Blue Chip Casino Offer Questions

[kpark895]

Hi.  I just received an offer for a free cabin from Celebrity's Blue Chip Club.  Do you get free drinks in the casino with these types of offers?  And no perks, correct, even if it's for a veranda cabin?

[davekathy]

43 minutes ago, kpark895 said:

Hi.  I just received an offer for a free cabin from Celebrity's Blue Chip Club.  Do you get free drinks in the casino with these types of offers?  And no perks, correct, even if it's for a veranda cabin?

https://www.celebritycruises.com/ca/things-to-do-onboard/casino/blue-chip-club/

[kpark895]

14 hours ago, davekathy said:

https://www.celebritycruises.com/ca/things-to-do-onboard/casino/blue-chip-club/

 

Thanks, but that doesn't really answer my questions.  The only Celebrity cruise I've ever taken was a free one through my local casino.  It came with free drinks while playing in the casino.  In Celebrity's FAQ regarding the Blue Chip Club, it does mention something about the casino drink package, but doesn't explicitly say that you get free drinks while playing.

 

The other thing is if Celebrity is offering perks for booking (right now, for Verandas, I think it's pick 2), you don't get those perks if booking through the Blue Chip Club, correct?

[davekathy]

11 minutes ago, kpark895 said:

 

Thanks, but that doesn't really answer my questions.  The only Celebrity cruise I've ever taken was a free one through my local casino.  It came with free drinks while playing in the casino.  In Celebrity's FAQ regarding the Blue Chip Club, it does mention something about the casino drink package, but doesn't explicitly say that you get free drinks while playing.

 

The other thing is if Celebrity is offering perks for booking (right now, for Verandas, I think it's pick 2), you don't get those perks if booking through the Blue Chip Club, correct?

What tier level are you with the BCC? Sapphire gets the CBP and Sapphireplus and Ruby get the PBP.  I don't know anything about the BCC program other than the link I posted from Celebritys website which I thought would be useful. Call Celebrity and ask them. 

Edited September 2, 2020 by davekathy

[kpark895]

2 hours ago, davekathy said:

What tier level are you with the BCC? Sapphire gets the CBP and Sapphireplus and Ruby get the PBP.  I don't know anything about the BCC program other than the link I posted from Celebritys website which I thought would be useful. Call Celebrity and ask them. 

 

Thanks.  I don't think I even have a level anymore.  If I did, it would be the lowest level.  It's been more than 18 months since I last cruised with them.  I have someone I'm waiting to hear from that can probably tell me.  

[davekathy]

1 hour ago, kpark895 said:

 

Thanks.  I don't think I even have a level anymore.  If I did, it would be the lowest level.  It's been more than 18 months since I last cruised with them.  I have someone I'm waiting to hear from that can probably tell me.  

You maintain your current BCC tier level no matter when you last cruised. We are considered Pearl but really should only be "sand" based on our casino spending's.  🤣 Hope you get your questions answered. 

Edited September 2, 2020 by davekathy

[phillygirl2400]

19 hours ago, kpark895 said:

Hi.  I just received an offer for a free cabin from Celebrity's Blue Chip Club.  Do you get free drinks in the casino with these types of offers?  And no perks, correct, even if it's for a veranda cabin?

Hi! I just booked a Celebrity Blue Chip comped cruise today. I wanted to buy a perks package but they told me that they don’t offer that package with their comped cruises. They were willing to sell me a beverage package for the price listed on my cruise planner. They told me that they usually offer a 15% discount on the beverage package but since it's on sale for 20% off, they would sell it for 20% off.  (Not interested.)

I had previously booked a comped Celebrity cruise through URComped. They were allowed to sell me a 4 perks package at a decent price.  (Maybe I should always book with URComped?)

Re Free drinks in the casino, my understanding is that Celebrity offers all players free drinks while playing in the casino. (I don't know if there is a limited drink menu. My Blue Chip level is not high enough to get a free drinks package.)

 

i hope we get back to cruising this year. 
stay health!

wash your hands!

Phyllis

[spiritkat090909]

My understanding is that there are different ways to book with bluechipclub@email.celebritycruises.com...

 

I hear that you can email them with a specific ship and sail date and get a % discount off whatever the current program/price is... but, if you book more than 6 months out, you have to call/email back within that time frame to find out what the 'real' price is and you would keep whatever your perk offer was. Info source cruisecritic JimIan, I think.

