Starting to rethink my coming trip...

So I'm not sure if I'm venting or seeking opinions/advice here. But in recent days I've been rethinking my coming trip to Vegas. Although I've been a couple times "curing Covid" - this past February and May, in addition to last October - with some of the recent non-covid developments I"m not sure. It has nothing to do with masks or the Delta variant. But its the ever-increasing table minimums, the increased difficulty in finding transportation around town and some of the other factors.

I'm starting to consider taking the $ I was planning on leaving in the desert and taking a non-gambling trip to relax, stick some money in the offshore book for football season and get myself a new laptop.

 

Rental car prices are coming down. I have a rental with Avis for a week (September 3-10) with Avis at LAS for $335

 

People like to vent. There's some old customer service adage that a satisfied customer will tell 2-3 people, but someone with a complaint will tell anyone who'll listen.

I've been June, July, August. I had no trouble getting a cab to-from hotel... took Uber and cabs between properties. Despite discussions of housekeeping - every room clean on arrival, cleaned daily. Got restaurant reservations wherever I wanted. No horrendous lines at registration (I never arrive Friday afternoon)

A crazy line and disorganization at Bacchanal Buffet is my only memory of truly irritating experience.

I don't play alot of tables..... for my minimal play, found limits I expected.

 

Do what makes you happy my dude. Think about if the way you felt last trip when in vegas is better served buying a laptop with a different vacation etc or not.

 

Well I'm here right now:

Transportation seems fine now. Same as any other time.

Table mins are definitely a step or two higher than normal. Craps for example is mostly $15 downtown but we found $10 at DTG. Craps on the strip appears to be $15 to $25 today (Friday).

Marijuana smell is pervasive now on the street which is new to me.

Table game count has been reduced significantly at many casinos compared to 2019.

I'm giving Vegas a B- right now. It's ok but not as nice as I remember it a few years ago.

 

I'm also here now, and the table minimums, at least for blackjack players whom want a decent game, are much higher. I couldn't find a 3:2 game really at any property CET or MGM under $50, so I played a $50 at Aria with @44inarow which turned out to be a lot of fun. Lot of restaurants, when we checked around 6:30pm, were (amusingly) already booked for the entire evening lol. However, I did get to try Lemongrass for the first time, which let us sit at the bar no wait time, and it was one of the best meals I've had this year (thanks @44inarow!)

I hadn't gambled at Aria before, but drink service was definitely subpar. The pit boss, whom was very nice when I asked, said cocktail waitresses are covering significantly more area during their shifts apparently and, which is news to me, at least at the Aria they now make their own drinks? I'm not sure if this cost cutting thing is more pervasive than I thought, I.e. it's beyond CET, but higher table mins and poor drink service was something I noticed. This stadium/electronic table gaming nonsense seems to be everywhere, and most of CP seems to be under construction.

Unrelated but at the airport, the cheapest uber was $40 whereas the cabs are definitively cheaper and a much quicker wait time. This place is pretty packed, but the mask usage is pretty good at all of the 6-7 places I've thus far walked through. CET properties seem to be really pushing the kiosk thing at Check In, defining less personnel to assist but I asked for a rep, notated I tip, and was helped.

Long and short I just got here yesterday and am having fun, but I'll know more tomorrow if you want any more Intel. I'm doing things differently this trip rather than just gambling at CET since that love affair is over, but I think it really depends if the changes here still allow for you to have fun. While it's not what I'm used to, I am having fun so far.

Hard for me to rate Vegas currently but things are tangibly different.

 

Glad you enjoyed dinner! Lemongrass remains one of my favorite spots in Vegas, and superlative Thai food. Service is always top-notch, as well.

I think it was just some bad luck in terms of drinks on the floor. I've had those same experiences occasionally pre-pandemic, and have occasions where I'm practically swimming in ginger ale, then those where I'm dying of thirst. As far as the cocktail waitress thing, Aria has been mostly-automated for quite some time. If you're not ordering something complicated (i.e., a generic vodka soda), they've had a touchscreen system for years, where they just punch in what you want and it pours automatically. I can't seem to find the link at the moment, but they have a centralized liquor room with everything connected via a pump room. Bellagio has had something similar for a while, as well: https://vegasinc.lasvegassun.com/business/2013/aug/28/drinking-bellagio-how-booze-travels-secret-room-yo/

Hoping you have good things to say about Yellowtail! That pop rocks crab roll is amazing.

 

I hesitate to ever go back due to the reports on heavy smell of weed. That is truly revolting to me and, although chances of ever having one are slim, I would go nuts if I had a balcony room and couldn't use it due to some selfish pot head stinking up the air from his balcony. To walk around having to smell that stuff would just really put a big dent in my visit.

 

Cab fares to/from the Strip and the airport are capped by the city. Rideshare fares are not

 

Better get used to it... it's not just Las Vegas; it's just about any big city these days. Been to Colorado Springs lately??

 

Not surprising. Things have changed. Spring is the earliest trip for me. I'm a $5-10 passline plus odds on a craps table, mostly five and VP. If mins stay the way they are, it seems they might, I'll concentrate on VP. I usually run around during the day, so a trip to Jerry's or DT Henderson will probably happen. It sounds like they're not using all tables so maybe once they staff up, it'll change. If not I'll try E craps, but I hate bubble craps.

 

In my experience it depends when and where you walk. The stretch between Casino Royale and Cromwell is the worst 24/7. YMMV

 

I’ll see your location and raise you the outside PH by the Chick-fil-A.

Seriously though, it can be bad anywhere at anytime. This last trip, the worst was the walkway to Aria from Vdara.

 

I have my medical card due to health issues and smoke on my balcony at cosmo for relief after my flight. Would you prefer me to go on the street and blow it in people's faces? Personally I think my balcony is the most respectful as im not in arms length of others.

 

Im aware, which is why it was cheaper lol

 

I don’t think it’s just Vegas that has changed. The world is different. Inflation is real. Worker shortages are everywhere. Cost cutting is everywhere. Most if not all service related companies have been hit hard. Only you know what you will tolerate and what you won’t. It’s your money. Spend it where you will enjoy your time.

on a side note I do believe that all Mlife casinos now have the CWs make the drinks. There are drink buttons from what I heard. Can’t say if it’s different in high limit. I would assume so.

I’m still enjoying Vegas the way I normally do. I only eat a few nice meals and have always reserved in advance. I stay on Eastern time so crowds aren’t a huge concern. I haven’t had any transportation problems, but stick close to home base. It was nice last year when flights were cheaper and it was a ghost town, but I knew it wouldn’t last forever.

 

It's legal. Partake. And thank you for your consideration. Thank heaven Vegas isn't full of obnoxious drunks!!

 

To the OP: It's a Vegas board, most are gonna say, "Hell, yes, you're going," whatever the irritation-du-jour that's roiling this place. Most of these inquiries are rhetorical, and that's fine. You have your checklist, you know what you'll find/get with your two options, you'll make the decision that works best for you at this time. If you ultimately look forward to whatever is your decision, you've won.

 

As much as I’m not a fan of dominating smell on the balcony, I’ll take that any day over smelling it through the Cosmo room vents. It can get bad…

 

I have an 18 day trip coming up. Rental car prices started at $900 and have now come all the way down to $375. I feel much better at that price point.