Casino Getaway cruises

[CruzCrazy]

Hi,

 

I've been reading the comprehensive thread on "All Things Casino," and I've found a lot of good information there.  However, lots of that thread deals with Premiere and Ultra casino invitations. 

 

Yesterday, DH got his first Getaway offer (P8V), and we've been trying to decide if it's an offer we're truly interested in.

 

I think it's just a mediocre offer, but I'm excited because he's only gotten the regular Dealer's Choice offers prior to this (he has another one of those as well right now).  We took a Horizon cruise before Christmas where he spent a good deal of time playing slots, so I'm sure that's why they upped the offer.  It's a reduced rate (not by much) on the cabin and $100 in FunPlay plus the DOU card from the start (I called the casino dept., and they said one other guest would get a DOU card as well).

 

Can anybody tell me how these Getaway cruises usually are, like how crowded is the casino likely to be?  What "welcome" gift is the norm?  Do they leave the "Drinks On Us" cards in your cabin or do you have to go to the "cage" and get them?  I know it comes with some other stuff, like "premiere check-in," but we're already platinum, so that doesn't mean much to us.

 

We usually cruise 7-8 days and have never cruised on a ship as small as the one we are considering (Elation).  It's a 5-day cruise out of Jacksonville.  Most of the other dates won't work for us because of other commitments.  How is the casino on the Elation in particular?

 

I guess I'm trying to decide if the extra perks make this worthwhile or if I should just hold off and use his Dealer's Choice offer to book a cruise we would probably book anyway, either on the Magic or the Horizon at the end of the year. 

 

Thanks for any help.

[chasinraynbowz]

Not a lot is posted about the Getaways.  But give me a week or so and I will post something.  I leave on Monday on a Getaway cruise on the Fantasy.  I will come back and let you know!

[obx_fintoo]

Just curious, are you talking about the Feb 25th cruise?  We just booked that one as a Getaway.

 

We did another Getaway on Elation in November.  The casino wasn't more crowded than normal and there were only 58 total Getaway cruisers.  The DOU cards and a box of candy were in our room at check-in.  Each night we got a new item (chocolates, cookies, bottle of champagne, etc.) from the casino as well as a card listing the events of the next day.  There was a master list on the first day but a few things had to be changed during the cruise - minor things like times. 

 

There are drawings for only Getaway cruisers during the day and other games.  With less competition it can be quite fun and you will get to know the other Getaway cruisers after all that.  If you have any other questions, I'd be happy to try and answer.

[audcc77]

I went on elation getaway in November. I paid about $100 to switch my cabin to that rate. It was ok.  I believe the drinks on us just shows up when they run your card.  I didn’ get a DOU card.  If you’re just sitting in the casino taking a break from a slot machine, then a drink  will still ring up as $0.   The waiters will continually ask if you want a drink even if you aren’t gambling so that’s nice. 

 

Gifts were  nice but things like a box of nerds and other kids candy, a  White beach towel, etc I didn’t really have any use for so I gave them away.  

 

I was a little disappointed that my roommate didn’t get any casino cash.  I received 100$. 

 

I like  the casino slots on elation and the ship itself.   I’ve been 2 times. 

 

I’m not a fan of the slots on fascination which is where I am now.  They seem to have a lot of slots with the letters and I’m not crazy about those.   

 

[CruzCrazy]

Good info here.  It looks like none of the Getaway dates are going to work for us this time since we usually cruise in the winter, just got back from the Horizon in December, and will be busy with other land trips in the spring and summer.  We also typically only do cruises that are 7 days or longer, but I do understand that's not what these "getaway" cruises are.  We went ahead and booked the Magic for next December with just the Dealer's Choice rate and then the Mardi Gras (not a casino rate) for December 2020.   Hopefully DH gets more casino offers later. 

 

Thanks for the replies!

Edited February 1, 2019 by CruzCrazy

[chasinraynbowz]

6 hours ago, audcc77 said:

I went on elation getaway in November. I paid about $100 to switch my cabin to that rate. It was ok.  I believe the drinks on us just shows up when they run your card.  I didn’ get a DOU card.  If you’re just sitting in the casino taking a break from a slot machine, then a drink  will still ring up as $0.   The waiters will continually ask if you want a drink even if you aren’t gambling so that’s nice. 

 

Gifts were  nice but things like a box of nerds and other kids candy, a  White beach towel, etc I didn’t really have any use for so I gave them away.  

 

I was a little disappointed that my roommate didn’t get any casino cash.  I received 100$. 

 

I like  the casino slots on elation and the ship itself.   I’ve been 2 times. 

 

I’m not a fan of the slots on fascination which is where I am now.  They seem to have a lot of slots with the letters and I’m not crazy about those.   

 

 

Only the person on the Getaway invite will get the cash, not the roommate.  That is normal.

[chasinraynbowz]

I am going on the Fantasy on Monday, February 4th.  I booked at the Getaway rate.  I am getting $500 in casino play money.  Nice to know we will still get the DOU card and the other giveaways.  Can't wait to go!!!

[Cruisegirl6]

We will be on the getaways Elation cruise tomorrow, yes, the casino does send gifts each day to the room and the person who has the offer gets the DOU card.  My SO is getting 1k casino casino cash! 

