Diamond in a Day - CET Total Rewards
.
01-26-2017
, 06:58 PM
I promised a Atlantis TR so here it is. Too ****ing long but I looked all over the internet for a review like this from a lowly Diamond Member, but could only find a couple thorough ones from Seven Stars members on sevenstarsinsider.com. Hopefully this helps someone out there.
Alright, I just got back last night from four nights at Atlantis. Overall the trip was a net positive I would say. I’ll start from the beginning.
Flew MSY-FLL-NAS on Southwest. Holy **** the Southwest terminal at FLL is ****ing terrible. Tiny and cramped full of people- it seems like they double up every single gate and there is nowhere to sit. There are only a couple options for food, which are crammed into a small strip. It also smells.
Flight from FLL to NAS is awesome though- it takes about 30 minutes gate to gate, and is a beautiful view of the Bahamas as you descend. Both flights, FLL-NAS and NAS-FLL were about 40% full, so plenty of room to stretch out on these flights.
Once you arrive in Nassau you walk down a long hallway into customs. Get in line and follow the screen, which will tell you which agent to head to. Agent will ask how many nights you’re staying, stamp your passport, and you’re through in less than 1 minute. Next you collect your checked baggage, and go through another agent who asks you if you have anything to declare. I had 1L of vodka and some snacks and she waived me through without even stopping. Once youre through here you walk out to the taxis. There is a man there directing the taxis, one pulls up, we agree on a rate to Atlantis (there is a sign saying standard rates to different points on the island- Paradise Island, where atlantis is located is $34). Because of our bags the driver said $35. I guess since we each had one bag and I had golf clubs he charged an extra dollar. Whatever. You are also on the hook for the $2 toll to get over the bridge. The taxis do not have meters nor do they take credit cards so agree with the driver on a price and have cash. The driver stopped at a liquor store on the way so we could grab some beer and water. ($36 for 12 coors lights and 2L of water).
Now, I am the lowliest of low diamond members. I paid for the Founders Card, which included diamond. With the Atlantis Promotion, the more TC you have the more options for rooms you have.
We decided to go with the Beach Tower package because of the complimentary Resort Fee- $49.99 per night. We checked out the tower before booking and saw a lot of reviews saying it is dated, like a holiday inn, etc. These are more or less correct. We were completely fine with the room for our purposes. It was clean, didn’t smell, and had a great view of the beach.
The one main issue we had on this trip was when we arrived to check in. Check in was pretty easy, you get 4 coupons for two free bottles of water, a map, sign a paper saying whatever they charge you you’re on the hook for, and give you your room key which has your name and check out date on it.
We walk up to the room (waterview room on the 8th floor) and there are people in it. Turns out, they were given this room and its too far from the elevator for grandma to walk, so they’re sitting in there waiting for their new room. I travel a lot for work and this happens from time to time. I say no problem we will go back down and switch to a different room. We just want to change out of the clothes we have been traveling in all day and start to explore. Shouldn’t be a hassle, until it is. Down at the desk they say the only room in the entire hotel they have available is a terrace view room (terrace view = parking lot view) on the second floor. I say no way that’s not cool I booked a Waterview room. They say that rooms booked at a casino rate are not guaranteed, so we can have the terrace view room or wait 2 hours for them to clean our original room. We decided to wait. I kind of wish I knew this beforehand, since I probably wouldn’t have booked the trip if we weren’t guaranteed a water view- its that important to us. So just remember when you book the trip you’re talking to someone in New Jersey or wherever that will tell you that you are guaranteed a Waterview when you may be stuck looking at a parking lot when you get there.
While we waited for the room we went to the Casino Player Services desk to get the Casino Experience Pass, which is a little blue card that has the free cocktails at two different restaurants- Olives and Seafire Steakhouse, Sushi and Sake Sampler at NOBU, free round of golf, and free shallow Water Dolphin Experience. The only one of these we weren’t able to cash in was the free round of golf, because we didn’t get into the room in time to call the golf course before it closed and make a tee time for Sunday morning, as they were shutting the course down at noon because the LPGA is in town this week. I was extremely disappointed which capped off a pretty crappy first day. That night we took a ten minute walk to a bar on the harbor but off the resort called the Green Parrot, which was fine and cheaper than any offerings in Atlantis.
After that the trip was great and we had no problems. This is getting too long so ill just go with a few random thoughts.
