Thanks. That is what I was going to assume, but I'm new to TPs and thought I would ask.

I hope Marriott does the right thing on this, or that there is some sort of consumer pushback that is tangible like a class action suit because the way they have handled theTP redemption fire sale created by them, miscommunication created by them and lack of a clear response reeks of bad business practices at best and worst case scenario it is fraud.

When will we be able to use our 7 night certificate on SPG properties? I would like to use my 7 night (or free night from Chase visa card) on SPG, but CSR keeps telling me that they can't do it.

CSRs at Marriott seem to make any reason for excuse in general. But they always have been from my experience, so I know that I can't rely on them. I am not actually surprised.

I don't like that kind of communications at all. But I am unsure whether your quote does any favor to us. Your quote implies that they already warned us of the potential devaluations on floating certificates.

All rewards programs are prone to unexpected devaluations at any time as we all went through. Of course, such acts evoke rages, but they don't budge most of time (think about Unite Airlines. it used to be the most valuable one, but these days, their FP is marginally better than skypeso)
At this point, all I wanted to do is to use my certificate before further devaluations, especially on some nice SPG properties. I want to know when they will allow us to use them.

This. It's hard to see why they couldn't have released the information pre Aug 18th.
They can still make things right though, if they permitted upgrades/downgrades on pre 18th Aug packages it would be hard to moan too much, There's still an argument to say "I'd have acted differently if I'd have known the mapping prior to 18th Aug" - I certainly would have locked in different packages at old scheme rates.
Perhaps they should:
- Allow anyone with a cert already attached to be able to move dates without penalty even if the hotel has gone up a category
- Anyone with a cert unattached to be able to upgrade/downgrade (at old rates:) - wishful thinking) At least give a window to upgrade/downgrade because Amex point transfers were blocked out from July and everyone holding a package was flying blind into Aug 18th.

Hi...
I booked a 7 night package and I would like to change the date now.... but the hotel has gone up in category..
Do the allow a simple date change???

-Alan

Nope.

And locking in TPs

a) ensured you had a reservation within the old category that would be honoured. No risk, all reward.
b) It was irrational not to attach when there was no guarantee that the certificate could be used post Merger. We only knew that the week of, but we also new that the new charts which we had, and the new T&Cs which we didn't would apply. A month prior outright cancellation of the floater was real and we know how much they were worth. Therein lies the risk.
c) The safe bet was to attach your certificate to a property you wanted in the old program. Full Stop.

I bought a Cat 8 and attached it to a Cat 8 Marriott knowing that the property was going down to new CAT 5. Very happy with what I have. There is also a Cat 5 Westin and a Cat 5 Sheraton in close proximity. I have stayed at both. My first choice was the Sheraton but I was unable to book that under the old program so I booked the Marriott to secure availability. My thought was that perhaps I could change to the Sheraton after the merger but if I couldn't, well no biggie, I still have a great property.

Had I redeemed for a Cat 1-5 and left it unattached, my analysis was that if it passed the risk hurdles and actually became a usable certificate in the new program it would be insufficient to cover the New Cat 5 pricing. The risk was just too high.

One poster said that I overpaid for my package because the category was going down, but I didn't! The price of my package was the going rate at the time of purchase. I knew the hotel would cost less the next month but had no guarantee that I would have an instrument to purchase it with at that time.

It is unfortunate that this exploded in the blogosphere and many travel bloggers helped fuel the frenzy. I was shocked when some were ignoring the numbers and felt the only outcome had to be a windfall of generosity. I believe the largest contributing factor was the belief that the MR to FF Miles was a 1:1 ratio meaning your Cat 1-5 had a worth of 150K. In reality the ratio was 1.875:1. You were purchasing your 120K FF Miles for 225K and the remainder, 45K, gave you a certificate that allowed you to book up to an old Cat 5 property for 7N. We always referred to them as Cat 1-to-5 certificates. The Cat 1-5 was worth 45K but had up to 150K in value. The certificates were never worth 150K.

Even Lucky at OMAAT in his last update finally came to the revelation that it was not a 1:1 ratio and outlined these numbers. I posted them over a month ago on this thread.

Was this a fiasco? Absolutely! Did Marriott handle this well? Absolutely Not! I too, thought the initial handling of the 6, 8 & T1-3 was unrealistic, the mapping was fair, that aside. No upgrades! That wasn't something I contemplated, in fact I thought that would be allowed at the new chart rates. Ultimately Marriott has the numbers and knows the impact on costs.

I wouldn't doubt it if Marriott sold more travel packages in the last month than they did in the history of program.

I was a Platinum, now apparently still a Platinum with 16 nights booked in Asia & Australia over the next month. No gifts for me either with 51 nights at merger. Oh well! Marriott was never consistent anyway. QF F to Sydney next week. :)

James

PS The Sheraton has no availability. lol ;)

There is no way--none--that Marriott could have canceled the certs and returned 45k + upgrade cost over 1-5. You keep posting this nonsense over and over again.

Agree.
It's always tough to know the legal standpoint with loyalty schemes until it's tested in court, but if they've given you a certificate for 7 nights in a hotel and exchange it for something that's not worth 7 nights in a hotel without your consent then they would have been on very soft sand imho.

Wow a week away and things have just exploded here. There has been lots of angst here.

For me, I have:
- 1 Cat-8 TP already attached to Marriott Maui (which I intend to stay next year);
- 1 Cat-8 TP already attached to Marriott Waikiki (which I intend to stay next year, but would have preferred to change to Sheraton Waikiki but I probably won't bother as Sheraton is now New Cat 6 and I don't know if the cert can be upgraded later, and if so, whether it is worth the points difference);
- 1 Cat-6 which 2 months back upgraded to Cat-7 and attached it to SpringHill Suites Springdale Zion National Park (July next year) which is now Cat-6, but I don't plan to stay. I would end up getting a new Cat-5 which I can use to stay in any hotels in Australia. Ideally I would have use it to stay at JW Marriott HK but will probably use it on new Marriott Ocean Park instead.

I don't have problems with their mapping as in many ways they can map to whatever they want, and I think the new mapping is fair. But I wish they allow upgrade of certs even at new rates, and they tells us about 2 months before implementation to allow people to make decisions.

Not even soft sand. More like quick sand.