Casino?

[FLcruiser2011]

Any recent news on when we might expect to see a casino -- even a teensy casino -- on Serenity?   Keith?  Anyone?

[Critically Cruising]

For those chomping at the bit for a place to dump their spare cash -- bet they are hoping for it to be installed during the "dash around Africa" with no passengers aboard.

 

My wager -- The Lounge stays.  Most under-utilized space on the ship will be converted - thus, Pulse will be no more.

 

Inside info - no.  Logical thought - perhaps.

[Keith1010]

2 hours ago, FLcruiser2011 said:

Any recent news on when we might expect to see a casino -- even a teensy casino -- on Serenity?   Keith?  Anyone?

No  new updates. 

 

Keith

[Treasure Hunter]

That’s too bad. I was hoping Symphony would have one on our cruise in September. It’s a disappointment. 

[marycruz]

Thought I'd resurface this.   Anyone heard whether casinos are forthcoming?

[Keith1010]

No update. 
 

Keith

[LoveBora]

Yes, they are. This was confirmed by Fernando on the WC, but no timeframe out yet. 

[marycruz]

Thanks.  I hope they can bring it back to both ships.  The casino on Symphony was always fun.  I've never been on Serenity but hope to go later this year.

[PaulMCO]

Casino or no casino.  Just received this survey.  My impression is that Crystal is still undecided as whether they will install casinos. 
 

specific to this are questions

 

Does having a casino influence your desire to cruise Crystal. 
 

If a casino was available would you cruise Crystal.  

 

How much would you use a casino

 

look for this in your email.  

Edited March 18 by PaulMCO

[Cancun01]

Yes we received this survey yesterday.  Looks to me like a decision has not been made.

[FlyerTalker]

2 hours ago, Cancun01 said:

Yes we received this survey yesterday.  Looks to me like a decision has not been made.

 

The sticking point, IMO, is a question of real estate.  It starts with a question about "The Lounge". Is that space to be returned to casino use, yes or no?  If yes, that ends the issue.  But I highly suspect that The Lounge is here to stay.  Especially on Serenity, it provides an area for folks to relax, read, play games, do puzzles and more.

 

Now, if The Lounge is not going back to being a casino, just where are you going to put a casino?  Tear out the Bistro?  The Hollywood?  Elsewhere?  Whatever the choice, it's going to have negative blowback.

 

IMO, Crystal is trying to determine if reintroducing a casino is worth the corresponding downside.  Because there will be some.

 

 

[Stickman1990]

2 hours ago, FlyerTalker said:

.Now, if The Lounge is not going back to being a casino, just where are you going to put a casino?  Tear out the Bistro?  The Hollywood?  Elsewhere?  Whatever the choice, it's going to have negative blowback.

Way to look for a reaction throwing out the Bistro and the Hollywood theatre!m as possible locations!

 

I suspect the Pulse nightclub would be a better alternative on Serenity - although a bit out of the way (not much more than the Hollywood I guess). Haven’t thought about on Symphony but I’m sure there’s a smaller location that could be used 

 

Right now as much as I like the objective of the Lounge for activities like games and puzzles I think it’s too big and the temperature settings need some work as it’s very cold in there - or at least it was for the last 3 weeks. Seeing people rugged up with clothes and with blankets on playing poker as we cruise across the Pacific was very unfortunate and I know they raised it with those responsible but it never got resolved 

 

Interestingly I didn’t get the survey today - so maybe it’s targeted 

 

We've cruised on a few different lines over the last year and aside from Regent who had a larger casino area the others, Silversea and Explora have very small casinos with a coupe of tables and slot machines - I wonder if that were the scale adopted by Crystal if it was acceptable. Interestingly on those other lines the casinos have never been busy when I’ve checked them out including on the evenings 

[CabinBoy2020]

I got the survey also.  My personal experience regarding the lounge on Serenity is that it is overly large, has no windows, is rarely used (at least for the three weeks I was onboard), and very cold (as Stickman reported).  I hope they bring a casino back.

 

Bill

[May B]

22 minutes ago, CabinBoy2020 said:

I got the survey also.  My personal experience regarding the lounge on Serenity is that it is overly large, has no windows, is rarely used (at least for the three weeks I was onboard), and very cold (as Stickman reported).  I hope they bring a casino back.

 

Bill

I agree the lounge was frustratingly cold, but on my cruise in November, it was used by guests watching t.v. (sporting events), playing Scrabble, doing jigsaw puzzles. It’s a great place to stop before or after a show in Galaxy, as long as you’re not looking for bar service.

 

Actually, it worked extremely well as the check-in area, on embarkation day.

 

 

[fisherboe]

Sharing my response to another casino thread, and a suggestion that they're reconsidering:

 

I didn't get that impression at all - the opposite actually. The first question was (paraphrasing here) "Crystal has announced that it will bring back casinos by the end of 2024..." which is a direct acknowledgement of their public commitment.  

