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My casino experience on Carnival - I'm bummed


LandsB
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I almost hesitate to post here but it's the only place I can vent just a little. I know without knowing how much I actually gambled that this story doesn't mean much, but I'll still tell it... :-)

 

I went on a 3 day cruise, and my hope was to gamble enough to get a bounce-back or some nice future offers. (I know you don't play for comps but who listens to that!).

 

I already had a 7 day cruise booked, which worried me. I fear a "we already have him booked on another" reaction from them, but I did some research and found others saying they did get a BB while still having another cruise already booked, so I took a chance.

 

I mostly played the holdem table game. I played $20-25 for the main spot, which means I was risking $30 to $145 a hand depending on how each played out. We played a 3-4 hours each of the 3 nights on that game, and I also played some roulette and a little craps. I did play some BJ at $20-30 a hand, but maybe 1-2 hours total of that. It's hard to track but we were in the casino a lot!

 

I didn't see anyone there playing as much as I was. I KNOW there were bigger players, but I didn't see many.

 

Anyway, I didn't get a BB but worse than that I think my VIFP offers that are in my account aren't very good. "Up to 20% off with $50 credit" Future cruse offer that's not very impressive. I think I was getting close to these deals after our last two cruises when I was gambling $5 or $10 a hand.

 

I was very friendly with all the managers (my nature), and they seemed to be paying attention. Maybe I overate my play.

 

I made the mistake of not going to the cage on the last morning to see what they rated me at (I was told I could only do that at the end, but who knows). I figured I could find that out after, but it doesn't seem like I can. Does anyone know if there's a way to tell, and how I stacked up?

 

I ended up down about $500, but put a lot through. I wonder if they value slot players more.

 

Anyway - I'm bummed. I planned on playing more on the 7 day, but if they don't value my level of play then I'll play less and save it for Vegas.

 

 

I was told they just take the top 10% of players per cruise. Not sure if it's true or not, if I wasn't rated well, if I talked too much, if I overate myself... Maybe all of that is true :D:D:D:-)

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I play mainly tables as well and my main game is either UTH Or Heads Head version....Table players have been getting screwed for a long time now on how we’re rated

 

I know your bets were def in a good range to be rated....they also take the amount of time played each day into account and a win/loss

 

I normally put in 8+ hours a day/night and bet $50-$60 avg per bet.....For years I was getting Great offers of $1,000 cash and a free ocean view each premier

 

Then about a year ago it dropped to $600 cash no free room....then $500 no cabin and then the nail in the coffin for me was when it dropped to $200 cash.....I wouldn’t mind if I Wasn’t gambling more than ever and spending loads of hours gambling each day

 

Anyway I’ve now booked with NCL who has taken care of me in the past and still is

 

Maybe if Carnival starts realizing they are losing lots of gamblers to other lines they’ll start upping the comps again

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I almost hesitate to post here but it's the only place I can vent just a little. I know without knowing how much I actually gambled that this story doesn't mean much, but I'll still tell it... :-)

 

 

 

HHHHHEEEEELLLLLLLLLLOOOOO LandsB: Getting rated in the casino is based on amount bet per hand, and time spent at that particular table. They have a different rating system for slot players. Winning and losing is secondary. It is mostly time spent at the tables and amount bet. If you meet a certain level then they will give you offers, this also applies to land based casinos.

That said, personally, I don't plan my vacations based on what I expect to get back for casino play. I play in the casino because I enjoy it. If a cruise line wishes to give me something because they wish to fine. If not will continue to do what I like to do. If I get a bad casino experience, I'll not play as much or at all.

That said, I hope you find in your casino experiences what you are looking for.

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I almost hesitate to post here but it's the only place I can vent just a little. I know without knowing how much I actually gambled that this story doesn't mean much, but I'll still tell it... :-)

 

 

 

HHHHHEEEEELLLLLLLLLLOOOOO LandsB: Getting rated in the casino is based on amount bet per hand, and time spent at that particular table. They have a different rating system for slot players. Winning and losing is secondary. It is mostly time spent at the tables and amount bet. If you meet a certain level then they will give you offers, this also applies to land based casinos.

That said, personally, I don't plan my vacations based on what I expect to get back for casino play. I play in the casino because I enjoy it. If a cruise line wishes to give me something because they wish to fine. If not will continue to do what I like to do. If I get a bad casino experience, I'll not play as much or at all.

That said, I hope you find in your casino experiences what you are looking for.

 

Thanks :-)

 

Yeah, I get it. I do find some that say winning/losing don't matter. I know it's not supposed to matter in Vegas either (just coin-in). I do still wonder, but in the end it doesn't matter.

 

I did spend a good amount of time at the tables with a nice average bet size, but who knows - maybe I'm wrong.

