Wondering what others think of a bit of "gaming" of CETs comp rooms. I'm a frequent (6-8 trips a year) Vegas visitor but not always a heavy gambler. We live in SoCal and on some trips really just go for the dining and entertainment. We always drop a few hundred bucks on these (weekend or long weekend) trips but not the normal $2-3k. Back in the day we were regulars at the Mirage and the Bellagio when Wynn was in charge and somehow gambled enough throughout the year to have a host who "managed" our relationship and had no trouble with us not gambling much every few trips. We moved over to the Wynn when it opened and initially things were similar but I think over time our play just wasn't sufficient for regular room comps. We then moved over to MLife what seems like a couple of years ago and initially got a few good offers but have never been able to get a decent flow of room comps. Finally moved over to Total Rewards and have noticed we regularly get room comps of SOME sort...but herein lies the question. It's obvious after our heavier play trips that we get much better room comps and after a lower play trip the comps tend to "degrade" a bit. I'm wondering if there is anything wrong with a strategy of booking a few trips when I have the better comps loaded so after I have a low play trip I've already got rooms booked for the next regular play trip? I've only recently tried to book more than one trip and it appears my room options stay the same even if I have multiple trips booked. I'm wondering if there are any long term implications. On another note, there's not much talk here about Wynn...I'd love to get back in their "graces" but probably not enough to really adjust my play.
I would put your low rolling or casual trips early in your set of reservations. The last couple of the run should show some good play. I wouldn't want my last reservation before I need more to be reflective of low or no play. JMO.
When I read "gaming" I thought you meant actually getting rooms the easy way and keeping them flowing... If I were you, scrap your current idea, if I know how their systems works, it'll automatically change your future reservation if you no longer qualify for it. Beat them this way... Regularly make a trip to Harrahs Rincon and play one day for 1000 or 2500 TC...get the bonus TC and keep the comp rooms flowing... Then, when in Vegas, either play only one day 1000 or 2500 TC, or simply just don't play at CET in Vegas at all, and only play in Vegas at other properties... Fwiw, TR is one of the easier clubs to beat...
no problem at all i belive you can do up to year in advance.i just booked a 5 nite comp for family next summer. you can book as much as you want as long as you leave for 72 hours in between.just rember if you totaly stiff them after a few trips you can be charged or cancled so throw them something .im sure they have there assesw coverd but tghats wht i love about cet the free rooms and fexabilty . it would great to have calander for all mgm properties but thye make you go thru the trouble of searching out each one sepertly
I have to say i disagree with Timspeed and I think your strategy is an excellent one for CET. They will let you have 3 reservations pending in LV at once and they will absolutely not alter the upcoming ones even if you zero play the first one or two. That said, your future offers will obviously suffer and you should probably book this online rather than with a host.
Your strategy is a good one and I have used it myself. If I have a trip coming up in the near future and aren't sure what my play level is going to be during the CET portion, I'll book a couple of reservations far out in the future. If my play results in lesser comp availability, no problem, I'm already booked. If it results in better room type comp availability, no problem, I cancel and re-book. One thing I thing I'm going to test during my next trip is to heavily front-load play on the first day of my stay and see if it has an effect on availability within a day or two.
there are some old members here that used to make an art form out of stuff like this. every time they had a big trip they'd talk to a host at several different properties and book out several trips for big holiday weekends. then they would not play at all on those trips, or very little. next big trip they'd do it all over again. I'm all for taking what the casino will give you, but people doing stuff like this is one of the major reasons that the casinos have tightened up the comps and instituted new rules making it more difficult. but honestly I couldn't care less what CET does, so go for it and have fun!
i do the same thing locally when i end up playing high or loosing money i can get better rooms and suites comped online so i just book them for some weekends in the future. if i play low those times its ok because i can always get a normal room comp at least. you will have no problem doing it too
I have never heard of anyone impacted with a future reservation being changed. Offers dropping - yes. Actual reservation being changed - no way.
