...that is enrolled in the MVCI Destination Points program.

My wife inherited one that was not enrolled in the points program (still debating whether it is worth the price to do so) and she cannot book 5-night travel packages.

That's not correct. The 5-Night TP's for Marriott timeshare owners were announced in late 2008 to be effective 1/1/09, which was prior to the Destination Club inception on 6/20/10. Every Marriott timeshare owner was and still is eligible for them, and you can contact Owner Services to ask questions or order the TP's.

For detailed information sign in to my-vacationclub.com and click on "Program Changes" in the list on the right side of the page under "Marriott Rewards." [Link disabled] should take you directly to the page after signing in. (Right now the website isn't functioning because of maintenance. As soon as it's back up I'll check to make sure the link is still correct.)

Is there a dedicated thread for this? I couldn't find any in my search. And TPG did not provide his source or the FT thread in this article.

MMS also just recently posted an article about the same subject but sourced TPG from it.

Is there any truth to this at all?

Called Marriott Platinum Elite Reservations and the general Rewards line to try to book a 5-night TP and was told "nope" by both of them...only MVCI owners can.

Isn't the 7 night cert broken into a 5 and 2 night cert? Can you use it separately?

Not really. All 7 nights must be used on one stay. You can checkout early but you will lose the remainder of the nights.

Oh I redeemed one a few years back and couldn't remember if it was broken up into a 5 night and a 2 night. I used all 7 nights at once though.

7 night is broken into 5-2 but won't help to use as a 5 night. If do not use, the 2 night is forfeited

Was hoping u can just call and tell the rep to apply the 5 night at one place and the 2 night elsewhere later in the year.

I highly doubt it.

Not possible.

7 night TP Hotel e-certificate is for a contiguous stay at one hotel. That wording is very important because you CAN use it for a stay at a hotel that does not have 7 nights in a row available for redemption. For example, you could use it for a 10 night stay at one hotel comprised of 2-night award, followed by 1 night paid, followed by 2 night award, followed by 2 nights paid, and then the final 3 nights of your award certificate. This needs to be in a single reservation and have the e-certificate attached to the reservation, to facilitate this you would need to call reservations.

As previously stated, you can use a 7 night TP Hotel e-certificate for less than 7 nights but then the remaining unused award nights are forfeited.

Sorry to dash your hopes, but you cannot use it for a stay at more than one hotel.

(Following up for the timeshare owners)

That maintenance turned out to be a new MVW owners website, now owners.marriottvacationclub.com. We're still slogging through the changes over on TUG but to navigate after log-in to the 5-Night Travel Packages:

--> Click on Explore Destinations above the picture
--> Click on Weeks Options, Marriott Rewards in the column on the left
--> Scroll down to Marriott Reward Enhancements and Click here.

Are there capacity controls or black out periods for TP?

I'm looking at Category 8 or 9 for next February.
Central America or Caribbean.

Thanks.

A travel package night is the same as an award night. Availability is no different. Sometimes, 7 nights becomes the issue, but you can use all 7 nights in a stay, and use some nights paid. As someone else explained, you can use 2 free nights then 2 paid and then 5 more free nights or whatever if it's all one stay.

Billy

Using a 7 night travel package certificate
 

I had the strangest conversation with Marriott Rewards this afternoon. I had redeemed a 7 night certificate/air travel award recently. I called to use the 7 night Category 1-5 certificate. I asked to make the reservation for 5 nights in San Antonio. The rep told me that was not possible and it had to be made for 7 nights. I told her that didn't make sense and I had done it before for 5 nights. She said I had to make it for 7, so I did. Guess I will have to check out early.

Has anyone had this experience before? It makes no sense. Who cares if I give up the last couple of nights. It's my reward.