Marriott Cancellation Terms - what does this mean?
Aug 21, 2015 | 3:55 pm
#1
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Join Date: Aug 2008
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Marriott Cancellation Terms - what does this mean?
Booking an advance purchase rate online, one is confronted with this text:
Advance Purchase rate, prepay in full, non-refundable if cancelled more than 1 day after booking, no changes, see Rate Rules
The rate details also include this (for a booking made on 8/21)
Please note that you may cancel your reservation for no charge until August 22, 2015.
So if the booking is made at 9AM on 8/21, until when does the free cancellation period extend? Is it until 8.59 AM on 8/22 (i.e. a 24-hour free cancellation window) or is it until 11.59PM on 8/22 (i.e. a calendar day) or some other time?
I called the Marriott 800# but got different answers and had the distinct impression that the phone agent was not very sure of her response.
Advance Purchase rate, prepay in full, non-refundable if cancelled more than 1 day after booking, no changes, see Rate Rules
The rate details also include this (for a booking made on 8/21)
Please note that you may cancel your reservation for no charge until August 22, 2015.
So if the booking is made at 9AM on 8/21, until when does the free cancellation period extend? Is it until 8.59 AM on 8/22 (i.e. a 24-hour free cancellation window) or is it until 11.59PM on 8/22 (i.e. a calendar day) or some other time?
I called the Marriott 800# but got different answers and had the distinct impression that the phone agent was not very sure of her response.
Aug 21, 2015 | 5:47 pm
#2
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: California
Programs: Marriott Gold (1st choice) BW Diamond (2nd)
Posts: 299
I would assume 1 day meaning at 12am. It does not say 24hrs after booking
Aug 21, 2015 | 7:34 pm
#3
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Now near LAX
Programs: DL GM 1MM, MR LT Titanium
Posts: 4,798
I would assume the other way. "1 day" to me means "24 hours" unless stated otherwise.
Aug 23, 2015 | 2:08 pm
#4
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: MCO
Programs: Delta - PM, HH - Gold, SPG - Gold, Marriott - Plat
Posts: 1,060
Booking an advance purchase rate online, one is confronted with this text:
Advance Purchase rate, prepay in full, non-refundable if cancelled more than 1 day after booking, no changes, see Rate Rules
The rate details also include this (for a booking made on 8/21)
Please note that you may cancel your reservation for no charge until August 22, 2015.
So if the booking is made at 9AM on 8/21, until when does the free cancellation period extend? Is it until 8.59 AM on 8/22 (i.e. a 24-hour free cancellation window) or is it until 11.59PM on 8/22 (i.e. a calendar day) or some other time?
I called the Marriott 800# but got different answers and had the distinct impression that the phone agent was not very sure of her response.
Advance Purchase rate, prepay in full, non-refundable if cancelled more than 1 day after booking, no changes, see Rate Rules
The rate details also include this (for a booking made on 8/21)
Please note that you may cancel your reservation for no charge until August 22, 2015.
So if the booking is made at 9AM on 8/21, until when does the free cancellation period extend? Is it until 8.59 AM on 8/22 (i.e. a 24-hour free cancellation window) or is it until 11.59PM on 8/22 (i.e. a calendar day) or some other time?
I called the Marriott 800# but got different answers and had the distinct impression that the phone agent was not very sure of her response.
Sep 4, 2015 | 5:03 pm
#5
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Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 1,470
24-hour grace period?
Does Marriott ALWAYS allow a 24-hour grace period for canceling / changing an Advance Purchase rate? Even if it is not specifically mentioned in the booking screen?
I ask, because most hotels seem to have this text on the booking page:
Changes to your reservation are not permitted. Please note that you may cancel your reservation for no charge until September 5, 2015. (1 day after booking)
Other hotels have this text
About this rate Please note that changes to your reservation are not permitted.
So is this omission of the 24-hour grace period done on purpose in the latter case or was it simply sloppy data entry by someone at the property?
I ask, because most hotels seem to have this text on the booking page:
Changes to your reservation are not permitted. Please note that you may cancel your reservation for no charge until September 5, 2015. (1 day after booking)
Other hotels have this text
About this rate Please note that changes to your reservation are not permitted.
So is this omission of the 24-hour grace period done on purpose in the latter case or was it simply sloppy data entry by someone at the property?
Sep 6, 2015 | 1:04 pm
#6
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: New Jersey
Programs: Delta P, SPG G, Marriott S, Hertz PC
Posts: 1,007
Needed help on this too. Before, most hotels let me cancel for free until 4 pm or so the day of. Now I get that 24 hour message.
Sep 9, 2015 | 4:03 am
#7
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: CPH
Programs: UAMP S, TK M&S E (*G), Marriott LTP, IHG P, SK EBG
Posts: 12,781
I actually called Marriott CS about the 24 cancellation message. They said 24 hours.
Sep 9, 2015 | 8:31 am
#8
Join Date: Jan 2015
Programs: Marriott Titanium and LTP, United Gold
Posts: 827
You may cancel your reservation for no charge until September 17, 2015 (1 day[s] before arrival).
Sep 9, 2015 | 6:40 pm
#9
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: MSP
Programs: DL PM, MM, NR; HH Diamond, Bonvoy LT Gold, Hyatt Explorist, IHG Diamond, others
Posts: 12,163
Marriott writers do not write well. They will eventually be sued because the policies written are not what they meant to write or are intentionally misleading. For example, on a regular rate, the cancelation policy states the following for a reservation beginning on September 18, 2015
As written, this means that you CANNOT cancel on September 17. This is NOT how Marriott actually enforces the policy though. Instead, Marriott means that you may not cancel AFTER September 17, 2015 or that you mean cancel anytime through September 17, 2015.
As written, this means that you CANNOT cancel on September 17. This is NOT how Marriott actually enforces the policy though. Instead, Marriott means that you may not cancel AFTER September 17, 2015 or that you mean cancel anytime through September 17, 2015.
Sep 9, 2015 | 6:47 pm
#10
Join Date: Jan 2015
Programs: Marriott Titanium and LTP, United Gold
Posts: 827
Sep 9, 2015 | 8:00 pm
#11
Join Date: Oct 2001
Programs: LTP, PP
Posts: 9,108
Marriott writers do not write well. They will eventually be sued because the policies written are not what they meant to write or are intentionally misleading. For example, on a regular rate, the cancelation policy states the following for a reservation beginning on September 18, 2015
How hard would it be to write "you may cancel up until 11:59 PM hotel time the day before check-in" ? This is way we understand it here after great debate and verification.
So 95% of the populace see the vague terms and figure "I better make a extraordinary effort" to get there and use it or blame themselves if the penalty is imposed...
Sep 9, 2015 | 8:15 pm
#12
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan USA
Programs: Marriott lifetime Titanium, Delta Platinum
Posts: 5,485
Marriott Niagara Falls Fallsview has for a number of years noted its cancellation policy as "you may cancel until [Thursday], three days before arrival." This meant in years past that you must cancel by Wednesday or get hit by the penalty. This year, when the same language again appeared, I called the hotel and asked what the language meant. The FDC replied that you had until Thursday to cancel. I asked what happened to the old policy. She said that while they still used the same language as before, they changed the interpretation because of many complaints. Same hotel, same wording, new interpretation.