arthur -- flyer wanna be

looking at the program merge for next year, what would you do?
i'm a 10 year plat at 434 nights.... i'm pretty sure i'll bite the bullet and get to at least 500 this year for lifetime plat... but would you book 316 nights to get to lifetime plat premier?

another question: if i hit 100 nights this year, i should get ambassador for next year as well right? but if i don't qualify the year after, do i get bumped down to platinum premier for a year then down to regular plat? or down to regular plat right away?

oh, and what's the longest reservation that can be made to count for nights? i think at least once upon a time, any reservation more than 30 days don't qualify?

btonkid12345

All 3 points have either existing threads about them or can be easily searched either on this forum or Google for an official answer from Marriott.

CJKatl

No.

And how would you book 316 nights by the end of the year with credits for three nights for three rooms on the same night going away in 75 days? Not to mention the cost. Even using Marriott no-show meetings at $50 each is $15,8001600 for what? 25% more points, a 48 hour guaranty and maybe higher priority, maybe, to get one of a very few UGs likely to be available sometimes at hotels? Use that money to pay for better rooms and breakfast, or to buy a car or for a year's tuition for a kid at a state college. And the ten nights' credit for a meeting may also be going away in Aug, so you would be looking at 32 meetings over the next 75 days.

arthur -- flyer wanna be

thanks. that makes a lot of sense. also thanks for understanding that sometimes search terms don't turn up the right results or it's difficult to sort through pages of responses.

CJKatl

My answer is still no, but my math was way off as someone pointed out in a PM. I used a calculator when I should have just quickly done it in my head. 32 meetings at $50 a pop is $1600, plus tax and sometimes fees. The number the person who PMed me came up with was over $2k. I still think it is a waste of money.

JfromTheBay

Your going to hit it sooner or later, but I just wanna say I'd do it. 25% more points for life and to be in a tier that no one will be able to get into ever again.

craigthemif

Not quite... You can easily reach Plat Premier every single year, simply by staying 75 nights. If you're not going to stay that much, then exactly how are you going to earn back the massive cost of these mattress runs out of a relatively small 25% bonus on a handful of annual nights. (until the next "enhancement")

It also remains to be seen whether Plat Premier will receive any preferential treatment above Plat.

Stariott probably stumbled into this without thinking. But if people do silly things to reach that PP status because it's now or never, Stariott will ultimately be laughing all the way to the bank.

MSPeconomist

CJKatl

You are correct. I need to stop doing math in the middle of the night. I still stand by it would be a waste of money. Going forward LTP will be the highest level members can get LT. It seems unbelievable that the company would send a message that they are going to treat LTPP so much better than the level where they are placing the present members earning LT status. LTPP was obviously created to be little more than a wink wink nod nod way to placate present MR LTP and not give them the same title as present MR LTG. There would be no business sense in giving extra perks to the people who have their heavy travel behind them over newer LTPs especially as the program matures. Seeing people spend significant money and effort to get this likely meaningless title makes to sense to me.

CJKatl

You are correct. I need to stop doing math in the middle of the night. I still stand by it would be a waste of money. Going forward LTP will be the highest level members can get LT. It seems unbelievable that the company would send a message that they are going to treat LTPP so much better than the level where they are placing the present members earning LT status. LTPP was obviously created to be little more than a wink wink nod nod way to placate present MR LTP and not give them the same title as present MR LTG. There would be no business sense in giving extra perks to the people who have their heavy travel behind them over newer LTPs especially as the program matures. Seeing people spend significant money and effort to get this likely meaningless title makes no sense to me.

IrishStephen

I wonder if someone could PM me and point me in the right direction to book a Marriott $50 meeting room as the cheapest I can usually find is about $100. I would appreciate any assistance.

CJKatl

I cannot but there is a thread on the Marriott forum about Plat for $800 where people volunteer to PM the information about where to set up the cheap no-show meetings.

IrishStephen

Hi there CJKatl, thank you very much.

FlyingBeanCounter

We have had this discussion, yet I still struggle with the logic of your thinking on this point. Can you guarantee that no one will ever receive preferential treatment for being LTPP than LTP? I think one cannot for a variety of reasons:

1. The Stariott system says what level someone is. If LTPP and LTP are the same, how would they know to award the extra points? Or to enforce the guarantee?
2. There is a difference between PP and regular old P in the new system.

We do know that this is fact. There is no denying that the difference exists inside of the Starriott systems and at least in some instances there will be preference to LTPP of even regular platinum members. While I agree that separating the tiers is dumb and that they don't want to irritate those of use who are still working on the status the fact is Starriott has already done this very thing. There is a difference between those that already did the nights and those still working on them.

If starriott wants to create this type of dynamic then fine. They will pay the price though. I am at 70 nights already this year between the two programs. If they want me to believe the next 4 years of platinum are not worth as much as the existing members then fine. I will likely switch the nights after 35 and focus on a second program since there is no real long term benefit to focusing on starriott.

Logically why would one invest time and effort into a program that decides to not reward behavior the same across all members?