Vegas (aftermath pending)

markycash

Interesting stuff, thanks for the links guys

I remember reading about the London-Perth announcement at the time. It is staggering how much quicker you can get to Australia these days compared to the past. Imagine telling people who would spend weeks/months on ships travelling to Australia that we would be flying to the place in little more than a day!

I wonder if the advance will continue. I remember reading that there is a possibility in the not too distant future that planes will be able to leave our atmosphere/ enter 'space'/ zip around to Australia, and be there in just a few hours.

hhyftrftdr

In Response to Re: Vegas (aftermath pending):

Have a great Time H. Looking forward to reading your exploits. Is there any chance you'll still be over there when the Sky lot arrive, you know passed out in a gutter somewhere? Also any tips for good websites for sorting the flights out, so far NY followed by Vegas and then back to London looks like being the best part of £1,000 each for flights, is that reasonable? And no we don't really want five changes and a night in Kuala Lumpur!
Posted by Enut

I'm guessing your dates are something like flying out for the weekend in NY so around the 7th? And then back to London on the 17th when the package ends?

On that basis I'm not seeing anything for less than a grand from the capital sadly.

The most feasible way I can see to save some cash, without starting in Kuala Lumpur, is to do seperate returns. London - NY is £562 return from 7th to 18th. A Vegas - NY return is £233 from the 10th - 17th. Because of the time difference its an overnight flight from Vegas to New York, so that is the catch. You also would be on 2 totally seperate bookings so you wouldn't be covered should something go badly wrong and you missed the flight back to London from NY.

Saves about £400 for a couple, give or take, depends if you think its worth the hassle or not....

Tikay10

Loving this.

Think we should have an aircraft thread.

Enut

Thanks H. I think we are looked at flying to NY on 9th and then NY to Vegas on the 10th and back to UK from Vegas on 17th.

So giving us one day in NY! That should be fine! She actually wanted to try and fit a trip to LA in too but I think she's dropped that idea now.

We went to Edinburgh last weekend with a mate for the rugby cup final and my other half came along to do some sightseeing while we went to the match, well the match didn't start til 5 pm so that was the three of us trudging around Edinburgh looking at all the sights until about 3 pm when we dashed off to get to the match while she continued sightseeing! It's a lovely city, just would have been better if it hadn't rained most of the day! 

Enut

Flying brag coming up......

Many years ago we flew to US for some medical treatment for my other half. I have a friend who had just retired from BA so he said he would try and get us upgraded, no promises and don't say anything but he would try.

Anyway as we were sat in economy in the second row back, a stewardess came to the German family in front and said 'I'm sorry Herr Fritz but there is no chance of an upgrade, I hope you enjoy your flight anyway' 5 minutes later a second stewardess came up to our seats and said 'I'm terribly sorry Mr Tune there has been a mistake with your seats, please come with me' and duly escorted us past Herr Fritz into first class.  The upgrade was lovely, the look on the German's faces was priceless.

Tikay10

In Response to Re: Vegas (aftermath pending):

Thanks H. I think we are looked at flying to NY on 9th and then NY to Vegas on the 10th and back to UK from Vegas on 17th. So giving us one day in NY! That should be fine! She actually wanted to try and fit a trip to LA in too but I think she's dropped that idea now. We went to Edinburgh last weekend with a mate for the rugby cup final and my other half came along to do some sightseeing while we went to the match, well the match didn't start til 5 pm so that was the three of us trudging around Edinburgh looking at all the sights until about 3 pm when we dashed off to get to the match while she continued sightseeing! It's a lovely city, just would have been better if it hadn't rained most of the day! 
Posted by Enut

If you get a spare day whilst in Las Vegas, you can fly to LA in just over an hour. The fares would come to around $200 - that's return flights for two, $200 in total. ($50 per person per single flight).
 
From there you can get a "FlyAway" Bus to pretty much anywhere in LA, or even an LA Bus Tour - taking in Beverley Hills, Hollywood & Dodgers Stadium, that sort of thing - for about $50.
 
Even better, get the Amtrak Pacific Surfliner down the Pacific Cost from LA to San Diego ($80 per person) then fly back to Vegas that night from San Diego. You can hop off the train at one of the seaside stations, have a swim in the pacific, & a meal, then hop back on the train.
 
