Fixed Raffle

[giuseppes1933]

We were on the Constellation last month and attended the Premier of a new Jewelry event. I came up behind a salesperson who was handing a ticket to a passenger, and told her she had the winning ticket. A few minutes latter the Captain of the ship drew her winning ticket. The only reason I bring this up, is because Celebrity has not responded to my repeated inquiries. I brought this matter up with the sales staff on the Constellation, who told me they were aware of the matter and walked off. I have since brought the matter up with Celebrity on two occasions, and have had no response. Has anyone else had similar experiences? What bothers me is the nonchalant manner this complaint has been handled.

[jelayne]

I have had many raffles tickets on cruises for everything from spa treatments, to jewelry, art, and trinkets from the shops. At least half the time the person giving me the ticket says something like - this is the lucky ticket, this is a winning number, it is going to be your lucky day, you have a winner here. I have never won anything.

 

I doubt that the raffle was fixed. I'm not sure what you want Celebrity to do.

[Orator]

The raffle wasn't rigged as you claim. Can't tell you how many times, on ship and land, I was handed a ticket and told it was the "winning" ticket. They were right twice. The shops are not owned by Celebrity, nor are the employees employed by Celebrity. The Captain would have to be in on the rigging as he picked the ticket. Are you charging the Captain with being a part of a scam for a cheap prize? I can see why Celebrity treated your complaints as they did. Really no merit in your charge.

Edited August 10, 2016 by Orator

[giuseppes1933]

Let me make this clear. They only handed her half the ticket, the half used for the drawing was not present. They also told her were to sit, and not to leave. Why did the salesperson turn her back and walk off when confronted?

[Cruise Raider]

Nearly every, if not all, tickets are picked out of a bucket by fellow passengers. I cannot imagine how that could be rigged. :confused:

[cruisestitch]

Have you tried contacting the people who own/run the shops?

[AZNative2000]

Let me make this clear. They only handed her half the ticket, the half used for the drawing was not present. They also told her were to sit, and not to leave. Why did the salesperson turn her back and walk off when confronted?

 

I always get "half the ticket" ... the other half is placed in the drawing container. I also have always been cautioned that you must be present to win. While I have not been shown a chair, it is because they usually are all full up.

 

The person probably walked off to avoid your confrontation. A very real no-win situation for them.

 

While I also have never one, I don't think it's due to subversion. And I don't believe they would gain anything by "fixing" their drawings.

 

Cheers!

 

Edited August 10, 2016 by AZNative2000

[neverbeenhere]

I have no idea whether this particular drawing was rigged. It would not be the first time that something was rigged. But... I'm not about to stop cruising because of it.

 

 

Enjoy your cruises!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Long winded way of saying; Who Cares.

Edited August 10, 2016 by neverbeenhere

[Orator]

For the sake of argument let's say that the raffle was rigged as you say. What remedy are you seeking? Do you want someone fired? Do you want them to track down the winner and take back the prize? Do you want compensation to include a free cruise? Do you want the shop owners to lose their contract with Celebrity? If you are so upset by this you must want something for your distress. Please tell us what you want.

[K.T.B.]

Whenever I enter a raffle of any kind, I'm always handed "the winning ticket", even if I don't win. It's just what people say to get a small laugh from someone.

 

Relax. Nothing was rigged.

[bookitdanno]

Whenever I participate in a raffle, on land or on sea, whether I paid for the ticket or it was given to me, I am proactive... I always ask for the winning ticket... "I'd like the winning ticket please".

 

I am always assured that they will give me a winning ticket, but to no avail. ;)

 

My life is filled with torn up, losing raffle tickets.

[DYKWIA]

I've taken part in a large number of raffles that are obviously rigged and nothing more than a sales gimmick. "Raffle to win a holiday" - congratulations you've won to the [Name] timeshare resort, you'll have to pay for flights and agree to spend some time with us touring the resort during your 2 day stay.

