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Marriott Lifetime Platinum is worthless (sort of) - DUH moment

VacationForever

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It did not occur to me that Marriott Lifetime Platinum is really the same as the former Lifetime Gold, although I should know that.

I called the Platinum line number and received the greeting of "Welcome to the Titanium Elite Line." The light bulb lit up.

All along I was thinking that technically we could get rid of all of our Marriott timeshare ownership since I have now achieved Lifetime Platinum. We had gotten the last stash just 18 months ago to get us to the old Platinum status. So I guess we should continue to keep our timeshare as long was we want the new Titanium status. DUH!
 

ljmiii

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It did not occur to me that Marriott Lifetime Platinum is really the same as the former Lifetime Gold, although I should know that...DUH!
A few weeks ago I noticed that my little infinity symbol turned gold and thought...Huh!?! I knew I was close-ish...but didn't think I had made it over the line. And it was not until I just read your message that I realized DUH!!! - you *are* still Lifetime Silver...they just call it Gold now! Thank you...
 

jmhpsu93

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A few weeks ago I noticed that my little infinity symbol turned gold and thought...Huh!?! I knew I was close-ish...but didn't think I had made it over the line. And it was not until I just read your message that I realized DUH!!! - you *are* still Lifetime Silver...they just call it Gold now! Thank you...

Same thing happened to me. LOL
 

dannybaker

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I thought the same thing yesterday. We will go lifetime platinum this year. We were very excited that they had lowered the bar.
 

Steve Fatula

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It did not occur to me that Marriott Lifetime Platinum is really the same as the former Lifetime Gold, although I should know that.

I called the Platinum line number and received the greeting of "Welcome to the Titanium Elite Line." The light bulb lit up.

All along I was thinking that technically we could get rid of all of our Marriott timeshare ownership since I have now achieved Lifetime Platinum. We had gotten the last stash just 18 months ago to get us to the old Platinum status. So I guess we should continue to keep our timeshare as long was we want the new Titanium status. DUH!

Senior moment? o_O

That's what I would claim at least.
 

Sandy VDH

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I too got excited about LT Platinum, but other than Lounge access, I think all else is the same as my previous LT gold. So do the nights and years levels change too. I am only a few nights away from 600 LT, I get I get the big nothing upgrade.
 

Steve Fatula

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I too got excited about LT Platinum, but other than Lounge access, I think all else is the same as my previous LT gold. So do the nights and years levels change too. I am only a few nights away from 600 LT, I get I get the big nothing upgrade.

Don't underestimate lounge access. We've eaten (and drank) for an entire week for $0 using the lounge access. It can be valuable. And it's nice to get out of the room sometimes too if you are not going out, nice place to relax, whatever. We love the benefit.
 

VacationForever

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Don't underestimate lounge access. We've eaten (and drank) for an entire week for $0 using the lounge access. It can be valuable. And it's nice to get out of the room sometimes too if you are not going out, nice place to relax, whatever. We love the benefit.
Yep. I agree with that! At some place especially internationally, you get a great meal out of breakfast and dinner. In Singapore where we were in December, we had a choice of going to the executive lounge for a small hot selection for breakfast or a full buffet breakfast. In Singapore, a full buffet breakfast has something like a hundred selection of items and I was in food heaven! LOL. We did not spend time at the lounge for dinner / snacks as we were out with friends and family every night. We had a blast. The hotel was definitely a part of our enjoyment. My husband who hates flying, let alone 20+ hours to get there is keen to return to Singapore, but not the other countries which we visited while in Asia. For me, I enjoyed them all. :)
 

dougp26364

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They like to move the goal posts but make you think you’re more important by making new names/levels.
Personally, I’m waiting for the triple diamond, extra platinum, double bacon wrapped, extra special, super duper elite level.
 

Pocky87

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I kind of beg to differ on this, the demand for timeshare has changed drastically and probably more so in Asia, especially with millennials or high affluent asians looking for alternative programmes to satisfy their travel needs. The platinum seem to be still a good package especially for those who don't travel that frequently for business travel.

