Bingo. Please explain.

[bryanjaync]

We are taking my 90+ year old parents on the Allure and thought it would be fun for the four of us to play Bingo one day. Was looking at a $69 package to share between us. I remember the classic bingo, five in a row with the center spot free. Now I see on Allure "electronic cards" vs. paper, not sure what that is. Also how long does a bingo session take? Basically asking for any insight for a newbie cruise bingo player.

[spookwife]

bingo is now played on an iPad like device. each session will have different rules as what counts as 'Bingo' and they can last anywhere from half an hour to 2-3 hours for the big jackpot games. they could actually play as many as 10 or more games per session.

 

its nothing like the games at Church or your local American Legion Hall.

[suesnake2002]

The electric card package also includes papers. On the electric card numbers are marked automatically and will tell you when you have bingo. I have only won on the electric cards.

I dont remember how many games were played (3-5) Depends on the turnout. Length, less than half hour. You wait longer to play than play.

And yes i go every cruise. I just can't help myself.

 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N920A using Tapatalk

[lazydayz]

it is pretty hard to share a bingo package. For me, the electronic games have taken most of the fun away. I now only go if a granddaughter really wants to play. Most winners are playing the machines.

[sellwingri]

it is pretty hard to share a bingo package. For me, the electronic games have taken most of the fun away. I now only go if a granddaughter really wants to play. Most winners are playing the machines.

When Royal Caribbean introduced the electronic game, they lost me. I used to play every session but stopped. What’s the fun with letting a machine play for you?However, I went back on my last cruise and very few (probably 4 or 5 out of 200+) bought the machine so now I play again. I bring my Princess daubers (they never had the machine) and search for my numbers. If I remember correctly, the package costs $35.

[LeeW]

The big packages use the electronic pad and you get a lot of individual cards on it. At least it shows cards that are getting close to bingo on the first page, but you don't really see most of the cards. You can buy small packages of paper cards but you are competing with people that have a lot more cards than you do. For several people you will likely pay more than $69 for paper cards, but at least you get to mark them yourself.

[bryanjaync]

From the OP: For for clarity, we (myself, husband, and parents) will be sharing the cards only in the sense of all four of us staring at the same cards. Will probably take all of us just to keep up !

[Capt Snoopy]

When I went on Mariner in July, the cheapest package was $39 and they gave you 3 games on a paper. Then they had packages for up to $200 where you have an iPad that plays 35 games for you and then they give you a couple games on paper to give you something to do. If I was trying to win anything, I would’ve had to get a $200 package because the odds are so skewed. But if bingo itself is fun, then the $39 or $49 package might deliver the entertainment.

 

I miss 10 years ago when bingo on board a cruise was FREE!

 

 

Cody

[memoak]

When I went on Mariner in July, the cheapest package was $39 and they gave you 3 games on a paper. Then they had packages for up to $200 where you have an iPad that plays 35 games for you and then they give you a couple games on paper to give you something to do. If I was trying to win anything, I would’ve had to get a $200 package because the odds are so skewed. But if bingo itself is fun, then the $39 or $49 package might deliver the entertainment.

 

I miss 10 years ago when bingo on board a cruise was FREE!

 

 

Cody

 

I have been cruises 1-3 times a year since 1990 and have never seen a bingo game with cash prizes that did not have a buy in

[Capt Snoopy]

I have been cruises 1-3 times a year since 1990 and have never seen a bingo game with cash prizes that did not have a buy in

 

 

 

I went on Carnival Holiday and we didn’t pay for bingo. I couldn’t remember what the prizes were all these years later though.

 

 

Cody

[gatour]

I went on SS Carnivale, Celebration, Holiday and you definitely payed for bingo.

 

The pay outs for winners vs cost of buying cards were greater than what Royal Caribbean is now doing. I.E. the odds are a lot worse nowadays. Three years ago we did the electronic bingo thing on Oasis. I almost had a heart attack at the cost. There was almost no entertainment value like there was in the "old days" with the paper cards.

 

I went on Carnival Holiday and we didn’t pay for bingo. I couldn’t remember what the prizes were all these years later though.

 

 

Cody

[time4u2go]

When Royal Caribbean introduced the electronic game, they lost me. I used to play every session but stopped. What’s the fun with letting a machine play for you?However, I went back on my last cruise and very few (probably 4 or 5 out of 200+) bought the machine so now I play again. I bring my Princess daubers (they never had the machine) and search for my numbers. If I remember correctly, the package costs $35.

I agree. They might as well just do a raffle instead. Same amount of crowd participation and it goes a lot quicker.