 

As for my ACTUAL experience, I have only booked the mailed offers through BCC.  They offered free veranda room on a specific date/ships, I chose my preference and put down the required port taxes and fees.  On the one we sailed this way, there were no upgrades allowed, no perks, but we got free drinks at the casino when playing, except the first day, if I remember correctly. We are also Elite, so it may have been during those free drink hours.  You CAN buy a package on the ship.  This was on the Edge on NYE. Room assigned was not infinite veranda, but real (tiny) actual balcony.  Not eligible for Moveup bids.

 

My next one is on Apex 11/14/20 and is category E2 infinite veranda midship.  Again... can't pay difference for a different room category. Not eligible for any upgrades.  Can cancel up to 2weeks prior and get PTF refunded.  I don't have any idea what the current parameters will be should it be cancelled on us. 

 

We also had booked our first offer with Celebrity through a local casino offer and that one WAS eligible for upgrades.  We had been assigned an ocean view at booking and there were only 3 rooms available on that last minute booking.  We did a moveup bid and scored an Aqua Class for $500.

 

So the thing is...  you don't know until you pick or book something what the specifics will be. 

 

 

[WonderMan3]

2 hours ago, davekathy said:

You maintain your current BCC tier level no matter when you last cruised. We are considered Pearl but really should only be "sand" based on our casino spending's.  🤣 Hope you get your questions answered. 

 

This is not true. Your tier level renews every 18 months. At the start of the new cycle you have a tier level equal to whatever the highest level you achieved through your play in the prior 18 month cycle but your tier points go back to zero. You then have to earn your level again by the end of the next 18 months, otherwise you will drop to a lower level or, if you don't cruise at all, you start at the beginning again.

[kpark895]

3 hours ago, phillygirl2400 said:

....
I had previously booked a comped Celebrity cruise through URComped. They were allowed to sell me a 4 perks package at a decent price.  (Maybe I should always book with URComped?)

Re Free drinks in the casino, my understanding is that Celebrity offers all players free drinks while playing in the casino. (I don't know if there is a limited drink menu. My Blue Chip level is not high enough to get a free drinks package.)

 

i hope we get back to cruising this year. 
stay health!

wash your hands!

Phyllis

 

I am trying to move my BCC offer to URComped, but haven't been able to touch bases yet with my host.  I did see somewhere that the free drinks in the casino (if indeed everyone gets them if playing) are the drinks offered in Celebrity's standard drink package.

 

2 hours ago, WonderMan3 said:

 

This is not true. Your tier level renews every 18 months. At the start of the new cycle you have a tier level equal to whatever the highest level you achieved through your play in the prior 18 month cycle but your tier points go back to zero. You then have to earn your level again by the end of the next 18 months, otherwise you will drop to a lower level or, if you don't cruise at all, you start at the beginning again.

 

That's what I thought.  I'm not worried about the level, as I'l never end up on enough Celebrity cruises to earn high level status.  I got to Prime on Royal in one cruise.

[davekathy]

2 hours ago, WonderMan3 said:

 

This is not true. Your tier level renews every 18 months. At the start of the new cycle you have a tier level equal to whatever the highest level you achieved through your play in the prior 18 month cycle but your tier points go back to zero. You then have to earn your level again by the end of the next 18 months, otherwise you will drop to a lower level or, if you don't cruise at all, you start at the beginning again.

Yeah, I now see that in the link I provided. DUH!  Must be the reason why we haven't budged from Pearl. We cruise every year but haven't spent a penny in the casino since the BCC started. 🤣

Edited September 2, 2020 by davekathy

[NutsAboutGolf]

Generally speaking, drinks are NOT provided to casino players unless you have the higher CC tier.  A few years ago X did seem to experiment with free drinks to players on select sailings but that seems to have gone away.  Also the pitboss can "comp" free drinks yet from what I've seen it's more like a celebratory drink due to a bday or anniversary.

[kpark895]

4 hours ago, NutsAboutGolf said:

Generally speaking, drinks are NOT provided to casino players unless you have the higher CC tier.  A few years ago X did seem to experiment with free drinks to players on select sailings but that seems to have gone away.  Also the pitboss can "comp" free drinks yet from what I've seen it's more like a celebratory drink due to a bday or anniversary.

 I spoke with my host at URComped today and he confirmed free drinks in the casino.  No perks, no matter what cabin, unless you upgrade to sky suite territory.