 

I know the "don't gamble for comps" but I'll wager that 80%+ of the gamblers that say that still do it to some extent. :D

 

I'm sure we'll gamble a fair amount on our next 7 day, but if they're not going to give us an incentive to go a little harder then it's their loss (and hopefully not mine :-) )

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3-4 hours a night seems low, I think that I average 6 hours a day on the low end. I have been offered a free cruise on every cruise, the problem is it is hard to fit them in with the stipulations they put on them.

 

Thanks. What were you playing and what was your average bet?

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  • 2 weeks later...
I play mainly tables as well and my main game is either UTH Or Heads Head version....Table players have been getting screwed for a long time now on how we’re rated

 

I know your bets were def in a good range to be rated....they also take the amount of time played each day into account and a win/loss

 

I normally put in 8+ hours a day/night and bet $50-$60 avg per bet.....For years I was getting Great offers of $1,000 cash and a free ocean view each premier

 

Then about a year ago it dropped to $600 cash no free room....then $500 no cabin and then the nail in the coffin for me was when it dropped to $200 cash.....I wouldn’t mind if I Wasn’t gambling more than ever and spending loads of hours gambling each day

 

Anyway I’ve now booked with NCL who has taken care of me in the past and still is

 

Maybe if Carnival starts realizing they are losing lots of gamblers to other lines they’ll start upping the comps again

I cruised Carnival for years and have always played slots. Have always spent a lot of time and money in the casino each cruise. I, too, used to get great bounce back offers each cruise (now the bounce back offers are limited to certain cruises). My premier offers used to include free interior and cash back. Now they do not include any cash back and I am still playing the same. I used to get the Ultra offers and Elite offers, none of those within the last year. I see they sent out new Elite offers a few days ago and some of the people that received them have not cruised on Carnival in two years. This is the thanks we get for being loyal Carnival gaming cruisers. I tried Celebrity and they have treated me very well.

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CCL has totally lost me. I too, use to get BB offers and premier cruise offers. I gambled way more than I usually do on my last CCL cruise two years ago and did not receive any offers that are worth talking about. I switched to NCL and never looked back. They offer a better product, better shows and way better comps.

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  • 1 month later...

I cruise just HAL but doesn't matter....all of us on any of the CCL lines are members (victims?) of the Ocean Players Club. I recently complained to them via email of the lack of transparency of their rating/tiering system compared to NCLs CAS or RCCIs Club Royale. And here's the response I received:

Unfortunately Susan at this time we do not disclose the criteria used to determine our Casino offers.

We look forward to welcoming you aboard!

 

How 'bout that? On my next cruise I will achieve 4-star Mariner status on HAL. If it weren't for that I'd be outta there!

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I gamble a lot, minimum 5-6 hrs. plus on each day of each cruise. I only play table games, usually craps and roulette, sometimes blackjack. I'll play $20-$100 pass line and come bets at the craps table and double odds. Sometimes I'll have $2k plus on the table at a time. I'd play that for 16 hours each day if my wife didn't come and get me to eat. Blackjack i'll play $25 minimum for the better odds. Sometimes at roulette I'll bet $1000/$1500/ spin. My buy in is usually $1000-$5000. I'm usually a break even player. I do get great offers. This year an elite cruise (balcony) with $300 cash, two ultra cruises (balcony) $1000 cash each and $200 room credit, a premier cruise (balcony) $100 cash and $200 room credit, and a free suite with $200 room credit. Each of those was $100-$200/person plus tax and gratuity.

I don't know what other cruise lines offer, but I like Carnival and they've been pretty good to me. The only exception was the last carnival cruise I took in May. I gambled more often than anyone I saw, not counting the slot players. I got an interior room offer for $200 with a $100 room credit and free drinks. That was a real insult after all elite, ultra, premier, and free suite cruise offers.

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I gamble a lot, minimum 5-6 hrs. plus on each day of each cruise. I only play table games, usually craps and roulette, sometimes blackjack. I'll play $20-$100 pass line and come bets at the craps table and double odds. Sometimes I'll have $2k plus on the table at a time. I'd play that for 16 hours each day if my wife didn't come and get me to eat. Blackjack i'll play $25 minimum for the better odds. Sometimes at roulette I'll bet $1000/$1500/ spin. My buy in is usually $1000-$5000. I'm usually a break even player. I do get great offers. This year an elite cruise (balcony) with $300 cash, two ultra cruises (balcony) $1000 cash each and $200 room credit, a premier cruise (balcony) $100 cash and $200 room credit, and a free suite with $200 room credit. Each of those was $100-$200/person plus tax and gratuity.

I don't know what other cruise lines offer, but I like Carnival and they've been pretty good to me. The only exception was the last carnival cruise I took in May. I gambled more often than anyone I saw, not counting the slot players. I got an interior room offer for $200 with a $100 room credit and free drinks. That was a real insult after all elite, ultra, premier, and free suite cruise offers.

 

IMHO it to me it looks like once CCL thinks they have us hooked the offers start getting worse and worse. I like cruising and I like gambling but if my offers ever dry up with NCL my cruising will be few and far between.

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