The USA is amazingly cheap to travel around, & we don't get the chance to go very often, so you should take full advantage.   

markycash

I was getting flights for <$1000 US$ on dates that should work Harry (on the AA USA site). Having a few problems keeping up with tables that have popped up so will link them later in the evening if they are needed.

P.S. It is a pretty easy drive to LA from Vegas, think it took me about 3 1/2 hours. Quiet roads until you hit LA.

hhyftrftdr

In Response to Re: Vegas (aftermath pending):

Thanks H. I think we are looked at flying to NY on 9th and then NY to Vegas on the 10th and back to UK from Vegas on 17th. So giving us one day in NY! That should be fine! She actually wanted to try and fit a trip to LA in too but I think she's dropped that idea now. We went to Edinburgh last weekend with a mate for the rugby cup final and my other half came along to do some sightseeing while we went to the match, well the match didn't start til 5 pm so that was the three of us trudging around Edinburgh looking at all the sights until about 3 pm when we dashed off to get to the match while she continued sightseeing! It's a lovely city, just would have been better if it hadn't rained most of the day! 
Posted by Enut

Not sure how popular this would be with the boss, but if you swapped that one night in New York pre Vegas to one night in LA post Vegas, you can get a London - Vegas, LA - London return for £643pp, both ways direct with Virgin Atlantic on a mix of 747 and 787 aircraft.

You'd have to factor in the cost of a one way Vegas - LA flight, which isn't expensive as Tikay says, or of course a one way car rental for the scenic route.

hhyftrftdr

Location is everything in Vegas. There is a reason why you can often get a week at Stratosphere for £150. For those who haven't been, you cannot begin to imagine how wide and long the Strip gets in that ridiculous summer desert heat.

This year we're booked to stay in Excalibur. It is functional more than flash, but for just under $300pp for a week, inclusive of all taxes and the resort fee, it represents pretty good value. It's also in and around the casinos we'll be dabbling in; Aria, Luxor, Planet Hollywood, MGM, Monte Carlo and of course Excalibur itself. I doubt we'll be playing at a casino further up the Strip than Flamingo, so we really needed to be down the airport end of the action. I have stayed in Excalibur once before, just for a single night as it was where British Airways put us up in 2015 when they delayed us for 27 hours coming home. The 600EUR compo for that alleviated some of the losses endured that week

For the first time, we've booked direct through the hotel website instead of a third party site. So we've only initially paid a small deposit, and the rest is due on arrival. We can also cancel free of charge until 72 hours before arrival, so until Friday essentially. Did encounter a real head vs heart scenario earlier in the week; the dates we are there, the Venetian is the lowest price I've ever seen it. It's £937 for a week, inclusive of tax but less the resort fee. Crunched some numbers and to plump for that would've cost us an extra £350pp total.

Now my heart was saying, 'bloody hell, Venetian for just a few hundred more, highly unlikely you'll get it this cheap again, and it looks amazing'.

My head on the other hand, 'don't be silly, its money you don't need to spend, it's almost 4 buy ins for Aria's daily MTTs, Venetian is a bit further up Strip than desired, plus how much time do you really spend in your room?'

TBH I'm still not 100% sure on what to do, but as it stands, and after some solid advice from the guys (Not Waitrose boy, who insisted I should splurge on Venetian) we're sticking with Excalibur. I shall be keeping an eye on prices this week and if something too good to miss crops up before Friday, we at least have the flexibility to jump ship.

edrich

Hi hhy,

I have stayed at Excalibur for the last three years, after previously never having stayed in the same hotel twice. The combination of price and position takes some beating.

The resort fee did jump from $20 last year, to $29 this, but even with this included, it still only cost us £655 per person for a week direct from Gatwick in April.

All the hotels you mention are a short walk away, apart from Aria which is only a short Uber up the strip. You can access Luxor poker room (through the upstairs food court and onto the travelators) in minutes. Quicker than the monorail too.

We have also found it doesn't take ages to get to your room, the pool, or out onto the strip as it does in some of the bigger hotels.

