Who remembers the ill-fated $500 RC offer for 2016 Seven Stars, which one was able to choose in lieu of the annual trip?

This was actually listed in the official 2016 rules for the Seven Stars program, and a few people (I think Alan was one of them) took advantage of it.

Simply put, you could choose to give up your annual trip and receive $500 in RCs instead.

For about two months starting February 1, 2016, this was an option.

Then it vanished. It disappeared from the Seven Stars rulebook, and all Total Rewards employees were instructed to pretend it never existed.

I have heard from a source that it was removed for two reasons:

1) Certain properties (the ones most commonly chosen as destinations, such as Tahoe and New Orleans) were unhappy about it, as they tended to make money from those taking these trips, even after the $500 food credit.

2) Some players complained about it, accusing CET of intentionally giving a poor substitute, as a package including $1200 airfare, an airport limo, and $500 food credit became simply $500 RCs.

So it was removed.

I am unlikely to be able to use my annual trip this year, since I only have until January 31 (unlike prior years when we had 'til June 30, giving us the whole spring!)

I am probably going to ask if they can make an exception and give me the $500 RCs (since other Seven Stars got it, who asked earlier in the year), but I will probably be turned down.

Have any of you tried this? Were you successful?