I have had two experiences booking Excalibur using MyVegas rewards and won't do that again. The first is for a trip in September and the second for one in November. Here are notes on the first and towards the bottom is a discussion board link on booking the November trip as well as a copy of my experiences.
Well, I booked the Excalibur for September 17th after seeing the Monte Carlo sold out over the past two days and being advised here that they just put in one a day and let everyone scramble. I was getting nervous that I'd lose the date on the calendar, and I wanted to stop being obsessive about checking the latest possibilities.
It was very inexpensive, a Bonus date for 15,000 LP's.
But the booking was just surreal agony.
I had trouble sleeping, so I decided to buy and book late last night I actually was on the phone, on hold, for an hour and a half before I got an answer. And then the woman took forever. She missed both the confirmation number and my Mlife number the first two times. She asked me three times for my name, for my zip code and for other information that should have been collected once. It got so I wondered if I had slept after all and this was a dream.
When I did book, all I got was a confirmation number. They don't email. I could call back and confirm if I wanted, she said. and I thought that was unlikely if it took an hour and half to get a response.
And of course, she had to tell me all the rules, twice, and ask about booking shows and food in a long speech that took forever. I can see why the phones are so backed up.
I played the lucky birds while I waited and read all my Facebook posts and most of the NT Times and all emails. I usually play off the chips at 40 grand a pop, but I lost and went down to 1 grand a spin just to keep myself amused. At that level I hit quite a few shared pots in a row, so some of my facebook friends should have had some action to redeem. That is unusual for me. By the time I had booked, I won back 3000 of the 15 grand I had payed.
I know I can't have any LP chips returned, but I wondered if between now and September I did manage to hit a refreshed Monte Carlo offer, and redeemed that, if I could use it in lieu of the Excalibur booking. I can only use one in a 30 day period, but perhaps they don't care how many I have bought. Anyone done that?
I will say that I think this makes the game poor marketing. I know that Mlife folks are treated well enough from reports on boards and such, but were I actually a newbie, I'd be hesitant to want to become a customer for cash after being kept waiting, asked over and over for the same information, and not give an emailed confirmation for my records. Mlife has not warmed my heart with this poor customer service.
The Station operators are a grand contrast. They don't have the calendar out as far as Mlife, but they answer the phone and are alert and efficient
************
NOVEMBER BOOKING. Here is the thread that offered some suggestions.
http://www.vegasmessageboard.com/forums/showthread.php?120048-Canceling-and-changing-booking&p=1128587#post1128587
Here is my actual booking experience
Well, after 4 and a half hours on the three phones I finally got a clerk.
She took my dates and my numbers and my name.
She went away and let me listen to more music.
She was gone a long while.
And then she disconnected!!!
So, I decided to call the upscale bookers and just see if they could at least refund my points.
I hit 1 instead of 4 and in less than two minutes a lovely woman answered.
I explained my four and a half hour wait.
She said she thought she could book me.
And she did.
And she confirmed the September booking as well.
Then I went here.
https://reservations.mgmmirage.com/b...TOKEN=18221102
This was the best prices I could find for the other 6 days. Saturday was especially cheaper, $70 rather than $89.
I did not get a $20 food voucher tossed in, but it still was a better deal. I'd rather eat at Aria anyway.
I booked on line. If we book by phone they charge us a fee of $10.
I got all that done and hit the final button and
UP came a message that there was an error in my booking, and I should call the reservations desk.
Just what I needed after a long day. Another phone snafu.
So, I did.
As it turned out there was no error, and I was actually booked.
The woman at the counter was delightful. She listened to my story, and she made sure that the MyVegas Friday night was back to back with the Booked 6 nights so I would not have to change rooms.
She was just great.
I was worried that were I to need to cancel the MyVegas for sickness I would have to call and wait 4 and a half hours to cancel and still not get points back, but save getting billed as a no show.
No. If I have trouble and have to cancel, I'll just call the Excalibur reservations desk. They already had my booking from MyVegas, and they can cancel it if something happens in my life thwart my going .
Thanks to all of you for thinking through all the angles with me. I hope my experience gives you some insight into your next MyVegas redemption.
So............... this old frugal guy is going upscale for a week. I know for most of you the Excalibur is not upscale at all. For most MLife folks it is hardly acceptable. But I will enjoy it as variety in my trip, and I've covered one of those expensive weekends with a decent rate. I just have or two more weekends to consider depending on whether I fly in before or after Halloween. One I'll probably cover at Palace Station and perhaps the other at the Four Queens. Poker buddy Wild Bill usually goes for Halloween. He loves to use his camera on the costumes or lack there of.
I also expect the Orleans to give me a couple mailed free weekday nights. I can place those just before the Excalibur week, catch the Young at heart promotion on Wednesday with its two free buffets, and the Nite Kings in the lounge, and I will have an easy bus ride between the Orleans and the Excalibur.
Palace Station would be a good bet on MyVegas for the 13-14 weekend and 3 weekdays. I'll have to see how available their dates are once their MyVegas calendar comes out. I think we have to expect that they will be getting more pressure from the frugal end travelers who have all these MyVegas points to use up.
Also, there is no pressure for me to gamble at Excalibur, and that week is right at the end of my trip. Depending on how much bankroll is left, I'll play a bit of poker at Excalibur, at Mandalay Bay, at Monte Carlo. My last trip was one in which my rooms averaged over 23 days just $9.13 total, but it was a losing trip so the gambling took most of that profit. This won't be such a cheap trip.
If I must, I'll pay Monte Carlo to let me use the lazy river first thing in the morning with no tube. That is the absolute best workout for me.
I don't think I'll book an MLife room using MyVegas again. I'll buy three nights and then buy a $50 freeplay with the saved reward, and get the same value.
