Crown Princess - the big fish in a little pond

[AndyTheK]

Hi all. DW and I are just back from a 14 day cruise on the Crown Princess from Southampton to North Cape (didn't see Santa but did see Rudolph and family LOL) and back.

 

Princess has never been noted for great generosity with casino comps - I haven't heard of special prices for players; on the other hand, Princess allows TAs to discount their prices, so there are some pretty decent offers out there. Also, since DW is mobility limited, we usually have to book cruises within a short time of initial offering, to get an accessible cabin. Neither does Princess offer any kind of "free drinks" card. Not an issue for me, since I rarely drink alcohol (interaction with heart/pressure medication) but DW does.

 

Our choice of cruise is not based on casino comps - if they are there, it's an extra - never a decider.

 

Before the cruise, I had contracted the players club and found out what my cash comp would be - a reasonable amount. When the cage opened on sailaway night, I picked up the comp and cashed the "gift cards" I had prepaid (wish they had them in larger denominations than $100 each). All set to go.

 

Surprise number 1: We entered a casino that was virtually empty except for a few slot players sprinkled here and there.

 

Surprise number 2: ALL tables non-smoking. Most of the slot area allowed smoking. E-cigs permitted at tables.

 

Surprise number 3: As soon as I sat down at a BJ table, the casino host and casino manager came over to me (!) called me by name and we shook hands all around. He didn't need my cruise card since he already had my number in the system! By the second night every dealer and floor person called DW and me by our first names.

 

Surprise number 4: I asked what time the craps table;e would be opening and got the news that it wasn't going to be live this cruise :)) Seems that Brits don't play much craps or anything else except slots, so the personnel count for Crown Princess' European season was cut by ten people!!

 

We started to play. When it became obvious that I am strictly a green bettor (up to 200 in a good run) we got plenty of attention. Being "george" doesn't hurt either LOL. By the second night DW was being comped one or two drinks a session. Over the two weeks we were comped twice with dinner for 2 at a specialty (pay) restaurant - best steaks on the ship.

 

Whales? Hell no. But the biggest (and friendliest) there were. They were always glad to see us. We did attract some people to the tables.

 

Some random thoughts:

 

DW and I both ignore doofy moves made by novice players. There was even one instance where a wrong move gave the win to the players! Silliest of all... a player got a pair of tens and split them. The first split was dealt another ten... the dealer asked "want to split that one too?" Yup! Lost all three.

 

To those who claim their losses are being "shorted" by the staff: at our bet rate there were usually reasonably large swings per session. Was talking to the Assistant Casino Manager and he knew EXACTLY how I was doing!

 

All in all - didn't win the price of the cruise, didn't lose it either. Has fun.

 

Next cruise - May 2014 Emerald Princess

[sept10dsm]

I didn't realize there were comps at all on Princess? How do you get them? Thanks.

[OCruisers]

DW and I both ignore doofy moves made by novice players. There was even one instance where a wrong move gave the win to the players! Silliest of all... a player got a pair of tens and split them. The first split was dealt another ten... the dealer asked "want to split that one too?" Yup! Lost all three.

 

:rolleyes: Happens all the time! Drives DH crazy!

 

LuLu

~~~~

[AndyTheK]

I didn't realize there were comps at all on Princess? How do you get them? Thanks.

It's not a matter of just asking. First, you have to get rated. I have absolutely no idea how to do this if you are a slot player. I know you accumulate "points" but that's as far as I can go with this variant.

 

For table players, ask to be rated when you first sit down. Give your cruise card to the dealer or floor person. You can ask what the minimum standard is... when I asked a few cruises ago, the Casino Hostess told me it was $25 bets for two hours a night. This might have changed.

 

Once you are rated, they will offer you drinks, night send some goodies like chocolate strawberries to your cabin, etc. I never have asked for any of this... it just "came". There is no Club Card or special ID.

 

If you're rated, before your next Princess cruise (I do it about 5-6 weeks prior to the cruise) call Ocean Players Club, follow the maze to Princess Players Club. and ask what you are entitled to, if anything. It's cash which you'll pick up at the cage when you're aboard.

 

What a lot of people miss is the fact that much of this is subjective, on the judgment of the casino personnel (Managers and Host). Get friendly with them. Let them get to know you. Have a good "attitude". Let me give you an example: In my original post, I mentioned that DW is mobility limited. She plays at the BJ table on her scooter. The first time, she talks to the Host and asks for a chair to be removed so she can get close to the table. Goes about it with a smile on her face and in her voice. Has never been refused. Once she asked the manager if she could play at the craps table on her scooter, and was given permission. It's forbidden to play at the craps table sitting down, but they made an exception in her case. By the second session, the Hostess was pulling the chair from the table the minute she saw us come in the door.

 

A last suggestion... toke regularly! The dealers and management KNOW and remember. If you "take care of them" they will "take care of you"!

 

Good luck and shalom. Andy

[Dicenator]

Andy,

 

I was on one Princess cruise in November 2009 and it was on the Emerald.

 

I have not booked another Princess cruise since then mainly due to the craps table not being open long enough to suit me. There were 3 at sea days on my cruise and the craps table was not opened in the afternoon on any of those days. In the evening the table never opened until 9 PM and then they only had a stickman and one dealer so only half the table could be played. I didn't know enough back then to go to the casino manager and ask him to open the table earlier and on the at sea days.

 

The craps table on the Emerald was the best I've ever played on, in fact I would rate the bounce characteristic as neutral minus.

 

I'm willing to give Princess another chance but I haven't run across the right opportunity yet.

 

 

Dicenator

[Gunner22aa]

Just remember you used to be one when you first started out as well. Nobody got to the World Series of Poker on their first hand.

[AndyTheK]

Dicenator: stay away from Princess to/in Europe this summer/fall. They are keeping the craps uables closed on those itineraries! Best for craps action on Princess are the Caribbean itineraries, though they were pretty good on the Canada/New England when I went. Can't remember about the Panama Canal, been a few years. And I've never done Alaska.

 

The key factor is the proportion of Brits and Europeans to Americans - Americans are the leading craps players by far.

 

Shalom, Andy.