Resort:
The resort is really big and really nice. It is definitely a bit dated in some areas, but overall it is great. We walked everywhere, didn’t find the distance between things to be an issue at all. The beaches are nice, water perfectly clear, and didn’t feel too hounded by the beach vendors. They have waiters for food and drink service at the pools and beaches. Some days some of the bars/restaurants were closed, probably because there weren’t any cruise ships docking that day. This time of year seems to be the slow season, as we didn’t need a reservation for any restaurant, and the pools/beach weren’t crowded at all.
Prices were pretty standard resort prices. All taxes and gratuities are included when you buy anything, so don’t worry about carrying singles around to tip. Lunch at one of the bars/snack shacks was about $30 for two. Beers were $7-8, and frozen cocktails were $10-12. Prices seemed to be a little higher in the bars around the casino- as you can see with this order for a double vodka red bull and a sex on the beach:
We ate at NOBU one night and Seafire Steakhouse another, and outside the resort the other two nights. Both dinners at the resort were about $100 w/ tax and tip after the free drinks were taken off, and the dinners off the resort were about $60 w/ tax and tip.
Casino:
Felt just like a Vegas casino. NOBU and Olives are both inside the casino, and there is a club, a couple bars, and a sports book. Smoking is allowed in the casino, and drinks are comped, though service is slow. You get players cards when you get your casino experience pass, but you can also use your room key as your players card.
$10 minimum BJ 6-5 and $15 minimum BJ 3-2. No Pai Gow =(. Craps $10-$15 min with 5x odds. Not a slot player but they had most of the normal games. Video Poker was all over the place, this is my main game and it took a lot of searching to find the right machine. No Super Times Pay or Double Super Times Pay. The only Ultimate X machine was a 3 or 5 line 25c-50c-$1-$5 machine. No 5c or 10c VP anywhere. 3 play or 5 play straight up VP was $5. There a bank of single line video poker machines right next to the entrance that are 25c-50c-$1-$5, but max bet is 10 credits. 5 credit bets on this machine only paid out 1500 credits on a Royal. There is a bank of 25c VP machines right next to the Olives bar that pay out 5000 credits for a royal on a max bet of 5, so that’s where I spent most of my nights.
Decent VP Paytable:
Bad VP Paytable:
The Sportsbook had normal lines; I’m not a huge bettor but I did nicely betting on the Heat and Pelicans on Monday night. FYI, the only Video Poker bar in the casino is in the Sportsbook, and drinks are NOT comped here. It was only after I got a $9.80 tab for a single Corona that I was made aware of this. It did help that I hit this at the bar:
Downtown Nassau:
Make sure there are cruise ships in port if you’re going to go downtown. The day we decided to it rained and had 40MPH wind in the morning so no ships came in. The town was deserted and all the bars closed. We went down to the Fish Fry, which is always open, and had a good meal of grouper, plantains, jerk chicken, and rice. Prices are all less than $20 for an entrée here. $15 cab to and from the resort to downtown.
Leaving Nassau:
Took a cab to the airport. Everyone told us to arrive 3 hours early and we did. You go through American Customs at the Bahamas airport so I’m sure this is the reason. Line for security took about 30 minutes, and customs took about 30 seconds.
It was a good trip all in all, and we spent less than $1000 total. I probably wouldn’t pay the outrageous room rates to stay there again, but if they send me another promotion for a few free nights I may consider it. Make sure you keep EVERY receipt you get, and review your Folio on the TV daily to make sure you aren’t charged for your free drinks. I had to correct this at checkout. If you have any other questions I would be more than happy to answer. Thanks for reading.
Another decent hit
Sea Turtles in one of the many wildlife pools. The aquariums around the resort were awesome.
All the restaurants around the resort used Sous Vide to cook their steaks, which is pretty awesome. I do this at home often and as soon as I saw this I had to try one- it did not disappoint.
Watersports on the lagoon:
Crystal clear water
TL;DR Give the trip a solid 7/10, would probably do it again knowing what I know now, but no way I would pay to stay there.
Alright, I just got back last night from four nights at Atlantis. Overall the trip was a net positive I would say. I’ll start from the beginning.
Flew MSY-FLL-NAS on Southwest. Holy **** the Southwest terminal at FLL is ****ing terrible. Tiny and cramped full of people- it seems like they double up every single gate and there is nowhere to sit. There are only a couple options for food, which are crammed into a small strip. It also smells.
Flight from FLL to NAS is awesome though- it takes about 30 minutes gate to gate, and is a beautiful view of the Bahamas as you descend. Both flights, FLL-NAS and NAS-FLL were about 40% full, so plenty of room to stretch out on these flights.
