Apr 16, 2018, 4:15 pm
Last edit by: dayone
This thread (post #5 from Marriott Rewards Insider) has the official announcement of changes effective later in 2018.
An earlier, speculative discussion appears in the following closed thread: https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/marr...tus-tiers.html
An earlier, speculative discussion appears in the following closed thread: https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/marr...tus-tiers.html
Official announcement – See how our three loyalty programs will become one in August
Jul 1, 2018, 8:00 pm
#961
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Southern California, USA
Programs: Marriott Ambassador and LTT, UA Plat/LT Gold, AA Gold
Posts: 8,764
Well, first of all, it was never announced that the new program would start on Aug 1. A set date was never advertised and all mentions were generic for the month of August. I for one think it may even start earlier than that, on July 27 or 28.
The sample award chart was announced for May, and they came through. The full award chart was announced for June; again, they delivered.
So, what you “hardly call” on schedule, was on schedule.
Thank you! Indeed!
I’m a bit tired of the naysayers complaining about how Marriott hasn’t delivered on its promises. I doubted like most at the start, but Marriott has come through with remarkably impressive performance and decisions throughout this process. It hasn’t been perfect, but what is these days?
Marriott took Starwood and largely made the new loyalty program adopt a semi-SPG look. SPG was the most impressive loyalty program, and Marriott largely cloned it for itself. Marriott promised to please the SPG elites, and it largely has done an incredible job doing just that. Marriott promised us award charts, and it has delivered us award charts.
Marriott deserves tremendous respect for merging two huge programs and customer bases into one new community. They’ve done it with care, with thought, and with an eye to trying to please as many customers and owners as possible. They even listened when the SPG Lifetime Plats complained about not getting New Lifetime Platinum Premier status like their Marriott counterparts. (FWIW, I’m not benefitting from that.)
Marriott has earned high praise. But the whining and complaining and the constant doubts aren’t warranted. Thus far, Marriott has delivered.
Jul 1, 2018, 8:13 pm
#962
Join Date: Feb 2016
Programs: DL DM, SPG Plat 100/LT Gold, Marriott Plat, National Executive Elite
Posts: 2,988
Well, first of all, it was never announced that the new program would start on Aug 1. A set date was never advertised and all mentions were generic for the month of August. I for one think it may even start earlier than that, on July 27 or 28.
The sample award chart was announced for May, and they came through. The full award chart was announced for June; again, they delivered.
So, what you “hardly call” on schedule, was on schedule.
The sample award chart was announced for May, and they came through. The full award chart was announced for June; again, they delivered.
So, what you “hardly call” on schedule, was on schedule.
Q: Can I receive SPG benefits and earn Starpoints and Elite Night Credits during stays at hotels in the Marriott Rewards portfolio? And can I receive Marriott Rewards benefits and earn Marriott Rewards points and Elite Night Credits for stays at hotels in the SPG portfolio?
A: Until August 1st, 2018, the programs will remain separate: SPG members will continue to earn Starpoints and receive SPG benefits at hotels participating in the SPG program, and Marriott Rewards members will earn Marriott Rewards points and receive Marriott Rewards benefits at hotels participating in that program. You’ll need two loyalty member accounts—one for each program. Starting August 1st, 2018, you’ll be able to seamlessly book, earn points and redeem points across all of Marriott’s 6,500 hotels and 29 hotel brands and you will need to combine your loyalty member accounts online prior to arrival at the hotel to receive the benefits from your combined status. Log in to spg.com and follow the prompts in order to combine your accounts. SPG, Marriott Rewards, and The Ritz-Carlton Rewards will maintain their separate names. See Marriott’s Member Benefits page for more information (members.marriott.com).
Any official sources to back up your May and June date citations above? From a customer perspective, 4 weeks notice is too little and cutting it way too close (especially with higher category hotels having limited availability more than a few months out).
^^^
Thank you! Indeed!
I’m a bit tired of the naysayers complaining about how Marriott hasn’t delivered on its promises. I doubted like most at the start, but Marriott has come through with remarkably impressive performance and decisions throughout this process. It hasn’t been perfect, but what is these days?
Marriott took Starwood and largely made the new loyalty program adopt a semi-SPG look. SPG was the most impressive loyalty program, and Marriott largely cloned it for itself. Marriott promised to please the SPG elites, and it largely has done an incredible job doing just that. Marriott promised us award charts, and it has delivered us award charts.
Marriott deserves tremendous respect for merging two huge programs and customer bases into one new community. They’ve done it with care, with thought, and with an eye to trying to please as many customers and owners as possible. They even listened when the SPG Lifetime Plats complained about not getting New Lifetime Platinum Premier status like their Marriott counterparts. (FWIW, I’m not benefitting from that.)
Marriott has earned high praise. But the whining and complaining and the constant doubts aren’t warranted. Thus far, Marriott has delivered.