Yes it's only 3star but it's fine, and as you well know, all you have to do is sleep there, and spend the rest of your day in any other hotel you fancy with the extra money you have saved,

Look forward to reading about your trip,

                         Ed.

hhyftrftdr

In Response to Re: Vegas (aftermath pending):

Hi hhy, I have stayed at Excalibur for the last three years, after previously never having stayed in the same hotel twice. The combination of price and position takes some beating. The resort fee did jump from $20 last year, to $29 this, but even with this included, it still only cost us £655 per person for a week direct from Gatwick in April. All the hotels you mention are a short walk away, apart from Aria which is only a short Uber up the strip. You can access Luxor poker room (through the upstairs food court and onto the travelators) in minutes. Quicker than the monorail too. We have also found it doesn't take ages to get to your room, the pool, or out onto the strip as it does in some of the bigger hotels. Yes it's only 3star but it's fine, and as you well know, all you have to do is sleep there, and spend the rest of your day in any other hotel you fancy with the extra money you have saved, Look forward to reading about your trip,                          Ed.
Posted by edrich

Thanks for the post and well wishes edrich, but you almost lost me when you said you flew direct from London.

Have you not heard of 7 stop schedules that start in Scandinavia?

edrich

In Response to Re: Vegas (aftermath pending):

In Response to Re: Vegas (aftermath pending) : Thanks for the post and well wishes edrich, but you almost lost me when you said you flew direct from London. Have you not heard of 7 stop schedules that start in Scandinavia?
Posted by hhyftrftdr

The indirect flights started to wear a bit thin when we had a 4 hour delay in Chicago due to a storm. The next year we flew via LA. The pilot announced that if we look out to the right we could see the Las Vegs strip below us. It wasn't until 5 hours later we landed back there.

The only other time we were tempted, was when we saw Virgin Upper Class tickets from Dublin for £1200 instead of the £4000 from Gatwick. Don't know if you have any experience of that but we were sorely tempted.

                      Ed.

hhyftrftdr

In Response to Re: Vegas (aftermath pending):

In Response to Re: Vegas (aftermath pending) : The indirect flights started to wear a bit thin when we had a 4 hour delay in Chicago due to a storm. The next year we flew via LA. The pilot announced that if we look out to the right we could see the Las Vegs strip below us. It wasn't until 5 hours later we landed back there. The only other time we were tempted, was when we saw Virgin Upper Class tickets from Dublin for £1200 instead of the £4000 from Gatwick. Don't know if you have any experience of that but we were sorely tempted.                       Ed.
Posted by edrich

Yeah, when we went 2 years ago (almost to the day), we had splurged on a bit of a steal via BA holidays; a week in Monte Carlo hotel and return BA business class flights from Dublin via Heathrow, £1300pp. Obv a lot of money to spend, but when you consider that a direct return in biz from London will almost always be a minimum of 2k, and often hundreds if not thousands more, we felt for the money it was too good to miss, and Monte Carlo was a solid base and very reasonable hotel. (we somehow swerved the resort fee too, think was a BA promtion so not sure, but whatever it was it saved us north of 200 bucks!)

Sadly once you've had a taste of 'turning left', it is so cr@p to revert back to the normal peasant economy seats on long haul

The savings that can be had from Dublin don't seem as big or frequent these days vs previous years. Scandinavia can still save you a few quid, though its a personal choice of savings against addtional hassle and time. I can more than understand people who just wanna get their ASAP and don't mind paying a premium to do so.

HENDRIK62

In Response to Re: Vegas (aftermath pending):

In Response to Re: Vegas (aftermath pending) : Yeah, when we went 2 years ago (almost to the day), we had splurged on a bit of a steal via BA holidays; a week in Monte Carlo hotel and return BA business class flights from Dublin via Heathrow, £1300pp. Obv a lot of money to spend, but when you consider that a direct return in biz from London will almost always be a minimum of 2k, and often hundreds if not thousands more, we felt for the money it was too good to miss, and Monte Carlo was a solid base and very reasonable hotel. (we somehow swerved the resort fee too, think was a BA promtion so not sure, but whatever it was it saved us north of 200 bucks!) Sadly once you've had a taste of 'turning left', it is so cr@p to revert back to the normal peasant economy seats on long haul The savings that can be had from Dublin don't seem as big or frequent these days vs previous years. Scandinavia can still save you a few quid, though its a personal choice of savings against addtional hassle and time. I can more than understand people who just wanna get their ASAP and don't mind paying a premium to do so.
Posted by hhyftrftdr

What is an ASAP and why are people obsessed with getting one?

