What's the easiest way to book a travel package? I called 1-800-321-7396, which is the number listed on the Marriott website travel packages page:
https://www.marriott.com/rewards/usepoints/morepack.mi

The first associate I talked to had me choose the hotel and dates, and then told me the only package available was the United one. I want to get Alaska miles. I told her I wanted package 1. She said there were no other packages and there was no choice of airline miles. I HUCA and the second associate put me on hold for a long time because she didn't know who to talk to to book these. She finally came back and said I had to go to the website for Vacations by Marriott. When I told her the webpage for the travel packages said to call this number, she put me on hold again, and then came back and said to go to Vacations by Marriott.

This is the number to call. It is unfortunate and very sad that you have had an untrained rep - seems the norm since the final merger is announced. Both reps are wrong. You can only HUCA or insist to get a supervisor. Call on the Weekdays during the middle of the day when there are hopefully still some knowledgeable reps around.

No, you dont need a hotel and date to redeem the package. Yes you can transfer to AS. It is in the Package 1. Tell the rep to read their own website.

There is no other number that can help you get to the previous well-trained reps. We are seeing a total melt down of Marriott Customer Service right now.

I can confirm this nightmare experience.

Here is what I fear - Marriott will get rid of the Travel Package redemption, hence it does not plan to train the newly hired reps on how to do the redemption under the current program.

I also dont understand WHY there are so many untrained reps handling customer calls these days? It is not like they have increased the call center staff based on the horrendous long wait. Where are the existing reps who know how to do stuff?

I am on the phone right now with the Vacations by Marriott rep who was able to do the 7-night package and transfer miles to Alaska. When he said it will take 1 to 2 weeks for the miles to be delivered I asked if there was a faster way. Yes there is for $15 delivery by 3 days. Only problem is he doesn't know how to do it and is looking for some rep who does know. Been on the line waiting for 30 min. now.
Edit: around the 35th minute the rep came back and said everything was good to go incl expediting the miles to Alaska. No fee charged.

For those of you having problem getting good Marriott reps, ask for “Elite Services”. Those folks are well trained.

I understand one can redeem an outstanding certificate for someone else (with the other person's name on the reservation) by calling in to make the booking. I presume there's no issues with the other person attaching their own elite member # to the reservation and enjoying elite benefits this way?

Do you mean you can talk to the bot lady with this phrase and get transferred to a human in the Elite Services dept?

These days one would feel when a human picks up the line after only 30 min wait...

Dont think so. The owner of the cert remains attached to the cert in the sense of the status benefit. By the same token, if the others have no status but the owner of the cert has, the benefits transferred to the nonstatus guest, not the other way wrong.

Experience on the regular award nights. I dont think the 7 night cert would have a different set of rules from the regular award nights.

Probably nobody gets the stay credit due to the account that owns the cert, did not do the stay.

Marriott's rules (and all hotel programs seem so too) is that in order to earn stay credit, the account owner must do the stay and pay for the stay. In this case the stay is paid for fy the account owner alright but the account owner does not do the stay.

That I can also tell you from personal experience on a pay stay mix up by hotel error. when the invoice shows one account (mine) and then the payment is made by my husband's card because the reservation actually was made in his account, and he also stayed. The stay did not post in either account - the erroneous account due to hotel mistake, nor the account made the payment. It took a monumental effort to provide proof that the reservation was made under his name, in his account and he also stayed in order to correct the guest name on the hotel's side so he would get the stay credit. It was a critical stay too as we were doing Gold Challenge at the time.

In most cases the one who purchased the travel package will get the elite nights. It happened when my parents checked in, and when I have transferred to an employee. The only way I have heard of it going differently is if the checking in party can get the agent to change the rewards number and details on the reservation at the hotel. I have tried and failed, but I have read one or two reports of success. Finally, if the person checking in has higher status, they can show their app card and receive the benefits. Just don't take the Platinum arrival points as they don't show up if that party's MR number doesn't get changed (previous experience!)

Is there a web page that explains the Marriott Travel Packages in detail, I have plenty of SPG points and been thinking about doing the 7 night at a Ritz Cat 4-5. When it comes to air points, can one determine if you want FC or Biz?

​​​​​​https://www.marriott.com/rewards/usepoints/morepack.mi