The Marriott Bonvoy Moments function permits members to redeem factors for experiences slightly than resort stays, both by means of an public sale or by buying them outright. The sorts of experiences can embody VIP entry to concert events, culinary experiences, premier sporting occasions, and extra, all out there by means of an on-line portal.
Whereas the most effective redemptions of Marriott Bonvoy factors usually lie in aspirational resort and resort stays, the Marriott Bonvoy Moments program provides quite a lot of various makes use of if you end up in the hunt for an expertise as a substitute of a spot to remain.
What Are Marriott Bonvoy Moments?
Marriott Bonvoy Moments are a group of experiences that may be bought solely with Bonvoy factors by means of a web-based portal. Some experiences could also be bid for by means of an public sale, whereas some could also be confirmed with a set quantity of factors.
Lots of the experiences are held at Marriott-affiliated accommodations and resorts, and typically, the Second could entail a keep on the property as nicely.
Marriott Bonvoy Moments are divided into 4 classes:
- Culinary Moments, which embody wining and eating at well-known eating places, culinary programs with famend cooks, non-public dinners in distinctive places, and extra.
- Arts & Way of life Moments, which is a broad assortment encompassing artwork reveals, vogue occasions, amusement parks, cultural experiences, and float rides, amongst others.
- Sports activities Moments, which supply prime entry to a variety of occasions at varied venues worldwide by means of Marriott’s partnerships with leagues, groups, and venues, together with the NCAA, Manchester United, and extra.
- Leisure Moments, which embody concert events, awards ceremonies, unique events, and sporting occasions, usually with premium seating. For instance, you possibly can anticipate entry to Marriott’s non-public suites at leisure venues, such because the Crypto.com Enviornment in LA, The O2 in London, and the Mercedes-Benz Enviornment in Shanghai.
It’s price noting that the Marriott Bonvoy Moments program is separate from the Excursions & Actions program, additionally provided by Marriott. The previous usually consists of one-off and unique experiences, whereas the latter provides journey experiences that you may additionally discover with different tour firms.
Bonvoy members could redeem factors for as much as 5 Moments per calendar yr, with as much as two packages per occasion. Sadly, residents of Quebec aren’t eligible to take part within the Moments program for now, however the foundation for eligibility appears to rely solely on the deal with listed in your Bonvoy profile.
For those who attain the utmost of 5 Moments redemptions, remember the fact that you possibly can all the time provoke free on-line transfers of as much as 100,000 Bonvoy factors to different individuals’s accounts yearly.
In accordance with the Marriott Bonvoy Moments FAQs, auctions are typically provided between 15 and 30 days from the launch of the occasion. The listing is often up to date, so it might be worthwhile to verify as soon as a month or so to see if something piques your curiosity.
Learn how to Redeem Factors for Marriott Bonvoy Moments
There are two methods to redeem factors for Marriott Bonvoy Moments.
The primary is to purchase packages outright at a set value. For these Moments, you possibly can immediately affirm your expertise, and the factors will instantly be deducted out of your account.
Be aware that when bought, Moments are non-refundable, so make sure you verify all particulars earlier than clicking by means of.
The second manner is thru an auction-style format, whereby members bid on Moments from a set beginning value. Bids improve by increments of at the least 2,500 factors, and you’ve got the choice to put a one-time bid or to enter a most bid.
If somebody outbids your one-time bid, you’ll must enter in one other bid if, for instance, you actually need to redeem Bonvoy factors to see Manchester recreation on the Previous Trafford in Manchester.
For those who select to enter a most bid as a substitute, you need to enter probably the most Bonvoy factors you’d be keen to half with to win a specific expertise. If somebody outbids you, the bidding system will routinely improve your bid by the bottom doable increments, till your most is reached.
Be aware that you may’t alter or take away your bid, so be ready to half with the complete quantity of your bid earlier than clicking “Bid Now”. You’ll routinely be disqualified from the public sale in case your stability is inadequate to cowl your bid at any level all through the public sale.
You’ll be notified by e mail for those who win an public sale, or for those who’re outbid. A Marriott Bonvoy Moments specialist will contact you to finalize the small print of the expertise for those who win, and the factors will likely be deducted out of your account.
Does Marriott Bonvoy Moments Provide Good Worth?
Since Marriott Bonvoy Moments claims to supply unique entry to quite a lot of experiences, it might be tough to calculate the precise worth of a Moments expertise. That is very true if it’s a personal occasion, for which most people can’t pay money.
Moreover, the worth naturally fluctuates relying on how essential a specific expertise is to you. A Manchester United fan could really feel giddy with pleasure to get pleasure from VIP hospitality at Previous Trafford, whereas somebody who’s utterly detached to soccer would possibly balk at that very same proposition.
In the meantime, for those who’re sitting on a big sum of Marriott Bonvoy factors and don’t intend to make use of them for resort stays, maybe the thought of throwing 100,000 factors at a specific expertise might be a enjoyable method to get one thing out of your factors.
Regardless of the case could also be, an goal method to think about the worth of a Second is to ask your self: “Am I getting good worth by utilizing $X price of Bonvoy factors for this expertise?”
