HAL expanding Five Onboard Casinos

[twodjs]

Are you suggesting that smokers spend more money than non-smokers in the casino? Really??? Remember - for those who insist Holland would lose a boatload of money if the casino was non-smoking - Celebrity has been 100% non-smoking in their casinos for many years and their casinos are packed.

Edited January 21, 2023 by twodjs

[Laminator]

3 minutes ago, twodjs said:

Are you suggesting that smokers spend more money than non-smokers in the casino? Really??? Remember - for those who insist Holland would lose a boatload of money if the casino was non-smoking - Celebrity has been 100% non-smoking in their casinos for many years and their casinos are packed.

They must or there would be no smoking in the casinos. I was at a local casino yesterday. There was a  bank of 6 slot machines where the minimum bet was $25 a spin. 2 players were playing $50 a spin. All the machines had players at them and they were all smoking. 

[Laminator]

12 minutes ago, twodjs said:

Are you suggesting that smokers spend more money than non-smokers in the casino? Really??? Remember - for those who insist Holland would lose a boatload of money if the casino was non-smoking - Celebrity has been 100% non-smoking in their casinos for many years and their casinos are packed.

This is an article from the RCL CEO where he discusses what happens when they test non smoking casinos on their ships every few years.
Royal Caribbean CEO talks fuel surcharge, Icon reveal, smoking in the casino & more | Royal Caribbean Blog

 

[JennysUncle]

Just speculating, but here are likely locations for the added casino spaces.

 

On the Pinnacle ships there is a room between the Lincoln Center balcony and the casino, across from the liquor store.  Early, on the Rotterdam I think it was the photography studio.  This spring on the Nieuw Statendam it was an art gallery (just art to view, not auction).  This fall on the Rotterdam it was empty and closed off.  If that is going to be the casino annex, it better be non-smoking and with quiet machines.

 

On the Signature ships there is a space between the casino and the BB King (soon to be Rolling Stone) lounge.  Originally that was the Northern Lights disco (a flop) with adjacent bar, and lately ? an art gallery / game room.  It's too bad if this will be annexed to the casino - it would have been an excellent place to add the Grand Dutch Cafe to those ships.

 

[daisy-mae]

44 minutes ago, twodjs said:

If that small no-smoking room on Koningsdam we experienced in November is their answer to offering a no-smoking section, a better solution would be to make that room the Smoking Room, perhaps with doors to help keep the smoke in, and make the majority of the casino non-smoking to better represent the minority % of guests who still smoke.

Specially if the non-smokers currently have to access their special room via the main casino.

[Colorado Klutch]

Considering how expensive cigarettes are these day, just think of all the extra money non-smokers have to gamble! 😄  Every cig is one less spin.

[twodjs]

The Eurodam already had machines in the Gallery Bar area several months ago. Is this article old news?

[idiebabe]

27 minutes ago, twodjs said:

The Eurodam already had machines in the Gallery Bar area several months ago. Is this article old news?

Definitely old news or it should be!   NS also had the added Machines in the room with all the Slots right before entering the Casino when we were on her in November.  In October the NA had the Gallery Bar space with all the slot machines.   

[Colorado Klutch]

I'm wondering how such renovations are accomplished. When I looked at the ship schedules, there's never a day between cruises. Does HAL simply bring the construction crews along for the voyage?

[CruiserBruce]

8 minutes ago, Colorado Klutch said:

I'm wondering how such renovations are accomplished. When I looked at the ship schedules, there's never a day between cruises. Does HAL simply bring the construction crews along for the voyage?

Yep. They frequently have technicians, contractors and other outside specialists on board for repairs or work that can be done while underway. Definitely not unusual.

[Colorado Klutch]

30 minutes ago, CruiserBruce said:

Yep. They frequently have technicians, contractors and other outside specialists on board for repairs or work that can be done while underway. Definitely not unusual.

Interesting. Thank you. 

[Mary229]

2 hours ago, twodjs said:

Are you suggesting that smokers spend more money than non-smokers in the casino? Really??? Remember - for those who insist Holland would lose a boatload of money if the casino was non-smoking - Celebrity has been 100% non-smoking in their casinos for many years and their casinos are packed.

They sell cigarettes on HAL and it is likely a good profit center too. People smoke more, likely, when gambling and if they don’t have to move for a cigarette break then they gamble more

Edited January 21, 2023 by Mary229

[Infi]

Sounds like it's RIP Gallery bar on the Signature class ships then. Too bad, it was a nice space and decent attempt to rehab the failed Northern Lights idea. It's also a shame because HAL clearly put some decent money into making it into the Gallery bar recently - loss for them.

[Mary229]

1 minute ago, Infi said:

Sounds like it's RIP Gallery bar on the Signature class ships then. Too bad, it was a nice space and decent attempt to rehab the failed Northern Lights idea. It's also a shame because HAL clearly put some decent money into making it into the Gallery bar recently - loss for them.