Hey everyone, thanks for all the input. Lots of good thoughts here. A few follow up questions: 1) Has anyone ever had an existing reservation changed or cancelled as a result of low play at CET? Seems most think this doesn't happen but would be interesting to hear if it has in fact happened to anyone...this would obviously impact my strategy. 2) I like the suggestion of playing at Rincon. I'm acutally now in San Diego and checking it out has been on my list. I'm curious what people think the impact of playing there is? I see lots of reports about outstations like Tunica being very generous with comps - any reports from Rincon? FWIW I have fairly generous room comps available throughout vegas and in most outstations but not a single Sat night available for comp at Rincon...could they be gaming me since I live so close? 3) Someone suggested on my low-play trips not playing CET at all (and I've seen this in other forum posts). What's the strategy thought here? I assumed a complete no-play weekend on a comped room would be a no-no...I'd be happy to throw my pittance at another casino if there's some benefit to it. 4) Any other "gaming" CET tips for a relative CET newbie? I'll say, after spending more time on the boards it's interesting to see the back and forth between MLife and CET. While I agree the MLife properties are generally nicer, if you can get a "renovated" CET room you're in pretty good shape.
I believe that offers can change on the rate calender, but once you have a booked reservation, you are set. I booked a room at Harrah's a month or two ago for two weeks in January 2014...for CES and SHOT Show. The total after comps and reduced rate came to under $200 for two weeks. Since then, the rates on all properties has jumped dramatically during CES week. I always book CET properties way early of CES so that I have a guaranteed roon for cheap or free. As the dates get closer and offets from mLife and Cosmo come in, I book those as well for CES and SHOT. In fact, I was just able to get a room at MGM for 3 nights comoed duribg CES week. I just need Cosmo to cover a portion of the trip and I will be all set!
1. No. I don't know of anyone who this has happened to and I know some people who have been pretty aggressive. 2. If you have never been to Rincon, your offer there is based on your play in LV or elsewhere in the CET system. It is usually a very strong one. Once you have been there, your comps there are based on your play there and while adequate they are nothing that special. The hotel is reasonably nice but the casino is a bit of a dump. They cannot comp alcohol so other than a marginal steakhouse there is really not much to spend comp dollars on. Spa is decent if you are into that. They have a lot of midweek promotions which are not really worth going out of your way for but nice if you are going anyway. 3. While this matter is debated, I am in the camp that believes if you are there on a room comp, CET knows you are there. There is not benefit to zero versus low playing if they know you are there already. 4. The best strategy is to give them a huge amount of play on one single day which will boost your ADT significantly. Don't stay overnight--that counts as 2 days. Then wait about 2 months for attractive offers.
I will be at Bally's in Nov. It's comped and resort free (i'm Gold, booked back in Feb.). I also booked Flamingo, Bally's, Rio, and Caesars for Spring 2014. All those rooms are comped, but i haven't decided which week i want to go. So i booked 4 weeks from the last week in April to the first 3 weeks in May. I will probably choose the 2nd week in May (like i did last year) and stay at Flamingo. I used my rate calender and since the resort fees are never charged when booking (it's done at checkout), it's a no risk situation (you have 72 hours prior to canceling). I have never used a Host but the marketing people i'm sure are thrilled that i will be once again staying at CET properties. There is one week in May that i could split Planet Hollywood/Paris for free, but haven't decided if i want to go that route. I never play for comps, my bankroll never changes for the 5 nights i stay. CET does know that my rooms are comped......because i book online through TR, but they also know that my bankroll doesn't wander to other properties like MiLife/B, etc. How do i know this? Because i'm employed by Caesars Entertainment........LOL. We fanboys get comps just for being loyal.......i'm sure MiLife fanboys get comps as well. The important thing to remember is, and i'm sure many people in here will disagree..........that taking out your wallet/purse primarily at one property (CET or MiLife, etc), will go a long way in building a relationship between the customer/client in the long run if you choose to make Vegas a multiple habit on your vacation schedule. The Vegas Strip has become basically a two man race, some people choose MiLife because the properties are generally much nicer.........some choose CET because of the mid strip locations and properties are so close together (some are even connecting). I have been going to Vegas since the 70's, i visit most hotels on the Strip during the week i'm in town........but now, with only 2 choices mostly, i have over the last few years primarily spent my money at CET. In the mid nineties-2005 i was an MGM fanboy (MGM was before MiLife). It's too late for me to go back, i get e-mails offering me Luxor for $29 a night, Excalibur for $19 a night, but with resort fees on low rollers at both properties, i'd rather stay for free + ($15-$25+tax) per night.
