Thomson Dream Casino Review… Nothing to see here.

[Stevio]

When I was first looking at a Thomson cruise, I was interested in what info I could find out about the casino... I found very little… Some web deck plans still show the casino to be twice the size (before Thomson’s took half of it for the kids zone) & pictures show slot machines & tables that no longer exist. So this post is a short review of the casino as it was at the start of March 2013, & is intended only for those few of us who are sad enough to tap the phrase “Thomson Dream Casino” into a search engine… Nothing to see here for the rest of you... The problem being, there was not a lot to see in the way of a casino for us punters ready to throw some cash away.

 

 

The Casino is at the aft end of deck 8, and its main feature is that it is small.

http://s1276.photobucket.com/user/Stevio58/library/Thomson%20Dream%20Casino%20%20-%20%20May%202013

 

 

 

There are a total of 36 slot machines on the ship, three of those are in or outside bars, and so the casino houses a mere 33... These consist of…..

 

20 traditional three or four wheel bandits. (Two of which were broken)… These take 25p tokens and can all play a minimum 25p per play…… Most have 3 x 25p on the single line = 75p … Just the one had play 3 separate lines at 25p each = 75p ... A couple have 2 x 25p = 50p single line bet ... & a few have 25p x 5 separate lines (3 lines + 2 diagonals) = £2.50p max per play. There were only a couple of machines that did not have the arm pull disabled… There is a token machine that will exchange notes for the 25p tokens, & although empty on the odd occasion, the change desk next to it will readily take your dosh.

 

There are 9 higher tech wheel spin machines of a hold & nudge type with bonus games. These took cash coins in either sterling or euros or sterling notes up to £20. One of these slots could play a minimum of 10p a line making it the cheapest per play machine in the casino... 7 others are minimum 25p & one is 30p. They all go up to a £1 per play max... Top payouts on these machines averaged around the £250 mark for a 25p play to a corresponding £1000 on a £1 stake. While all of these machines were functioning, most had missing bulbs. This meant that on a couple of machines you were unable to easily tell the difference between a nudge & a hold. (Serious stuff when a nudge light is not working & you nudge a reel out of a win line when the machine looked like a hold)…. When any of these machines are fed with a note, £2 automatically goes to play credit & credit is transferred as needed £2 at a time... e.g. for each £10 note inserted, after the £2 of compulsory plays with no wins only £8 of coins can be cashed out... All coins fed into these machines are used for play credit & only winnings can be cashed.

At the start of the week more than two thirds of these machines would take notes, by the end of the week there were only two left that did not have “unavailable” lit next to the note slot. On the last night, the change desk ran out of £1 coins… So to play 7 of these slots it would cost you £2 worth of play on one of the other two machines that still took notes. (Of course one of those was the minimum 30p per play machine.)

 

Lastly there is a bank of four “Elvis” TV screen type complex multi line machines. Did not play these but I think they were minimum 50p per play… Normally, such a TV screen type display machine is favoured as they can be converted to play any one of many games from blackjack to roulette at the touch of a button… But these were fixed to the same game grid of 4 lines of 5 tiles with unfathomably complex win lines.

 

The cash desk was unusual in that they insisted on cabin number & a signature each time you wished to cash in tokens or exchange won £ coins for notes. & on the last evening when they ran out of £ coins they were either unwilling or unable to open a machine & get some.

 

There are also only three gaming tables in this casino, one of each Blackjack, Poker & Roulette. I believe there to be minimum stakes of £2 on the blackjack & poker, & £2.50p on the roulette (50p minimum chips X 5)… Of an evening peak there is simply not enough table space & players are to be seen simply walking away unable to get a seat.

There was little or no bar service in the casino. I think we were offered a drink only once at the start of the week. Not so much of a problem as there is a bar directly next door.

 

To end on a positive, this casino has the best chairs of any I have found at sea both solid & comfortable.

 

Other cruise lines seem to want to make much of their profits from their casinos. I have been on another line that offers free drinks, food, & even the ability to smoke cigarettes at their multiple tables & 200 plus slot machines. If someone enters & so much as looks at a full blackjack table, a click of the fingers is heard & another table is opened (& not just for the high rollers). In fact they will go to great lengths to keep their punters happy & in there spending money… Okay I am not suggesting Thomson change their smoking policy, or heaven forbid give away a free can of soft drink. But a reasonable size, a bar service & perhaps a constant supply of change to play with on fully working machines would seem to be a minimum standard. Cannot work out why Thomson’s on this ship are so unwilling to take the money from those willing to give it. :confused:

 

Link to pictures of the above drivel….

http://s1276.photobucket.com/user/Stevio58/library/Thomson%20Dream%20Casino%20%20-%20%20May%202013