jgxtrav1

+1

KKB

I would not recommend anyone joining just for CET benefit at this time. Wait until February to see if CET will continue benefits.
There have been A LOT of changes in Diamond membership for 2018, so it would not surprise me if they do NOT continue this relationship.
That being said, I have heard nothing to suggest they are or aren't.
Luckily my membership is up in April so I can always wait & see.

james400

I also recommend waiting, I'm a May renewal and gave them a credit card that expires in DEC 2017, just to make sure it doesn't get auto renewed. My guess is the partnership continues as the relationship costs CET nothing and the comps are based on play and not on card status. They lose a few bucks on resort fees, but I'm sure most people that check in are gambling and spending money at the casinos. Even 7 stars have been cut back on the free rooms they used to demand just for being 7 star. Charging for entry into Diamond lounges is another way they deter abuse of the system. If the partnership goes away, oh well, it was fun while it lasted.

sbjnyc

As I understand it the only value to being diamond through FC is the waiver of resort fees and the celebratory dinner (unless there's something I'm missing). As long as CET gets more from FC than they lose in those benefits they'll keep the relationship - until they decide to introduce a premium credit card that gives TR diamond for a $300+ annual fee.

james400

You nailed it, the only value really is the savings on resort fees and the $100 food voucher. Diamond will get you into the horribly overrated Diamond lounges (except they will begin charging on Jan 1), and into full valet parking in Vegas and separate check lines in at the hotels. You need to stay at CET properties enough to offset the cost of the card. We stay approximately 25-30 times a year in various CET properties and the savings from resort fees, coupled with the $100 makes it a value to us. Buying into FC just for the CET Diamond "status" is just silly. $300 or so fee for a premium credit card that would achieve the same purpose, I'd pay it.

Harry Lyme

Word is negotiations have already been taking place, so yay or nay likely in mid-January.

rdlmitedu

I stay in CET a lot and take advantage of TR Diamond, and in addition to the $100 food voucher, resort fees, and valet, there are a few other really nice benefits -- the soft/no-cost: room upgrades (sometimes), line pass/faster service at restaurants (esp bacchanal and other busy places at Caesars), and the free show tickets (2 per month). Unclear how they do the accounting, but those tickets are worth $20-60/mo to me. 30-45 nights/year means about $1k in resort fee savings, too.

If FC -> TR Diamond went away, I'd probably "Diamond in a Day" for ~$250 theo, but I don't particularly enjoy gambling.

FrugalShopper

I would absolutely love to get DIAD for only $250! That means I can get 30k tier credits for only $500 and have lounge access again! I read for hours and hours online trying to figure out how to achieve this and it appears you have to play on very specific VP machines and you could be down thousands of dollars before hitting a royal flush, so it can be very risky. I'm extremely scared of losing so much, and I have no gambling experience outside of losing money here and there on slot machines.

sbjnyc

Harry Lyme

When Platinum actually had value and you got no resort fees from it, I had my one and only almost $20 trick. Second trip in Vegas, staying at Paris. We had a basic room, and simply asked if they had anything better. Clerk was very nice from the greeting on, and found a then much desired Red Room with a strip/Fountain view. Slid him $20, he said it wasn't necessary, but I grabbed my keys and said thanks for a great start to the trip. That said, since being Diamond, except for my recent solo trip, they've always put me in a better room than what I booked. No suites, but in Harrah's AC, the newly renovated Bayview rooms are super nice (and not yet on my comp radar) and they always give me a choice between that or Waterfront.

I know some people downplay line privileges, but try checking in at Harrah's AC on the weekend in the main line. You can legit be there for half an hour, or more. During Showboat's last hurrah, and my one and only stay, we waited 45 minutes to check in. It was ridiculous.

bdlman

I bet they renew for 2018, the lounges were a problem and that gets solved in 2018. You need to gamble in 2018 to gain access, which i think is fair. The free drinks were nice in Vegas but you can still gain admission you just need 1,000 credits, so i would save them up. The waived resort fees, celebration dinner, much nicer and faster check-ins all that seems the same. I almost always seem to get much nicer rooms then i booked when they are not busy. Lounge access in Vegas/Reno/Tahoe is a little less loose in 2018 no lounge crawls, but Atlantic City is unchanged. You will just need to pick one lounge and stick with it.

FCPETER097 is a promo code for FC. I do agree if you are joining just for CET benefits we are very close to hearing, best to wait a tad. Mid January or sooner we should hear.

sbjnyc

I've generally been able to get a waterfront room at Harrahs regardless what I book online (waterfront and bayview don't even show up as an option if I'm logged in).
I agree but sometimes you can be sitting behind several people on the diamond line for a while. I'm going to be sad when I lose MLife gold and the resulting line privileges. MLife gold was a nice perk of having a Hyatt credit card but with the changes in the program it is now only Pearl. I matched from TR Diamond to gold over the summer but will not be able to maintain it. I've had hour plus lines at the Bellagio and MGM buffets. Even if I couldn't get a comp, just getting a line pass was a win. Those were the days.

Harry Lyme

I'm actually looking forward to the Vegas experience with CET Diamond and MLife Gold. I last went Platinum and Sapphire (sniffed Pearl), and while it won't change my approach to Vegas and comps, I will take any line cutting and other unranked amenities I can get my hands on.

Side note, one thing they used to offer with myVegas buffets, and I've heard mixed reports that they still do, is the VIP line pass at the buffet. I've had it at Mirage and Bellagio, but it was never mentioned or needed at Aria, as I just walked right up. They also did that with the Buffet of Buffets, but again, not sure if they still do.

bdlman

I do think with the $10 credits required to enter they will find a way to renew diamond.
The casual visitor who just used to go to the lounges and got free drinks will have to work to enter now. The waived resort fee, much shorter lines at everything, and separate check in areas will still be a win, so i hope they renew. Fingers crossed. I would wait to renew at this point though to be safe. I am ok with the credits to enter, the other benefits are the real win for me.

sbjnyc

I went to the Bellagio buffet last week and there was someone checking people in the VIP line to make sure they had gold+ or line passes. The party behind mine didn't have any but said they wanted to buy a line pass and were able to stay in line as the hostess got them a line pass. Not sure how much it cost. Probably a lot cheaper than it costs to go from Pearl to Gold.