Phantom66

In Response to Re: Vegas (aftermath pending):

In Response to Re: Vegas (aftermath pending) : What is an ASAP and why are people obsessed with getting one?
Posted by HENDRIK62

He is a rapper with effin problems apparently. Not sure what that has to do with flying? Availability of in-flight entertainment? Struggling to get in the mile high club?

HENDRIK62

In Response to Re: Vegas (aftermath pending):

In Response to Re: Vegas (aftermath pending) : He is a rapper with effin problems apparently. Not sure what that has to do with flying? Availability of in-flight entertainment? Struggling to get in the mile high club?
Posted by Phantom66

The size of aeroplane toilets and our protaganists love of food means the likelihood of getting two people into the cubicle tricky if not impossible, so I fear our hero may need to 'go it alone' at 30,000 ft.......does that even count?

hhyftrftdr

In Response to Re: Vegas (aftermath pending):

In Response to Re: Vegas (aftermath pending) : The indirect flights started to wear a bit thin when we had a 4 hour delay in Chicago due to a storm. The next year we flew via LA. The pilot announced that if we look out to the right we could see the Las Vegs strip below us. It wasn't until 5 hours later we landed back there. The only other time we were tempted, was when we saw Virgin Upper Class tickets from Dublin for £1200 instead of the £4000 from Gatwick. Don't know if you have any experience of that but we were sorely tempted.                       Ed.
Posted by edrich

Further to the reply yesterday....

Scandinavia is also a great starting point for cheaper premium economy fares, or world traveller plus (WTP) in BA speak. Plucking a random week in February (4th - 11th), a Stockholm - Heathrow - Vegas return is £604 in WTP, whereas an economy return from Heathrow on those same flights/dates is £646 (or £1021 in WTP).

Whilst WTP is in no way comparable to biz class, it is a solid improvement on standard economy. Worth the hassle of positioning to Sweden first? It's a personal choice, and maybe not practical for some, but I've done it before for economy so would certainly do it for WTP. I also like to put a positive spin on it and view it as an opportunity to visit somewhere new.

Though when we went from Gothenburg in January '16, it took months before my frozen nuts reappeared. That was a cold few beers out and about in snowy Sweden that night

edrich

Thanks for all that info hhy. Interesting options,

               Ed.

hhyftrftdr

We get the joys of entering the U S of A at Los Angeles this time. I've never been to LA, nor flown into /out of LAX, but I've heard many stories about the immigration and customs trials that can take place at that airport. Not good stories either; queues stretching back for hours, very surly staff, and there is nothing worse than landing just after a flight from Mexico has arrived....

Hoping for a seamless run through, but that could be naive indeed. After a 10/11 hour flight, its not much fun getting grilled by a stern immigration official

My first experience of trying to get into the States was when I landed in New York in 2011. I soon realised that humour, dry or soaking wet, isn't welcome when answering the border control questions. If looks could kill and all that. After my grilling, my apparent lack of luggage was suspicious enough to stop me before exiting the airport. I always try to travel light where possible, and on this whirlwind trip visiting 3 cities (NY, Vegas, San Fran) over 5 nights, I was travelling as light as a Jac35 squeeze (poker, not toilet). They wanted to see inside my compact 'weekend' style suitcase, and I duly obliged. I was on my way properly just a couple of minutes later, but I did find it amusing that not hoarding round a huge case was enough to think I might be up to no good.

I guess a benefit of flying indirect is that you arrive as a domestic passenger in Vegas and roll off the plane and roll out the terminal (literally in my case), straight into a taxi or shuttle bus and you're on your way to your hotel.