Take the Chef-Guided Khao Chae Workshop at Bangkok Marriott Marquis Queen’s Park, for instance. This bundle, out there for 75,000 Marriott Bonvoy factors, consists of:
- Two-night keep in an M Suite at Bangkok Marriott Marquis Queen’s Park together with every day breakfast
- Personal limousine transfers to the workshop occasion
- Khao Chae workshop for 2
- Khao Chae media occasion for 2
- Thai garland scarf memento for 2
It’s a simple bundle—not precisely a mind-blowing redemption—however right here’s why it’s a stable deal.
Reserving the identical resort by itself (with out the culinary expertise) would value 74,000 Marriott Bonvoy factors for a commonplace king room. For those who needed to remain within the precise M Suite included within the bundle, you’d must shell out 119,200 factors.
So, as a substitute of spending 74,000 factors on a fundamental room, you possibly can improve to a collection with lounge entry, every day breakfast, and a novel cultural expertise—for simply 1,000 additional factors.
After all, your journey dates must align with the bundle availability, and for those who maintain Platinum Elite standing or larger, you’d already get pleasure from lounge entry and complimentary breakfast.
Nevertheless, contemplating the suite improve, unique culinary expertise, and minimal additional factors required, this redemption is an absolute steal.
Let’s take a pair extra examples in just a little extra superior perspective.
We worth Bonvoy factors at 0.8 cents per level (CAD) / 0.6 cents per level (USD), which is the benchmark we’ll use within the under evaluation.
For instance, there’s a closed provide from the previous, which delivered two tickets to see Drake in live performance on the Scotiabank Enviornment in Toronto. For 55,000 Bonvoy factors, which we’d worth at $440 (CAD), patrons acquired two tickets in part 108, plus VIP entry to the sector.
Contemplating that seats on the identical part now resell on Ticketmaster for upwards of $2,000 (CAD) every, the fortunate Bonvoy members bought themselves a incredible deal – they usually didn’t must undergo the standard problem of securing the much-coveted tickets within the first place.
As one other instance, think about the next earlier Second, which provides three nights of experiences in Montreal:
Included on this bundle have been:
- Three-night keep at Le Centre Sheraton Montreal, price $1,277 (CAD)
- Dinner for 2 at Stanley Restaurant, price $180 (CAD)
- Two platinum-level tickets to the Montreal Canadiens vs. New Jersey Devils recreation, price $460 (CAD)
- Dinner for 2 at La Mise au Jeu Restaurant, price $200 (CAD)
- Two autographed Montreal Canadiens jerseys, price $300 (CAD)
- VIP Shania Twain Queen of Me Tour live performance expertise for 2 with lower-bowl seats, price $580 (CAD)
Plus, this Second comes with a slew of VIP perks, together with:
- Entry to the Montreal Canadiens Director’s Lounge
- A single parking house within the Montreal Canadiens’ non-public storage
- Entry to the Montreal Canadiens Media Lounge and Press Gallery
- Entry to the Montreal Canadiens dressing room and post-game press convention
- Entry to the Shania Twain Queen of Me pre-show lounge, together with complimentary drinks and light-weight appetizers, one merchandise merchandise per individual, and autographed memento
The approximate values listed above have been taken from the resort, restaurant, and Ticketmaster web sites. For the resort keep, tickets, jerseys, and meals alone, you’re already getting roughly $3,000 (CAD) in worth – plus, you’re getting loads of VIP advantages that the general public doesn’t essentially have entry to.
Two of the Montreal Moments bundle are at the moment bidding for 122,000 Bonvoy factors, which we’d worth at $976 (CAD). The public sale wasn’t closing for 10 days after the time of writing; nonetheless, to match the approximate $3,000 (CAD) worth of the packages, you’d must bid about 350,000 Bonvoy factors, which continues to be a far cry from the present bid.
Even when you find yourself bidding factors to match and even exceed the face worth of the bundle, you can nonetheless come out forward with the unique perks you’ll be receiving. An everyday attendee of an NHL recreation, regardless of in the event that they paid for the costliest tickets in the home, gained’t essentially get entry to a group’s dressing room and post-game convention. Equally, a Shania Twain fan could discover it exhausting to get an autographed memento.
Whereas there are numerous different components that would change the valuation above, it’s price noting that the worth that Moments provide varies extensively relying on the bundle value, how a lot you worth Bonvoy factors, and most significantly, a person’s tastes and preferences.
For those who’re a die-hard opera fan, and a Second provides you a premium seat, a chef’s dinner, and a meet-and-greet along with your favorite soprano, you may not cease speaking about this for the remainder of your life.
The identical is true for foodies, sports activities followers, vogue gurus, and music lovers – the teams for whom Moments appear to be designed.
Conclusion
The Marriott Bonvoy Moments program provides another redemption possibility aside from aspirational resort stays or transfers to airline loyalty applications. It additionally serves as an fascinating method to spend your Bonvoy factors on one thing that you simply would possibly discover worthwhile with out having to shell out the money.
Because the number of Moments is continually altering, it might be worthwhile to sometimes verify the web site for experiences which may be of curiosity to you. The expertise might be an important praise to a vacation or a pleasant shock for somebody particular, even perhaps providing you an unforgettable expertise that cash can’t purchase – however factors can.
