BlerkOne

Carnival shouldn't offer free cruises to anyone - especially people who complain.

How so?

Same cheerleaders and same jeerleaders. 🙂

Yep. Same one. Same set up.

The Casino is looking at it. Since it is unrelated to any revamp of the "loyalty" program, it likely will occur first.

...too long...

Casino comps are considered gambling winnings or sometimes it doesn't matter. If not for gambling, the comps wouldn't be offered. Flights on miles or hotel rooms on points are considered rebates or discounts and there is no real guidance on them, so the IRS won't accuse you of understating your income.

This time, we had a port side cabin, so no wake views. Here is sail away from Barcelona. Looks like I left the camera running to long. Someday I'll edit it down.

Casino rats seriously overvalue themselves. If any revolt, Carnival should ban them. Nobody is irreplaceable. No shortage of people willing to take free cruises.

have to subsidize casino cruises somehow.

Fair enough. But the organization of which Ms Duffy is President, doesn't control casino operations or promotions. The $25 was a casino promotion. The purpose was to get people into the casino, just as whatever eventually replaces it will be. Or the tournaments were. Carnival Cruise Line was just the messenger. GCO is no different than a cruise line as far as being a profit center. It has a budget and an expected ROI. How it gets the ROI is up to GCO, not the individual cruise lines. Any money the casino makes or gives away doesn't go directly to, or come from, the cruise line. It is no different than when various consumer goods companies donated free samples to Carnival Cruise Line to distribute to consumers. Carnival Cruise Line didn't get to pick and choose what they received and when the supply dried up, that promotion was done.

The casino is not owned or run by CCL, but by Carnival Global Casino Operations which is corporate. GCO is not under any cruise line for management or accounting purposes

I wonder how many people declared the $25 casino comp (or the free cruise comps) as income? It's all taxable, isn't it?

As I was actually on Legend last week, I know this is not true. (Fact)

One lie leads to another. I don't know that Carnival tried any such thing. If there is any merit to the "story", Carnival might settle, but so far, truth doesn't seem to be part of the equation.

I checked in for our recent cruise at Midnight Eastern time. I have no idea what time that was at the embarkation port (Barcelona).

Has Carnival even confirmed they made an offer? I don't think they did, so the "offer" could just be more misinformation.

Funtimes: Day01FTMay30 - Copy.pdf Day02FTMay31 - Copy.pdf Day03FTJune01 - Copy.pdf Day04FTJune02 - Copy.pdf Day05FTJune03 - Copy.pdf Day06FTJune04 - Copy.pdf Day07FTJune05 - Copy.pdf Day08FTJune06 - Copy.pdf

With FOMO perhaps on the decline, prices might decline. This would not be good for Royal with billions being invested in ginormous shopping malls.

What some people fail to realize is that the Carnival Cruise Lines doesn't control Casino promotions. By definition, promotions exist with the expectation of a certain ROI on the investment. When it fails to produce, the promotion no longer has value to the Casino. People will call it what they want to, but the Casino is a business.

I wonder how many actually read the Terms and Conditions of the marketing program. Specifically Section 3 which has been there forever. "CCL reserves the right to alter or modify the Club at any time in CCL’s sole discretion without notice to Members, including without limitation, the right to add, modify, delete or otherwise change any provision of the Terms and Conditions or any aspect of the Club, including without limitation, any procedure, the Levels, the number of VIFP Points required for any Level, the method of earning VIFP Points, and the Benefits, each as defined below. CCL further reserves the right to terminate the Club at any time without notice to Members. Since any changes will be posted on this page, Members should check this page regularly. Continued membership in the Club following any changes to these Terms and Conditions constitutes acceptance of such changes."

For some reason, Carnival has issues on Spirit Class ships trying to update the Intranet Funtimes which is where I normally download them from. I did manage to get them to post one from the current cruise, and that was all. I'll have to scan the Funtimes and post those. Maybe later today.

Maybe try to bring some organization to this chaos... Barcelona - Arranged transportation from BCN Airport to Hotel Gaudi with Welcome Pickups. They cost a little more - I don't care. In my experience they have been reliable and on time with quality vehicles. Especially with the amount of luggage we travel with. Sea Day - Diamond luncheon and 1st Elegant Night Valletta - Carnival tour - Mosta, Mdina, and Rabat - great tour. Messina - Carnival tour - Taormina on Your Own - Great non-tour Naples - Private tour - through Joe Banana - 50 Shades of Lemon from Naples port - Great tour Civitavecchia - Private tour - through Viator - Ancient Ostia from Civitavecchia - Great tour Livorno - Ship tour - A Tuscan Day in Volterra & San Gimignano Towns. This was somewhat disappointing, though no fault of Carnival. There was a huge accident that caused delays and a rearrangement of the tour itinerary. The disappointment was San Giminnano - the highlight for us - was moved to the end of the tour and time was cut short. Second Elegant Night Toulon - Ship tour was cancelled due to lack of participation. We simulated on our own. Ship tour was Mont Faron by Cable Car & the Landing Museum. Barcelona - Transportation to airport with Welcome Pickups Conclusion - another great cruise!

I failed. Okay. I didn't try. 🙂

The casino could replace the $25 credit with a bar of gold and some would complain.