[NutsAboutGolf]

54 minutes ago, kpark895 said:

 I spoke with my host at URComped today and he confirmed free drinks in the casino.  No perks, no matter what cabin, unless you upgrade to sky suite territory.

 

Outstanding, positive vibes that info is accurate! 😄

[fstuff1]

On 9/2/2020 at 7:16 PM, kpark895 said:

 

I am trying to move my BCC offer to URComped, but haven't been able to touch bases yet with my host. 

 

i made the mistake of doing that 2 years ago.

since then, no more offers from bcc.

i cant even get a discounted cruise through bcc.

their computer says i must go thru urcomped. 

 

Edited September 4, 2020 by fstuff1

[kpark895]

9 hours ago, fstuff1 said:

 

i made the mistake of doing that 2 years ago.

since then, no more offers from bcc.

i cant even get a discounted cruise through bcc.

their computer says i must go thru urcomped. 

 

 

That doesn't bother me as I have lots of offers for comped cruises at URComped, including Royal Caribbean, MCS, Virgin and Celebrity.  And if I book this newest offer thru the BCC, then I can't book any other Celebrity offer on URComped for at least a year after.  And the BCC doesn't actually send me very many offers, as I've only been on one Celebrity cruise in my life.

Edited September 4, 2020 by kpark895

[dgparent]

We just booked one for Alaska next July through BCC. Upgraded to AQ for $70 each, we will buy the bev package for $900 on the X site, still a pretty good deal IMO about $1500 for 2 in AQ to Alaska. Since it is on the Eclipse we will also buy a 3 or 4 night dinner package because they have Muranos. 

[kpark895]

5 minutes ago, dgparent said:

We just booked one for Alaska next July through BCC. Upgraded to AQ for $70 each, we will buy the bev package for $900 on the X site, still a pretty good deal IMO about $1500 for 2 in AQ to Alaska. Since it is on the Eclipse we will also buy a 3 or 4 night dinner package because they have Muranos. 

Sounds good.  If I may ask, what type cabin were you originally comped for?

 

[dgparent]

The free offer was for a Regular Veranda

[kpark895]

2 hours ago, dgparent said:

The free offer was for a Regular Veranda

 

Thanks.  Just booked this thru URcomped.  Now I don't know whether to request an upgrade.  I think I'll wait and see what cabins we get assigned.  My daughter and her husband have booked also, and together we requested certain cabins, so we could be side by side.  Not sure if she wants to spend the upgrade money, and then we may not get cabins next to each other.  Choices, choices!

[zdad59]

I got an e mail today too.    I called the Blue Chip line and talked to them.    I'm not a big player, so we aren't talking about a comped room.     I did get a quote for a Infinite veranda room (deck 8 mid ship), with all 4 perks that was ~$1200 better than the regular on line booked rate.   The Aqua Class room was $1500 better.

 

So....if it isn't a comped room, then you can add the perks as a package.

 

The rates are fantastic in our view.    I think we're going to book Edge for April 4 sailing tomorrow.

[udamom]

On 9/3/2020 at 11:15 AM, NutsAboutGolf said:

Generally speaking, drinks are NOT provided to casino players unless you have the higher CC tier.  A few years ago X did seem to experiment with free drinks to players on select sailings but that seems to have gone away.  Also the pitboss can "comp" free drinks yet from what I've seen it's more like a celebratory drink due to a bday or anniversary.

 

We were on our first Celebrity cruise booked through UrComped in March 2020 (right before the lockdown) and drinks were definitely free if you were playing. We do tip for drinks as that always seems to keep them coming on any ship!

[kpark895]

6 hours ago, udamom said:

 

We were on our first Celebrity cruise booked through UrComped in March 2020 (right before the lockdown) and drinks were definitely free if you were playing. We do tip for drinks as that always seems to keep them coming on any ship!

 

My URComped host confirmed drinks will be free in the casino.

[NutsAboutGolf]

Found the actual answer on the URComped website, it appears they have a special arrangement for free drinks that is not offered outside of URComped:

 

[udamom]

2 hours ago, NutsAboutGolf said:

Found the actual answer on the URComped website, it appears they have a special arrangement for free drinks that is not offered outside of URComped:

 

 

We were there with a couple that was not there on a comped cruise and had no drink package. Drinks were free for them as long as they were playing. We all sat together playing video poker --so I don't know maybe the server was just being nice as we all tipped him a few bucks every drink. But they got free drinks same as us.