VideoTech

If this is anything like a land based casino, it isn't based on how much you lost but on how much you risked. Your play is tracked (bet size, time, etc) but the outcome isn't a factor.

Very true....thanks for pointing that out. Most people just use the term "lost" somewhat generically when talking about their casino play. But the offers will come whether you actually walk away winning or losing, since the casino knows full well they'll get their slice of every dollar you put in play, no matter what the result. For the casino, it's always a "winning" business.

For everyone who gets the CAS offers, are you slot players or table games?

 

On a cruise I go to the casino every day but I am a table games person and I have never received any offers. I just may not be gambling "enough money" but time wise I am there.

 

I play a slot machine here and there but I like my card games ;)

 

 

Also do they give you anything if you already have a cruise booked?

Edit: WannaCruise - didn't see your post about calling and getting your tracking. So obviously you do use a CAS card at the tables. That also changes the second part of my answer too, so I'll drop that.EDIT.

To answer your other question: My DW and I are both slot players. As an aside, I believe you get better play tracking, $ for $, on the slots, since it's done by computer and every $ you play is recorded. Your tracking at the table depends entirely on the pit boss, who may be busy, distracted, or other wise uninterested, and might undervalue your play. Conversely, I guess they might overvalue it too, but I doubt that. But in the end, what you play is a matter of what you enjoy.

Just out of curiosity, if you don't mind me asking, but how much does one have to spend/lose/win in casinos before you get a free cruise, if there is a certain amount?

 

Thanks.

There's no such thing as a "free" cruise. What the CAS program does is offer comp'd rooms, with the value of the room depending on your previous spending in NCL casinos. You still have to pay taxes, port fees, and any surcharges that might be added.

If you're willing to spend more money, you can almost always get the comp'd room upgraded, say from an ocean view to a balcony, or from a balcony to a suite. You'll pay whatever is the current difference in price between your comp'd cabin and the upgraded cabin.

I won't try to answer your question about play amounts, because that's a personal subject. It varies with each individual, and the offers are also made subjectively by the CAS agents. It's surely obvious that there's a required minimum level of play you must hit in order to get the most basic offer. I've heard that is anywhere from $1,500 to $2,500 per cruise, but I don't think anyone knows for sure. When CAS sends out offers, they are looking at overall play history...perhaps you played higher on one cruise and lower on another, but they like the average...it's not an exact science.

Oh, and finally....the cruise is certainly not "free" if you stop to include how much money you spent in the casino on the last trip, just to get the comp! :) Most of us try not to think about that one.

A tipping question - guidance please! Will be a first time NCL cruiser in July, and will be in an aft suite. I have no problems with the tips for the butler and concierge; will certainly enjoy having them there when we need them and definitely want to thank them! My question is for using Cagney's for breakfast/lunch. Have you tipped at the end of the cruise or after whatever meal you have there? I was thinking it would be the end of the week, but am not sure. Also, as for dinner at any of the specialty restaurants I would think you would be leaving a tip at the end of your dinner. Have taken 6 cruises with other lines previously, but not in a suite and only once at a specialty restaurant, when we tipped at the end of dinner. Sorry for asking a basic question here.....thanks.

No question too basic here...and you'll get a wide variety of answers on this one!

We do not generally tip in Cagney's, in any of the specialty restaurants, or in the regular restaurants and dining rooms. The staff in those areas are included in the daily tips pool, and since they rotate assignments all the time, it's difficult to get the kind of special relationship with one waiter or waitress that might cause us to want to tip extra.

That being said, if we did experience service above and beyond the norm in any of those places, we would tip for it.

The butler and concierge are a different story. We do leave a tip for each of those persons, at the end of the cruise on disembarkation. The amount depends on what service we've asked for and received, and the relationship we've developed with those people.

One of the most overlooked staff members, IMO, is your cabin steward. While they are included in the tips pool, they often do much more than either the butler or concierge to improve the quality of your experience on board. We will always tip our cabin steward at the end of the cruise, even if we're less impressed with the butler or concierge.

I am not sure I will be able to afford these cabins, but I am curious how much you tip them at the end of the week?

You tip them whatever you are comfortable with, from $0 on up. There is no set rate, and different people tip different amounts or none at all.

If you'd like to see what different people do, search the postings on this topic. It's been discussed many times, with all sorts of opinions.

Any idea why? I would think that it would be one of the most interesting times to watch them in action, especially with the harbor pilot on board.

I'd have to agree with you; harbor entry and docking would be much more interesting. But I'm sure, as others have said, it's to prevent distractions and disturbances....

Hiya all, am so looking forward to trying the slots ( or pokies as we call them in New Zealand) on our first cruise in September but have a couple of queries.

 

Here in NZ we do not pay taxes on winnings of this type so would the taxes (American) apply to us?

 

Also if you buy casino coins prior to cruising (as you can with Holland America) are they for the slot machines or for the tables. As you can tell I am not used to your casinos.

 

Many thanks in anticipation of a response. Kia Ora

I can't answer your tax question for sure - although I don't see why you'd have to pay taxes on winnings since your country of residence doesn't require it. If the ship did (for some reason) take out the taxes, there must be a way for you to get the money back.

On NCL (and I think on most other lines) Table games are played with chips that you buy with cash at the table, then cash out at the cashier cage when you leave.

Slot machines are played with cash to begin with. The machines pay out on a printed ticket, which you can either insert in another machine, keep to play another day on the cruise, or cash out at the cage, which ever you'd prefer.