Seem to me that Timeshare is an easy built up to lifetime platinum...

To me the biggest perk is the lounge access and late check out.
 

dougp26364

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I kind of beg to differ on this, the demand for timeshare has changed drastically and probably more so in Asia, especially with millennials or high affluent asians looking for alternative programmes to satisfy their travel needs. The platinum seem to be still a good package especially for those who don't travel that frequently for business travel.

Seem to me that Timeshare is an easy built up to lifetime platinum...

To me the biggest perk is the lounge access and late check out.

I'm not certain anyone is arguing it's not a reasonable perk. I think the disappointment comes from the fanfare that you're now "platinum" instead of "gold" with the implication that you're moving up the food chain, when in fact you're standing still. Sometimes you move up in virtual status with the "new" level name but the reality is the "enhancements" are less than what you had previously.

I've learned to take what they give me and enjoy it but not pay additional for another title that has benefits which can be changed or even taken away at managements discretion.
 

jerseyfinn

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I don't share the negative LT elite POV.

Marriott TS itself a process of destination travel, just as MR for hotel only clients is a similar process. Both require investment of time & money to gain a perk over time. Strategy becomes an important factor.

MVC actually a good catapult to MR LT status of some level for any multiple week owner who realizes you're "married" to Marriott and want to do any of your hotel stays with Marriott properties as your TS nights also count and add up ( and TS stays initially did not count as a MR stay night ). Bottom line here is that TS is a long term process just as a businessman is a road warrior spending scores of nights on the road. Clever MVC owners realize they too were quasi road warriors & Marriott rewards you with perks and more MR points for stays. You get the MAR VISA cc and let time do the rest < yeah I know it's now Bonvoy or whatever they call it >

In those early years we add a day or two to some of our TS vacations to extend the happy moments or fly out night before to hit the ground running at the resort. You pay for it of course, but the business of America is business. We see this strategy as logical way to leverage your Marriott relationship & slowly work towards the perks whilst enjoying life.

The real rewards come with time and patience. LT elite means you never need qualifying nights to maintain status along with concierge lounge perks at the hotels. The more you travel and strategize the more integrated your travels become. We retire in the red rocks of AZ & use our LT Platinum Elite ( or whatever new name Marriott gave it ) to stay at PHX airport hotel before/after TS trips to Florida. We always get a quite room, often on the concierge floor and we take the $10 F&B credit to eat dinner or BF (we prefer a real BF to concierge lounge but do use lounge on occasion ). We get free parking to leave our car on the property. Our room and bed type are guaranteed and we get short notice reservation priority along with extended checkout late afternoon if needed.

Other benefits also. When you travel regularly, there always comes a time when something will go wrong with a flight/hotel/car etc. So one of the things we got off of our "travel mistake bucket list" :shrug: was mixing up the date of a hotel reservation when driving from AZ to NJ. Get to the property & they say there's no room. I'm always calm & respectful, but I'm getting ready to get tough and mention my Plat status room guarantee and then . . . . . . . we realize we book the room for the night before and were a day late arriving ( error caused making reservation on smart phone & hitting wrong button for the date -- I will never use the phone again). The property had no rooms as a convention grabs all the hotels. My being LT plat was noted & the associate calls around to nearby Marriotts & finds a CY with a room for $350 but get our senior discount rate of $160 for our missed night.

Perks and privileges of LT Plat are not something to gripe about. We don't always get a room UG, but then again, we're one of tens of thousands of elites who are in motion. Now that we're retired, our years of MVC & Marriott travels do indeed payoff in terms of comfort, ease, perks.

I like drinking out of the Marriott glass & consider the glass is full in the larger context of changes made to MVC with the Trust & MR devaluations ( which are a normal part of business life & you learn t change strategy ). We're yet to tap our war chest of untouched MR points & 1.4 mil FF miles from our years of travel.But now that we're retired in cozy AZ red rocks, we do begin to plan big trips as it's time to dig into our bag of travel perks sans worries about devaluations etc. We're still living and breathing and that's what counts. :hi:

travel safe,

barry
 

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I could not have said it better. I always enjoy reading your perspective.
 

