Thanks for the update. Looks like you are all set. IIRC, you canceled a reservation online and the OC5 did not return to your account. Instead you got 45K pts refunded. Eventually you were able to reorder a NC4 (QP83) with the 45K but was not able to book.

This is the First DP that the NC can be attached to a property, unless I have missed posts on that.

I wonder why some (very few though) agent could do it but majority of them could not? Did the agent mention anything about "Old System" or anything like s/he had to go to a different screen to do it?

I have a 7 nights at HKG for 3rd week of Oct that is booked with Points Advance method. Currently my certs are the OC1-5 (the property is at 25K NC4). I have up to Oct 10 to attach the cert (per the 14 days rule). Hopefully by Sept 19th we could use our certs without having to jump thru hoops, waste many manhours / kill many braincells just to be able to use our certs.

I have my OC7 cert attached to a SpringHill that is now a NC6. What are the chances that a Marriott agent will be willing/forced to upgrade my OC7 (NC5) cert to NC6 without a fee if I request a date change for my reservation ? HUCA much ?

Nil on both (willing/forced) but it does not hurt to try and report back. May be you would get super lucky.

Marriott will honor the booking made before category going up. Any change would void the original reservation and everything starts anew. That has been the practice long exists. Dont see how any agent would do anything differently, let alone being "forced" to allow an upgrade. not to mention "without a fee". .

First agent did mention multiple screens, and said that the screen she was looking at didn't have the certificate available to be attached.

Went to ask for a supervisor who mentioned that it's blocked until september 19. My stay starts Sep 19 so waiting wasn't really an option with the points typically debited out of the account a week before the stay

It was only after that that she tried to make a booking and points advance was available. I took it as it was still progress, and HUCA afterwards

I managed to attach my new NC4 (previously OC1-6) to a property in HKG (a new cat 1-4 ) by asking the agent after she downgraded the OC6 to NC4. The confirmed booking and 30k refund showed up instantly in my Marriott app.

All done on the same call? If so, you were very lucky to get an agent who is not only willing to help but also competent, knew how to go about it to make it work.

We now have enough DPs that NC CAN be attached to a point advance booking. It is just a matter finding an agent willing to attempt the process. SIGH. it really should not be this hard.

Wow! I put my request in on Saturday and it was still there then.

Marriott management just does not know how to run a company. Sad!

Clarifying my booking was not a points advance booking. I consider it a standard "new" 7 night travel package certificate booking after requesting a downgrading from a "legacy" 7 night travel package certificate and receiving a 30k points refund as well. Sorry for the confusion.

However the downgrade and the booking was done on the same call. I called 1 801 468 4000, rather than the elite Customer Care 1-800 number, to see if I got through to an experienced/knowledgeable Marriott Rewards agent, and it seemed I did. Perhaps it was luck of the draw?

Yes, I thought that Marriott's policy of having Starwood point conversion as 1:3 being generous. I also thought giving Starwood Gold with Marriott Gold, and Starwood Platinum to Marriott Platinum generous.

So yes, they are generous to the Starwood members.

Obviously they run out of money being generous ..... or the shareholders have knocked the door saying, I need to see value from my investments.

Cancelled a booking with OC5 , e-certificate disappeard
 

Did 45K back to your account? That was the case up till your post - canceled a reservation with a cert attached, the cert is cancelled and the pts returned to one's account. Everyone has been able to reorder a NC 4 with the returned 45K. May have to call back a few times but essentially those who wanted their certs back have been able to do so.

That is why you should DETACH the cert first before cancelling the reservation. There is a poster did exactly that after seeing what happened on the attached cert if the underlying booking is canceled. His post is very recent on this thread.

While the whole TP thing is a $hit show there are things the customers can do to prevent $hit happened to them if they take time to follow this thread and carefully read the DPs reported here, so to avoid perils and learn how to make things work.