Thank you! Indeed!
I’m a bit tired of the naysayers complaining about how Marriott hasn’t delivered on its promises. I doubted like most at the start, but Marriott has come through with remarkably impressive performance and decisions throughout this process. It hasn’t been perfect, but what is these days?
Marriott took Starwood and largely made the new loyalty program adopt a semi-SPG look. SPG was the most impressive loyalty program, and Marriott largely cloned it for itself. Marriott promised to please the SPG elites, and it largely has done an incredible job doing just that. Marriott promised us award charts, and it has delivered us award charts.
Marriott deserves tremendous respect for merging two huge programs and customer bases into one new community. They’ve done it with care, with thought, and with an eye to trying to please as many customers and owners as possible. They even listened when the SPG Lifetime Plats complained about not getting New Lifetime Platinum Premier status like their Marriott counterparts. (FWIW, I’m not benefitting from that.)
Marriott has earned high praise. But the whining and complaining and the constant doubts aren’t warranted. Thus far, Marriott has delivered.
Just one example. I don't want to generalize either way, but do want to point out where I think improvements can be made to the merger process. I don't get why you are all about heaping praise on Marriott; it's not a person I have a personal relationship with and want to stay positive with.
It's a for-profit corporation. Decisions made are in pursuit of said profit, and we are the customers providing a lot of that revenue and profit. The feedback and "keeping them honest" is important.
Jul 1, 2018, 8:15 pm
#963
Join Date: Aug 2002
Programs: UA 1K & 1MM/AA Gold & 1MM/HH Gold/Marriott Titanium
Posts: 2,924
Has Marriott defined "qualifying revenue" for the Platinum Premier Elite 100+ night level? Thanks!
Jul 1, 2018, 8:26 pm
#964
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Southern California, USA
Programs: Marriott Ambassador and LTT, UA Plat/LT Gold, AA Gold
Posts: 8,764
For Marriott people, the fact that Marriott started the new loyalty program in August allows you the opportunity to qualify for Ambassador service and status as early as 2018 and certainly to have it by the time 2019 starts. Had Marriott not begun the new loyalty program until Jan or Feb 2019, it would take that much longer before anyone from the Marriott side had the opportunity to even try to qualify for Ambassador service and status.
So I don’t think it’s too big a deal to wait up until August to learn what the qualified spending will be towards the $20K.
That being said, I think we safely can assume that room rate, food/beverage, and spa items that can be charged to your room folio should qualify. That’s most of the spending for most people, anyway.
Jul 2, 2018, 12:20 am
#965
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Hold it down for The Bay, reppin' Oakland
Programs: Lowly UA silver, Marriott Ambassador/Tit4Lyf, IHG Plat
Posts: 1,763
For those of us who book groups, it's a big deal now. The answers to my questions about number of rooms and group reservations are needed now. Waiting until August to book groups for September and October is a mess.
Jul 2, 2018, 12:50 am
#966
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Southern California, USA
Programs: Marriott Ambassador and LTT, UA Plat/LT Gold, AA Gold
Posts: 8,764
The qualified spend details aren’t yet announced, but the elite nights for groups have been announced. If I remember correctly, it’s 10 elite nights for the first group/meeting, plus 1 elite night per 20 rooms consumed after that. The last is pretty much the same as SPG Pro in the final year or so.
Jul 2, 2018, 8:51 am
#967
Suspended
Join Date: Sep 2017
Posts: 301
Let's deal with facts. This is from a Marriott/SPG Q&A citing 8/1 as the start date:
Q: Can I receive SPG benefits and earn Starpoints and Elite Night Credits during stays at hotels in the Marriott Rewards portfolio? And can I receive Marriott Rewards benefits and earn Marriott Rewards points and Elite Night Credits for stays at hotels in the SPG portfolio?
A: Until August 1st, 2018, the programs will remain separate: SPG members will continue to earn Starpoints and receive SPG benefits at hotels participating in the SPG program, and Marriott Rewards members will earn Marriott Rewards points and receive Marriott Rewards benefits at hotels participating in that program. You’ll need two loyalty member accounts—one for each program. Starting August 1st, 2018, you’ll be able to seamlessly book, earn points and redeem points across all of Marriott’s 6,500 hotels and 29 hotel brands and you will need to combine your loyalty member accounts online prior to arrival at the hotel to receive the benefits from your combined status. Log in to spg.com and follow the prompts in order to combine your accounts. SPG, Marriott Rewards, and The Ritz-Carlton Rewards will maintain their separate names. See Marriott’s Member Benefits page for more information (members.marriott.com).
Q: Can I receive SPG benefits and earn Starpoints and Elite Night Credits during stays at hotels in the Marriott Rewards portfolio? And can I receive Marriott Rewards benefits and earn Marriott Rewards points and Elite Night Credits for stays at hotels in the SPG portfolio?
