Trying a New Cruise Line

[phillygwm]

Sorry if this has come up in the past.  I'm a long-standing NCL cruiser.  My first sailing was on the Epic, simply because it was the first to feature Studio cabins.  After that, a NCL host reached out to me and the next 11 cruises -- all NCL -- were history.  Even my land-based casino play has resulted in offers from NCL.  I don't DISlike NCL but, as I suppose many cruise lines have, there have been recent cutbacks, enough to get me to consider trying a different line for a future cruise.

 

Here's my problem:  I'm a solo traveler.  Even if I'm not literally traveling alone, I'm in my own (now balcony or better) cabin thanks to NCL Casinos at Sea.  Those familiar with NCL will know it's not totally free; there are taxes, port fees, admin fees, daily service charges, etc.  So I'm not looking for a freebie, but I'd like to avoid a single supplement, at a bare minimum.  

 

So two questions:  1) Any ideas on how to "break into" a new cruise line?  Do any offer status match?  I know I could find a cruise where SS is reduced/waived but those tend to be on short notice and I'm still working so can't do anything spur of the moment; 2) If I were to cruise on a different line, which has the best benefits for casino players?  I tend to play higher limit ($50) tables mostly.  Though usually play enough slots so I'm Pearl level (one level up from basic.)

 

TIA!

[Janthere]

I think your best bet would be to contact a third party casino host and send them the offers you are currently receiving from NCL. They will then be able to get you offers from the other cruise lines and you can choose who you think would suit you best. Whenever i have received offers with Celebrity, Princess and Virgin Voyages they are always no solo supplement - I just pay the taxes and fees. 

[deefer]

On 7/25/2023 at 4:53 PM, phillygwm said:

Sorry if this has come up in the past.  I'm a long-standing NCL cruiser.  My first sailing was on the Epic, simply because it was the first to feature Studio cabins.  After that, a NCL host reached out to me and the next 11 cruises -- all NCL -- were history.  Even my land-based casino play has resulted in offers from NCL.  I don't DISlike NCL but, as I suppose many cruise lines have, there have been recent cutbacks, enough to get me to consider trying a different line for a future cruise.

 

Here's my problem:  I'm a solo traveler.  Even if I'm not literally traveling alone, I'm in my own (now balcony or better) cabin thanks to NCL Casinos at Sea.  Those familiar with NCL will know it's not totally free; there are taxes, port fees, admin fees, daily service charges, etc.  So I'm not looking for a freebie, but I'd like to avoid a single supplement, at a bare minimum.  

 

So two questions:  1) Any ideas on how to "break into" a new cruise line?  Do any offer status match?  I know I could find a cruise where SS is reduced/waived but those tend to be on short notice and I'm still working so can't do anything spur of the moment; 2) If I were to cruise on a different line, which has the best benefits for casino players?  I tend to play higher limit ($50) tables mostly.  Though usually play enough slots so I'm Pearl level (one level up from basic.)

 

TIA!

 

It seems that Urcomped has been used successfully by others (no personal experience).   There is a thread here that may be helpful.

 

If you frequent Vegas at all - the MGM group of hotels is affiliated with Celebrity/Royal Carribean and usually offer a yearly cruise certificate.   If you reach platinum status with MGM you automatically get a free yearly cruise (I think it's for an inside)

 

We have gold status (one level below platinum) - and have just received a certificate for a 7 day balcony cruise - we are picking it up next week and going to give it a try.  

 

[phillygwm]

Thanks for this information.  I looked around URComped.  My issue is that I don't really concentrate my play in one place (except for NCL.)  At various times, I played a good bit at MGM, Harrahs, and Boyd. Boyd has a casino <10 minutes from my house so it's easy to go there for an hour on a whim.  Last year I had a Harrah's cruise cert but, again, it was for NCL where I already had a decent rating.

 

If nothing else, maybe I'll book a weekend booze cruise on another line so I can get rated without spending a ton of money on a cabin.  See where things go from there. 

[deefer]

I still think you should give Urcomped a try .... your pearl status on NCL may get you free/highly discounted cruise.   Might save you some $$.

[Wally Alligator]

Carnival does some matching to get you onboard...https://www.carnival.com/Registration/Promotions/casino-funmatch.aspx

 

Holland America says upload players card however you could try with an NCL offer???? https://oceanplayersclub.com/hollandamericamatch/

 

I tried the Holland America page around 7 or 8 months ago and did not receive a reply so simply booked a HAL cruise for September.  We will see what happens in the casino.

