Having just reached 150,000 tier credits in Oct 2016 with CET, my Total Rewards account is now showing my 7 Stars status, however, it says I am 7 Stars only until 31st January 2017, surely this should say 2018, otherwise if I had achieved 7 Stars on 31st December 2016 I would only be 7 Stars for 31 days! This seems totally wrong to me, unless I am missing something here!
The calendar year for CET has changed. It used to be March of each year, but has changed to January of the following year. The intent was to "accelerate", or short, those who did not renew their level the following year. Your current card expires 1/2017, but on 2/1/2017, you can get a new card that says 1/31/2018. the website will also reflect that change.
I don't think they've ever updated the date in that display until after the end of the current actual calendar year anyway.
OK so basically on 1st Feb it will show my 7 stars as expiring on 31st Jan 2018 - So I will at least have it for an entire year then?
Correct. Any status earned with CET is for the remainder of the current year, the entirety of the following year, and thru January (used to be March) of the year after that.
You will have it until Jan 31, 2018. I think the expiration date shown on the website display may update before Feb 1, either right away in January, or after they run the TR statements for January (by Jan 7th).
But, your 2016 benefits do expire. So make sure you redeem your $500 dinner vouchers, and your $1200 airfare.
And your $750 airfare Diamond Aspirations 2 benefit that you earned on your way up to 7 Stars (if you haven't yet used it). I believe you have to book that by the end of January and it must be used by the end of June.
This issue has been the norm with CET for many, many years. You have to get a new card each year. Has zero impact on anything. Same for ALL levels, not just 7 Star.
I think part of their "master plan" is to keep that timeframe tight in an effort to get you/us back into their casino earlier than you might otherwise go. I know I have airfare to Vegas covered, but not sure if I can afford to have free airfare to Vegas anytime soon.
Even if you just go somewhere else that CET has a casino for a 2 night stay it would be worth it not to lose that $1200 airfare and $500 folio AND $500 meal vouchers! If you go somewhere you don't normally play it won't have an effect on your MDV (Market Daily Value), so your Vegas offers shouldn't go down. Take a trip to New Orleans! It shouldn't be hard to use the $500 meal vouchers there since most restaurants charge 2 to 1 AND New Orleans doesn't give you a $500 folio credit -- instead, they put $500 worth of Reward Credits in your account which you can use anytime, not just on your 7 Stars trip!
There are 2 things you can do. #1, you can contact your host and I think they can add some reward credits to your comp account. Alternatively, you can have them book a flight and just no show and cancel your hotel. You can then use the travel credit on a future flight.