We land at 19.51, so assuming everything is on time I'd like to think we could be at Excalibur by 20.20, and sat in a cash game by 20.45.....and 2 buy ins down by 21.00!

markycash

In Response to Re: Vegas (aftermath pending):

I soon realised that humour, dry or soaking wet, isn't welcome when answering the border control questions. If looks could kill and all that.
Posted by hhyftrftdr

On my very first trip abroad (to Magaluf some 25 years ago) I made a rather inappropriate joke when being 'patted down' by airport security. Something along the lines of 'the firearm being in my other pocket'. In my defence it was a different era but it still did not go down too well. I dread to think how such a joke would be recieved these days... Would be lucky not to end up in prison nevermind not being able to travel.


In Response to Re: Vegas (aftermath pending):

I guess a benefit of flying indirect is that you arrive as a domestic passenger in Vegas and roll off the plane and roll out the terminal (literally in my case), straight into a taxi or shuttle bus and you're on your way to your hotel.
Posted by hhyftrftdr

Yeah that is nice. I usually arrive in this manner and it is nice being able to just roll out the airport and enjoy being in Vegas. I have discovered it is prudent not to leave your passport in the airport when leaving in great haste!

hhyftrftdr

All packed and ready for the 10am train up to Edinburgh tomorrow (who knew such cities had an airport?!).

This IT crash with British Airways isn't ideal timing. We only need them for one flight, at 7.20 on Monday morning, so hoping all is resolved by then. Could be a bit of sweat as all the aircraft, crews, passengers and planes are in the wrong place at the moment and Monday morning isn't a million miles away. But nothing we can do presently so its a case of wait and see.

If anyone has any messages they want passing on to Hendo lad then just yell in here and I'll make sure he gets them tomorrow.

Hoping the next update is after a seamless itinerary across the Atlantic....

MattBates

Apols if I missed it but who is on this Vegas jaunt?
What will be the beverage of choice?
Will you be dressed more like DTM (worzel) or Tikay?

hhyftrftdr

Morning from Las Vegas.

Sleep- not much, been wide awake at half 5 both mornings.

Food and drink- plenty, including a place that does 5cent beers between 5 and 6pm.

Poker- no tournaments as of yet. $240 up from cash games. Flamingo is still the casino of choice and won $231 there yesterday afternoon after booking a whopping $9 profit in Ballys before breakfast. Monte Carlo, Luxor and Linq have all closed their poker rooms sadly.

Flights- no issues or cancellations and all on time etc. American Airlines really puts BA down the pecking order. Had live tv on our flight so got to watch the German relegation/promotion game that Wolfsburg won.

Other- light went in the bathroom yesterday morning so had to have a dump using the torch on my phone. Thanks for reading

Time to find a cash game on the strip. 

Tikay10

"Other- light went in the bathroom yesterday morning so had to have a dump using the torch on my phone."


TMI

tillpoll

ouch!!

markycash

Glad your journey went without any major issues and you have already turned a profit!

Agree with Tikay regarding the bathroom incident

Essexphil

In Response to Re: Vegas (aftermath pending):

Morning from Las Vegas. Sleep- not much, been wide awake at half 5 both mornings. Food and drink- plenty, including a place that does 5cent beers between 5 and 6pm. Poker- no tournaments as of yet. $240 up from cash games. Flamingo is still the casino of choice and won $231 there yesterday afternoon after booking a whopping $9 profit in Ballys before breakfast. Monte Carlo, Luxor and Linq have all closed their poker rooms. 
Posted by hhyftrftdr

Sorry to learn this-I always found the (admittedly small) poker room at Monte Carlo the friendliest on the strip.

SR23

Splendid thread - 5 cent beers sound wicked. 

edrich

Not surprised about Monte Carlo poker room closing. They rarely got more than one table plus a few alternates for their tournaments in my experience.

Luxor though were getting 35+ runners in the 10.30am and 8.30pm tournaments back in March (less for the 1.00pm and 11.00pm). That was despite the near 50% rake they were charging. Someone ought to amend the hotel page as they are still showing on there. Also still showing on Poker Atlas.

Begs the question, what are they going to do with this new addition delivered to them in April?

edrich

Re "dumpgate".

As you never mentioned any toilet lighting preferences, I didn't go into it in my recommendation. Also, why would you want to see that anyway?

Have had $1 Michelobs in Flamingo I think it was, but 5c beers?

   Ed.