[phillygwm]

On 8/1/2023 at 8:31 PM, Wally Alligator said:

Carnival does some matching to get you onboard...https://www.carnival.com/Registration/Promotions/casino-funmatch.aspx

 

Holland America says upload players card however you could try with an NCL offer???? https://oceanplayersclub.com/hollandamericamatch/

 

I tried the Holland America page around 7 or 8 months ago and did not receive a reply so simply booked a HAL cruise for September.  We will see what happens in the casino.

Thanks for this.  I don't think I fit into the Carnival demographic but would happily try HAL.  My issue, as a solo traveler, is that the single supplement is more than I cared to pay.

 

I just inquired about a MSC cruise via URComped.  We'll see...

[Wally Alligator]

On 8/2/2023 at 9:07 PM, phillygwm said:

Thanks for this.  I don't think I fit into the Carnival demographic but would happily try HAL.  My issue, as a solo traveler, is that the single supplement is more than I cared to pay.

 

I just inquired about a MSC cruise via URComped.  We'll see...

You would probably be surprised about the wide demographic range on Carnival. Common warning to prospectives is to stay away from short 3 or 4 day sailings and this goes double if the sailing is over a weekend. If you start with a casino comp you can forget about the single supplement.  Casino comp rooms are for two people and no surcharge for sailing solo. Royal Caribbean comp rooms follow same practice. We are doing our first HAL cruise the end of this month and will see how their casino program operates. 

[roxievegas]

1 hour ago, Wally Alligator said:

You would probably be surprised about the wide demographic range on Carnival. Common warning to prospectives is to stay away from short 3 or 4 day sailings and this goes double if the sailing is over a weekend. If you start with a casino comp you can forget about the single supplement.  Casino comp rooms are for two people and no surcharge for sailing solo. Royal Caribbean comp rooms follow same practice. We are doing our first HAL cruise the end of this month and will see how their casino program operates. 

we have a certificate for a free inside, planning to upgrade to balcony.  Will  be interested to see how you like their (HAL) casino and what they offer you in the furture

[phillygwm]

5 hours ago, Wally Alligator said:

You would probably be surprised about the wide demographic range on Carnival. Common warning to prospectives is to stay away from short 3 or 4 day sailings and this goes double if the sailing is over a weekend.

Yeah, my very first cruise in 2001 was a weekend booze cruise.  It turned me off to cruising for the next 10 years 🤣  Went back when NCL started with the studio cabins and since then I've had comps, usually balcony.  As you mentioned, single supplement was (almost) never an issue when booking through the casino except when booking the most popular cruise on the newest ship.

 

URComped sent me a few offers which are decent, though I can't easily travel on short notice (I have a few years until retirement!)  Between that and sites that filter cruises with low/no SS, I'll hope to find something!

[KXZ1498]

What's your game?

 

Royal and Celebrity are great but the Ultimate Texas hold'em payouts have been modified (e.g., 4-of-a-kind pays 20:1 instead of 30:1). 

 

I'm surprised you want to move from NCL. They have offered me better rooms (they gave me a Haven Owner's Suite for my next trip) and the admin fee was just added as OBC once I hit Sapphire. Royal, Virgin, Celebrity, MSC have all capped the comped rooms at a junior suite with the same play. 

 

The only thing that Celebrity does better is the free play based on your past trip. But, as a UTH player, each bet is a max pay of 5k, so there is no upside for me despite getting 3K in free play each trip. 

[phillygwm]

5 hours ago, KXZ1498 said:

What's your game?

 

Blackjack.  Some slots when I need a break.

 

5 hours ago, KXZ1498 said:

I'm surprised you want to move from NCL. They have offered me better rooms (they gave me a Haven Owner's Suite for my next trip) and the admin fee was just added as OBC once I hit Sapphire. Royal, Virgin, Celebrity, MSC have all capped the comped rooms at a junior suite with the same play. 

I don't necessarily want to move from NCL; they've always treated me reasonably well and I have a cruise with them in November.  Just want to test the waters.  Casino aside, NCL has cut back on some stuff post-pandemic.  I'm sure other lines have as well but just curious whether another line provides a better value, weighing cost versus overall experience.  