NCL has no system of buying "Casino Coins" in advance that I'm aware of. There is at least one website that will sell you casino tickets in advance at a discount. They have these tickets for several different cruise lines, but I've never used them. A search of this forum should find that information.

Hope that helps some!

No fees? Just got off the Gem, 3% charge if you want to buy chips with the credit card linked to your onboard account.

Those fees were put in place after the date of my original post. Don't know if it's fleet-wide now, but I suspect it is. Unfortunately, that's one of the drawbacks when a lot of people start using what was previously a free service, and the cruise line realizes they've got another profit center they can tap.

I'll contact the CAS to get a conformation but I think it was really low. I'll post back when I contact them next week.

Remember that the amount of credit on your bill is decided by the casino manager. I suppose they have a formula they use, but I believe that they have a lot of flexibility in what they decide to do.

Never say never. My upcoming suite on EPIC is comped, on our EPIC cruise we both enjoyed 1.5 hours spa services (priced at $580 for the 2), 2 free dinners with wine, and $1500 off our bill.

 

Granted I lost a lot, those last two cruises, but still....the comps / cashback were just as respectible (if not moreso) on EPIC as on the Spirt.

.

:eek: Fantastic!

Yep - some others have indicated that same point. Yet, I hear the sirens song.... :eek:

 

Tom

Oh, don't get me wrong; the Epic is definitely worth a cruise. You'll either love it or hate it when you're done, but it's an interesting ship with many good points.

After I had already booked the Epic, we went on the 3 night Sky to "get noticed". It was a COSTLY "initiation" - but I got in the door, and had our previously booked Epic sailing switched to CAS. I really thought it would have been a LARGER % off, but they hold all the marbles! :D

 

Tom

You will never get comp'd highly on the Epic. It's their newest, most popular, most in-demand ship, and they have no pressing reason to discount the cabins for you. If you want a good cabin comp, book one of the older, smaller ships.

Question for first time comped cruisers - how did you get them interested in you? My mom is a black card/high rated player by both Wynn and Borgota. I called Casino at Sea today and they told me to join a junket for the first cruise, but they wouldn't give me a name. Last junket my mom was on was before computers tracked gamblers. I have no doubt they will like her churn rate. Thanks for the advice.

If you're not a Harrah's Total Rewards member, then the only way will be to take a cruise, join CAS, and play in the casino. Then for your next cruise, you book through CAS and see what they'll give you based on your play on the first cruise.

Being a high-rated player at any other casino chain besides Harrah's will not help you on NCL. You'll need to establish your play level with them on a cruise first.

I have a very stupid question that im sure i know the answer to already. Can you drink for free in the casino aboard the NCL Jewel? I saw something about booking with a Harrahs card that will allow you to get a drink card. I would appreciate any help,

 

Thanks!

If you join NCL's Casinos At Sea program, I believe they will give you a card that entitles you to drink free in the casino. It may be only after you establish a certain level of play, though - I'm not sure.

If you come into the CAS program from Harrah's Total Rewards program, with your level of play established by your Harrah's activity, they will give you the card automatically.

Question about rate of play. I know that this was answered earlier to some degree, but I still have a few questions. The last cruise I was on with NCL I LIVED in the casino. I spent hours a day at the blackjack tables with moderate bets. However, CAS did not seem to credit me too much for how much time I spent in the casino. That being said I didn't really lose any money. I started with $100 dollars the first night that I never lost. At times I would bring my chips back to the table with me without having cashed them in. I am wondering if that hurt my rate of play? If I should have cashed in my chips every time I left the table and then sat down with cash instead of already having chips. Any information on this would be helpful!

The problem with table games is that you are relying on the pit boss to track your play manually. He/She can't watch you every minute, they've got other things to do. So all they can note is a general idea of the length of time you spent at the table, and some notes about the amount of money you put in play. Because of this, you might get a good rating for one night from one pit boss, and a lower rating from another session with another pit boss. However, they're generally pretty good at it, and should be able to give you a fair rating.

Machines, on the other hand, track every dollar you put in play, and the exact length of time you played, generating a very exact rating.

But to answer your question, it's not the way you handled your chips, or any difference between starting with cash or chips. The cashier cage has nothing to do with your rating.

Your rating is based on the amount of money you put in play over time. From your description of your play, it sounds like all you put in play was $100, over the entire length of your play. In their eyes, that's not much play, no matter how long you sat at the tables, and it won't earn you much in the way of comps.

As with Terrymtex above, all our cruises on NCL are a result of comp'd cabins through Harrah's and CAS. This includes the first one, which occurred when Harrah's bought into NCL and moved their business over from RCCL.

As others have said, you are comp'd the cabin charge only, with the cabin selection based on your play level on previous cruises. You are responsible for all taxes, port fees, excursions, etc - in short, anything beyond the basic cabin charge. Since all cabins are booked double occupancy, there is no problem if you want to bring a second person along.

We have noticed that the level of comp'd cabin depends not only on your level of play, but on the class of ship and the itinerary too. So for the Epic (new ship, popular itineraries) you're going to get a lower level of cabin than you would on the Spirit (older ship, less popular itineraries) for the same level of play. That's fine with us, we prefer the smaller ships, and you can get good itineraries on them too.

Once on the ship, do get to know your casino director. He or She is responsible for all your comps on the ship, including dinners, spa treatments, and most importantly, the level of credit the casino will give you off your final bill. Again, it's all based on your play in the casino, but you can help yourself out by being more than just a name on a computer list to that person.

I think he'd be in the same muster station, but I'd call NCL and ask them to be sure.