AC junket Trip Report Bally's 8/9-8/11

Atlantic City Bally’s 8/9-8/11 Junket

Took my first junket to AC this past week. This was through S& S Casino Tours…I was afraid before I left since I never dealt with them before. Didn’t need to be…they were great, gave me my trip for free (based on April 2008 Vegas play)…I am Platinum so by far no high roller. This is the company you would get if you went through Total Rewards Air from Boston, Providence, Detroit or Grand Rapids.

Flight out of Providence RI…they used the Delta desk with Pace Air chartered 737. Full plane 120-130 people. Escort at the airport to give out seating assignments. 40 min flight and landed at ACY. Escort at the door to tell us to go across the street and there were 3 busses….another escort there to tell us what bus to get on. 2 busses went to Harrahs 1 to Bally’s.

20-minute bus ride and we pulled into Bally’s. It was a Sunday, in August, on the boardwalk so I knew we would NOT be checking in early…LOL. Escort told us where to go at the check in, be there for 4:30 to get room assignments and be back at the bus on Tuesday at 3pm. They took care of our luggage to and from our room from the airport/bus to Bally’s. Got in line at 4pm was 3rd in line for room keys, at 4:30 they started handing them out…all enveloped with name on them went fast. Got a Tower room 4122 this is a Premium room (If you look at the website pix) with view of little bit of ocean all the way west to the windmills. I was very pleased. I did NOT see any net connection and there is no desk so glad hubby wasn’t with me (He can’t be away from his laptop). Room had some major wear even though it was a premium BUT it was a smoking room and I always find the smoking rooms to have seen some better days.

Busy as hell on Sunday…expected, it’s the beach in the middle of summer. 3 smoking slot areas at Bally’s plus the bonus of Caesar’s next door, so plenty of machines to pick from. Harrah’s- took the shuttle over but forget about getting back…too many people lined up for the few seats available. Jitneyed over to Showboat and jitneyed back to Bally’s…would have walked but 90+ degrees with humidity so forget it. I loved Harrahs 2 years ago, hated it this time….the few smoking slots were all penny, nickel or high roller, couldn’t find a quarter or 50 cent machine. It is a nicer hotel and casino but if I can’t play there no sense of going back. Showboat was pretty much the same as 2 years ago, was able to play and like the food places.

Biggest complaint- every casino had a Diamond ONLY area, which was smoking and being lowly Platinum I couldn’t play there. They have security at the door to check your status to get in. I would have liked to play in there. For you Vegas veterans platinum check in and food lines are the GOLD lines so no perks in AC for you.

Ate at Showboat buffet – didn’t like it as much as 2 years ago, Pickles deli at Bally’s- Okay maybe it’s me but I was shocked to order a Roast Beef sandwich (they didn’t ask any questions…and it came dry like that …bread and roast beef…tasted good but expected lettuce, tom, mayo SOMETHING. I assume you have to order it that way…live and learn) Virginia city buffet for breakfast 2 days- no complaints breakfast buffets to me are all the same. The food court at the Pier twice…pretty good. Arthur Treachers just for fries and sit on the Boardwalk – pretty good.

No big hits but enough little hits to keep me in my budget. I do feel less safe in AC then Vegas for some reason. Possibly due to the handicapped walking up to us more than once trying to beg for money. I see panhandlers in Vegas too but they just stand or sit there with a cup and sign, they don’t walk up to you begging. Had the same problem 2 years ago when I went there. I’m sure both places are equally safe/unsafe though.

Went to no shows, didn’t hit the pool since the free one was in the Claridge and the one in Bally’s costs you to use it. Only had 1 full day anyways. Played enough to earn 2000 tier credits in 48 hours so with my May Vegas trip made my Platinum for the year again. Hard to do with only 2 trips to an HET property a year. In Vegas when I order a beer they bring a bottle in AC they brought it in a glass and had to settle for what they had on tap. Instead of the Mich Ultra I ordered had to settle for a Coors light but it was good.

Would I do a junket again with this company? YES. I am willing to bet if I had booked a room at Bally’s on my own I would have wound up in the Claridge like everyone else I have read reviews from. (And I read MANY TRs before going LOL) If I was to go again it would be in October to avoid the beach crowd plus I usually do my Vegas trip in April and I refuse to fly during “snowâ€months.

I couldn’t find very much information about junkets, so wrote this report for anyone considering one and a little hesitant. Don’t be afraid…go for it!

I did have a good time…rereading this it does sound a little negative…sorry about that.

OH!! The big question…what is this cash I got at the kiosk? I never have heard of this before, I had over 3000 tier credits when I decided to check out the kiosks at Showboat. I curiously hit the cash button after swiping my card and it said I had $150 so I followed the directions and cashed it in. I asked about it at the TR desk and she told me you just earn it. I thought maybe it was a way of cashing in credits or something…but it wasn’t….they just GAVE me $150 for no reason….SWEET! I guess it must be some sort of bounce back or something. Never seen or heard of it in Vegas so must be an AC thing. I received a voucher in the mail last year from my play at Rio for $50 thought that was cool, but this was better!

 

very kewl TR indeed ty for sharing

seems that kiosk paid out more than some of the slots I've been too lol