Casino offers - be sure to check the website!

[-The-True-North-]

Interesting topic. And will continue to monitor.

 

We are first timers, so on our upcoming sailing my gf and I will play a few hundred and report back if we did enough to get anything at all.

 

2 questions: do the casinos take cash and do they have video roulette?

[DaveOKC]

1 hour ago, -The-True-North- said:

Interesting topic. And will continue to monitor.

 

We are first timers, so on our upcoming sailing my gf and I will play a few hundred and report back if we did enough to get anything at all.

 

2 questions: do the casinos take cash and do they have video roulette?

The slots take cash or you can put it on your cabin.  I have not seen video roulette on a HAL ship.

 

[Mom39]

On 8/11/2022 at 3:50 PM, rocksteady27 said:

@NCTribeFan that trip sounds great! I have a kid in HS so we can only go during school breaks but I’ve booked the NS for November and the NA for December.  I wish I could book more but in a few years I’ll have tons more flexibility.

Same boat.  We're doing the 12/23 on the NA w/ a teenager.  I'm hoping that they'll offer 12/30 so I can just stay on the ship.  

 

[foggyphils]

Great thread! I just went on my first HAL cruise since 2005. I spent most of my time at Roulette. Probably 4 out of 7 nights for 2-4. hours. I also played a bit on the slots. I always used my cabin card to take $100 out at a time for Roulette and I funded my slot account with $500 on my first day. I would say no more than 30 mins total on slots but I played about $50 each night that I played roulette. After all that play, I ended up about $20 ahead. Cheap entertainment and fun 😉

 

Oh, ALSO, I emailed the casino team before our cruise and let them know that we get Carnival casino offers. They set me up with $50 Funplay and my Hubs got $25 in Funplay. 

 

We got off the Koningsdam on Aug. 6th and I got my first email with the following offers:
Casino Promos Campaign ID: HEP2238CO Promo UX7

Includes $150 OBC, Free drinks, and some other "VIP" stuff. (see screenshot)

I do have a question...on the email it says "Book an advertised VIP sailing to receive an exclusive invitation to the Holland America Line Players Club ultimate VIP sailings."
Is this a different tier of promotional cruises?

[Suncoastsailors]

44 minutes ago, foggyphils said:

Great thread! I just went on my first HAL cruise since 2005. I spent most of my time at Roulette. Probably 4 out of 7 nights for 2-4. hours. I also played a bit on the slots. I always used my cabin card to take $100 out at a time for Roulette and I funded my slot account with $500 on my first day. I would say no more than 30 mins total on slots but I played about $50 each night that I played roulette. After all that play, I ended up about $20 ahead. Cheap entertainment and fun 😉

 

Oh, ALSO, I emailed the casino team before our cruise and let them know that we get Carnival casino offers. They set me up with $50 Funplay and my Hubs got $25 in Funplay. 

 

We got off the Koningsdam on Aug. 6th and I got my first email with the following offers:
Casino Promos Campaign ID: HEP2238CO Promo UX7

Includes $150 OBC, Free drinks, and some other "VIP" stuff. (see screenshot)

I do have a question...on the email it says "Book an advertised VIP sailing to receive an exclusive invitation to the Holland America Line Players Club ultimate VIP sailings."
Is this a different tier of promotional cruises?

I am not sure if this is a different tier promotion. These are the same benefits my wife receives and she is not a big gambler. The only real benefit I see is free drinks while playing and complimentary entry to casino events. That is if they have an event on that sailing. The question is  will HAL cut back on these promotions once the ships start filling up.  We never received the offers until after Covid. 

[KBC73]

I booked a b2b with a casino deal two weeks ago. It leaves in three weeks and I did the check-in and went to print my boarding pass. My boarding time says To Be Assigned. At three weeks out I thought I would have had a time set. Is it because it is a casino deal that there is no time yet or is there another reason?

[DaveOKC]

10 hours ago, KBC73 said:

I booked a b2b with a casino deal two weeks ago. It leaves in three weeks and I did the check-in and went to print my boarding pass. My boarding time says To Be Assigned. At three weeks out I thought I would have had a time set. Is it because it is a casino deal that there is no time yet or is there another reason?

Our casino deal had us with a Group A at Noon at least a month out.

 

[KBC73]

1 hour ago, DaveOKC said:

Our casino deal had us with a Group A at Noon at least a month out.

 

Thank you, I may have to call my TA or HAL.

[Mom39]

We are being spoiled with these offers.  We'll be on our third freebie for Christmas in the Caribbean.  Am already hoping to receive a free offer for the Oosterdam cruise r/t Trieste to Jerusalem, Greece, etc.  Has anyone been on the Oosterdam recently?  Been to Jerusalem?  Is it a good port?  

[Suncoastsailors]

On 8/14/2022 at 9:18 AM, -The-True-North- said:

Interesting topic. And will continue to monitor.

 

We are first timers, so on our upcoming sailing my gf and I will play a few hundred and report back if we did enough to get anything at all.

 

2 questions: do the casinos take cash and do they have video roulette?

You will probably get a printed offer in your room the last night of the cruise. This offer is not that attractive. The question is will you receive the free cabin offers for future cruises. You won't know this until later. 

[FlorenceItaly]

I am booked on a 16 day TA for next May with a complimentary casino cruise(minus taxes and port fees).  I notice when I go to book air it is due at time of booking instead of final payment.   I guess there really is no final payment since it is paid in full already.  Has anyone else noticed this with the air?  

[kazu]

Ok, some stupid questions - I used to get these offers by snail mail and they stopped.  I never understood why I didn’t get the email offers.