Once you arrive in Nassau you walk down a long hallway into customs. Get in line and follow the screen, which will tell you which agent to head to. Agent will ask how many nights you’re staying, stamp your passport, and you’re through in less than 1 minute. Next you collect your checked baggage, and go through another agent who asks you if you have anything to declare. I had 1L of vodka and some snacks and she waived me through without even stopping. Once youre through here you walk out to the taxis. There is a man there directing the taxis, one pulls up, we agree on a rate to Atlantis (there is a sign saying standard rates to different points on the island- Paradise Island, where atlantis is located is $34). Because of our bags the driver said $35. I guess since we each had one bag and I had golf clubs he charged an extra dollar. Whatever. You are also on the hook for the $2 toll to get over the bridge. The taxis do not have meters nor do they take credit cards so agree with the driver on a price and have cash. The driver stopped at a liquor store on the way so we could grab some beer and water. ($36 for 12 coors lights and 2L of water).
Now, I am the lowliest of low diamond members. I paid for the Founders Card, which included diamond. With the Atlantis Promotion, the more TC you have the more options for rooms you have.
We decided to go with the Beach Tower package because of the complimentary Resort Fee- $49.99 per night. We checked out the tower before booking and saw a lot of reviews saying it is dated, like a holiday inn, etc. These are more or less correct. We were completely fine with the room for our purposes. It was clean, didn’t smell, and had a great view of the beach.
The one main issue we had on this trip was when we arrived to check in. Check in was pretty easy, you get 4 coupons for two free bottles of water, a map, sign a paper saying whatever they charge you you’re on the hook for, and give you your room key which has your name and check out date on it.
We walk up to the room (waterview room on the 8th floor) and there are people in it. Turns out, they were given this room and its too far from the elevator for grandma to walk, so they’re sitting in there waiting for their new room. I travel a lot for work and this happens from time to time. I say no problem we will go back down and switch to a different room. We just want to change out of the clothes we have been traveling in all day and start to explore. Shouldn’t be a hassle, until it is. Down at the desk they say the only room in the entire hotel they have available is a terrace view room (terrace view = parking lot view) on the second floor. I say no way that’s not cool I booked a Waterview room. They say that rooms booked at a casino rate are not guaranteed, so we can have the terrace view room or wait 2 hours for them to clean our original room. We decided to wait. I kind of wish I knew this beforehand, since I probably wouldn’t have booked the trip if we weren’t guaranteed a water view- its that important to us. So just remember when you book the trip you’re talking to someone in New Jersey or wherever that will tell you that you are guaranteed a Waterview when you may be stuck looking at a parking lot when you get there.
While we waited for the room we went to the Casino Player Services desk to get the Casino Experience Pass, which is a little blue card that has the free cocktails at two different restaurants- Olives and Seafire Steakhouse, Sushi and Sake Sampler at NOBU, free round of golf, and free shallow Water Dolphin Experience. The only one of these we weren’t able to cash in was the free round of golf, because we didn’t get into the room in time to call the golf course before it closed and make a tee time for Sunday morning, as they were shutting the course down at noon because the LPGA is in town this week. I was extremely disappointed which capped off a pretty crappy first day. That night we took a ten minute walk to a bar on the harbor but off the resort called the Green Parrot, which was fine and cheaper than any offerings in Atlantis.
After that the trip was great and we had no problems. This is getting too long so ill just go with a few random thoughts.
Resort:
The resort is really big and really nice. It is definitely a bit dated in some areas, but overall it is great. We walked everywhere, didn’t find the distance between things to be an issue at all. The beaches are nice, water perfectly clear, and didn’t feel too hounded by the beach vendors. They have waiters for food and drink service at the pools and beaches. Some days some of the bars/restaurants were closed, probably because there weren’t any cruise ships docking that day. This time of year seems to be the slow season, as we didn’t need a reservation for any restaurant, and the pools/beach weren’t crowded at all.
Prices were pretty standard resort prices. All taxes and gratuities are included when you buy anything, so don’t worry about carrying singles around to tip. Lunch at one of the bars/snack shacks was about $30 for two. Beers were $7-8, and frozen cocktails were $10-12. Prices seemed to be a little higher in the bars around the casino- as you can see with this order for a double vodka red bull and a sex on the beach:
We ate at NOBU one night and Seafire Steakhouse another, and outside the resort the other two nights. Both dinners at the resort were about $100 w/ tax and tip after the free drinks were taken off, and the dinners off the resort were about $60 w/ tax and tip.
Casino:
Felt just like a Vegas casino. NOBU and Olives are both inside the casino, and there is a club, a couple bars, and a sports book. Smoking is allowed in the casino, and drinks are comped, though service is slow. You get players cards when you get your casino experience pass, but you can also use your room key as your players card.
$10 minimum BJ 6-5 and $15 minimum BJ 3-2. No Pai Gow =(. Craps $10-$15 min with 5x odds. Not a slot player but they had most of the normal games. Video Poker was all over the place, this is my main game and it took a lot of searching to find the right machine. No Super Times Pay or Double Super Times Pay. The only Ultimate X machine was a 3 or 5 line 25c-50c-$1-$5 machine. No 5c or 10c VP anywhere. 3 play or 5 play straight up VP was $5. There a bank of single line video poker machines right next to the entrance that are 25c-50c-$1-$5, but max bet is 10 credits. 5 credit bets on this machine only paid out 1500 credits on a Royal. There is a bank of 25c VP machines right next to the Olives bar that pay out 5000 credits for a royal on a max bet of 5, so that’s where I spent most of my nights.
Decent VP Paytable:
Bad VP Paytable:
The Sportsbook had normal lines; I’m not a huge bettor but I did nicely betting on the Heat and Pelicans on Monday night. FYI, the only Video Poker bar in the casino is in the Sportsbook, and drinks are NOT comped here. It was only after I got a $9.80 tab for a single Corona that I was made aware of this. It did help that I hit this at the bar:
Downtown Nassau:
Make sure there are cruise ships in port if you’re going to go downtown. The day we decided to it rained and had 40MPH wind in the morning so no ships came in. The town was deserted and all the bars closed. We went down to the Fish Fry, which is always open, and had a good meal of grouper, plantains, jerk chicken, and rice. Prices are all less than $20 for an entrée here. $15 cab to and from the resort to downtown.
Leaving Nassau:
Took a cab to the airport. Everyone told us to arrive 3 hours early and we did. You go through American Customs at the Bahamas airport so I’m sure this is the reason. Line for security took about 30 minutes, and customs took about 30 seconds.
It was a good trip all in all, and we spent less than $1000 total. I probably wouldn’t pay the outrageous room rates to stay there again, but if they send me another promotion for a few free nights I may consider it. Make sure you keep EVERY receipt you get, and review your Folio on the TV daily to make sure you aren’t charged for your free drinks. I had to correct this at checkout. If you have any other questions I would be more than happy to answer. Thanks for reading.
Another decent hit
Sea Turtles in one of the many wildlife pools. The aquariums around the resort were awesome.
All the restaurants around the resort used Sous Vide to cook their steaks, which is pretty awesome. I do this at home often and as soon as I saw this I had to try one- it did not disappoint.
Watersports on the lagoon:
Crystal clear water
TL;DR Give the trip a solid 7/10, would probably do it again knowing what I know now, but no way I would pay to stay there.
Are those just tourist prices? Or do the poor bastids that live there get assraped for a beer, too?
01-26-2017
, 10:17 PM
01-27-2017
, 01:39 AM
01-27-2017
, 02:04 PM
Yeah, I tried to make reservations for golf before we got there but they do not allow it until you are checked in.
01-27-2017
, 08:25 PM
That's different than the reply I got on the 17th, and makes it sound like Diamond is going away... 
Here's what I received:
If Diamond does in fact go away, I have a feeling FC will be seeing quite a few cancellations. I know I will be cancelling mine.
Here's what I received:
Quote:
Hello XXXX,
I hope your new year is going well so far.
We have enjoyed the partnership with Total Rewards for about 4 years now. The contract is up for renewal each year in January, and if it is renewed, they will extend the "valid through" date of your Diamond upgrade through FoundersCard. As we learn details about the 2017 Total Rewards benefit, we will update our site, and notify members accordingly.
Please let me know if you have any further questions.
How would you rate my reply?
Please click one below:
Great! Okay Not Good
Best,
Shannon
I hope your new year is going well so far.
We have enjoyed the partnership with Total Rewards for about 4 years now. The contract is up for renewal each year in January, and if it is renewed, they will extend the "valid through" date of your Diamond upgrade through FoundersCard. As we learn details about the 2017 Total Rewards benefit, we will update our site, and notify members accordingly.
Please let me know if you have any further questions.
How would you rate my reply?
Please click one below:
Great! Okay Not Good
Best,
Shannon