 

 

[LittleYiaYia]

On ‎2‎/‎1‎/‎2019 at 9:54 AM, audcc77 said:

I went on elation getaway in November. I paid about $100 to switch my cabin to that rate. It was ok.  I believe the drinks on us just shows up when they run your card.  I didn’ get a DOU card.  If you’re just sitting in the casino taking a break from a slot machine, then a drink  will still ring up as $0.   The waiters will continually ask if you want a drink even if you aren’t gambling so that’s nice. 

 

Gifts were  nice but things like a box of nerds and other kids candy, a  White beach towel, etc I didn’t really have any use for so I gave them away.  

 

I was a little disappointed that my roommate didn’t get any casino cash.  I received 100$. 

 

I like  the casino slots on elation and the ship itself.   I’ve been 2 times. 

 

I’m not a fan of the slots on fascination which is where I am now.  They seem to have a lot of slots with the letters and I’m not crazy about those.   

 

 

 

Been racking my brain but I can not figure out:  what are slots with the letters?

 

 

 

[audcc77]

Lol. You know. 

The slots where they have a bunch of letters spinning. 

It makes no sense to me.  Maybe I need to watch a YouTube video or something. 

The only slots I understand are the old quick hits. 

[LittleYiaYia]

2 minutes ago, audcc77 said:

Lol. You know. 

The slots where they have a bunch of letters spinning. 

It makes no sense to me.  Maybe I need to watch a YouTube video or something. 

The only slots I understand are the old quick hits. 

 

We go to the casino at least 3 or 4 times a month.  I play most all of the slots.  I do not recall any slots with letters spinning around.  Do you mean letters E or A or Z instead of symbols like 7's or bars etc?  If so, I have never seen those slots.  We were on the Fascination last February and do not remember any slots with letters?

[audcc77]

Yes that’s what I mean. 

 

[evandbob]

I prefer the longer premier and ultra cruises, but it seems like the fares has escalated quite a bit since their inception.  They are no longer the enticement they once were.

[CruiseMomTX]

Here is my quick review of our first and so far only Getaway in November 2018 on the Valor:

 

 

 We did a Getaway on the Valor in Nov out of Galveston, priority was not on our boarding passes and I think there was a sign or something at the port but don't remember.  We bought FTTF mainly for early access to our cabin and used that line and I think they were already boarding when we walked up so easy breezy.

 

My husband won this Getaway on the Dream in Aug during the casino power hour so that was nice, we paid extra to get a balcony cabin.  We both already had Getaway offers so each got $200 in the casino and actual cash so that was nice.

The 2 ladies that were the casino hosts were very nice and friendly all week.  Our bag with the DOU card, lanyard and schedule of events wasn't in our cabin so at some point we went to the casino to inquire about it.  They checked and quickly got it for us and while we were there some other Getaway people were asking about a cocktail party and the hosts had a bartender come over and serve all of us for free for about and hour or so.  Now since we sailed from Galveston the DOU cards don't start until the next day.  Well the awesome hosts said not to worry they would take care of drinks the first night in the casino while we were playing just show our DOU cards.  We were really surprised because on our Premier in Sept on the Breeze we had to buy our own drinks the first night.  

 

We got picked for one game, its where you have 2 playing cards per cabin and if either are drawn you go pick a prize.  One of ours got called during the last group so I got a bag with a players club cap, t-shirt and $75.  We also qualified for the slot tournament on the last day and I came in next to last I think and got $50.

 

There were several good payouts we saw during the week 2 for mourned $8,000 each, $10,000 the first night and I even got $2400!!  It was busy in the casino and you would see some people playing the same machine day and night it seemed but you could always find something to play.  

 

We got in our initial goody bag 2 little cinch sacks and accumulated a few more with prizes. During the week we got some cookies and chocolate covered strawberries and towards the end my husband asked about dinner in the steakhouse.  They said it was already booked up but comped the dinner we already had there earlier in the week.

 

Overall we had a great time even if the weather was bad except for Cozumel we finally had sunshine.

 

We did both get Ultra offers and have booked 2 in March both on the Vista.

[obx_fintoo]

On 2/3/2019 at 9:59 AM, LittleYiaYia said:

 

We go to the casino at least 3 or 4 times a month.  I play most all of the slots.  I do not recall any slots with letters spinning around.  Do you mean letters E or A or Z instead of symbols like 7's or bars etc?  If so, I have never seen those slots.  We were on the Fascination last February and do not remember any slots with letters?

They are just talking about the newer electronic games.  They all have some symbols, then the card "letters".  You know, A, K, Q, J, then 10?  

[LittleYiaYia]

Just now, obx_fintoo said:

They are just talking about the newer electronic games.  They all have some symbols, then the card "letters".  You know, A, K, Q, J, then 10?  

 

Duh.  It took a few minutes of reading your post over and over and finally the light bulb went off.  I kept thinking that there was a new slot that used random letters like P and S and Z instead of bars and 7's and diamonds. I am sailing again on the Fascination in 19 days and I kept thinking I have to look for those "letter" slots  LOL   Thanks for the explanation. 

[obx_fintoo]

2 minutes ago, LittleYiaYia said:

 

Duh.  It took a few minutes of reading your post over and over and finally the light bulb went off.  I kept thinking that there was a new slot that used random letters like P and S and Z instead of bars and 7's and diamonds. I am sailing again on the Fascination in 19 days and I kept thinking I have to look for those "letter" slots  LOL   Thanks for the explanation. 

You're welcome!  Have fun and good luck!