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Getting cash (or buying chips) at the Casino for cash back

ColoradoGurl
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ColoradoGurl

ColoradoGurl

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Does anyone know if the limit for purchasing casino chips (to turn back in for the cash value) is still $200/day? I have a significant amount of on board credit and would like to use some of that as my spending cash on the islands for cabs and shopping and eating etc. In 2013 I was able I go to the casino, buy $200 worth of chips (for a fee) and then cash them back in for actual cash, it would be charged to my sea pass account and then deducted from my on board credit. It wasn't a huge deal last time because it wasn't as significant an amount and I was going to end up using my credit card at some point anyway, but this trip I want to make sure I make use of my on board credit as much as possible because it will easily cover all my on board expenses as well as my port day expenses. I don't want to have to bring extra cash with me or have to use my credit or debit card (I prefer to use cash in ports because my card number has been stolen on my last 2 island vacations).

 

Second question: is the casino closed on port days? I have 5 port days and only one sea day at the very end of my cruise, so if prefer to get as much of the cash upfront as possible.

 

Thanks

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TravelerThom

TravelerThom

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...Casino is closed at all times while in port.
Generally true, but not always. Casinos are allowed open in port in Bermuda during certain hours, and I have been on an RCI ship in port in St. Kitts with an open casino (again limited hours). I'm confident there are other exceptions.
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Life is Good Cruising

Life is Good Cruising

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Generally true, but not always. Casinos are allowed open in port in Bermuda during certain hours, and I have been on an RCI ship in port in St. Kitts with an open casino (again limited hours). I'm confident there are other exceptions.

 

I do know when Liberty does the 5 Nighter to Bermuda, the casino is not open in Bermuda.

Edited by Life is Good Cruising
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TravelerThom

TravelerThom

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I do know when Liberty does the 5 Nighter to Bermuda, the casino is not open in Bermuda.
The Bermuda Cruise Ship (Casino) Act 2013 passed in the Bermuda Parliament Oct 2013 allowing, effective 1 Apr 2014, cruise ship casinos to be open from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. while on overnight port calls. Has this legislation been rescinded?
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Ourusualbeach

Ourusualbeach

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The Bermuda Cruise Ship (Casino) Act 2013 passed in the Bermuda Parliament Oct 2013 allowing, effective 1 Apr 2014, cruise ship casinos to be open from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. while on overnight port calls. Has this legislation been rescinded?

 

There was a thread a while back about this. I don't think that the legislation has been rescinded. Someone speculated that it was due to the fees that Royal had to pay in order to have the casino open.

Edited by Ourusualbeach
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Life is Good Cruising

Life is Good Cruising

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The Bermuda Cruise Ship (Casino) Act 2013 passed in the Bermuda Parliament Oct 2013 allowing, effective 1 Apr 2014, cruise ship casinos to be open from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. while on overnight port calls. Has this legislation been rescinded?

 

The casino may be open for other cruise ships while overnight in Bermuda, but it's not open for Liberty of the Seas. We have a few 5 Night Bermuda cruises booked this year on Liberty, I called Club Royale and this is their response.

 

 

Hello Linda,

Thank you for your patience while we awaited response for the

ship on whether or not the casino was able to open while in port. Unfortunately the casino is not allowed to stay open while overnight in Bermuda. There was only one season that the Explorer of the Seas was allowed to be open while in port which is why there are so many mixed answers out there. But I do have a 100% confirmation that the Liberty of the Seas is not allowed to open while docked in Bermuda, at this time.

 

Regards,

 

Joshua

Morehouse

Club Royale, Casino Operations

Royal Caribbean

International

Azamara Club Cruises

(P) 888.561.2234

(F) 305.358.9295

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TravelerThom

TravelerThom

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...Thank you for your patience while we awaited response for the ship on whether or not the casino was able to open while in port. Unfortunately the casino is not allowed to stay open while overnight in Bermuda. There was only one season that the Explorer of the Seas was allowed to be open while in port which is why there are so many mixed answers out there. But I do have a 100% confirmation that the Liberty of the Seas is not allowed to open while docked in Bermuda, at this time...
This is slightly misleading, since the Liberty casino would be "allowed to stay open while overnight in Bermuda" IF RCI was willing to purchase a license from Bermuda. In RCI's defense, the Bermuda's licensing fees don't make much sense IMO. A license for a ship making 14 or fewer visits to Bermuda during a year are not too bad (I think Liberty falls in Class E, which has a 14 voyage or less license fee of $8,000 [if it made 14 voyages during a year, each with a two night stay, this would be less than $300 per night], but once you get to 15 voyages the license fee jumps to $120,000 per year). Next year Anthem (Class G) is scheduled to make 21 voyages to Bermuda, so would have a license fee of $150,000, yet it is spending only a single night in Bermuda (16-17 May 2016). IF my analysis is correct, I think I can safely predict that Anthem will not have a casino license.

