Seven Stars Insider – March Edition

Here’s the latest edition of Seven Stars Insider.  This is an easy read and an excellent resource for Harrah’s Caesars players - especially in Atlantic City this month.  Head over…

Seven Stars Insider – January Edition

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, so read on for all the goods.

Seven Stars Insider – January 2011

NOTE: While this newsletter was originally designed exclusively for Seven Stars members, there is useful information for anyone who has a Total Rewards® player’s card and/or plays/stays at a Caesars property.  Please feel free to pass this on to your friends.

Review-Journal Back In Gift Shops
Not sure when it happened, but the Las Vegas Review-Journal is once again for sale in the gift shops at Caesars’ properties.  The paper had been banned when then-Harrah’s officials were unhappy with some of the newspaper’s reporting, according to anonymous sources in Gaming Today.

Review-Journal Slams KGB
After its not-so-favorable review of Kerry Simon’s KGB, the Review-Journal may be back off the shelves at Harrah’s in Las Vegas.  In her December 3 review, critic Heidi Knapp Rinella wrote, “the restaurant has some problems that could threaten its future.”  Whoever wrote the headline didn’t help much either – “Culinary Confusion: Sloppy Service, Average Dishes Dash High Hopes For KGB At Harrah’s.”  Read the full review online (For her review of Harrah’s Buffet of Buffets)

Keurigs Now In Forum Tower
Add the Forum Tower to Augustus and Palace if you’re staying at Caesars Palace and need that early morning coffee fix.  I’d be curious how sales of the expensive coffee pod packs are going.  Most people I’ve heard from either don’t use the machines, bring their own pods from home or, if they’re staying in the Augustus Tower, just wait until 8 a.m. and pour themselves a free cup either at Seven Stars or Diamond Registration.

Staffing Cutbacks Continue
The four Caesars-owned casinos in Atlantic City eliminated several hosts.  (Reports ranged from up to five at each property, at least one of whom had worked at Harrah’s Resort for more than 20 years.)  In addition, several managers were let go, leaving those remaining to take on additional responsibilities at another casino, as well.  [Trump’s casinos in Atlantic City made similar cuts.]  Meanwhile, out in Las Vegas, one reader reported that breakfast service two days at Harrah’s Café was “horrendous”.  “When I asked our nice waitress about it, she said Harrah’s had expanded the number of tables she covers from four to eight last month.  This is terrible.  It took us an hour for breakfast!  Further, on a trip in October it took a slot attendant almost 30 minutes to come to my friend’s aid.  The EZ-Pay ticket stock was depleted and he couldn’t cash out.  The attendant told us that he had half the casino.  This was around 9 p.m. on a Sunday night.”

Great Gift Wrap Up

This past weekend in Las Vegas was Caesars Great Gift Wrap Up.  I received an invite to come last year to get some goodies, but I'm on the low end…

Highs and Lows at Harrah’s

It's been a long week in Vegas. I've split time between the Mirage and Harrah's. I'm still at Harrah's and wanted to share some of my ups and downs. There…

MLife On Hold In Vegas

Vegas Tripping noted last week that MGM Resorts International was delaying the arrival of, MLife, their new players club in Las Vegas. The club, which has already been implemented at…

Step Off…Step Off!

On my last trip to Las Vegas I was yelled at while I skipped a line of about 20 people at Starbucks at Planet Hollywood because I have a Diamond…

Seven Stars Insider – November Edition

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.