Donkin's

Blog

Donkin's Blog

Seven Stars by Total Rewards – Alternating Years

updated 10/1/2017

Seven Stars was harder and more costly to reach than I thought it would be, but it became worth it once I discovered that I’d receive the Seven Stars benefits twice. Strangely though, this mechanism of receiving the benefits twice means I’ve already received them for 2017, even though I have not yet earned Seven Stars in 2017. It kinda makes sense that Total Rewards would do it this way as all but the biggest whales would earn Seven Stars late in the year making it hard to use the benefits otherwise.

7stars progress

In the year after earning Seven Stars, you are only earning to maintain the level for the following year.

Why earn Seven Stars for 2017?

It begs the questions: Why should I bother earning Seven Stars for 2017?

The only benefits to earning Seven Stars in 2017 that I can see would be:

  • Earning and having a full year to use 2018’s benefits: Completing Seven Stars in 2017 would load my 2018 benefits on February 1 of 2018. There would be no need to earn Seven Stars in 2018, but if I didn’t earn 2017 and instead earned in 2018, I’d still receive them though only after I completed the earning requirement. So instead of a whole year, I’d have the short period from when I earned them to the following February 1.
  • 2018 Signature Experience: This is a free vacation to a specific property on a specific date. While this would be a significant loss, the lack of flexibility may make it not worth it. It also does not include airfare or folio credits like the annual retreat or diamond aspirations.
  • Access to Caesar’s Palace spa Feb 1, 2018 until earning in 2018: While the spa at Caesar’s Palace is many levels above other Total Rewards properties, Diamonds can still use the spa at the Rio which is the best of the rest.
  • Norwegian Cruise benefit: Since the Norwegian Cruise benefit loads in June, I’d miss out on the free cruise for 2018 even if I earned Seven Stars in 2018. There is no double benefit for the cruise.
  • Renewal Reward: Total Rewards invites renewed Seven Stars members to their dominant property for a renewal reward gift. Last year, it was a tablet. updated

Stopping at 80,000 Tier Credits in 2017

Earning 80,000 Tier Credits in one year can be done solely through online poker play at WSOP.com. I’d still receive the Diamond Aspiration vacations as well as the 10k tier credit head start which could be used to achieve Seven Stars the next year.

This would cost nothing.

Alternating Years doesn’t miss the main benefits

The main benefits of the Seven Stars status: $500 dinner celebrations, and Annual Retreat would not be missed any year by alternating years. Here is a breakdown of how this works if it isn’t yet clear:

  • Earn Seven Stars in 2016: Benefits loaded upon earning and expire on Feb 1, 2017.
  • 2017 Benefits loaded on February 1, 2017 due to 2016 status. Seven Stars maintained to end of 2017 regardless of point earnings.
  • Earn Seven Stars in 2018: Benefits loaded upon earning and expire on Feb 1, 2019.
  • 2019 Benefits loaded on Februrary 1, 2019… rinse and repeat.

Alternating years would mean you were Diamond for as many months as it took to earn during your earning year. For me, this would be February through November. So for 10 months out of 24, I’d have to use the Diamond line and Rio fitness center.

Tips for Completing Seven Stars

Leave a Reply