Drinks on Us Card Question

[sailor_jimc]

Hey all- I was in a discussion on facebook with some friends and we were discussing the Carnival "Drinks on Us" card and the casino comp's. I have gotten the card after a couple of days of gambling, but some people in my discussion have seen people get the card on the first day. We are assuming they got it from the Ocean Players Club based on their play on the previous cruise, but we are not sure what that takes.

 

Has anyone on here been given the card outright? And if you don't mind me asking, what level of play was required to merit that?

 

I play mostly table games, and they rate me well for that play, and one my last cruise I played enough video poker and slots to get the drink card on the third or fourth day of the cruise. But interested in knowing under what circumstances would you get the card for just walking on the ship.

[kakalina]

We were given our Club 21 card from the Ocean Players Club onboard Holland America. We are slots players. I think we hit about 5k that cruise. But remember to hit that number you don't actually spend that much. Every time you win that is counted the same as putting money in for their purposes.

[VideoTech]

Can't help you specifically with Carnival, but on NCL you get the free drinks card from CAS (NCL's Casinos At Sea) one of two ways:

 

First, you can earn it by getting 1500 points in machine or table play. It takes $5 to earn one point.

 

Secondly, if you're a previous NCL CAS cruiser with a good play record, you'll get the card automatically when you board the ship.

[ByByeAmericanPie]

On Carnival, the only way to get the Drinks On Us card when you walk on the ship is to have it pre-arranged with Ocean Players Club. You call them and, based on your level of play on your most recent cruise, they will offer you all sorts of things. For example, on my upcoming cruise on the Liberty in Sept, they are giving me $150 in free casino cash AND the Drinks On Us card on the first day. I play mostly table games too. Make sure you friend the Casino Host(s) as soon as you can and make sure they keep track of all your play.

[clhayes]

Hey all- I was in a discussion on facebook with some friends and we were discussing the Carnival "Drinks on Us" card and the casino comp's. I have gotten the card after a couple of days of gambling, but some people in my discussion have seen people get the card on the first day. We are assuming they got it from the Ocean Players Club based on their play on the previous cruise, but we are not sure what that takes.

 

Has anyone on here been given the card outright? And if you don't mind me asking, what level of play was required to merit that?

 

I play mostly table games, and they rate me well for that play, and one my last cruise I played enough video poker and slots to get the drink card on the third or fourth day of the cruise. But interested in knowing under what circumstances would you get the card for just walking on the ship.

 

I have belonged to the OPC and CPC for several years. I call my CPC VIP representative at Carnival in Miami. There is no membership card. He looks up my play from my last cruise and tells me how much I qualify for in perks. I accumulate approx. 12,000 to 15,000 points on slots each cruise. 1pt is $2.50 played (slots). At 1,000 points you get $10.00 cash back or download from machine to play. At 1,500 points they will give you a drinks on us card.

 

I introduce myself to the casino host on the first night (sometimes they remember me from past cruise). They give me the drinks card on the first night, get my cash at the cash cage usually $300 to $500 as a perk, chocolate covered strawberries delivered to my stateroom, photo coupon, carnival bag with polo shirts, hats, etc. I also have been given VIP boarding every cruise because I asked my rep for it. Don't need that anymore since I'll be Platinum in Feb'13.

 

I have every Carnival casino host met as a friend on Facebook. This comes in handy when I am going on a future cruise and I don't know the host. They will email him/her that I'm coming. I have spent time networking and that's the best advice I could give. At the end of the year my tax lady calls my CPC rep and gets my win/loss statement.

 

Most importantly, I have won more than I have lost and enjoy the ships casinos more then Vegas! Long winded answer or comment, but I thought it might help.

 

Happy Cruising! If the wheels aren't spinning you're not winning!

[mina]

What is the min bet at tables to get rated? We play for hours on end but only play five dollars per bet.

[sailor_jimc]

Christopher, thank you for that answer. I thought I dropped a lot of money in the casino, but I have never played that much in the slots. I do know several casino hosts and pit bosses, but I never have thought of friending them. Maybe I will start.

 

I'm just not a slots gambler. Yes I do play some but not as much as I do on the tables (Craps mostly) So maybe I will never get enough points to rate a drink card on day one.

 

As for the question on what you need to play on the tables to be rated, they SAY it's $25 a hand for 3 hours before they start to rate you. Which is a crazy amount of money that most cruise gamblers don't meet. I have found it depends on the casino crew. Some are nicer than others and will rate you for less. I do what Christopher does and talk to the Casino host and let them know I want to be rated. But more importantly I talk to the pit bosses or floor managers, they are the ones working in the pits at the table games. Tell them you would like to be rated (helps if you are playing more than $5 a hand at the time) If they are friendly they will add you to the rating list (which is completely separate from the slot point system.) I play enough on the craps table and the 3 card poker table that they rate my play. Normally by the second day they are calling me by name. And I have had many free drinks on the casino. I think they realize I am not going to get the card because I am not at the slots so they take pity on me.

