ALSO Live on the Discovery 2/3-2/10/24 Mexican Riviera

[highloyo]

@KarmaCruisers I’m following along your cruise and enjoying it. Do you find the cruise ship slots a lot tighter than say Vegas or Tahoe? I can never get on a roll in the cruise ship’s casino.

[KarmaCruisers]

1 hour ago, highloyo said:

@KarmaCruisers I’m following along your cruise and enjoying it. Do you find the cruise ship slots a lot tighter than say Vegas or Tahoe? I can never get on a roll in the cruise ship’s casino.

YES.

i played a ton tonight and am now at 52,xxx points; and still $4000 cash (had $5000 but blew $1000 on video poker in short order then said no more!)

I totally forgot to post dinner pictures from Sabatini’s

Frito Misto, Lobster Tortellini, and Osso Bucco

[KarmaCruisers]

Going to bed at a decent hour this evening (midnight)

going to get up at 9; to go to the morning events and stuff

[Thrak]

On 2/6/2024 at 7:44 PM, KarmaCruisers said:

14oz ribeye with mashed taters and spergus

It was cooked PERFECTLY medium rare. Very good

 

This picture just killed me. I want it. I want it now!!!

[KarmaCruisers]

So today was a brutal day on video poker..puked through the last $4000 with no breath of a win.

that’s a wrap for the casino as the card my stateroom is on can’t take anymore haha. (Maxed out)

i ended up with 54,000 points; I actually had a pretty lengthy conversation with a fella playing next to me about Ocean Casino and their marketing strategies..he said he always thought it was based on how many points you earned..although he was an elite and unfortunately forgot what his offers looked like before he was barely platinum. 
I rebutted that it’s definitely not based on points (unfortunately) because I’ve earned around the same amount on all five princess cruises and my offers went from a good CBS on the first one; to not even GETTING A CBS offer.

i then told him; the marketing data as best I can gather is based on how much money you HAVE (not what you SPEND); to which I said “if you have an Amex black or chase sapphire or the likes for your room creditcard; that’s why you’re getting offers” and he said “wow I can’t believe you called that; indeed I DO have an Amex Black for my room”…he was surprised I knew as much as I did..

 

i would get like an Amex Black or Chase Sapphire (fico8 is 845) but I can’t justify the annual fee to HAVE that card. (I don’t fly often, and when I do I get to the airport just minutes before boarding usually)

plus I am not liquid and my funds are all in mutual funds, RSU’s and properties (ie: ASSETS that don’t really show up on datapoints marketing companies can see)

[New2cruise2022]

49 minutes ago, KarmaCruisers said:

So today was a brutal day on video poker..puked through the last $4000 with no breath of a win.

that’s a wrap for the casino as the card my stateroom is on can’t take anymore haha. (Maxed out)

i ended up with 54,000 points; I actually had a pretty lengthy conversation with a fella playing next to me about Ocean Casino and their marketing strategies..he said he always thought it was based on how many points you earned..although he was an elite and unfortunately forgot what his offers looked like before he was barely platinum. 
I rebutted that it’s definitely not based on points (unfortunately) because I’ve earned around the same amount on all five princess cruises and my offers went from a good CBS on the first one; to not even GETTING A CBS offer.

i then told him; the marketing data as best I can gather is based on how much money you HAVE (not what you SPEND); to which I said “if you have an Amex black or chase sapphire or the likes for your room creditcard; that’s why you’re getting offers” and he said “wow I can’t believe you called that; indeed I DO have an Amex Black for my room”…he was surprised I knew as much as I did..

 

i would get like an Amex Black or Chase Sapphire (fico8 is 845) but I can’t justify the annual fee to HAVE that card. (I don’t fly often, and when I do I get to the airport just minutes before boarding usually)

plus I am not liquid and my funds are all in mutual funds, RSU’s and properties (ie: ASSETS that don’t really show up on datapoints marketing companies can see)

I think what card they place on their state room is an OK date point. And I don’t doubt that you’re right about it. But the way the machines work coupled with the data, collecting power of the medallion, I want to see who’s in the casino. I want to know how long they are in the casino. I want to know what hours they’re in the casino. I want to know if they’re on the ship during port days or off the ship during port days. Someone can have all the money in the world, but if they’re stingy on their time in the casino, then what’s the point? 

[New2cruise2022]

I should correct my last statement about port days. Forgetting that the casino is usually closed while in Port. My bad.

Edited February 9 by New2cruise2022
Typo

[KarmaCruisers]

1 hour ago, New2cruise2022 said:

I think what card they place on their state room is an OK date point. And I don’t doubt that you’re right about it. But the way the machines work coupled with the data, collecting power of the medallion, I want to see who’s in the casino. I want to know how long they are in the casino. I want to know what hours they’re in the casino. I want to know if they’re on the ship during port days or off the ship during port days. Someone can have all the money in the world, but if they’re stingy on their time in the casino, then what’s the point? 