I do like the gallery bar. I just recently became acquainted with it and it is a serene location.  In modern cruising serene is no longer fashionable 

[Hlitner]

It almost seems like HAL is trying to morph from the cruise line for "old folks" to the cruise line for gamblers.  Ever since the restart (after COVID), HAL has been offering all kinds of "casino deals" to past customers with many getting close to free cruises.  It does help fill the ships, and gamblers are a very nice source of income for cruise lines.  The only thing certain about casinos is that the house will make a very nice profit (even though most gamblers swear they always win).  The worst odds in the casino are slots, and HAL really caters to slot players with their casino offers.  I once teased a friend (who ultimately lost her home because she played slots and Bingo) that in my next life I want to come back as the owner of slots.  It is a guaranteed source of income as the house cannot lose (in the long run).

  

Hank

[kochleffel]

3 hours ago, Laminator said:

It's been posted on here by many that there should be no smoking in the casino. So HAL makes a decision to attempt to appease those pax and there is still complaining. I don't believe there to be a  larger money maker per sq ft on a ship than the casino. 

 

I neither smoke nor gamble, but I know that there is a very strong association between gambling and smoking. It even affects church bingo.

[OlsSalt]

The one good thing I can offer about the recent Konigsdam casino is while it was very busy and very smoky, the air handling system kept the smoke pretty well confined to just that area.  

 

We occasionally took the wrong route to that end of the ship and had to pass through it, but otherwise one does not need to go through this smoke-filled area. Just like Music Walk with its very loud music can easily be avoided too.

 

Except for the very loud BB Kings group, when they were playing in the Lincoln Center, venue does loudly intrude on the upper shops area. So we avoided them too. Did not leave this trip with much on our account this time. 

 

I think they designed these high noise areas well, and did a better job confining the smoke than on other older ships that still allowed it. Agree, if these are intended to be revenue producing areas to keep cruise costs down I can only extend my thanks to their obviously happy patrons. 

[edgee]

10 hours ago, BobbiSox said:

A non-smoking "area" doesn't help anything, unless it's completely enclosed. 

In other words a no smoking area of a casino is like a "no pee" section of a swimming pool!

[dmcfad2]

I wish they would spend their money on upgrading their entertainment.

[mcrcruiser]

Seems to me this smoking issue   in HALs  casinos will go on   ; because  it is not only the slots but the table games people who smoke play as well 

[AFNavigator]

9 hours ago, twodjs said:

The Eurodam already had machines in the Gallery Bar area several months ago. Is this article old news?

It's disappointing that HAL turned the Gallery Bar seating area into more slot space.  That definitely was not unused extra space.  The Gallery Bar area was a great place to relax and mingle and the table shuffleboard was a fun way to pass the time.  Hopefully they have moved the shuffleboard and the nice leather chairs to an alternate location.

[dockman]

12 hours ago, Laminator said:

They must or there would be no smoking in the casinos. I was at a local casino yesterday. There was a  bank of 6 slot machines where the minimum bet was $25 a spin. 2 players were playing $50 a spin. All the machines had players at them and they were all smoking. 

Maybe the players were all nervous at how fast the one armed bandits were cleaning out their cash and needed a nicotine fix to calm down?

[Sir PMP]

17 hours ago, JennysUncle said:

Just speculating, but here are likely locations for the added casino spaces.

 

On the Pinnacle ships there is a room between the Lincoln Center balcony and the casino, across from the liquor store.  Early, on the Rotterdam I think it was the photography studio.  This spring on the Nieuw Statendam it was an art gallery (just art to view, not auction).  This fall on the Rotterdam it was empty and closed off.  If that is going to be the casino annex, it better be non-smoking and with quiet machines.

 

On the Signature ships there is a space between the casino and the BB King (soon to be Rolling Stone) lounge.  Originally that was the Northern Lights disco (a flop) with adjacent bar, and lately ? an art gallery / game room.  It's too bad if this will be annexed to the casino - it would have been an excellent place to add the Grand Dutch Cafe to those ships.

 

Not a bad idea, it all depends if there is a kitchen nearby.

[HALcruiser2001]

21 hours ago, ChinaShrek said:

I think is what they are going to use the Lincoln Center Stage area for when they expand. Not a bad idea but will attract different clientele I suspect.

 

LCS is used by BBK on Pinnacle right?

Edited January 22, 2023 by bdd123

[*Miss G*]

34 minutes ago, bdd123 said:

 

LCS is used by BBK on Pinnacle right?

 

It’s a shared space.  LCS by day; BBK by night.  Also used by the comedians.

 

 

On Koningsdam, in September, I noticed a new space connected to the casino.  It was the old Art Gallery but was now a non-smoking area with really crummy slots.

 

 

Also wondering if the mention of the slots in the Gallery Bar on the Eurodam is related to the casino cruise and not a permanent change.  They installed additional machines for a tournament but they were all removed, to my knowledge.  Does anyone have any recent experience?