Bingo Scam on Liberty of the Seas

[Luvtotrav]

I and my lovely wife just returned from the Liberty of the Seas. We arrived in Miami this morning. Back in Minnesota now and it is 0 outside! Ship was lovely and service was great in all ways except for an event that occurred on the first day at sea. The activities staff advertised that they were going to be playing a game of bingo on Monday am and the prizes included a $500 dollar pot as well as a suite upgrade. My wife and I were sitting by the pool and were hesitant to leave our pool chairs as it was wall to wall people around the pool area. After some discussion we decided to make our way down and play the game. When we arrived at the advertised location which was the Sphinx theater, we were told that they were not yet selling bingo cards for the upcoming game. We waited about 15 minutes and during this time only a few more showed up to play. There was a total of about 40 people in the room at this time. A activities member came in and announced that due to lack of participants the game had been canceled. I told him that it was misrepresentation and a scam that they now were not playing the game due to it not being profitable for RCI. He did not respond. I then went to guest services and complained. They put me in touch with the person responsible for the bingo games on the ship. I explained to him my frustration as well as that there were others who left the room feeling the same way I did about it. He stated that it was company policy to cancel if they did not have enough people to cover the pot to be given away. I told him that was misrepresentation and that if I tried to do something like that at my business I would have customers never show up again to shop in my store. I then expressed that they need to have it in the small print and in the anouncements of the bingo games that there has to be a minium amount of people playing the game or else it will be cancelled. Due to this situation, I made no effort to play in any of the bingo games all week. How would one know if it would happen again? I have cruised RCI 5 times and their sister line Celebrity line 4 times. I have also cruised other lines in addition to these two. I was so turned off by this action of RCI that I will be not cruising their line again for some time. I do not appreciate my time wasted by mis-representation and scams!

[Retired LEO]

Huh? Getting this worked up over Bingo? :eek:

[ThinkingInPink]

I agree they could put in small print or announce that they need a minimum to play. For me though it would not make or break a cruise and certainly would not make me not sail them in the future.

[Cincy-David]

Bingo on board a cruise ship is a scam and a money maker for the cruise line.

 

I AM SHOCKED!!!!!

[bobbarker005]

if i were you i think i would take a vacation, you need to relax;)

[trixietx]

Huh? Getting this worked up over Bingo? :eek:

 

I agree!

[Luvtotrav]

I agree that I could use another vacation. I am just worn out after a week of lying around doing nothing.

 

Please understand, The game has nothing to do with my frustation, it has to do with the fact that I made the effort in good faith to show up at the game and I would only wish for RCI to follow through with their part. My time is valuable and I would expect that to be recognized by a company selling vacation time to me.

[EVALUATOR]

I kind of agree it was bad service. The suite was empty, so even if there was only one in the room to play bingo, the suite would still be empty.

 

As for the $500, 40 people at around $10 each is just about break even. The speakers must have been broken if the couldn't even get people there for the suite upgrade session.

[thelion]

A word of advice:

 

When dealing with customer service one of the single worst things you can utter is "I have a business and if I ran things this way..." or "In my business I would give the customer what they wanted....." It is a quick shot to shutting down the customer service folks. It is irritating, condescending and often untrue. Try to avoid it in the future. It is almost as bad as "I work in customer service and we do things this way...." or "I pay your salary..."

[Karter]

When we were on the Carnival Glory last year we had a similar situation. We never play bingo because I think the odds are not that great but we were going to a show were they play bingo just before it. As they were calling last chance to buy cards I looked arround and only saw maybe 30 people in the theater and thought maybe the odds were in my favor since it was a fixed $500 pot. So to make a long story short for the first time ever we played bingo and my wife won the $500. What made me decide to play is she had just won the blackjack tournement for $500 so I thought whats $20 at this point.

 

Unfortunatly for Carnival we took the $980 (her entry for the blackjack tournement was free since we are platinum on Carnival) and booked the Mariner of the Seas when we got home.

[Finbar127]

I agree with the small print part. The situation could have been handled better.

 

I stopped playing cruise Bingo a long time ago because the same thing always happens. I need one more number and the people sitting right next to me win the jackpot/free cruise. Happened three cruises in a row. Its enough to drive you nuts :eek:

[Langley Cruisers]

I was so turned off by this action of RCI that I will be not cruising their line again for some time. I do not appreciate my time wasted by mis-representation and scams!

 

I understand your frustration and if you feel so strongly about it, please follow up with a letter to Corporate. I find many members here complain or voice their opinions here on the boards, where absolutely nothing can be done about it. You're back home now - I don't think anything will be done about it, but instead of complaining here, why not re-direct? Just a thought.

 

Oh... my other thought is to let it go... you are out no money. The only thing you lost was your poolside chair. Would you be upset if you had paid money to play and lost it by not winning? Know what I mean? How is this different?

[Merion_Mom]

When we were on the Carnival Glory last year we had a similar situation. We never play bingo because I think the odds are not that great but we were going to a show were they play bingo just before it. As they were calling last chance to buy cards I looked arround and only saw maybe 30 people in the theater and thought maybe the odds were in my favor since it was a fixed $500 pot. So to make a long story short for the first time ever we played bingo and my wife won the $500. What made me decide to play is she had just won the blackjack tournement for $500 so I thought whats $20 at this point.

