Changes in Atlantic City Diamond Lounges
I had a surprpise waiting for me in the mail today. It was an announcement that Caesars Entertainment will “enhance” the Diamond Lounges at its four casinos starting Monday.
They claim to have surveyed the diamond-level players, and heard complaints that the food in the lounges left something to be desired. They said 40% of diamond members rated the food a D or F. So they’re adding more entrees, carving stations and seafood to the offerings.
Of course, there’s a catch. Entrance to the lounge used to be free for Diamond players and a guest. Starting Monday, they’re charging 10 bucks off your comp account for the experience. Seven Stars (the highest tier) members and Diamond players with at least 25,000 Total Rewards credits can still get in for free. It takes $5 in slot play or $10 in video-poker play to earn one credit. If you earn 11,000 Total Rewards credits in a year, you make Diamond status. It takes 100,000 credits in a year to earn Seven Stars.
I, for one, don’t like this. OK, the food isn’t as good as the Amphora Lounge at Borgata, but it was certainly all right for me. And since it’s hard to earn comps at the Caesars properties unless you have a multiplier, I enjoyed being able to eat in the Diamond Lounge for free and save my comp account for the gourmet rooms. That’s especially true when I’m alone or with a gambling buddy, and all we want is a quick bite before heading back to the machines. I can’t say for sure that I’ll play less at Caesars casinos and more at other properties that are more generous with their comps, but I’ll certainly consider it.
June 10th, 2011 at 3:46 pm
I was horrified when I read the notice in yesterday’s mail. This is the first year in 5 that I settled for Platinum but my husband still went Diamond. Unfortunately, most of our comp is in my account and worthless for the Diamond lounges. We have been going more and more often to the Borgata and to CET less and less. Borgata charges $8 a night less in room taxes and offers us several bonus downloads a month. Can earn comp there for the $10 comp fee for their club and buffet much faster. This action has made us decide not to play actively at CET anymore. Ironically, the only time I will play is for the free buffet at Ballys in exchange for an hour’s play which they do not extend to Diamond members! Will use up my comp taking my excluded Diamond member husband into the buffet.
June 11th, 2011 at 9:13 am
I too was very, very upset. I was never asked anything about the club, so I am confused as to when they surveyed people. I am there usually once a week. My husband and I,as well as our friends, were fine with the food offers, and the drinks were great. We were at Showboat last night for our last “free” entrance and were offered the shrimp cocktail. Please, it was nothing more than the bagged frozen kind. We work at a restaurant and know what a good shrimp cocktail is. We proceeded to lose that night $250.00 at the slots, if you do the math, i think we more than paid for a small buffet and a couple of drinks. This is a bad strategy, and i think it will be regretted. Wish at least they could give you alittle more time than ending the free admittance June 13, kind of a slap in the face to the loyal.
June 15th, 2011 at 6:30 pm
I had a tier score of 54,000 last year to qualify this year, but so far it is just 16,000 and I’m not planning on gambling much for awhile. I earned those points in good faith with the expectation of free use of the Diamond Club for another year. What they’re doing is plain obnoxious, the new rules should be grandfathered in. I don’t think it’s worth me getting to 25,000, as CET is cutting back on everything and is no longer such a great deal as far as rewards and promotions. They’re taking out 9/6 Jacks or Better video poker machines or moving them to the smoking sections where I refuse to play. The cash back has been cut to miniscule levels. When I’m able to go back to my previous gambling levels, most likely it will be elsewhere.
June 18th, 2011 at 10:33 am
Yes what a surprise that total rewards slapped the diamond player again. When that little cardboard came in the mail on Thursday June 9th, I was taken back a few feet. Not only did they do a disservice to the diamond players by doing this in the middle of the year….and on that note how can they change this at this time…they already committed to us being diamond players when we made our tier points and the perks that accompany that…must be nice to be in total control..and throw a few slaps our way….Not only by giving us a a three to five day notice for this…you dont even have time to build your comp, especially if you are someone who uses them all the time…and as far as questioning diamond players about the food….yeah where did they learn this info,,,,sure wasnt from me….We have lived with the cuts that these casinos have been dishing out for the past few years and have remained loyal players..But Caesars you have really done us wrong this time, and the loyalty the players have showed you may not be there anymore….Harrahs Marina has always been my place to play…But on this upcoming visit I will visit the diamond club for the last time, to say goodbye to alot of my favorite workers there…because you have let me down and will only be able to afford a one time visit,,since it will cost me 20.00 comp dollars for my husband and I…and will take me awhile to get another 20 comp on my card….so i will be vising golden nugget on my visit here on wednesday….maybe they will offer us more cause caesars total rewards is being called the take away reward program…..
June 20th, 2011 at 8:44 am
I qualified last year with about 29,000 points, but haven’t been to the Diamond Lounge yet to see if the “enhancement” is true. I’m too busy using my renewal coupons before they expire on the 30th.
But some buddies are saying the Diamond Lounges are pretty dead these days.
July 6th, 2011 at 12:19 pm
FWIW, I had one of the worst experiences ever in the Caesars AC Diamond Lounge this past Saturday. The only good thing about it was the short wait to get in!
July 6th, 2011 at 12:47 pm
The “enhancement” is minor. at least at Bally’s. The servers bring around plates of shrimp for the diners. There are a couple more choices of entrees. No “top shelf” liquor like they said, and the desserts are still the same.
July 7th, 2011 at 4:34 pm
I, too, was appalled when I received that little cardboard notice last month informing me that I (but not certain other Diamond players) would have to pay to enter the Diamond lounges in Atlantic City. To add insult to injury,the notice made it sound like they were doing me a favor! I am a loyal, longtime player and I wrote to Caesar’s Entertainment president and ceo expressing my displeasure. What Caesar’s Entertainment has done is created two classes within the Diamond tier. Upper class (25,000 points) and lower class (fewer than 25,000 points). As I earned my points in 2010, I was completely unaware that I was earning lower class status. Changing my status in mid year was also a slap in the face. The response I received was that it is legal and that it is a policy change and that is it. I guess they don’t want my gaming dollar anymore. Thankfully, there is a lot of competition out there!
July 19th, 2011 at 1:53 pm
They will be giving $20 comp twice a month in August which may become a monthly offer to try to win back some lower tiered Diamonds. Too little too late for us because we have shifted our staying and playing to The Borgata.
July 19th, 2011 at 4:39 pm
Thanks. I see people using the coupons. When I’ve gone into the diamond lounges, they haven’t been too busy.
October 24th, 2011 at 9:41 am
Yep, another dissatisfied, Diamond member here. It’s such a shame. Bye bye Caesar’s, hello Golden Nugget!
November 12th, 2011 at 2:34 pm
Not impressed. Charging $10 comp a person for the lounge is a laugh, if anything they should have started with $3-$5. Borgata charges $10 but you get what you pay for. I also play more at the Borgata and can’t wait for the new casino to open. Also as a Diamond card holder, I called for a comp room and was told they were filled. When on the internet under my husband’s gold card and got a room instantly. He doesn’t even play at Caesars. Why should I spend my money there for a Diamond card when it means less and less to them.