I recently stayed at Newport Coast Marriott and probably forgot to have my Marriott Rewards number associated with the exchange res. So I checked my check out bill (aka "folio" ?) and I didn't see a number. So I went to Marriott dot com, logged in, went to my activity and tried to report a missing stay. It was really really clumbsy. I even had to slow down on my data entry because the site wasn't keeping up with my typing. In the comments I supplied my MR rewards number, the Marriott res #, and an explanation. Then I saw an unfilled set of blanks regarding documentation of a receipt. When I clicked on it, all of my comments disappeared, I tried unclicking and that "launched" my report of the missing stay. An hour later I got a Delivery Status notification (Failure) and it said
"The following message to <bonvoy.stay@marriott.com> was undeliverable.
The reason for the problem:
5.3.0 - Other mail system problem 554-'5.4.6 Hop count exceeded - possible mail loop'"
The on-line Marriott site to get credit for a lost night's stay is obviously focused on cash customers and not exchangers based on the fields available.
So this morning I called NCV and was told that since I checked out that there was nothing they could do and I would have to call Marriott Bonvoy. I eventually got to a human who told me to call NCV. Been there, done that. Then she told me to go to Marriott dot com and file a missing stay. Been there done that. Then she told me that since it was an exchange through Interval (a third party that she lumped into the basket of Travelocity, Expedia, Hotel dot com, etc) that I don't get the night's credit. I escalated the conversation to a resolution manager and she told me that because it was through a third party (like Travelocity, Expedia, etc.) it wasn't eligible. I argued that the paragraph that she was reading word-for-word applied to outside cash purchases but didn't apply to M to M exchanges. She argued that Interval is a third party. I countered with Marriott Vacation club is also a third party separate from Bonvoy. She countered with No, MVC is NOT a third party. I countered with "since MVC owns Interval, and MVC is not a third party that then neither is Interval. I wasn't convincing her so I escalated it to the next management tier. After 5 minutes of loud obnoxious "music" she came back and told me that she spoke with her supervisor (a director?) and yes, Interval Exchangers into Marriott Vacation Club should get the credit. I thanked her for confirming my original point and understanding. In the next month or so, the MR points are supposed to show up.
My April Marriott exchange and my June Marriott exchange both showed on my activity because it was associated with my MR number. But the Sept. one didn't because I forgot to check to see if they had my MR number. That is surprising because the last 20 exchanges have automatically included the MR number. My personal lesson is to remember to check the MR number on the res.
Whew!! Bonvoy needs to train its people better and I need to double check the res.