Frustrated with offers

[jessed]

I'm Platinum with Carnival and received a casino offer with $200 OBC and free drinks while playing in casino. Booked 6 day cruise on Breeze with balcony for $388. Not a big gambler - maybe $100 a cruise.

[wannagonow123]

I agree with everyone about not so great casino offers from Carnival. I spend tons of money in the casino every time we cruise, and casino offers are not great to get me back. Many times my in laws travel with us. They do not gamble. Their room rate generally is comparable to our casino rate. They just don't get the free play. I will say I like Carnival. We are Diamond, so obvious we like the product. But with that being said, we also shop around and have gotten fabulous comeback rates and offers. Holland  America offered us a 14 day Caribbean in November for $500pp (interior) plus $125 freeplay pp. This was offered pre-Covid 19.

Royal Caribbean offers complimentary cruises for casino players. (we paid for our first 9 day cruise with them. We now have 76 cruise days, and have not paid for a stateroom since the first cruise). With hopes they will be sailing this summer, we have 3 complimentary cruises booked with them, all offered by casino royal. Carnival's offers come no where close. Yes, we still cruise with Carnival, but less and less. And FYI, we have never gambled more than $1,000 out of pocket for a 7 day cruise. Shop around and see what other cruiselines are offering. 

[ray98]

As a logic driven person, gamblers are one of the groups of people who fascinate me.

Edited April 8, 2020 by ray98

[dallasdan]

I have been on 1 Celebrity Cruise, which was free through a land based casino, last thanksgiving.  Right before Covid 19, I was sent several free cruise offers, including Europe and Alaska.  I couldn't book the free cruises as they all were for April through September, and I already had a Carnival Cruise booked in April.  My point is, I didn't gamble any more than a normal Carnival Cruise and haven't received any free casino cruises on Carnival.  Been on 14 Carnival Cruises.

[Joebucks]

21 hours ago, ray98 said:

As a logic driven person, gamblers are one of the groups of people who fascinate me.

 

Agreed. I'm always fascinated on the discussion of saving money through casino offers.

[quattrohead]

Having worked in the gambling industry in the UK and on ships, they are indeed a fascinating bunch.

My cousin once said to me about a machine he was playing " but it owes me"

 

I know how much machines make, my back will tell you from the cash and token days.

 

Actually a little story.

I worked on the Commodore Caribe in it's final few months. One cruise one of the dollar slots right in front of the cashiers desk went nut's and payed out many jackpots during the week. People were queuing up to play it. It made the most money that week by a long way.

[MsTabbyKats]

On one of my recent cruises (it was MSC) I met a woman who had one of those "all most free cruises".  She told me all the lines gave them to her.  And she claimed her budget was something like $100/day.  Yet...she was in the casino all day...seriously about 12 hours a day.  Anyone who plays slots in the casino knows exactly how long $100 lasts.  And that's why I never pay attention to "what people claim".

 

BTW...MSC already gave her "another free cruise" before that one ended.

Edited April 9, 2020 by MsTabbyKats

[LuckyStar]

On 4/5/2020 at 7:45 AM, tennboy1981 said:

So this may be more of a rant than a question and I apologize in advance.   I just wanted to mention how I have friends who have gotten so many more better deals under their VIFP than me and it just frustrates me.  I have a friend, she said she barely spent any money in the casino on her last cruise, she did win a jackpot once years a go on board, shes getting 500 dollars in OBC, free drinks in the casino....I have another friend who hasn't cruised in at least 3 years, and he is getting a similar deal. I have another friend who never gambled in the casino but won BINGO once, about 5 years a go.  He got the same deal.  Meanwhile, I gambled and got about 300-400 points on my last cruise in November (Got a little lucky and played quite a bit), and all I get are offers for lower rates and a measly 25 dollars in on board credit. Nothing else.  It just frustrates me because all these people are telling me they barely even spent any money in the casino and haven't even been on a cruise with them for years. And they are getting rates for 500 in OBC, Free drinks, and 50 dollar rooms.  I sent an email to carnival's players club, and all they send me is the "Sorry not Sorry" line.  Sorry for the rant, just wanted to get it out. lol

I totally get it.  I hear of people who don't gamble who get lots of OBC.  I have only cruised about 7 times on CCL and have to pull teeth to get $25 worth of OBC.  Mine is just a rant also.  Got to let it out somewhere. 😁

[ray98]

On 4/9/2020 at 9:18 AM, Joebucks said:

 

Agreed. I'm always fascinated on the discussion of saving money through casino offers.

 

Yup....not too long ago a guy was talking about how much he spent to get free drinks while gambling.  It was an interesting logic to say the least.

[sanger727]

On 4/5/2020 at 4:55 PM, Elaine5715 said:

People who say they hardly spend any money in the casino but get good casino offers..are big fibbers..

 

Could it be this? I am a non-gambler and never get any kind of offers which is fine by me. I have a relative who is a light gambler (she will put $100 or so through a slot machine once or twice a month at a local casino and play a bit when we are on vacation) and also gets no offers. But she has a couple friends who gamble quite a bit and are always bragging about their wins at the casinos. They also get comped everywhere they go. Free rooms in vegas. Free cruise offers. As she likes to point out. Businesses aren't giving them free rooms and free cruises because they are losing money on them.....

[Jim and Monika]

The offers are all over the board, but for those of us not getting free cruises, Please compare pricing with, and without the "offer". Most of them tout savings of up to...  and the $500 OBC has been tagged to a higher cruise rate than without the offer. Do the math and see for yourself. Don't just trust the offers to be as good as they seem.