Many more 7Stars in 2014

[Rob.Singer]

Let me address this because it's the only thing you said that is worth replying to:

All of those made economic sense. But Rob, to advocate taking offers that do not make economic sense -- because you want to max out the offers that you get -- is absolutely stupid if not the sign of an addicted gambler. Surprise Rob... I can say NO to their offers. Can you? It appears not. You even go to casinos to play for a half hour. Wow, nothing better to do than drive to a casino for a half hour of play??

Economic sense? How exactly is taking free flights and cruises not economic sense? And stop blabbing about food and/or free play that you turn down in LV.

Now comes your lack of reading comprehension punishment again. The casinos I go to are within a few minutes of where I am or I don't go. Like this morning's. I didn't play as many day as I had planned on for this quarter when my wife returned days early from NC. So I did one $1 thru $25 ARTT session at a casino that balked at my taking a picture of the jackpot, with a $10k bankroll. I left the name of the casino out because of that.

[Dan Druff]

I admit that I am a bit confused as to what Alan gets out of the Seven Stars program. I am not trying to jump on Rob's bandwagon (as I think he's mostly trolling Alan), but it seems that Alan doesn't have use for most of the best benefits.

He gets seasick so he has no use for the cruise (which is one of the best benefits of the program if you enjoy cruising and don't need to take more than 1 other person with you).
'
He doesn't really enjoy traveling much, so he doesn't fly to the other CET properties on the annual trip (another big benefit lost).

He doesn't seem to stay many nights at CET properties, so the Seven Stars benefit of free rooms anytime is mostly wasted. To be honest, that's where I find the greatest value as a Seven Stars, especially during the long WSOP in the summer.

So, yes, Alan does get a good deal of freeplay and GGWU points, and I know he makes good use of those, but are those really any different from other casino loyalty programs? And yes, I know they have those once-a-year shopping events and Alan typically makes use of those. And yes, I know Alan does use his $500 meal at some point every year.

But I was always under the impression that the main difference in the Seven Stars program (compared to other casinos) is the guaranteed benefits such as the trip, the cruise, and the unlimited 4-night stays at any property.

If you choose not to use most of those benefits, is the Seven Stars program really worth it?

I have actually built vacations around my Seven Stars trip. In 2012, I took a my trip to Atlantic City, but then took an east coast road trip through New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts, eventually flying back from Boston (this is allowed). Then, in 2013, I combined my Seven Stars trip to New Orleans with the Seven Stars cruise from there, and even got $500 in RCs for the whole thing (in lieu of the meal credit, which is how New Orleans does it). Not sure what I will do in 2014, but I definitely won't waste it. I think I will do the Alaska cruise this year, too.

[Alan Mendelson]

If you choose not to use most of those benefits, is the Seven Stars program really worth it?

If I were playing for "comps" and were playing just to make 7 Stars, the 7 Stars program would be a waste. You are correct, Dan.

But I don't play for comps and I don't play for the 7 Stars ranking. It's just a benefit I get that comes with my play... and again, not because I play for it.

And frankly, there is just no reason for me to get on a plane and travel someone only for a $500 meal credit and a free hotel room. I have other things to do with my time then just go to casinos.

I've thought about the cruises... but I get seasick as soon as I step on a ship in port. I experienced that many times over the years doing stories about cruising. Ironically, I sail small boats and learned to sail when living in Miami. Yes, I still dream about the "points of sail." (Google that, Rob.)

[Dan Druff]

If I were playing for "comps" and were playing just to make 7 Stars, the 7 Stars program would be a waste. You are correct, Dan.

But I don't play for comps and I don't play for the 7 Stars ranking. It's just a benefit I get that comes with my play... and again, not because I play for it.

And frankly, there is just no reason for me to get on a plane and travel someone only for a $500 meal credit and a free hotel room. I have other things to do with my time then just go to casinos.

I've thought about the cruises... but I get seasick as soon as I step on a ship in port. I experienced that many times over the years doing stories about cruising. Ironically, I sail small boats and learned to sail when living in Miami. Yes, I still dream about the "points of sail." (Google that, Rob.)

Wait, so you sail small boats with no problem, yet get seasick on huge cruise ships?!

[Alan Mendelson]

Wait, so you sail small boats with no problem, yet get seasick on huge cruise ships?!

Yes. But I get seasick below deck on big cruise ships, not on deck. The same with sail boats. Above deck I'm fine... below deck is a "no."

I also can't sit in the front bulkhead seats of Southwest planes looking backwards.

[Rob.Singer]

Yes. But I get seasick below deck on big cruise ships, not on deck. The same with sail boats. Above deck I'm fine... below deck is a "no."

I also can't sit in the front bulkhead seats of Southwest planes looking backwards.

Nope....don't buy it. People who get sea sick always find that the higher up one goes, the more sway and therefore, the more it effects their equilibrium. How about coming clean on this excuse?