This is a good question..but the only explanation of why I do not get commensurate offers from OceanCasino.

A lot of time these companies are giant data warehouse’s..but they don’t pay salaries high enough for people intelligent enough to actually maximize the data’s value..

while they plod along making $$$; they could be making $$$$$$$ if they invested in good data scientists and analytics folks.

Even land based casinos have issues with this..although sometimes you’ll find people who hire the right folks (ala: Cosmo, when Kevin Sweet ran the casino floor)

 

im sure @c-boy is going to ask me “then why do you continue to play??”

because I’m an addict and lonely!

Edited February 9 by KarmaCruisers

[KarmaCruisers]

Forgot dinner pictures from tonight

and yes; the piece of meat was like 3” diameter.

[New2cruise2022]

1 hour ago, KarmaCruisers said:

This is a good question..but the only explanation of why I do not get commensurate offers from OceanCasino.

A lot of time these companies are giant data warehouse’s..but they don’t pay salaries high enough for people intelligent enough to actually maximize the data’s value..

while they plod along making $$$; they could be making $$$$$$$ if they invested in good data scientists and analytics folks.

Even land based casinos have issues with this..although sometimes you’ll find people who hire the right folks (ala: Cosmo, when Kevin Sweet ran the casino floor)

 

im sure @c-boy is going to ask me “then why do you continue to play??”

because I’m an addict and lonely!

The companies that figure out how treat data like gold are the ones that move from $$$ to $$$$$$$$$$$$

[roxievegas]

15 hours ago, KarmaCruisers said:

So today was a brutal day on video poker..puked through the last $4000 with no breath of a win.

that’s a wrap for the casino as the card my stateroom is on can’t take anymore haha. (Maxed out)

i ended up with 54,000 points; I actually had a pretty lengthy conversation with a fella playing next to me about Ocean Casino and their marketing strategies..he said he always thought it was based on how many points you earned..although he was an elite and unfortunately forgot what his offers looked like before he was barely platinum. 
I rebutted that it’s definitely not based on points (unfortunately) because I’ve earned around the same amount on all five princess cruises and my offers went from a good CBS on the first one; to not even GETTING A CBS offer.

i then told him; the marketing data as best I can gather is based on how much money you HAVE (not what you SPEND); to which I said “if you have an Amex black or chase sapphire or the likes for your room creditcard; that’s why you’re getting offers” and he said “wow I can’t believe you called that; indeed I DO have an Amex Black for my room”…he was surprised I knew as much as I did..

 

i would get like an Amex Black or Chase Sapphire (fico8 is 845) but I can’t justify the annual fee to HAVE that card. (I don’t fly often, and when I do I get to the airport just minutes before boarding usually)

plus I am not liquid and my funds are all in mutual funds, RSU’s and properties (ie: ASSETS that don’t really show up on datapoints marketing companies can see)

please let us know what your 54,000 points gets you with the "come back and play offer"

I never get more than 4,000 so your 54,000 would be out of reach for me

[KarmaCruisers]

Look what showed up..so it’s obvious that the last day DOESN’T count in the casino.

[JGmf]

On 2/4/2024 at 3:52 PM, KarmaCruisers said:

I had to resort to using Tabasco

 

 Yes, it's a rather unfortunate fault of many cruise lines that Tabasco is the ##)$@! "hot sauce" they offer.  A small thing, I know, but for a lot of us it's WAY more important than butter.

[Cruisingisthebestfun]

19 minutes ago, KarmaCruisers said:

Look what showed up..so it’s obvious that the last day DOESN’T count in the casino.

Congratulations!!

you will receive more good offers by email. 
thanks for the live thread.  

[JGmf]

Thanks for time and effort for posting this report.  As fellow gambler, it's one of the best play-by-play live reports from the casino experience perspective. 

 

Your bounce-back offer is very good.  Heads up that it takes a while (4+ weeks) for the booking agents to see that offer in their 'system' should you want to jump on it soon. Recommend you use a Cruise Vacation Planner to help push the offer along.

[c-boy]

53 minutes ago, KarmaCruisers said:

Look what showed up..so it’s obvious that the last day DOESN’T count in the casino.

always nice to see when you return to your cabin. 

[partybarbie]

Congratulations to you and thanks for the live report. Loved following along on your adventures. Best of luck to you and safe travels home tomorrow.

Edited February 9 by partybarbie

[KarmaCruisers]

26 minutes ago, JGmf said:

Thanks for time and effort for posting this report.  As fellow gambler, it's one of the best play-by-play live reports from the casino experience perspective. 