 

But the two other questions are an attempt to quantify the impact of casinos - as in, will bookings increase in the near term? Will people spend and how much?  

 

Those are questions you ask if you're trying to make the case to accelerate the timeline - not push it back. If they really wanted to slow-roll it, they aren't going to say anything.    

[Texas Tillie]

2 hours ago, CabinBoy2020 said:

I got the survey also.  My personal experience regarding the lounge on Serenity is that it is overly large, has no windows, is rarely used (at least for the three weeks I was onboard), and very cold (as Stickman reported).  I hope they bring a casino back.

 

Bill

 

They have already said that a new casino will be smaller than the old casino and not in the location of the old casino.

 

Patty

[ryndam]

Pure speculation on my part. No insider or advance knowledge. Just an intuition of fastest/least expensive opportunities requiring minimal investment:

 

Serenity:

1. Sundry/gift shop - deck 7 (former "high roller" room under Genting ownership)

2. The Studio - deck 7

3. Pulse - deck 6

4. Waves/Fantasia - deck 12 (children's & teen's rooms)

5. Lounge - deck 7 (former casino; all or part)

 

Symphony:

1. Jade - deck 6 (former "high roller" room under Genting ownership)

2. Waves/Fantasia - deck 11 (children's & teen's rooms)

3. Lounge - deck 6 (former casino; all or part)

 

Time will tell. No flame-throwing, please. 😉😊

 

Rob

[Treasure Hunter]

This September will be our first Crystal cruise. If we love it ( which we expect to be the case) we will cruise again, but maybe not as often if there is no casino. A casino adds to my enjoyment of my vacation. So we will cruise NCL Haven and Celebrity retreat and Oceania. Princess ( 35 cruises) is now finally adding a suite restaurant and sundeck ( part of the Sanctuary) which will make their suites more attractive. We are booked but did not receive a survey. 

[parallax]

• We were on the Explora in December and there was a big group (friends and family) that traditionally sail on Crystal.   I asked why they weren't on Crystal for this trip and they said it was due to a lack of casino.  A few of them had sailed on NC and they did not like the fact there wasn't a casino.  They wanted that option, especially on cruises with multiple at sea days.  We agree with that sentiment and have not booked an cruises on NC.  We are sticking with Explora and trying Regent.

[Stickman1990]

Crystal have now opened up the survey on Casinos to anyone who wants to respond 

 

You can access the survey at this link 

 

https://survey.aktravelgroup.com/token/6ACBB11A-41AF-4755-9665-EAF3E3A7155B?

[Stereojeff]

The following was posted on the Crystal Society Family Facebook page

 

Crystal Cruises

Admin

  · eoSdtprsonug12u5i4m01hgg4ua291h1i5thmgl938ichflhciit1886i42g  ·

 

Hello Crystal Society Family! As we announced Casinos will be back on board this year, a survey has been sent out for your feedback. If you did not receive the email, please follow the link below to partake in the survey.

We sincerely appreciate your input and look forward to your response.

[PaulMCO]

Another issue is of course finding a company to run a Casino operation.  I have not seen anything in the trades that announces an award.  Plus it is not so simple to plop a table and slot machines on the floor.  There is the space, electrical, cooling, and most important surveillance and a small room for monitoring the gaming.  This was ripped out when Genting (or their creditors) cleaned out the old casinos.

[Texas Tillie]

7 hours ago, PaulMCO said:

Another issue is of course finding a company to run a Casino operation.  I have not seen anything in the trades that announces an award.  Plus it is not so simple to plop a table and slot machines on the floor.  There is the space, electrical, cooling, and most important surveillance and a small room for monitoring the gaming.  This was ripped out when Genting (or their creditors) cleaned out the old casinos.

 

I posted the same thought (with fewer details) on the Crystal Society Facebook page and had a response from Cristina Levis (or an underling posting under her name) that those points aren't the case, but nothing about what is the case!!

 

Patty

[PaulMCO]

21 hours ago, Texas Tillie said:

 

I posted the same thought (with fewer details) on the Crystal Society Facebook page and had a response from Cristina Levis (or an underling posting under her name) that those points aren't the case, but nothing about what is the case!!

 

Patty

That may be the current HQ response, but that was the exact excuse that Crystal made for not restoring the old area as a casino by the former leader Mr. Jack.

[Keith1010]

On 3/19/2024 at 11:03 PM, PaulMCO said:

Another issue is of course finding a company to run a Casino operation.  I have not seen anything in the trades that announces an award.  Plus it is not so simple to plop a table and slot machines on the floor.  There is the space, electrical, cooling, and most important surveillance and a small room for monitoring the gaming.  This was ripped out when Genting (or their creditors) cleaned out the old casinos.

They said from almost the beginning that this would take time and they are far better not to provide a date for the casino to be completed before everything is resolved.  They obviously had ideas as to where it will go before they said they would put casino's on both ships but in smaller footprints.  I also think the survey does one other things which is to get a sense of what people think given they have two new ocean vessels to design.  JMO. 

 

Keith