Well I got one now.  So, @DaveOKC are you saying just to log in and go looking for cruises and see if any of them are offering casino offers aside from the ones I got?

 

I am now solo, if I go solo, will I be penalized if I upgrade and am I allowed to bring a friend since my dearly departed DH is no longer with me?

 

Stupid questions …but….

[FlorenceItaly]

3 minutes ago, kazu said:

Ok, some stupid questions - I used to get these offers by snail mail and they stopped.  I never understood why I didn’t get the email offers.

Well I got one now.  So, @DaveOKC are you saying just to log in and go looking for cruises and see if any of them are offering casino offers aside from the ones I got?

 

I am now solo, if I go solo, will I be penalized if I upgrade and am I allowed to bring a friend since my dearly departed DH is no longer with me?

 

Stupid questions …but….

Not Dave, but, yes, log in and go looking for cruises and see if any of them are offering casino offers aside from what is on your list.  This is how I discovered my 16 day TA in a balcony.

 

You are allowed to bring any guest you would like.  As far as solo, I am not sure if you are charged double or not.  I have not inquired about upgrading my cabin, so can not answer this.

 

I am so happy you received an offer!!  They are capacity controlled so put the cabin on hold if you are not sure.

[kazu]

8 minutes ago, FlorenceItaly said:

Not Dave, but, yes, log in and go looking for cruises and see if any of them are offering casino offers aside from what is on your list.  This is how I discovered my 16 day TA in a balcony.

 

You are allowed to bring any guest you would like.  As far as solo, I am not sure if you are charged double or not.  I have not inquired about upgrading my cabin, so can not answer this.

 

I am so happy you received an offer!!  They are capacity controlled so put the cabin on hold if you are not sure.

 

Thanks very much for your help. 👍 

 

I didn’t even get a free cabin when I chose one on the list.  Hmmm

[FlorenceItaly]

5 minutes ago, kazu said:

 

Thanks very much for your help. 👍 

 

I didn’t even get a free cabin when I chose one on the list.  Hmmm

There is typically a nominal charge like $200pp, but you get this back in OBC.  I think this is why we refer to it as complimentary.  But, yes, you do pay port taxes.  It also helps reduce insurance cost.

 

[silversneakers]

12 minutes ago, FlorenceItaly said:

There is typically a nominal charge like $200pp, but you get this back in OBC.  I think this is why we refer to it as complimentary.  But, yes, you do pay port taxes.  It also helps reduce insurance cost.

 

Are the cabins all guarantee cabins?  And, if so, can you purchase Club Orange and be able to select a cabin?

[daisy-mae]

35 minutes ago, FlorenceItaly said:

Not Dave, but, yes, log in and go looking for cruises and see if any of them are offering casino offers aside from what is on your list.  This is how I discovered my 16 day TA in a balcony.

 

 

Just wondering how casino offers are identified? I see all kinds of "deals" when I log on, but none of them are casino offers. Is there a shortcut or some easier way to find them?

[kazu]

30 minutes ago, FlorenceItaly said:

There is typically a nominal charge like $200pp, but you get this back in OBC.  I think this is why we refer to it as complimentary.  But, yes, you do pay port taxes.  It also helps reduce insurance cost.

 

 

Thanks again - sorry to be a PITA.  I’m guessing it’s like best price and you would need to have your cancellation insurance in place.  Many thanks.  I will ask questions when I call.

[FlorenceItaly]

10 minutes ago, daisy-mae said:

Just wondering how casino offers are identified? I see all kinds of "deals" when I log on, but none of them are casino offers. Is there a shortcut or some easier way to find them?

The "complimentary" offers typically show up on your page as $200 pp.  I sometimes sort low to high.  The reduced casino offers are hard to identify.  They are only obvious when you go through the booking process.  They can be significant or not.

[FlorenceItaly]

7 minutes ago, kazu said:

 

Thanks again - sorry to be a PITA.  I’m guessing it’s like best price and you would need to have your cancellation insurance in place.  Many thanks.  I will ask questions when I call.

You are not a PITA!  Yes, everything is paid up as soon as you book.   HAL Platinum insurance is typically $99pp at these lower rates.

[FlorenceItaly]

25 minutes ago, silversneakers said:

Are the cabins all guarantee cabins?  And, if so, can you purchase Club Orange and be able to select a cabin?

Yes, they are.  Yes, you may purchase Club Orange and are able to select your cabin.  I have not personally done this, but, read where others have.

[silversneakers]

7 minutes ago, FlorenceItaly said:

Yes, they are.  Yes, you may purchase Club Orange and are able to select your cabin.  I have not personally done this, but, read where others have.

Interesting.  Maybe I'll give it a try!  Thanks.

[OmarOak]

19 minutes ago, silversneakers said:

Interesting.  Maybe I'll give it a try!  Thanks.

Did it last week and it was no problem. Particularly valuable as we were moving from an obstructed veranda to and unobstructed veranda.

[adoris]

1 hour ago, kazu said:

Ok, some stupid questions - I used to get these offers by snail mail and they stopped.  I never understood why I didn’t get the email offers.

Well I got one now.  So, @DaveOKC are you saying just to log in and go looking for cruises and see if any of them are offering casino offers aside from the ones I got?

 

I am now solo, if I go solo, will I be penalized if I upgrade and am I allowed to bring a friend since my dearly departed DH is no longer with me?

 

Stupid questions …but….

Kazu, You do not have to pay a single supplement.

[kazu]

1 hour ago, adoris said:

Kazu, You do not have to pay a single supplement.

 

Thanks.