[quahaug]

Alan is correct. If you keep your eyes on things around you that are moving relative to you (like the horizon or another boat) you will tend not to get seasick, but when your body is moving and you are focused on something fixed in relation to you ( like when reading a book) your mind misinterprets and you tend to get motion sick.

[Dan Druff]

Yes. But I get seasick below deck on big cruise ships, not on deck. The same with sail boats. Above deck I'm fine... below deck is a "no."

I also can't sit in the front bulkhead seats of Southwest planes looking backwards.

Southwest is awful and I don't ever fly them anymore, so I wouldn't know.

But okay. Personally I don't find that cruise ships have much motion, but I believe you. I know some people do get seasick on them.

[Alan Mendelson]

Alan is correct. If you keep your eyes on things around you that are moving relative to you (like the horizon or another boat) you will tend not to get seasick,

Exactly right. I also get "seasick" in small earthquakes because there is a rolling motion sometimes lasting only a second or two but that is enough to also trick the mind into thinking you are moving.

But back to the main point of the discussion: if you feel obligated to take all of the offers and the trips and to even show up for small free-play offers, then indeed Total Rewards has you trapped. For about six months I did not go to Vegas because my offers in Vegas had been cut from $2500 per visit to as low as $500 per visit. When i complained the offers were modestly increased to $750, but I went back when the offers were upped to the $1,000 level. But even at $1,000 for gift cards or free play I need another "reason" to make the trip to Vegas. I went for New Year's and that was a great trip... and I went last weekend. Sorry I couldn't hook up with regnis but the Furniture show was on and I did get to take a couple of my clients in the furniture business out to dinner... and there was also a $1,000 offer that I used at the same time along with comps to pay for the dinners.

[Rob.Singer]

This is what and how I personally learned about sea sickness-- and how to overcome it. Maybe it will help, Alan.

After college I joined the Gov't where I worked my 1st 10 years. I'd never been on the ocean in a boat or a ship before. Part of our training was making sure that if we were prone to getting seasick, it must be eliminated. So the first thing they did was put us on the deck of a submarine. I got violently sick and remained that way until they put us on land. I spent more than half the time lying down in a lower deck lounge, but where I was didn't matter. You may know the feeling.

I was sent to a class for two days, then back onto the sub. My condition was cured, and I actually welcomed the rough seas as "fun" (I was young). In that class we were taught that unless you actually do have a fairly rare physical defect with your inner ear equilibrium - which I did not - then the condition is very easy to overcome for good--but only if you wanted to do it. In essence, we were taught how most all seasickness is a simple mind trick, where the person, because of knowing in advance that getting seasick is associated with motion, only needs to momentarily shut his eyes, calm down, and tell himself with firm belief that it is nothing more than your mind doing this to you. It is not a physical defect. Millions of people overcome it in a manner like this. And it's confirmed. Just look at all the unhealthy old farts who do cruises. To many of them, a cruise is a luxury. (I dislike them mainly because of the filth the third world service workers come from and live in on the bottom deck of the ships). So after an initial bout with getting sick, they either tell themselves that they will no longer get sick (like they see thousands of their co-cruisers enjoy every time out) or they remain behind.

You may not care about going on a cruise, but unless you have a confirmed physical defect, you can overcome it like I and millions of others have. BTW, I was also prone to that sitting backwards on an airplane issue you have, and it cures that too. It cures all motion sickness.

[Dan Druff]

Some seasickness is also caused my motion within your stomach, especially if you have a lot of liquid in there.

So it's not just in your head in that case.

Personally I don't get seasick unless the motion is really severe. I only threw up once from being on a boat, and it was a tiny boat in Ireland on super-rough seas. In hindsight, it was actually dangerous and I shouldn't have taken the boat, despite them assuring me that it was safe (they just wanted our money). I was only 19 then, though.

You also get more prone to motion sickness in general with age -- and this starts EARLY. There is little you can do to overcome it.

When I was 12 years old, I was able to ride ANY ride at an amusement park, no matter how crazy, and I did not get sick. I rode that "Spin Out" ride 6 consecutive times (the spinning room where it spins so fast that you stick to the wall), and did not get the slightest bit sick.

Five years later, at age 17, I could no longer do spinning rides without getting sick.

Five years later, at age 22, I could no longer do any rides with any kind of spinning motion.

By my late 20s, I was even more sensitive to jerking/ twisting motions on roller coasters.

So basically, as it stands today in my early 40s, I can easily do rollercoasters with up-down motions (like big drops), and I can still handle ones with big curves and loops (though I can't ride them repeatedly), and I cannot do any kind of spinning ride.

30 years ago, there was not a single ride in the park that could sicken me.

[Alan Mendelson]

When it comes to amusement parks I have what I call the "Space Mountain Limit" which means anything with more twists and turns that Space Mountain at Disneyland or Disneyworld is too much for me to attempt. I love Peter Pan's Great Adventure and the Matterhorn is cool. I also used to like the moving sidewalk that Caesars had from the Strip to the front door. Anyone else remember that?