 

Unfortunatly for Carnival we took the $980 (her entry for the blackjack tournement was free since we are platinum on Carnival) and booked the Mariner of the Seas when we got home.

 

Great story!

[appgirl]

I agree with the small print part. The situation could have been handled better.

 

I stopped playing cruise Bingo a long time ago because the same thing always happens. I need one more number and the people sitting right next to me win the jackpot/free cruise. Happened three cruises in a row. Its enough to drive you nuts :eek:

 

 

Can I sit by you next time?

[foxesden1]

In would be ticked off as well.. He had a great seat by the pool, got up, dresses, went to play a game.. He did his part, the cruise line did not. It was bad form on their part.

 

Maybe more and more people are skipping BINGO.. For a reason.

 

 

T

[molly361]

The last couple of RCL cruises that we were on they no longer had the snowball jackpot bingo. I don't know if that is becoming a thing of the past or not. :confused:

[JohnKen3]

I continue to be amazed at the number of pax hooked on bingo on board ships.

Those games are not cheap. Never sure if the are gamblers by nature or just bored wanting something to do on board.

 

I think the bingo is run under the activities team and not part of the casino which is why it has to clear a profit at each session.

Edited January 10, 2011 by JohnKen3

[dickydonkin]

In would be ticked off as well.. He had a great seat by the pool, got up, dresses, went to play a game.. He did his part, the cruise line did not. It was bad form on their part.

 

Maybe more and more people are skipping BINGO.. For a reason.

 

What I found worrying on the Legend in Asia last week was that children under 16 were allowed to play bingo for free.

 

Call me a killjoy if you wish - I don't care - but I find that encouraging kids to gamble is at best irresponsible in my mind. I have seen first hand how addictive gambling is (particularly to young people) please believe me on this. I am sure someone will come on here with a pedantic response such as the kids did not pay any outlay, but that is totally missing the point.

 

Many on here may suggest it is harmless fun for the kids - I totally disagree - people who have family members or friends who are victims of gambling will know where I am coming from.

Edited January 10, 2011 by dickydonkin

[bajathree]

I have to agree with the OP on this one..that is just bad business practice. Maybe those that play Bingo should start asking for refunds when it's the reverse and to many people start to show up making the odds decrease for those that participate. If they announce a game they should play it....no matter how few show up.

[schmoopie17]

a word of advice:

 

When dealing with customer service one of the single worst things you can utter is "i have a business and if i ran things this way..." or "in my business i would give the customer what they wanted....." it is a quick shot to shutting down the customer service folks. It is irritating, condescending and often untrue. Try to avoid it in the future. It is almost as bad as "i work in customer service and we do things this way...." or "i pay your salary..."

 

bingo!!!!!

[bmarchal]

I think that the OP is more ticked off because he lost his beach chair by the pool than because the bingo was canceled. "Get a life" and start enjoying yourself. I think it is mighty greedy to get so bent out of shape over a game of Bingo.

[Elkhornne]

The last couple of RCL cruises that we were on they no longer had the snowball jackpot bingo. I don't know if that is becoming a thing of the past or not. :confused:

 

 

This must be one of the new 2011 enhanced benefits??? :D

[patseacruiser]

What I found worrying on the Legend in Asia last week was that children under 16 were allowed to play bingo for free.

 

Call me a killjoy if you wish - I don't care - but I find that encouraging kids to gamble is at best irresponsible in my mind. I have seen first hand how addictive gambling is (particularly to young people) please believe me on this. I am sure someone will come on here with a pedantic response such as the kids did not pay any outlay, but that is totally missing the point.

 

Many on here may suggest it is harmless fun for the kids - I totally disagree - people who have family members or friends who are victims of gambling will know where I am coming from.

 

I have to totally agree with this statement. I am and come from a family of gamblers and would not encourage kids to gamble.

 

And on a separate note - I'm paying $35 to play bingo and a woman next to me is paying $35 and she has 4 kids playing for free and winning. I think it's wrong all around. I stopped playing bingo when they started getting crazy with the prices.

[JohnKen3]

What I found worrying on the Legend in Asia last week was that children under 16 were allowed to play bingo for free.

 

If RCL followed their own guidelines, then it is the parents who are allowing their kids to play bingo which many parents are happy to do. I do not believe they get a bingo card for free.

 

The parent has to buy the bingo card for their child. The parent gets the cash prize and the child gets an RCL key-ring. The parent is totally responsible for the child participating in the activity.

 

Why are people always so quick to bad mouth big business and forget that parents are ultimately responsible for their children upbringing. Why are people so quick to use their own yardstick to base what other parents consider appropriate. Better to learn about gambling and other evils from your parents openly rather than behind their back from untrustworthy friends.

[mommabean]

I have to agree with the OP on this one..that is just bad business practice. Maybe those that play Bingo should start asking for refunds when it's the reverse and to many people start to show up making the odds decrease for those that participate. If they announce a game they should play it....no matter how few show up.

 

This is also my point of view. It's not like they are out the whole $500. They just didn't make a profit....a VERY rare occurrence. The should eat that rare loss unless they have something in writing that a minimum number is needed to play.

 

Gina