AAerSTL

Ritz-Carlton Rewards was launched nearly two years ago and has grown considerably ever since. Since its launch, we've seen periodic promotions for free nights, bonus points, and other amenities. JP Morgan now offers an affinity credit card, new hotel locations are coming online, a new Ritz-Carlton iPhone app has also been launched. While Ritz-Carlton related discussion has been staged in the Luxury Hotels forum, I think it would be worthwhile creating a dedicated forum for all things Ritz-Carlton. I'd also consider devoting some of my personal time to create, moderate and maintain the new forum if there is sufficient interest.

SkiAdcock

Hi there! From TB guidelines, here are some of the things we consider when considering a new forum. Answers to these questions gives us a starting place when doing our research.

The following are qualitative criteria that the TalkBoard believes are useful to consider when evaluating proposals to create, close, split, or move forums. Whenever a forum change is discussed on the TalkBoard Topics, the TalkBoard encourages posters to fully address these criteria in addition to any other reasons supporting or opposing the change.

1. Will the forum be (or is it now) beneficial to FlyerTalk?

2. Will the new forum benefit a relationship with FlyerTalk? E.g., does the forum provide value for FT members, such as a friendly ear highly placed in the company

3. Is FT the best place to discuss this subject?

4. Is there a passionate following? This is essential in order to provide dedicated expert helpers to get questions answered.

5. Is a critical mass of posts and readers anticipated or existing? We need adequate traffic to keep everyone visiting frequently. One living forum is more valuable than two mostly dead ones.

6. Is this the best place on FlyerTalk for this subject? This is the classification issue. The answer depends primarily on achieving and maintaining critical mass. It also depends on whether or where the discussion might (or does) occur in the absence of the forum.

7. For proposals to split a forum, is the split expected to improve the signal to noise ratio? Why?

On a different note, someone suggested in May editing the Marriott forum name adding Ritz Carlton to it due to the rewards programs, etc.

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/talkb...ted-title.html

And someone mentioned yesterday in the Marriott forum the same. I asked in that thread that they respond in the TB forum thread, as TB members read this forum more often than individual forums. I also mentioned in that thread your suggestion for a separate Ritz-Carlton forum, which could possibly impact any potential name change.

Cheers.

VickiSoCal

Many questions that arise with regards to the RC rewards program are about how in interrelates with and/or differs from the Marriott Rewards program. I feel like having two separate boards is redundant and will lead to the experts in the program answering the same questions in two places.

AAerSTL

I see where you are coming from but they are effectively two separate programs. There are promotions and benefits unique to Marriott and similarly unique to Ritz-Carlton. It just seems to me if Fairmont President's Club gets a dedicated forum and is really just a 'recognition' program Ritz-Carlton should similarly get a forum of its own.

As it is Ritz-Carlton discussions is scattered between the Luxury Hotels and Marriott Rewards forums, I believe it would make the most sense to consolidate to a single forum for convenient access.

tcook052

I don't feel the anology is apt as Fairmont has always managed it's own brand unlike RC who has chosen to affiliate itself with Marriott. For example Ritz-Carlton is one brand that can be selected on Marriott's search engine and to me closely identifies the two as operating in partnership to lead me to not support a separate Ritz-Carlton forum at this time.

Should that arrangement change in future then perhaps it could be revisisted but for now IMHO it makes more sense to me to keep RC topics under the Marriott umbrella, especially if a majority of the topics relate to the Marriott affiliation.

hhoope01

I tend disagree with this.

My thoughts are they are "effectively" one program, but each with a little different "lipstick" applied (i.e. advertising). You can switch between the two almost at will. The points are the same. Earning points are basically the same. Maybe some different promos, but since one can switch between the two program, you can probably get whichever promos you prefer. And the rules, the awards, etc. are virtually the same. Even the T&Cs are located on the same webpages.

AAerSTL

I don't understand why people are so opposed to creating a new forum. I generally don't stay at Marriott hotels, I don't want to have to sift through threads discussing Courtyard properties in Buffalo NY to get to threads and discussion about the Ritz-Carlton, RC rewards, and RC properties. As I said, much of the discussion is scattered around multiple forums and this would make the most sense, IMO.

gv111

If one has both Marriott/RC accounts, is it possible to transfer points between the two (especially from RC -> Marriott)? If yes, how to do that? TIA.

hhoope01

No, you can only have an account with one of the two. As stated, they are really one program with different front ends. Marriott won't let you have an account with both at the same time.

gv111

That person must have inadvertently created both. Should he then just asks Marriott to merge both into one?

SkiAdcock

I don't know that people are 'so opposed' to this per se, as much as you've not yet made a case for it. Because the other guy (Fairmont) has one or I don't want to sift through Marriott or CY threads isn't a case totally made.

If you want to make your case, answering these questions will probably help (see info in link).

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/18823533-post2.html

Also, in taking a quick glance at the Luxury & Marriott forums (the only 2 forums that the discussions are 'scattered around' as far as I can tell), it looks like:

1) most property discussions take place in the Luxury forum, either about the property itself or comparing it to other brands, such as Aman, Four Seasons, etc, &

2) most RC reward programs/promos take place in the Marriott forum, because, as noted, the elite/reward programs are similar, just with a different front-end. Marriott forum does have some RC property threads.

It's also been suggested in a different thread that:

3) the name of the Marriott forum be adapted to include Ritz-Carlton, primarily because the reward programs are similar;
4) Ritz-Carlton be made a sub-forum of the Marriott forum.

FWIW - my guess is that people wanting to do comparisons of the Ritz properties to other high-end brands are still going to post mainly in the Luxury forum.

Cheers.

Kagehitokiri

not different, the same

awards have always been available, earning is what is new

and with increased redemption levels, probably less FTers doing it now

AND how many FTers immediately jumped to paying RC rates because earning is allowed?

hotel discussion, in terms of luxury service/accommodations, is in luxury hotels forum

isnt there at least one other past thread on this? ah, the title change thread, related.

SkiAdcock

You're making some assumptions in a couple of your comments above. Based on posts in the Marriott forum, there are FTers that stay at RCs & are more willing to do so now that it's got an earning program as well.

If the OP can make a case, TB is willing to consider this. It may be it makes sense. It may be it doesn't, or a sub-forum makes sense or just a forum name change.

That's what threads like these are for, to consider a variety of options & if there are pros/cons to what's being suggested.

Cheers.

Kagehitokiri

TB's "demand" standards are very high, that is all i am referring to, and not commenting on

actual HOTEL discussion is in luxury hotels forum

so there are TWO existing forums, and again, there is no difference, its like having hotel forums being broken down by brand - that hasnt been done on FT - only like that with airlines that have merged

SkiAdcock

RC property discussions currently reside in both the Marriott & Luxury hotel forums.

Property comparison discussions (such as how does RC XX compare to Four Seasons XX or Aman XX) reside in the Luxury hotel forum.

If I understand the OP correctly, he would like to see RC get its own forum because RC has a rewards program, CC tie-ins, etc, and see discussions re: those & properties (not comparison threads) go in to a separate RC forum.

That might make sense (or not), just as it might make sense (or not) to have RC become a sub-forum of Marriott since the rewards program is basically the same w/ 2 different front ends, or it might make sense to just change the Marriott forum title to incorporate RC (or not).

There are 3 possible items for TB to consider, based on this thread & the other changing the forum title thread.

Cheers.