 

Lastly, it never hurts to call the OPC/CPC and ask them how you were rated on the last cruise. Normally I get $100 to $200 of casino cash and the photo coupon/wine basket. It just depends. I have not called for my next cruise yet. I am sailing again in November and on my last cruise I did play enough slots to get the drink card AND the table games were very kind to me and I know they were rating me well on them. (By the end of the week they were opening up the craps table just for me if I asked so I must have been playing too much:-)

[mina]

Thanks for the suggestions! We will reach out to the pit bosses and see if we can get rated and up our bets when they are watching! I did call and only got 25 I'm free cash for my slot play. We play tables mainly so it may pay off to up our bets a bit. Usually the pit bosses know is by name at the end of a cruise, but have never had them buy us drinks. Think they know us cause we tip the dealers very well.

[mikesteg]

On Carnival, the only way to get the Drinks On Us card when you walk on the ship is to have it pre-arranged with Ocean Players Club. You call them and, based on your level of play on your most recent cruise, they will offer you all sorts of things. For example, on my upcoming cruise on the Liberty in Sept, they are giving me $150 in free casino cash AND the Drinks On Us card on the first day. I play mostly table games too. Make sure you friend the Casino Host(s) as soon as you can and make sure they keep track of all your play.

 

Do I understand correctly that the Drinks on Us card is only good in the casino and only while playing? The second condition can be worked around probably, but the first... not possible to get a couple of drinks for sail away or headed to the MDR while still in port, right?

[clhayes]

Do I understand correctly that the Drinks on Us card is only good in the casino and only while playing? The second condition can be worked around probably, but the first... not possible to get a couple of drinks for sail away or headed to the MDR while still in port, right?

 

Only while playing in the casino. Casino is not open while in port or sail away (ship must be several miles out to sea). With that said, I have gone through the casino while open and ordered a drink from my regular dink host, waited and then taken my drink with me wherever I'm headed, but that's about it. Hope that helped.

[clhayes]

Christopher, thank you for that answer. I thought I dropped a lot of money in the casino, but I have never played that much in the slots. I do know several casino hosts and pit bosses, but I never have thought of friending them. Maybe I will start.

 

You're welcome! It's fun having crew on your Facebook. I enjoy looking at their photos on the ship, their off time in a port, etc. looks like they really have a lot of fun. Sometimes they will post what ship they're working on, so if I'm on the same I will reach out to them to say hello.

 

On another note, and sounds like you already do it, networking is an absolute necessity. The head casino host must like you and feel a connection, or they will not do anything. They are asked for things all the time. A lady saw me get a big bag of CPC goodies, and asked if she could have a bag because of all the money she spent, the host apologized and said he was out of goodies. He just looked at me winked and smiled.

 

Safe and fun future sailings!

[ByByeAmericanPie]

Do I understand correctly that the Drinks on Us card is only good in the casino and only while playing? The second condition can be worked around probably, but the first... not possible to get a couple of drinks for sail away or headed to the MDR while still in port, right?

 

Yep, its only in the casino and only while playing however, if you tip the right waiter/waitress and get a good rapport going with them, rules can bend. Another way I get drinks is just sit at a slot, stick your S&S card in, order a drink, then when you get it, leave.

[clhayes]

Yep, its only in the casino and only while playing however, if you tip the right waiter/waitress and get a good rapport going with them, rules can bend. Another way I get drinks is just sit at a slot, stick your S&S card in, order a drink, then when you get it, leave.

 

 

A good rapport with the hosts, or crew goes a long way. Very true!

[mikesteg]

Only while playing in the casino. Casino is not open while in port or sail away (ship must be several miles out to sea). With that said, I have gone through the casino while open and ordered a drink from my regular dink host, waited and then taken my drink with me wherever I'm headed, but that's about it. Hope that helped.

 

Yep, its only in the casino and only while playing however, if you tip the right waiter/waitress and get a good rapport going with them, rules can bend. Another way I get drinks is just sit at a slot, stick your S&S card in, order a drink, then when you get it, leave.

 

Thanks, that is what I understood. No doubt there are ways to workaround it, but if the casinos isn't open (yet) there is 'no luck'. :D

[okwriter]

I sailed on the Magic last week and was shocked to get the Drinks On Us card the first day. The casino host explained that it was because I got 5,000 points on my previous cruise (I'm a slot player only). It was a great surprise to get it, and I made sure to play enough that I'll get the drinks throughout my April cruise, too. Okay, the truth is I would have gambled whether I knew about the free drinks or not, but it sure was nice! The machines always seem to pay best (for me) during the last 36 hours. I gambled plenty but won enough that last day to pay for all of my casino spending. :)

[Sue Do-Over]

We play 3-card poker, and are regular tippers -- encouraging others at the table to tip, too, by playing a side bet and making a big deal when it pays.

 

First night or two, the host 'buys' us a round of drinks or two, and we get the card later in the trip. Make friends, be friendly and positive at the tables, and make it easy for them to be nice to you.