 

Was it a free raffle? What was it actually a raffle for? If it was rigged, what is your genuine loss? If it was rigged it wasn't very smart of the Salesperson to announce the dastardly plot in front of others.

 

My usual thought when I hear witnesses tales of these sorts of things is "how did you come to notice this series of events" - someone handing a raffle ticket to someone else wouldn't usually grab my attention. Often people see two unrelated events and they work themselves up trying to make a connection (sometimes without realising they're doing it) when they are purely 2 unrelated events. Sometimes things happen in different orders to how you remember them as well - and the brain will try to link them reordering events to make sense of them.

 

I remember discussing on another forum how a concerned airline passenger had become convinced the cabin crew were serving alcohol to the flight deck, and had seen the cabin crew talking about it during their flight. The irate passenger had written to the airline demanding everyone was sacked. When I questioned the complainant about this they admitted that whilst they had seen the cabin crew making their way through the cabin with the drinks trolley preparing alcoholic drinks (and presumably non alcoholic drinks) for passengers, all they had actually seen to raise their concern was a member of crew walking back towards the front galley and behind the curtain with a glass of something, they had no knowledge whether or not this contained alcohol or whether that drink found its way onto the flight deck. When I asked the complainant what they meant by "seeing" the crew talking about serving alcohol to the flight deck - in reality all they had seen was the crew member who had the drink in their hand discuss something - they hadn't actually heard what they were talking about.

Edited August 10, 2016 by DYKWIA

[donaldsc]

Your post has to be a joke. You can't be serious. If you are serious, you have really major problems.

 

DON

[jasm8449]

Well, you know, 'MANY PEOPLE SAY THE VOTE, UH, I MEAN THE RAFFLE, WAS RIGGED', I mean, I don't know, but that's WHAT 'A LOT OF PEOPLE SAY'.

[cheeseheads4ever]

I agree with the posters here. Raffle rigged? Please! No wonder you havent got a response. They cant respond to this nonsense. First of all why would they rig it? No I cant believe the Captain would take part in this either. Ive been a part of alot of raffles and yes you tell everyone they have the winning ticket. Its just what you do. It doesn't mean i have a scam going on. Quit nit picking and being a sore loser. Move on!

[Mark_K]

Nearly every, if not all, tickets are picked out of a bucket by fellow passengers. I cannot imagine how that could be rigged. :confused:

 

 

Easy. The passenger draws the ticket and hands it to the staff person who then "reads" the stub and says the winning number. Nobody checks to see if the number read was actually on the ticket.

[DYKWIA]

Crikey if this goes all the way up to the Captain then this conspiracy goes all the way to the top, who in head office knows that they might be rigging the raffles for the $10 dollar bling? Next we'll be hearing that there are ringers on the quiz team. It has the making of a John Grisham thriller.

[Zoedokey]

I'm curious what the prize was.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[cpj]

I've sometimes wonder about the intelligence of some of the posters.

[WpgCruise]

Used to be I read these Forums for information, now I read them for entertainment.

[dkjretired]

I'm curious what the prize was.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

 

Probably a key chain or a couzy...

[Karynanne]

I've always felt, if you're going to complain...also offer a solution.

 

This a definitely a "first world" silly issue.

[nekzaadvakil]

Perfect example of first world problems! Have to agree with several other posters here, in all raffles - a fellow cruiser is invited to choose the winning ticket. I cannot image a captain cheating for a small key chain kind of prize or any prize at all.

[cruisestitch]

As it was the opening of a new jewelry event, I doubt if the prize was a keychain. Those are usually held at the high end jewelry shop, and the prize can be significant. A friend one two lovely pieces of Amber jewelry at a similar raffle a couple of years ago. Perhaps not worth the inflated prices they were being sold at, but not cheap either.

 

The shops are not bound by any rules related to gambling, the way the casino is. If they did run a rigged raffle, the OP can feel affronted at the unfairness of it, but because you didn't buy the raffle ticket, you aren't out anything and need to let it go.