Well...
I was bored with nothing going on this weekend. For the fun of it, I browsed some airfares on Southwest Airlines and Orbitz. They were fairly pricey so I initially decided to just stay put. But then I checked Priceline, which I haven't used in years. I was shocked to find out that I could get a round-trip airfare and car for approximately $330. That was enough incentive for me and I am back in Vegas.
I got a comp room at Caesars, helped by some of my past play. That won't last much longer as I've been taking advantage of the comps and not playing at their casinos because of the mask policy. We have one more comp stay at Harrah's New Orleans in late September and that should be it for Caesar's properties. There's enough to do in New Orleans without gambling and I'm happy to be a sightseers and go out for some nice dinners with the Mrs.
Things were a little different this trip. I came in with new expectations, knowing full well there would be some inconsistencies. Upon entering Caesars with my face shield on, I was immediately asked by a female security officer to put on a mask. I complied despite the fact that there were numerous people walking past her with their mask only over their mouths. And as was the case last time, many people were playing slot machines with no mask at all. I didn't get the least bit upset and just went to pick up my room keys. The front desk attendant gave me a complementary upgrade to my room ( and I made sure I gave him a tip). I dropped off my bag and on the way out of the casino, I checked the craps tables. The minimum was $50 at all tables.
I went over to the Venetian and was pleased to see that they still had no problems with face shields. The minimum was $25 at the craps tables so I played the don't and took $30 on the odds. I ended up winning a little over $300 and then headed out to Red Rock. I had a nice steak dinner and then played craps for about 4 hours at their $10 minimum table. They also had no problem with the face shield. I was down a little over a grand and then made a nice come back to get myself to even. The table was a blast! I had a nice conversation with a couple of guys on my end of the table and we were doing virtual fist pumps every time someone would hit a point. There was a good group of dealers at the table too that made it enjoyable. I went back this morning for some light play, and with it being fairly slow, I decided to have a chat with one of the pit bosses. I explained how the last time I had visited their casino, one of their over zealous dealers insisted I wear a mask underneath my face shield and was supported by the pit boss. This guy was appalled and said it was not their policy to do that and if it ever happened again to ask for that pit boss' supervisor (that was really cool to hear). I'm back in early September for a blackjack tournament and will be staying at the Venetian. But after that, I plan on making my next trip to Red Rock as I tend to enjoy playing there more with the lower table limits.
As for the vibe (something Willie asked about last time), it was way better this time. All three casinos I visited were busy. There actually were people waiting to get on a craps table at Red Rock. The place was lively and people seem to be generally having a good time. Traffic on Las Vegas Boulevard was certainly not your typical for a Saturday night, but there were definitely more cars then the last time. The steak restaurant at Red Rock had a DJ spinning music, lots of nice looking women dressed to the hilt, and it felt like your typical Friday night with people just having a real good time.
My last trip was a definite thumbs down, but this one was 180 degrees in a different direction. A big thumbs up for me! I think the casinos are going to be fine in the long run. Yes, there are still reservations for the pool, and the clubs are not open. That's just something people are going to have to deal with for the time being and not let that dampen their experience. Once you know what to expect, and adjust your mindset, you'll be just fine.
Right now, I'm dead even for the trip (my winnings have matched the costs). So who's got some winners for me so I can net out on the positive side? I've got the Clips -7 and the A's working right now.
I was bored with nothing going on this weekend. For the fun of it, I browsed some airfares on Southwest Airlines and Orbitz. They were fairly pricey so I initially decided to just stay put. But then I checked Priceline, which I haven't used in years. I was shocked to find out that I could get a round-trip airfare and car for approximately $330. That was enough incentive for me and I am back in Vegas.
I got a comp room at Caesars, helped by some of my past play. That won't last much longer as I've been taking advantage of the comps and not playing at their casinos because of the mask policy. We have one more comp stay at Harrah's New Orleans in late September and that should be it for Caesar's properties. There's enough to do in New Orleans without gambling and I'm happy to be a sightseers and go out for some nice dinners with the Mrs.
Things were a little different this trip. I came in with new expectations, knowing full well there would be some inconsistencies. Upon entering Caesars with my face shield on, I was immediately asked by a female security officer to put on a mask. I complied despite the fact that there were numerous people walking past her with their mask only over their mouths. And as was the case last time, many people were playing slot machines with no mask at all. I didn't get the least bit upset and just went to pick up my room keys. The front desk attendant gave me a complementary upgrade to my room ( and I made sure I gave him a tip). I dropped off my bag and on the way out of the casino, I checked the craps tables. The minimum was $50 at all tables.
I went over to the Venetian and was pleased to see that they still had no problems with face shields. The minimum was $25 at the craps tables so I played the don't and took $30 on the odds. I ended up winning a little over $300 and then headed out to Red Rock. I had a nice steak dinner and then played craps for about 4 hours at their $10 minimum table. They also had no problem with the face shield. I was down a little over a grand and then made a nice come back to get myself to even. The table was a blast! I had a nice conversation with a couple of guys on my end of the table and we were doing virtual fist pumps every time someone would hit a point. There was a good group of dealers at the table too that made it enjoyable. I went back this morning for some light play, and with it being fairly slow, I decided to have a chat with one of the pit bosses. I explained how the last time I had visited their casino, one of their over zealous dealers insisted I wear a mask underneath my face shield and was supported by the pit boss. This guy was appalled and said it was not their policy to do that and if it ever happened again to ask for that pit boss' supervisor (that was really cool to hear). I'm back in early September for a blackjack tournament and will be staying at the Venetian. But after that, I plan on making my next trip to Red Rock as I tend to enjoy playing there more with the lower table limits.
As for the vibe (something Willie asked about last time), it was way better this time. All three casinos I visited were busy. There actually were people waiting to get on a craps table at Red Rock. The place was lively and people seem to be generally having a good time. Traffic on Las Vegas Boulevard was certainly not your typical for a Saturday night, but there were definitely more cars then the last time. The steak restaurant at Red Rock had a DJ spinning music, lots of nice looking women dressed to the hilt, and it felt like your typical Friday night with people just having a real good time.
My last trip was a definite thumbs down, but this one was 180 degrees in a different direction. A big thumbs up for me! I think the casinos are going to be fine in the long run. Yes, there are still reservations for the pool, and the clubs are not open. That's just something people are going to have to deal with for the time being and not let that dampen their experience. Once you know what to expect, and adjust your mindset, you'll be just fine.
Right now, I'm dead even for the trip (my winnings have matched the costs). So who's got some winners for me so I can net out on the positive side? I've got the Clips -7 and the A's working right now.