 

Your bounce-back offer is very good.  Heads up that it takes a while (4+ weeks) for the booking agents to see that offer in their 'system' should you want to jump on it soon. Recommend you use a Cruise Vacation Planner to help push the offer along.

I actually used to have a decent PVP; he was straight up with me that he couldn’t touch anything casino offer related..but he was replaced with an absolute moron-bot, who just uses the pre-generated emails to blast my box (even though I’ve told him..I mean I THINK it’s a him anyway..”Ove”?) that my WIFE’S emails are ALSO coming to my mailbox! 
I’ll give Manila a call on the 21st; I’d like to use it on an Alaska cruise..but I want to sail on a Royal class; but the only thing out of SF is the Crown…

[KarmaCruisers]

1 minute ago, partybarbie said:

Congratulations to you and thanks for the live report. Loved following along on your adventures. Best of luck to you and safe travels home tomorrow.

Thanks.

[memoak]

3 minutes ago, KarmaCruisers said:

I actually used to have a decent PVP; he was straight up with me that he couldn’t touch anything casino offer related..but he was replaced with an absolute moron-bot, who just uses the pre-generated emails to blast my box (even though I’ve told him..I mean I THINK it’s a him anyway..”Ove”?) that my WIFE’S emails are ALSO coming to my mailbox! 
I’ll give Manila a call on the 21st; I’d like to use it on an Alaska cruise..but I want to sail on a Royal class; but the only thing out of SF is the Crown…

CVP’s can handle all casino deals like the ones you get in the mail but cannot deal with bounce back offers you get on ship. On those best to go through casino offshore group and then get your CVP to clean up all the mistakes they make like adding on transfers you don’t want etc.

[KarmaCruisers]

9 minutes ago, memoak said:

CVP’s can handle all casino deals like the ones you get in the mail but cannot deal with bounce back offers you get on ship. On those best to go through casino offshore group and then get your CVP to clean up all the mistakes they make like adding on transfers you don’t want etc.

I actually run a few offshore houses; so me and my Filipino friends click and I know exactly how to make sure I get what I need.

My “corporate” offers; I can absolutely book myself online; that’s why I say..my current PVP is a moron-bot.

[New2cruise2022]

1 hour ago, KarmaCruisers said:

Look what showed up..so it’s obvious that the last day DOESN’T count in the casino.

That’s great. Congrats

[DavidsNana]

Thanks for this "Live From".  I am not a big gambler but I have thoroughly enjoyed your style and candid report of this solo trip for you.  I have often wondered just how much and what it takes to get the good Casino Offers.   I also love the ones that you and your wife post when she is with you.  Hope you both can take advantage of that great offer and have a fabulous time.

[KarmaCruisers]

22 minutes ago, DavidsNana said:

Thanks for this "Live From".  I am not a big gambler but I have thoroughly enjoyed your style and candid report of this solo trip for you.  I have often wondered just how much and what it takes to get the good Casino Offers.   I also love the ones that you and your wife post when she is with you.  Hope you both can take advantage of that great offer and have a fabulous time.

Thanks! 
I do wonder what the minimum points required for this (which I can only assume IS the top offer)

if it was indeed 50,000 points…that is an EXPECTED loss of $10,000. However, with the CCL creditcard; you’d get $7,500 CASHBACK..so you’d actually only have an expected loss of $2500…which if you were guaranteed to get this offer of $2500 freeplay..you’re actually doing a “break even” play…

The only caveat, is you’d need a CCL credit card limit of $250,000!

Even if you scaled that down to earning 5,000 points (which I’m not 100% sure would get you anything)..but MAYBE like an interior and $250 freeplay. 
Unfortunately my CCL creditcard limit is only $10,000 (ie: why I couldn’t lose any more)

[memoak]

3 minutes ago, KarmaCruisers said:

Thanks! 
I do wonder what the minimum points required for this (which I can only assume IS the top offer)

if it was indeed 50,000 points…that is an EXPECTED loss of $10,000. However, with the CCL creditcard; you’d get $7,500 CASHBACK..so you’d actually only have an expected loss of $2500…which if you were guaranteed to get this offer of $2500 freeplay..you’re actually doing a “break even” play…

The only caveat, is you’d need a CCL credit card limit of $250,000!

Even if you scaled that down to earning 5,000 points (which I’m not 100% sure would get you anything)..but MAYBE like an interior and $250 freeplay. 
Unfortunately my CCL creditcard limit is only $10,000 (ie: why I couldn’t lose any more)

We usually have $8,000  - 10,000 points each on most cruises and we can get free balconies and between $400 and $600 in free play. I think $5,000 might get you a 30% discount but I doubt free cabins and free play