WOW! Win a Suite Bingo!

[critterchick]

Well that's even better.

 

I was a top cruiser on a cruise where there was only 1 JS available until the day before sailing. No other suites were available. No upgrade for me - it went to Bingo.

 

Gina

 

That happens fairly often, in my experience. Can't blame them for wanting the extra revenue, but I still pout.:p

[lovetocruise75]

Why do some of you fault RCCL for making a profit?

I'd say that $36 for a chance to win an upgrade to a JS is a nice opportunity, especially for folks that might be in an inside or even oceanview.

 

Take it for what it is. Yes, they make money, but it's also supposed to be fun.

[mommabean]

That happens fairly often, in my experience. Can't blame them for wanting the extra revenue, but I still pout.:p

 

 

I know what you mean. I thought they could look ahead at my future bookings which were all JS and GS and be a little bit giving. But I realize those bingo players and casino players partially subsidize the great prices I grab from time to time. :) Still an occasional bone would be nice. Or how about a filet? ;)

[Lionesss]

On our 7 day Allure sailing this past July they had a bingo and the prize was the Crown Loft next to ours.

 

The lucky winners moved in on Wednesday..........half way thru the cruise.

 

Sea Ya

[jenfromjersey]

I think it was a Royal Family Suite on my last sailing, or maybe it was THE Royal Suite, I can't remember. We saw the couple who won at Guest Services ready to make the move to their new cabin.

[Debde]

When I was on the allure it cost $100 to play bingo for a chance at a suite. There was a line from one end of the ship to the other. It was totally insane and not worth it.

 

To stay with the thread theme-BINGO!!!

Royal loves this-plenty of money made, no one had to twist anyone's arm to spend the money, Bingo can be a lot of fun so I'm sure all those folks had fun playing. No harm no foul!!

What a way to generate income. Hundreds on line for an unsold cabin. Can not fault them on this one. Genius business move, don't ya think!;)

[LindaO]

They don't hide the fact that BINGO is gambling....

So... you either take the gamble or not....

We often take the gamble... and I've won the suite once... upgrade to the Owner's Suite...

I've been on many cruises where there was not a win a suite bingo... because there were no suites to win.

My mother won final bingo once.... well over $4000... not a bad return on the investment... I think she paid $67 for the machine.

I've won some of the 'lesser' prizes in BINGO over the years...

I don't play Bingo on land.. only on cruise ships...

But then I don't go to the Casino at home... only on the cruise ships or when we go to Vegas...

It is just fun... and a gamble... and yes... I know the ship makes big $$ from the entry fees... but they don't hide that either...

Am I ahead with my bingo winnings vs bingo costs... I doubt it...

Am I ahead with my casino winnings vs spending... I'm about even

Am I ahead with my FL lotto ticket winnings... yea... that will be the day!~

[John&LaLa]

RCI doesn't hold back a suite for bingo - they will only offer it if there is an unsold one, so it really doesn't cost them anything to offer it, other than an extra bottle of water if it's a full suite and the coffee/tea setup that comes along with JS and above. And maybe the extra gratuities if it's a full suite. What they will do is hold a suite back from C&A upgrades, since upgrades don't generate any revenue for them.

 

They will offer a JS if that's the only "suite" category they have available. I don't really pay attention, but I would hope that they disclose that it's a JS before people purchase a ticket. I doubt that they offer up all of the perks of a full suite as an incentive to play, but if they do, then they need to program a gold Seapass for the winner or they are indeed committing fraud.

 

We were on Radiance in 2010 in a cabin next door to the vacant RS, which was offered up in bingo. They had an open house so people could take a look, and I really had to fight through a crowd to get to my cabin. They held bingo in the theater, which I heard was jam-packed. Our new neighbors were a mother and her 2 kids, who were over the moon.

 

Brings back memories, we were on Brilliance in 2010, chose GS next door to RS. when we checked in our cabin steward said RS was vacant and we could tour it if we liked. very nice. found out it was scheduled to be bingo prize that night. Anyway, bingo game must have been around 11PM and the new "owners" moved in around midnight. they spent next hour running around carrying on. I don't mind someone getting lucky and upgrading, but it kept me up much later than I expected. Royal should have moved them in the next day and respected those that paid full fare for their cabin. just my opinion. on a side bar, the GS next to the RS has these fabulous double opening sliders that most of the other GS's do not:D

[csk]

I was playing for the "free cruise" bingo many years ago on one of the ships, and there were two winners, they had to draw numbers from the left over ones and the highest one won, and the other person got nothing, have not played since, really made me mad

[JasonTehGreat]

Royal Caribbean is a BUSINESS and businesses operate to make money and this is a way they do it.

 

They never said "Win a Grand Suite or Higher Bingo" they said "Win a Suite Bingo".

 

When you go to book a Junior Suite on their website you go to the "suite" tab to select it. Heck even the name "Junior Suite" makes it painfully obvious that it is a suite.

[mommabean]

I don't think OP has an issue with RCI making a profit. She just wondered if the word suite might have been misleading to some since no true suite amenities come with it. I said no, because most people playing have no idea what comes with a true suite in the first place.

 

Certainly the players know Bingo is a for profit game.

[Dalton5]

We set sail on Sunday on our "Win a Cruise" Bingo prize!

We were on the Explorer last Feb. and won on the second day. Since the cruise only cost us the price of our bingo package, we decided to splurge on the airfare and take Adventure from Puerto Rico. We were also able to upgrade our OV cabin to an Aft balcony:D

 

I think we may skip bingo this time because I don't think lightening will strike twice!

