Here’s the latest edition of Seven Stars Insider.  This is an easy read and an excellent resource for Harrah’s players.  Head over to Seven Stars Insider to sign up for the newsletter.  There is lots of new and useful information in this edition (some of which I’m going to reference in future posts), so read on for all the goods.

Seven Stars Insider – November 2010

Question Of the Month
My companion cardholder has misplaced her card.  It was issued in Las Vegas.  I’m based in California, but she is a Diamond cardholder who lives near, and plays in, Atlantic City.  How does she go about getting a replacement card?  Do I have to be present?  This shouldn’t be a problem and, no, you don’t have to be there.  Her record should indicate that she is your companion cardholder (and vice versa).  Don’t go to Total Rewards, though, for the reissue.  She will need to go to VIP check-in at one of the Harrah’s properties in Atlantic City.  If they give her a hard time, she should ask for a host on duty – assuming she doesn’t have her own.  He or she should be able to straighten this out.

Read the Fine Print I
You’ve really got to read the fine print when trying to redeem offers from Harrah’s.  Planning to use your 30 percent Seven Stars discount on an NCL cruise to Hawaii?  Forget it.  Check the bottom of the Web site (www.harrahs.com/NCL) and note in tiny letters: “Total Rewards Tier Discount is not valid for Hawaii cruises.”

Read the Fine Print II
Do you ever just pick up the phone to book an offer you received in the mail?  If it’s from Caesars Palace and involves a room reservation, you might want to think twice.  According to one offer I received, “[a] $10 surcharge may apply to reservations booked through our call center”.  Unlike the NCL Web page, however, there was no asterisk (*) directing me to this disclaimer.  It was in much smaller type than the offer and totally disassociated from the offer itself.  Other offers may carry this same fee, so read everything very carefully.  Oh, by the way, when’s the last time Hilton (or Marriott or Hyatt, etc.) charged you a fee to book a room at their hotels?  In this economy, most are grateful for your business.

Donny and Marie Heading To Broadway
Don’t plan to see Donny and Marie at the Flamingo in Las Vegas next month if you’ve scheduled a trip between December 9 and 19.  They’ll be playing Broadway at the Marriott Marquis Theater.  Currently, at least on the Flamingo Web site, no tickets are being sold past November 27.

Caesars Palace Updates
·         Texting Options – Check-out by sending a text message.  At the end of your stay, send a text message with your name and room number.  In return you’ll get an e-mail confirming all the details.  Another feature, “Text To Request,” allows you to request extra towels, housekeeping service, etc.
·         munchbar Happy Hours – My new favorite casual dining spot has dropped the entrée I enjoyed most (and wrote about in the September newsletter), the grilled tuna.  However, they now have a Happy Hour (4 to 7 p.m.) and Reverse Happy Hour (9 p.m. to midnight).  Draft beer and all appetizers are half-price.  The pizzadilla [$6.50] is a good choice if you’re by yourself, but don’t even think about ordering the nachos [also $6.50] unless there are two (or more!) of you – it’s gigantic (but delicious).  A Miller Lite cost $3, so, for less than $10, you can have an inexpensive – if not particularly nutritious – early evening or late night snack.
·         In-Room Coffeemakers – The Augustus and Palace Towers are testing in-room Keurig coffeemakers.  These single-serve systems are great, but they’re not cheap – $12 for a four-pack of individual “K-cups” (available through the minibar).  Consider bringing your own cups from home (they retail for approximately 50¢ each) – or, if you’re staying in the Augustus Tower, just take the elevator down to Seven Stars Registration after 8 a.m. and serve yourself from their complimentary coffee service.  You also can pick up a free copy of USA Today.
·         Total Connect – After you check-in be sure to see the concierge to get a Total Connect sticker for your room key card.  Throughout your stay you can check for special offers by swiping the TC sticker on specially designated signs throughout the casino.  After about 24 hours, all I had was $5 off a Café Lago buffet and a free dessert with the purchase of two entrées at the Augustus Café.
·         Seven Stars/Diamond Registration – If you arrive on Sunday through Thursday after 10 p.m., the Seven Stars and Diamond Registration desks will probably be closed.  If there is a huge line at the “regular” registration desk, look for the small “Diamond Registration” sign at the far left of the front desk, next to the concierge.