A: Until August 1st, 2018, the programs will remain separate: SPG members will continue to earn Starpoints and receive SPG benefits at hotels participating in the SPG program, and Marriott Rewards members will earn Marriott Rewards points and receive Marriott Rewards benefits at hotels participating in that program. You’ll need two loyalty member accounts—one for each program. Starting August 1st, 2018, you’ll be able to seamlessly book, earn points and redeem points across all of Marriott’s 6,500 hotels and 29 hotel brands and you will need to combine your loyalty member accounts online prior to arrival at the hotel to receive the benefits from your combined status. Log in to spg.com and follow the prompts in order to combine your accounts. SPG, Marriott Rewards, and The Ritz-Carlton Rewards will maintain their separate names. See Marriott’s Member Benefits page for more information (members.marriott.com).
The official press release on Apr 16 made no reference to that date. Nor did post #5 on this thread.
Any official sources to back up your May and June date citations above? From a customer perspective, 4 weeks notice is too little and cutting it way too close (especially with higher category hotels having limited availability more than a few months out).
Last edited by M.dA.R.; Jul 2, 2018 at 9:26 am
Jul 2, 2018, 9:01 am
#968
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: BDU
Programs: DL:MM, Marriott:LTT
Posts: 8,779
I'm sorry, but does it really make any difference if Marriott thought the crossover date would be Aug 1 and they have now decided to push it back a few days? The same people pointing to a possible date change as proof of incompetence would likely be the first to point to any mistake in an Aug 1 rollout as proof of incompetence. We do not know the reason for any possible push back on the date, but it may be as benign as avoiding someone's vacation date or maybe it is taking longer to get staff updated on the changes than originally anticipated. Those who are attributing anything sinister or pointing to this as proof that Marriott is inept are looking for reasons for those claims. In the scheme of things pushing the official start date back means nothing and likely shows that Marriott is aware enough to know there might be issues and cares enough that they want to get it right.
End of rant.
End of rant.
Jul 2, 2018, 10:14 am
#969
Join Date: Feb 2016
Programs: DL DM, SPG Plat 100/LT Gold, Marriott Plat, National Executive Elite
Posts: 2,988
The official press release on Apr 16 made no reference to that date. Nor did post #5 on this thread.
It is thus perplexing that we are in the last month and they are playing games with the start date in August. Among other things. They should have provided a PP slide/visual that showed all the pertinent dates relating to members in 2018 so that we could know the last day, for example, to book under the old rates.
The fact that their call centers for elites alone are overwhelmed shows how little consistent information they've provided to their customer base en masse (not just those of us with more awareness here on this board) and how unprepared they are, at least with regards to merging call center operations, at handling customer volumes (which they've known for 2+ years now).
Jul 2, 2018, 12:48 pm
#970
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 6,385
i mean just look at their IT... i much prefer starwood's site and app over ...
Jul 2, 2018, 2:05 pm
#971
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Southern California, USA
Programs: Marriott Ambassador and LTT, UA Plat/LT Gold, AA Gold
Posts: 8,764
This is the same complaint we hear about a hotel not opening as scheduled; anyone prudent knew that was likely to be the case already.
It is thus perplexing that we are in the last month and they are playing games with the start date in August. Among other things. They should have provided a PP slide/visual that showed all the pertinent dates relating to members in 2018 so that we could know the last day, for example, to book under the old rates.
The fact that their call centers for elites alone are overwhelmed shows how little consistent information they've provided to their customer base en masse (not just those of us with more awareness here on this board) and how unprepared they are, at least with regards to merging call center operations, at handling customer volumes (which they've known for 2+ years now).
Jul 2, 2018, 3:15 pm
#972
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: LGA/JFK/EWR
Programs: UA 1K1.75MM, Hyatt Globalist, abandoned Marriott LTT (RIP SPG), Hertz PC
Posts: 21,167
This was one of the best FT threads ever and we may need one here too
Comprehensive List of Expected Changes/Lost Functionality when United Moves to SHARES
Jul 3, 2018, 8:25 am
#973
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Hold it down for The Bay, reppin' Oakland
Programs: Lowly UA silver, Marriott Ambassador/Tit4Lyf, IHG Plat
Posts: 1,763
I book groups, too.
The qualified spend details aren’t yet announced, but the elite nights for groups have been announced. If I remember correctly, it’s 10 elite nights for the first group/meeting, plus 1 elite night per 20 rooms consumed after that. The last is pretty much the same as SPG Pro in the final year or so.
If we will not get spend credit for room blocks we book and pay for, I may stop booking group contracts and book only individual rooms. Of course I'll need to know how many rooms I'll be credited with (for spend). I'll also need to know if I will get credit for more rooms if I have all of the room charges routed to my room.