 

Thom

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  • 2 weeks later...
WrittenOnYourHeart Great Review Rare

WrittenOnYourHeart

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You can just get cash at the casino and pay the 5% service charge. You don't have to buy chips ane then cash them in. The cash you take out plus the service fee will be posted to your onboard account.

 

 

Newbie at the casino for cash thing here... How does it work? You just go to the casino window or something and tell them you want cash against your account? I am planning to book onboard, so the OBC will cover the amount I would get - it would just be nice to have the cash for ports and/or after the trip as I don't know that I would use it all.

 

And in the case of an OBC from an onboard booking it's use it or lose it, right?

 

Thanks!

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Clarea

Clarea

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Newbie at the casino for cash thing here... How does it work? You just go to the casino window or something and tell them you want cash against your account? Yes. I am planning to book onboard, so the OBC will cover the amount I would get - it would just be nice to have the cash for ports and/or after the trip as I don't know that I would use it all.

 

And in the case of an OBC from an onboard booking it's use it or lose it, right? Correct.

 

Thanks!

Answers in RED above.

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ColoradoGurl

ColoradoGurl

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Posted (edited)
Newbie at the casino for cash thing here... How does it work? You just go to the casino window or something and tell them you want cash against your account? I am planning to book onboard, so the OBC will cover the amount I would get - it would just be nice to have the cash for ports and/or after the trip as I don't know that I would use it all.

 

And in the case of an OBC from an onboard booking it's use it or lose it, right?

 

Thanks!

 

Yep that's correct :) You can go to the casino and ask for X amount of cash and it will add that amount plus a 5% service fee to your account that you pay at the end of the cruise. So in your case, if you want to use your $50 obc, go to the Casino and ask for $47 in cash, and it will charge $50 to your room, which will be deducted from your obc. Or you could ask for the whole $50 but then you'll have a $2.50 bill to pay :) Some obc is refundable, but a lot of it is not and I believe the obc for booking onboard is non-refundable, so if you don't use it (or get the cash out at the casino), you lose it. Refundable obc will go back into your credit card at the end. I guess you don't have to buy chips with it first, you can just get the money and run, lol!

Edited by ColoradoGurl
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WrittenOnYourHeart Great Review Rare

WrittenOnYourHeart

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Yep that's correct :) You can go to the casino and ask for X amount of cash and it will add that amount plus a 5% service fee to your account that you pay at the end of the cruise. So in your case, if you want to use your $50 obc, go to the Casino and ask for $47 in cash, and it will charge $50 to your room, which will be deducted from your obc. Or you could ask for the whole $50 but then you'll have a $2.50 bill to pay :) Some obc is refundable, but a lot of it is not and I believe the obc for booking onboard is non-refundable, so if you don't use it (or get the cash out at the casino), you lose it. Refundable obc will go back into your credit card at the end. I guess you don't have to buy chips with it first, you can just get the money and run, lol!

 

 

Thanks to you and Bob! Awesome news! I'm booking a 12-night ocean view, so per the chart I will get $150. My account onboard will be cash. So if I want it all as much as possible I would ask for $142.50 ($150 - $7.50 fee). Or I could say ask for $100, eat the fee, and have a little for a drink or two. I get it!

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Clarea

Clarea

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Thanks to you and Bob! Awesome news! I'm booking a 12-night ocean view, so per the chart I will get $150. My account onboard will be cash. So if I want it all as much as possible I would ask for $142.50 ($150 - $7.50 fee). Or I could say ask for $100, eat the fee, and have a little for a drink or two. I get it!

If your onboard account is cash (not secured with a credit card), then they won't charge you the 5% fee to get cash at the casino.

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