Harrah’s Cherokee Trip Report – Part 1

Yes, it was a wonderful trip – our first to a casino since we retired in 2019. Many people had predicted that we could never stay retired, but the pandemic reinforced our belief that our plans would be permanent. We were settled and very happy in our non-casino life here in Georgia.

And then it happened. A couple of months ago, casinos “found us” here and started sending invitations full of perks. As I chronicled in my last post, these mailings stirred up feelings just like back in the days – over 30 years ago – when we planned frequent vacation trips from Indiana to Las Vegas. This was a different feeling than we experienced after we moved to Las Vegas. Our 20-year period as Vegas locals was a wonderful time that we enjoyed to the fullest, but at the end, it had become more of a grind. That fact and declining health issues led to retirement plans that didn’t include casinos.

However, in February when the CZR casino mailings started coming in, it sparked that old excitement and I began some early research and pre-planning, something I’d done for 35 years. We never ever went to a casino on the spur of the moment. True, our plans for that first trip to Vegas in March 1984, long before the internet, was based on very limited information, but I did do phone research and found that a travel agent’s flight-and-room combo package seemed to be the most frugal option. Our second Vegas trip came as a result of a Westward Ho mailed come-back invitation and I immediately realized that pre-planning skills were the key to more future opportunities.

So now, what kind of pre-planning could I do for this trip, drawing on everything I had learned – and shared much with all of you – for 35 years? To the computer I went!

First, I went to vpFREE2 to check out the VP inventory at Cherokee. I was pleasantly surprised to find that the good VP machines that we’d played in the past were still there. No pandemic cuts like I’d been hearing about in many Las Vegas casinos.

Then I went to the vpFREE forum, asking if anyone had up-to-date information about the casino. I wasn’t sure if I would get much of a response, since the chat on this forum hasn’t been as active since it changed its internet location, plus many members haven’t yet gone back to casinos since the pandemic hit. But I was pleased to find that, just like old times, several players kindly responded, either on the forum itself or in personal e-mails and phone calls. Their information was invaluable, including complete details about the pandemic restrictions and the VP scene. They gave me specific machine location changes. One person even told me which set of machines had sticky buttons and where the quietest games could be found. Cherokee is a huge casino and all this information saved me hours of scouting.

Next, I went to the CZR website to check the details of the players club system since the sale to Eldorado. I was happy to see that not too much had changed and I was very pleased to learn that they’d made some positive pandemic adjustments: importantly, extending player tier levels for another year without additional play. Some casinos don’t have enough detailed information on their website, but many, like CZR’s, give you plenty of usable specifics.

After good reports about excellent anti-pandemic protocol, I was ready to make a reservation. Although all the earlier steps I discussed would be available for any player at any level of play, my next move was to contact a host and not all players have established this relationship. Because we have a CZR host with whom we’ve worked for 10 or so years, he comped us two rooms for the 3 nights. This was only possible because, in spite of the fact that we hadn’t played at this casino for over two years and ordinarily wouldn’t qualify, he knew our long history of heavy play. This is a big reason why I advise players to establish yourself with one casino or casino group and concentrate your play there until you’re at a level that you can access the services of a host. Scattering your play may deny you this valuable benefit.

Oops! At this point, I’m realizing that this trip report will need to be broken up into several parts. I have so much I want to share. I want to not only give specific details about the Cherokee casino and a connected family vacation in the Smokies, but also include information that might help you wherever you might play post-pandemic. I have specifics that can help both recreational players and those who want to always play with an advantage. And, of course, I know you want to know all about the gambling.

Here is a photo that might hold you over until I post the nitty-gritty details in future chapters of this saga. I’ll tell you all about the good, the bad, and even the ugly of VP volatility! Stay tuned.