Advance Purchase of Casino Chips

[cruzin4us]

Do any of you know how this works? I can purchase in advance, increments of $10's in casino chips. Do they deliver them to the room or are they left on account until I need to withdraw or use them?

 

Is this a pain, or is it better just to take cold hard cash and not deal with advance purchasing?

[kazu]

Do any of you know how this works? I can purchase in advance, increments of $10's in casino chips. Do they deliver them to the room or are they left on account until I need to withdraw or use them?

 

Is this a pain, or is it better just to take cold hard cash and not deal with advance purchasing?

 

I know richwmnn does this on a regular basis and has no issue. He's cruising right now so with luck, he may see this thread.

 

When you order on line, you have a choice of delivery, but I know for my casino cash I just take my letter to the casino cage and get the cash. I think (but my memory is short) that is how richwmnn said it worked for him.

 

 

I normally just put in cash or charge to my on board account but reconsidering doing this for my next cruise. Helps with the "budget".

[cruzin4us]

Thanks for the response Kazu!

 

If you put cash or charge to your onboard account, don't they take 3% (I think I read this somewhere??). That's why I was considering purchasing the chips.

 

If they don't charge the 3%, then I would just go ahead and purchase more onboard credit. Maybe I'm wrong on this....hope you can offer some advice on this.

 

 

Thanks again!

[kazu]

Thanks for the response Kazu!

 

If you put cash or charge to your onboard account, don't they take 3% (I think I read this somewhere??). That's why I was considering purchasing the chips.

 

If they don't charge the 3%, then I would just go ahead and purchase more onboard credit. Maybe I'm wrong on this....hope you can offer some advice on this.

 

 

Thanks again!

 

I use the slots to get my cash. charge to my onboard account and then cash out.;). No surcharge.

 

There is a 3% surcharge if you want to get cash from your on board account - but I don't think it applies to the casino. Wait for wiser ones as I use the slots first and that gets me any cash I need (assuming I don't have some ;) )

[AV8rix]

Is this a pain, or is it better just to take cold hard cash and not deal with advance purchasing?

 

Here's what I do: Before the cruise I do a wire transfer of funds from my bank to the Ocean Players Club (the casino operator for all Carnival corporate lines). Then I just go to the cage and withdraw what I'll be using for each session. But note that I'm a blackjack player -- never touch the slots on land or at sea. I believe the slots players somehow have their play tied to their onboard account (but I may be wrong about that).

 

By doing this I don't have to carry lots of cash with me when I board, although when I do well I have to carry lots of cash when I disembark :). If this is of interest to you, contact the Ocean Players Club and they will give you information about the procedure. I don't want to post it here because I don't want to do a very long-winded post about something that may not be of interest to anyone.

Oh, by the way. When you do it like this there is NO charge to your onboard account (or the wire transfer funds).

Good luck and have a great cruise!

Edited September 10, 2017 by Av8rix

[drowelf]

We generally take cash, in the form of Traveller's Checks for my play at the tables. Just cash them at the Front Desk and then get chips. The wife is a slots girl, so she just charges it to the onboard account. Of course, we have a budget for our Casino Entertainment. Mine is a bit higher, since I play Blackjack and Craps. Also, when I'm winning, I pass along some of that the Wife for her to spend as she wishes. Either in the casino or the shops.

[richwmn]

I bought Casino Cash in advance. When I boarded the ship there was a gift card in my cabin. The card listed the amount of Cash purchased and a note from the provider. After the Casino opened I went to the cashier and received the face amount of the gift in cash. You then go to the games you wish to play and use the cash. NO 3% taken out - full face value received!

[cruzin4us]

This is exactly the info I was looking for! Thanks for all your quick responses!

[PSR]

I'm still a little confused. I know that if you use ship-granted OBC (via your shipboard account) for the slots, there is no 3% charge. But if you get cash from the casino cashier and charge it to your shipboard account there IS a 3% charge, even though you have OBC left to use? So a draw of $100 would mean $103 would be charged to your shipboard account?

 

Thanks for any clarification.

[cruzin4us]

Since this is a casino related question, I thought I might ask this one as well.

 

Does the casino stay open all night when at sea? I believe the table games close, but do the slots stay open? I'm a late night person and can easily stay up until 3-4 in the morning playing a slot machine :o

[Stakeout]

on past cruises if you want an advance and go to the cashier or the pit boss at the tables they will advise you of a 3% charge.. if you go to the slot machines and get an advance and charge it to your cabin there is NO charge.. I was advised by an asst manager of that.. have they change the policy since this past March ???? I personally don't do either and never get a cash advance