[Merion_Mom]

There is profit, and there is profit.

 

On my first cruise, Explorer in 2002, the snowball jackpot was $10,000. You read that correctly. Not a typo.

 

Big jackpot now? $500.

 

:eek:

[leaveitallbehind]

Merion_Mom, I realize this is off subject, but a question has been raised regarding the availability of the "Luggage Vallet" program on Indy. It was available last March when we were on her last, but there have been reports that - at least in November - it was not available. Can you confirm if the program is available now? There are some members of our March roll call asking.

 

Thanks - much appreciated! Have a great rest of your cruise!

Edited January 9, 2014 by leaveitallbehind

[Merion_Mom]

Merion_Mom, I realize this is off subject, but a question has been raised regarding the availability of the "Luggage Vallet" program on Indy. It was available last March when we were on her last, but there have been reports that - at least in November - it was not available. Can you confirm if the program is available now? There are some members of our March roll call asking.

 

Thanks - much appreciated! Have a great rest of your cruise!

 

Yes, and it looks like all airlines are participating. The only restrictions are time. You can't use it with flights before, I think, 11:30 a.m.

[leaveitallbehind]

Yes, and it looks like all airlines are participating. The only restrictions are time. You can't use it with flights before, I think, 11:30 a.m.

 

Thanks for the quick response. The times are consistent with last year and the FLL airlines included at the time were American, Continental, Air Tran / Southwest, USAir, Delta, Jet Blue, and United.

 

I will pass that along to our roll call. Thanks again!

[Merion_Mom]

Yes, and it looks like all airlines are participating. The only restrictions are time. You can't use it with flights before, I think, 11:30 a.m.

 

Back on board now and I can verify that time.

 

On the Oasis, friends had an 11:25 flight and they were not permitted to use luggage valet.

 

Then their flight was delayed. :rolleyes: :)

[Merion_Mom]

Thanks for the quick response. The times are consistent with last year and the FLL airlines included at the time were American, Continental, Air Tran / Southwest, USAir, Delta, Jet Blue, and United.

 

I will pass that along to our roll call. Thanks again!

 

Continental is not on the list.

[Clarea]

Continental is not on the list.

Continental is part of United now.

[leaveitallbehind]

Thanks to both of you, Merion_Mom and clarea. BTW, MM, you are missing the balmy weather here at home - actually getting back up into the 30's today!

[lifeboatcaptain]

I won it once on Legends of the Seas! A junior suite + USD200 cash.

 

It was a one game only, and I bingoed at the seventh number, hardly even 5 minutes into the game. Oh boy I'm sure I was not popular for the next half hour.

 

After winning it, they told me to pack all my stuff, and head over to Guest services to change my blue seapass card to the silver one.

 

Not sure if my interior stateroom attendant will then get my gratuities, I left him a reasonable amount of money as tip, left him a note saying I'm moving up.

 

Ever since, whenever there's a win a suite bingo, I'll go for it. My previous cruise, I was standing up already when someone else bingoed.... It was for a royal suite, and the lady won two additional cash prize bingos in the same seating... :eek:

[lovetocruise75]

There is profit, and there is profit.

 

On my first cruise, Explorer in 2002, the snowball jackpot was $10,000. You read that correctly. Not a typo.

 

Big jackpot now? $500.

 

:eek:

 

 

Ok, let's use your date of 2002...

 

Crude Oil averaged just $22.81 per barrel in 2002

Crude Oil averaged $87.67 per barrel in 2013

 

That's an increase of 284%

 

Now, have cruise fares increased by 284% since 2002? No. Not even close. As a matter of fact, many cruise fares have DECREASED or at least remained the same. (We sailed aboard the Galaxy in 2003 and paid $3,900 for a balcony, 11 day cruise) This was in April. A 9 day aboard Explorer this coming April, which is a much larger ship with many more amenities,

will run you $3,500 for 2 in a balcony stateroom.

 

Now, to bring this full circle... How can you expect RCCL or any cruise line for that matter to continue to produce biggest and best without raising cruise fares on the average AND pay much more for fuel? That's right, you need to find profit elsewhere.

 

I rest my case

[lady_cruiser]

Sounds, great, right?

 

Most of you have probably seen this on many or most of your cruises.

 

Will it be the Royal Suite? Wow, maybe the Royal Family Suite? Owner's Suite?

 

Think of all the perks!!!! Concierge Lounge access, Gold SeaPass card for access to special seating. If the ship is going to Labadee, access to Barefoot Beach.

 

WOW.

 

And at $36 a pop, and hundreds of passengers playing, just think about how much money RC is raking in!

 

Well, this past Sunday, the Independence of the Seas held Win a Suite Bingo.

 

The prize?

 

A Junior Suite.

 

What do you think?

 

;)

 

I think that if you like to play Bingo than $36 is already if that is how you have fun. I have seen more money wasted in the casino than I have seen wasted at an hour long Bingo game.

[mommabean]

When you think about it, if they are making that much money on win a suite bingo, why don't they hold one back every single cruise? At least on every single cheap cruise or cruise in the fall.

 

Gina

[critterchick]

When you think about it, if they are making that much money on win a suite bingo, why don't they hold one back every single cruise? At least on every single cheap cruise or cruise in the fall.

 

Gina

 

Good question, but perhaps they fear a backlash from people who can't book a suite. More likely, however, they just haven't thought of it.:rolleyes: