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Seven Stars Retreat

Discussion in 'Comps' started by Kennedy, Mar 16, 2021.

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  1. Kennedy

    Kennedy Tourist

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    This is my first year as Seven Stars. I intend to use the retreat in June. I have a couple of questions. First, my boyfriend and I are flying from different cities. Am I still able to get his airfare comped in the $1200? Also, it says $1200, but only for coach. Has anyone booked their own first class and the casino accepted that?
    Also, we are trying to decide if it's Vegas we want to go to somewhere else. The trouble with somewhere else (we were thinking of Black Hawk Colorado area if available for the retreat) is we probably would do less gambling than in Vegas. If I play far less than normal during this trip, but still play, could I be in danger of not getting comped for the retreat?
    Thanks for any thoughts, especially on non-Vegas destinations you have taken the seven stars retreat to!
     
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  2. oghuman

    oghuman VIP Whale

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    I've heard of people using first class if they book their own tickets. I don't think you can get two separate flights because it has to show your name on the confirmation. I've only done 7* my trips to Vegas, so I can' t speak about other locations. I know that the fare for Diamond Elite has to be to Vegas. Id on't think you have a specific amount you must gamble. Like the idea of going to Vegas because you have multiple choices in where to stay and gamble at a CET property. Plus you have your $500 folio for various meals or other expenses at CET properties. You get Free Play at Caesars Rewards Center according to you printed confirmation with pricing. A caution some 7* players have tried to fool the by buying a ticket then cancelling then getting a cheaper rate with a different confirmation number. I know that New Orleans will check that you took the flight own your confirmation for reimbursement. This was for Diamond Elite trip I took.
    Others will have additional info you are interested to you question.
     
    Last edited: Mar 17, 2021
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  3. FABismonte

    FABismonte Tell my wife I am "about even."

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    Hi @Kennedy,

    I have taken about 8 Seven Stars retreats over the years. You raise a bunch of questions but you may be best off to carefully review the following information from the non-official Seven Stars Insider. The home page has a column on the left which has links of each property with usually a comment about how a Seven Stars Retreat may work out on that place.

    http://www.sevenstarsinsider.com/

    This link has other thoughts on a smooth trip:

    https://sites.google.com/site/sevenstarsinsider/yourannualsevenstarstrip


    In addition to Vegas, I have taken Retreats to Atlantic City as well as New Orleans. Atlantic City Retreats have a hidden benefit because of the comped limo which is about an hour ride from Philly airport. I do think June is pretty good weather for the New Jersey coast. New Orleans is great as a party city with sightseeing.

    You will have a comped room no matter what with no play requirement. But no playing may reduce future offers at that locality.

    Finally, if you just made Seven Stars for the first time in your life this year, you probably get a Retreat in 2021 as well as another Retreat Feb 2022 - Jan 31, 2023.

    FAB
     
    Last edited: Mar 16, 2021
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  4. EzE

    EzE VUP Guppy

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    So by rules you can't do first class, however many have done that and gotten reimbursed still. I don't believe that two different cities matters as long as both names on are the room, but I would call the 7 stars hotline or casino you want to go to to confirm that.

    If you book your own the reimbursement is in Freeplay, or Table Gaming Vouchers, not cash which first timers may not realize. If you are Seven Stars you probably gamble that much anyways, but for Table Gaming Vouchers the rules are different at each location. Some let you break it down into smaller denominations, some give you one big honking voucher, and almost all they can only be used on 1:1 payout bets, so no numbers on roulette.

    You can also use CET to book the flights, but they have been known in the past to cap any changes to the price of the original flights. If you book only $900 for first flights and need to rebook and its more expensive but less than $1200 they may still charge you the difference. The operators for booking should be able to answer if you can do 2 flights from different cities before you book. This way no money out of your pocket. Though I think they say they take a booking fee out, but they never have from me when I went that route.

    As for NOLA, I believe they still convert the $500 folio to reward credits, which for some they prefer, but many if not all NOLA food places charge 2:1 on RCs. So it effectively halves the $500 folio.

    If you made Seven Stars this year with some crazy play in the first months, you should have it this year and next year with trips for both years.

    If you made it before the end of last year, then you have it until the end of this year. However, you earned a trip and all the benefits for last year and would have lost them if you didn't use them, but due to Covid they extended last years to the end of this year. So you might have 2 trips to use this year. I'd call the 7 Stars hotline to confirm though.

    The site FAB linked is very helpful and you should have a read through on it.
     
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  5. Flowers

    Flowers VIP Whale

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    I've gotten airfare reimbursement for first class fares for years so I don't think that's an issue at all. Also, I can't remember where I saw it but I remember reading somewhere that you and your guest did not have to depart from the same city or be on the same flight but as others have said, you'll want to confirm.
     
    Last edited: Mar 16, 2021
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  6. NewOrleansSlimm

    NewOrleansSlimm VIP Whale

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    you can fly from separate states/cities/airports no problem as long as you both fly to the same location that has a CET property

    1st class has been addressed

    I know people who have booked 3 people and paid for the 4th because the 4th person wouldnt fit in the $1,200 price when CET states that its only for the cardholder and one guest

    they bend the rules sometimes
     
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  7. Mark Reagin

    Mark Reagin Low-Roller

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    i got reimbursed for 5 peoples flights to Vegas this past January on 7* retreat. it still only came to $920. I chose slot play.
     
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  8. maxev

    maxev VIP Whale

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    Just to confirm everything others have said, I've also in the past (I'm saying in the past, because the rules can change at any moment, and I haven't done this since the El Dorado merger):

    * booked a first class flight
    * booked more than 2 flights
    * booked flights for people from different departure cities, as long as 1 day overlap in arrival city
    * received reimbursement for car rental/limo instead of flight
    * received freeplay instead of flight
    * received RCs instead of flight
    * booked a flight for a friend and had that friend not go (and get a refund in travel funds, ack!)

    They've been pretty lenient on this. If you're doing the full $1200 on flight(s), you can always just book through your host (or Passport) to make sure no surprises when later asking for reimbursement.

    And from what I hear (but have never confirmed), no play is expected during your retreat. That is, it won't hurt your rating/future offers if you don't play.


    --max
     
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  9. FABismonte

    FABismonte Tell my wife I am "about even."

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    I imagine that if a Seven Stars was seeking reimbursement including a flight for a guest originating from a different city, the receipt for that guest should show a credit card charge in the name of the Seven Stars person, otherwise there would not be great grounds to seek a reimbursement (albeit free play) for the Seven Stars person.

    FAB
     
  10. Kennedy

    Kennedy Tourist

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    Thanks for the answers everyone! My boyfriend doesn't gamble as much as I do, and it's going to be his 40th birthday. I am not really sure how much will be going on in Vegas in June. Thinking if we went to another spot then there will be more available. But I always do love Vegas!
     
  11. EzE

    EzE VUP Guppy

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    Umm, where did you hear this? Cause I was told the opposite.
     
  12. vegasmeister

    vegasmeister Tourist

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    This is from http://www.sevenstarsinsider.com/ and specifically from this page regarding Your Annual Seven Stars Retreat: https://sites.google.com/site/sevenstarsinsider/yourannualsevenstarstrip

    “It's rare, but Seven Stars cardholders and their travel companions may fly on different airlines with different itineraries from different cities and on different days.”
     
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  13. vegasmeister

    vegasmeister Tourist

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    This is from the same link I referenced one post above this one:

    “Dollar value aside, of course Caesars wants you to take the trip because it knows you probably will lose at least as much as the trip is worth. Just keep in mind, you’re under no obligation to set foot in the casino. If nothing else, use the trip to visit relatives or friends, or go sightseeing.”
     
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  14. FABismonte

    FABismonte Tell my wife I am "about even."

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    My host in Vegas has told me that while the trip benefits of a Retreat are locked in, it still is a considered a "stay" and non-playing (or light playing) will still be counted in determining future comp offers at that location (ie Market Daily Theoretical). I think if you are planning to "low play" then take your retreat at some place where you won't regularly go so it won't mess up any marketing comps you are hoping to get. By way of example, my wife as used a Retreat to visit relatives in Illinois and we don't care whether the offers we might get later at Harrah's Joliet are pathetic.

    Here @Kennedy will be with a BF on his 40th birthday who is apparently not much of a gambler. I presume since she is a Seven Stars and likes Vegas, she is getting decent offers at that city. In that case, I would not go to Vegas myself but look to a place of non-gambling things to do such as Harrahs New Orleans where I would not worry about lowering my marketing offers.
     
    Last edited: Mar 17, 2021
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  15. EzE

    EzE VUP Guppy

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    There is a difference between that statement and the other. You are never under any obligation to play under most the offers from CET. However, it will most likely affect your rating and lower future offers.
     
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  16. Jejas

    Jejas VIP Whale

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    100%
     
  17. maxev

    maxev VIP Whale

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    Ah, @FABismonte is likely correct that the reference is to a retreat outside of your local, which wouldn't affect your local offers. (As each local property has their own marketing offers.)

    I tend to do my retreat in Vegas but end up playing, so I haven't been able to verify empirically.

    I knew it was too good to be true!

    Now I have to question what I heard about Cosmo's 2 free nights per year and whether no-playing them will affect future offers...


    --max
     
  18. Flowers

    Flowers VIP Whale

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    The other thing to remember is that with a Seven Stars retreat, you also get to book a base offer, so, for example, I have a regular free play offer that I've also booked at the time of my retreat. Even if it were true that no-playing the retreat would not be a problem, no-playing an offer would most definitely affect your future offers. My offers in Vegas aren't that great so I don't feel a major play obligation but given that I am booking the retreat anyway I figured it made most sense to include the best regular offer that is available at the time I plan to be in Vegas for my Seven Stars retreat.
     
    Last edited: Mar 18, 2021
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  19. oghuman

    oghuman VIP Whale

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    I always give a list of offers to my host and she adds everything on my reservation.
     
  20. Flowers

    Flowers VIP Whale

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    Does she add more than one offer? If so, that's great. I thought it was limited to one though I'm going to be in Vegas so long that I could book multiple offers on my own 48 hours before and/or after the 7 Stars retreat portion of the trip.
     
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