In January the Residence Inn Tempe (where I had no group contract) routed all room charges to my room (not at my request). The result was around $7K in charges on my room, but I received no MR points (because I could only be given points on three of the rooms). I had to call in to get the MR points added manually. If doing this will get me spend credit for all of my rooms, I'll opt for this strategy and have them add points manually.
I just need to know what the policy is. Until I know, I'm not signing any group contracts that I can't get out of. I'm just booking (lots of) individual cancelable rooms.
Jul 3, 2018, 10:44 am
#974
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: South Florida
Programs: AA LTG (EXP), Hilton Silver (Dia), Marriott LTP (PP), SPG LTG (P) > MPG LTPP
Posts: 11,329
The nights issue is sill not clear, though that is not my personal concern. I am more concerned about spend.
If we will not get spend credit for room blocks we book and pay for, I may stop booking group contracts and book only individual rooms. Of course I'll need to know how many rooms I'll be credited with (for spend). I'll also need to know if I will get credit for more rooms if I have all of the room charges routed to my room.
In January the Residence Inn Tempe (where I had no group contract) routed all room charges to my room (not at my request). The result was around $7K in charges on my room, but I received no MR points (because I could only be given points on three of the rooms). I had to call in to get the MR points added manually. If doing this will get me spend credit for all of my rooms, I'll opt for this strategy and have them add points manually.
I just need to know what the policy is. Until I know, I'm not signing any group contracts that I can't get out of. I'm just booking (lots of) individual cancelable rooms.
If we will not get spend credit for room blocks we book and pay for, I may stop booking group contracts and book only individual rooms. Of course I'll need to know how many rooms I'll be credited with (for spend). I'll also need to know if I will get credit for more rooms if I have all of the room charges routed to my room.
In January the Residence Inn Tempe (where I had no group contract) routed all room charges to my room (not at my request). The result was around $7K in charges on my room, but I received no MR points (because I could only be given points on three of the rooms). I had to call in to get the MR points added manually. If doing this will get me spend credit for all of my rooms, I'll opt for this strategy and have them add points manually.
I just need to know what the policy is. Until I know, I'm not signing any group contracts that I can't get out of. I'm just booking (lots of) individual cancelable rooms.
If I were in your position, I'd use what I know now and move forward. Keeping the plans flexible should allow you to adjust as more info is known. And you know there will be more business to leverage the program to your benefit. Given the size of your group (from what I've read) I would feel better knowing things are in place early.
Jul 3, 2018, 10:50 am
#975
Suspended
Join Date: Sep 2017
Posts: 301
The nights issue is sill not clear, though that is not my personal concern. I am more concerned about spend.
If we will not get spend credit for room blocks we book and pay for, I may stop booking group contracts and book only individual rooms. Of course I'll need to know how many rooms I'll be credited with (for spend). I'll also need to know if I will get credit for more rooms if I have all of the room charges routed to my room.
In January the Residence Inn Tempe (where I had no group contract) routed all room charges to my room (not at my request). The result was around $7K in charges on my room, but I received no MR points (because I could only be given points on three of the rooms). I had to call in to get the MR points added manually. If doing this will get me spend credit for all of my rooms, I'll opt for this strategy and have them add points manually.
I just need to know what the policy is. Until I know, I'm not signing any group contracts that I can't get out of. I'm just booking (lots of) individual cancelable rooms.
If we will not get spend credit for room blocks we book and pay for, I may stop booking group contracts and book only individual rooms. Of course I'll need to know how many rooms I'll be credited with (for spend). I'll also need to know if I will get credit for more rooms if I have all of the room charges routed to my room.
In January the Residence Inn Tempe (where I had no group contract) routed all room charges to my room (not at my request). The result was around $7K in charges on my room, but I received no MR points (because I could only be given points on three of the rooms). I had to call in to get the MR points added manually. If doing this will get me spend credit for all of my rooms, I'll opt for this strategy and have them add points manually.
I just need to know what the policy is. Until I know, I'm not signing any group contracts that I can't get out of. I'm just booking (lots of) individual cancelable rooms.
EARN
Earn points on all eligible charges, including rooms, food and beverage, audio visual charges and more.- Earn more as you achieve elite status. Per each qualifying event, base members can earn up to 60,000 points (2 points per $1 USD); while Platinum Premier Elite members can earn up to 105,000 points per qualifying event.
If you choose to earn frequent flyer airline miles instead of points, all member tiers can earn a maximum of 20,000 miles (1 mile per $1 USD) per qualifying event.
- Get 10 Elite Qualifying Nights when you book your first meeting — and achieve Silver Elite status automatically.
- Plus, you’ll earn one Elite Qualifying Night for every additional 20 room nights you book — up to 20 Elite Qualifying Nights per contract.