe it is a nicer property on a nicer island. Finally, can't seem to use the Marriott points there anyway when I want to (school breaks) vs. Westin, where I can. And really, if one was to use the branded credit card for anything other than hotel stays, it is $1/1point. In this case, the $1 buys more at Starwood (because a point is worth more).

So we continue to sit on almost 200,000 Marriott points, while we (all 6 of us) are traveling to Thailand tomorrow staying in all Starwood properties on points (2 rooms in each city or beach). Wiped out all of our Starwood points when we booked the rooms last spring and have already earned almost 100,000 more.

I know y'all are big fans of Marriott, but I just find their Megabonuses lacking and the ability to use points at places and times that I want to difficult (and yes, I plan our travel at least a year in advance...to take advantage of using DH's United Miles).

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all of you.

I still dont see any new promotion that I can register for unfortunately.

It took me a while to find it on the new website, but I got the stay twice, get a (completely and utterly useless) free night offer. I registered, but have already decided to move my upcoming Marriott nights to Hilton to maintain Diamond status there. I may get a free night or two by accident, but can't think of any way to use them. I have already let Cat 1-4 certs expire.

Dr. PITUK

Have you asked to switch? In the past I ahve just PMed Marriot Concierge our account number and gotten switched.

As of this morning 12/17, I still don't see the new promo under my account page.

Worked for me this quarter. Maxed out on the 2 free nights and then switched my preference to miles and the other promo showed up. I registered and have received the bonus miles for recent stays. Didn't even have to call Marriott.

Why is there a gap in the MegaBonus? The last one ends on 1/15 and the new one doesn't start until 2/1.

-wahoohfd