I did get plenty done while the phone ran the music on hold, but it was frustrating, especially when I got cut off.
Thanks again.
Well, I booked the Excalibur for September 17th after seeing the Monte Carlo sold out over the past two days and being advised here that they just put in one a day and let everyone scramble. I was getting nervous that I'd lose the date on the calendar, and I wanted to stop being obsessive about checking the latest possibilities.
It was very inexpensive, a Bonus date for 15,000 LP's.
But the booking was just surreal agony.
I had trouble sleeping, so I decided to buy and book late last night I actually was on the phone, on hold, for an hour and a half before I got an answer. And then the woman took forever. She missed both the confirmation number and my Mlife number the first two times. She asked me three times for my name, for my zip code and for other information that should have been collected once. It got so I wondered if I had slept after all and this was a dream.
When I did book, all I got was a confirmation number. They don't email. I could call back and confirm if I wanted, she said. and I thought that was unlikely if it took an hour and half to get a response.
And of course, she had to tell me all the rules, twice, and ask about booking shows and food in a long speech that took forever. I can see why the phones are so backed up.
I played the lucky birds while I waited and read all my Facebook posts and most of the NT Times and all emails. I usually play off the chips at 40 grand a pop, but I lost and went down to 1 grand a spin just to keep myself amused. At that level I hit quite a few shared pots in a row, so some of my facebook friends should have had some action to redeem. That is unusual for me. By the time I had booked, I won back 3000 of the 15 grand I had payed.
I know I can't have any LP chips returned, but I wondered if between now and September I did manage to hit a refreshed Monte Carlo offer, and redeemed that, if I could use it in lieu of the Excalibur booking. I can only use one in a 30 day period, but perhaps they don't care how many I have bought. Anyone done that?
I will say that I think this makes the game poor marketing. I know that Mlife folks are treated well enough from reports on boards and such, but were I actually a newbie, I'd be hesitant to want to become a customer for cash after being kept waiting, asked over and over for the same information, and not give an emailed confirmation for my records. Mlife has not warmed my heart with this poor customer service.
The Station operators are a grand contrast. They don't have the calendar out as far as Mlife, but they answer the phone and are alert and efficient
************
NOVEMBER BOOKING. Here is the thread that offered some suggestions.
http://www.vegasmessageboard.com/forums/showthread.php?120048-Canceling-and-changing-booking&p=1128587#post1128587
Here is my actual booking experience
Well, after 4 and a half hours on the three phones I finally got a clerk.
She took my dates and my numbers and my name.
She went away and let me listen to more music.
She was gone a long while.
And then she disconnected!!!
So, I decided to call the upscale bookers and just see if they could at least refund my points.
I hit 1 instead of 4 and in less than two minutes a lovely woman answered.
I explained my four and a half hour wait.
She said she thought she could book me.
And she did.
And she confirmed the September booking as well.
Then I went here.
https://reservations.mgmmirage.com/b...TOKEN=18221102
This was the best prices I could find for the other 6 days. Saturday was especially cheaper, $70 rather than $89.
I did not get a $20 food voucher tossed in, but it still was a better deal. I'd rather eat at Aria anyway.
I booked on line. If we book by phone they charge us a fee of $10.
I got all that done and hit the final button and
UP came a message that there was an error in my booking, and I should call the reservations desk.
Just what I needed after a long day. Another phone snafu.
So, I did.
As it turned out there was no error, and I was actually booked.
The woman at the counter was delightful. She listened to my story, and she made sure that the MyVegas Friday night was back to back with the Booked 6 nights so I would not have to change rooms.
She was just great.
I was worried that were I to need to cancel the MyVegas for sickness I would have to call and wait 4 and a half hours to cancel and still not get points back, but save getting billed as a no show.
No. If I have trouble and have to cancel, I'll just call the Excalibur reservations desk. They already had my booking from MyVegas, and they can cancel it if something happens in my life thwart my going .
Thanks to all of you for thinking through all the angles with me. I hope my experience gives you some insight into your next MyVegas redemption.
So............... this old frugal guy is going upscale for a week. I know for most of you the Excalibur is not upscale at all. For most MLife folks it is hardly acceptable. But I will enjoy it as variety in my trip, and I've covered one of those expensive weekends with a decent rate. I just have or two more weekends to consider depending on whether I fly in before or after Halloween. One I'll probably cover at Palace Station and perhaps the other at the Four Queens. Poker buddy Wild Bill usually goes for Halloween. He loves to use his camera on the costumes or lack there of.
I also expect the Orleans to give me a couple mailed free weekday nights. I can place those just before the Excalibur week, catch the Young at heart promotion on Wednesday with its two free buffets, and the Nite Kings in the lounge, and I will have an easy bus ride between the Orleans and the Excalibur.
Palace Station would be a good bet on MyVegas for the 13-14 weekend and 3 weekdays. I'll have to see how available their dates are once their MyVegas calendar comes out. I think we have to expect that they will be getting more pressure from the frugal end travelers who have all these MyVegas points to use up.
Also, there is no pressure for me to gamble at Excalibur, and that week is right at the end of my trip. Depending on how much bankroll is left, I'll play a bit of poker at Excalibur, at Mandalay Bay, at Monte Carlo. My last trip was one in which my rooms averaged over 23 days just $9.13 total, but it was a losing trip so the gambling took most of that profit. This won't be such a cheap trip.
If I must, I'll pay Monte Carlo to let me use the lazy river first thing in the morning with no tube. That is the absolute best workout for me.
I don't think I'll book an MLife room using MyVegas again. I'll buy three nights and then buy a $50 freeplay with the saved reward, and get the same value.
I did get plenty done while the phone ran the music on hold, but it was frustrating, especially when I got cut off.
Thanks again.
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