[KXZ1498]

16 hours ago, phillygwm said:

Blackjack.  Some slots when I need a break.

 

I don't necessarily want to move from NCL; they've always treated me reasonably well and I have a cruise with them in November.  Just want to test the waters.  Casino aside, NCL has cut back on some stuff post-pandemic.  I'm sure other lines have as well but just curious whether another line provides a better value, weighing cost versus overall experience.  

 

Got it. If Blackjack is your primary game, Celebrity is probably the best. Freeplay at the beginning (% based on your last trip or freeplay bonus offer) and they take off the back-end. Getting the Sky Suite includes the Retreat which will net you a free bev and internet package. 

 

20 hours at $100 per spot on UTH netted me around 3k in free play for my subsequent trip. Free play could be used for slots or at the tables (play until it loses, not a one-time bet).

[micruiser2002]

On 7/29/2023 at 4:40 PM, deefer said:

 

It seems that Urcomped has been used successfully by others (no personal experience).   There is a thread here that may be helpful.

 

If you frequent Vegas at all - the MGM group of hotels is affiliated with Celebrity/Royal Carribean and usually offer a yearly cruise certificate.   If you reach platinum status with MGM you automatically get a free yearly cruise (I think it's for an inside)

 

We have gold status (one level below platinum) - and have just received a certificate for a 7 day balcony cruise - we are picking it up next week and going to give it a try.  

 

Who did you get the free certificate from for the 7 day balcony cruise?  I am also Gold and have not received any type of cruise offers from MGM?  Was the offer sent from MGM or from RCL/Celebrity?  TY

[def0715]

MGM typically sends the offers in my experience. They sent an email a few months ago about a free cruise certificate promo good on either Celebrity or Royal. There were two sets of dates during which you had to pick up your certificate in person in Vegas. One was this past week. (I was going to do it but had too much going on and canceled my room reservation.) I’m Gold. I think for Gold you get a discount on Celebrity and/or Royal once a year and maybe $150 in casino money. I did fly to Vegas a year or two ago for the same kind of promotion. You had to choose Celebrity or Royal on the spot (at players club desk), then scan a QR code to see which sailings were included. 

[def0715]

That seven-day balcony isn’t something I’m familiar with but good for that person. My offer was good for an inside cabin.

 

Would like to know more about the 7-day balcony deal.

 

Maybe my Gold play was too low to merit a balcony. I don’t think the email had a length. Do you receive emails from MGM? Maybe call if you don’t.

Edited August 11, 2023 by def0715

[deefer]

20 hours ago, micruiser2002 said:

Who did you get the free certificate from for the 7 day balcony cruise?  I am also Gold and have not received any type of cruise offers from MGM?  Was the offer sent from MGM or from RCL/Celebrity?  TY

 

20 hours ago, def0715 said:

Would like to know more about the 7-day balcony deal.

 

So this was the email we got from MGM.....

 

 

And here is the certificate we picked up.....

 

Not sure how we qualified for a balcony as we are only at the gold level (and did not elevate to platinum during the stay when we picked up the certificate).

 

Like def0715 mentioned in a previous post you have to either pick celebrity or Royal Caribbean on the spot when you pick up the certificate.  We did some research ahead of time and decided on a 7 day from Athens in the Spring of 2024 on celebrity.   It's by dumb luck that the cruise we picked is offered by this certificate.   It would be nice if the actual limitations of the certificate were in the initial email so that people can make an informed decision on wether the trip to pick up this certificate will work for them. I saw another persons certificate and their Europe ports were only valid for 2023.  This would not have worked for us with getting vacation from work.

 

The day we picked up the certificate there was only one balcony cabin left on the date we want to sail.  We immediately phoned to book - unfortunately the cerificates had not been uploaded yet so we couldn't apply the certificate.   We got around this by booking a refundable cabin with a credit card and it will be converted to the "free cruise" once Celebrity can see the certificate "uploaded".  We picked up the certificate on Aug 3rd and as of Aug 8th we still could not apply the certificate.  

 

The hold times at Celbrity are over an hour and the are only open M-F.  My next mid week day off is the 15th - will try again then.   I did phone the MGM to ask when the certificates will be uploaded ..... they said they would look into it and let me know - nothing yet.   Not worried about it as we have secured the cabin ..... just an fyi!

 

Let me know if you have any other questions!