Sandy VDH

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I don't own a Marriott timeshare, so my nearly 600 nights is entirely from business and personal travel. I figure I don't care much what the title says unless I get free Breakfast, an upgrade (if available) and lounge access. I can live without the rest, and since I am lifetime I do not have to commit to saying 50 or 75 nights a year.
 

VacationForever

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I am not complaining about Lifetime Platinum status that I received but rather I forgot, as Steve said senior moment..., that it is really Lifetime Gold in the old system.
 

sea&ski

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I have to add that titanium does not exactly come above platinum on a precious metal value scale. Palladium would be next... We actually had to look this up on the Bonvoy site when we were greeted as titanium guests. What did it mean??? Worse??? That's what we get for being earth scientists...
 

controller1

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I have to add that titanium does not exactly come above platinum on a precious metal value scale. Palladium would be next... We actually had to look this up on the Bonvoy site when we were greeted as titanium guests. What did it mean??? Worse??? That's what we get for being earth scientists...

IIRC, the current price of gold is worth more per ounce than platinum.
 

Pocky87

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50% more bonus points... the old gold used to be only 25%....

I didn't really welcome the merger... but they somehow had to find a common ground to combine both SPG and Marriott together..
 

Steve Fatula

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I am not complaining about Lifetime Platinum status that I received but rather I forgot, as Steve said senior moment..., that it is really Lifetime Gold in the old system.

I was of course kidding you. I do much worse than that!
 

uaremymuse

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What good is a Marriott Bonvoy Member benefit if it’s not guaranteed? If they are not going to guarantee a benefit why not list a 100 benefits albeit with no guarantees, ie if the Bentley is available you can use it. If the chauffeur is available, they can take you anywhere you would like to go. If Elon Musk has a spare seat on his rocket, you can fly into space. It’s the biggest con game around. SPG was heads and shoulders better and the sold out it’s clients when they agreed to sell out to Marriott. And yes, I hear you. Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth. I’ve been a titanium member and I’ve yet to be offered a suite upgrade. They think they’re doing something marvelous for you by saying, “oh, we have a wonderful upgrade for you by putting you on a higher floor. “. Whoooopeee.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

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What good is a Marriott Bonvoy Member benefit if it’s not guaranteed? If they are not going to guarantee a benefit why not list a 100 benefits albeit with no guarantees, ie if the Bentley is available you can use it. If the chauffeur is available, they can take you anywhere you would like to go. If Elon Musk has a spare seat on his rocket, you can fly into space. It’s the biggest con game around. SPG was heads and shoulders better and the sold out it’s clients when they agreed to sell out to Marriott. And yes, I hear you. Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth. I’ve been a titanium member and I’ve yet to be offered a suite upgrade. They think they’re doing something marvelous for you by saying, “oh, we have a wonderful upgrade for you by putting you on a higher floor. “. Whoooopeee.


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4 pm late check out is a guaranteed titanium perk and I love every bit of it!

What I don't like is the super thick heavy metal card member made out of who knows what metal---certainly not silver, gold, platinum, nor titanium. Wish someone would start a campaign to bring back the plastic one.
 

bazzap

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4 pm late check out is a guaranteed titanium perk and I love every bit of it!

What I don't like is the super thick heavy metal card member made out of who knows what metal---certainly not silver, gold, platinum, nor titanium. Wish someone would start a campaign to bring back the plastic one.
Whilst the metal card is not really necessary and arguably a frivolous expense, I actually quite like it if only for the novelty value.
 

Beachclubmum

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Whilst the metal card is not really necessary and arguably a frivolous expense, I actually quite like it.

I'd like it better if it weren't so thick and heavy...makes it more difficult to fit in my wallet. Glad to hear it has its fans though!
 
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controller1

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I'd like it better if it weren't so thick and heavy...makes it more difficult to fit in my wallet. Glad to hear it has its fans though!

Why oh why would you carry the card around? Place it in your phone's wallet. It's a waste of resources for Marriott to send any cards out, metal or plastic.
 
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