How many points in casino needed for free cruise offers?

[mz-s]

1 hour ago, KarmaCruisers said:

Here’s the trick to getting free cruises 

1. The credit card you use for your on-board folio..use a Amex Black or other TOP credit card with either no limit or a HIGH limit.

2. Earn 4000+ points on your casino account, playing machines (slots or video poker; the earn rate is $2.50/$5, respectively)

3. Don’t play on the day before debark (no point, the point totals have alresdy been sent to corporate at midnight)

4. DONT CHASE COMPS! For 4000 points they’ll probably “comp” an interior room “fare only”; which if you even put $1 in a slot machine you’ll get discounted rates to only a few hundreds.

 

LOL how many Amex black cardholders do you think cruise Carnival and are begging for free cruises? Not many I would reckon. Do you expect to be taken seriously?

[audcc77]

22 minutes ago, weezal said:

you might get premier offer, earning 1k pt/day on avg.

estimate 2k for ultra, 3k for elite

Thanks. Well, I already have a couple Premier offers.  I went on an Ultra on MardiGras last year and was not impressed.

 

I keep hearing about Elites.  I don’t think I gamble enough though. 😞

[Elaine5715]

1 hour ago, audcc77 said:

Pfft.  Nope. I’ve never had use for a debit card.  Ever. 
 

Always paid credit; always paid it off each month.  I just only buy things I need.  Like gambling and cruises.  🙂

 

Always reaped the benefits of cash back, free airfare, etc. 

 

Again, before I give up all hope, I’ll wait and see what happens in a few weeks.  

 

Come on Elite! 🤞

The example wasn't personal.  

[Elaine5715]

1 hour ago, mz-s said:

 

LOL how many Amex black cardholders do you think cruise Carnival and are begging for free cruises? Not many I would reckon. Do you expect to be taken seriously?

No one likes a freebie more than the wealthy.  The Oscar goodie Bag was worth more than $126k

Edited March 14 by Elaine5715

[KarmaCruisers]

2 hours ago, mz-s said:

 

LOL how many Amex black cardholders do you think cruise Carnival and are begging for free cruises? Not many I would reckon. Do you expect to be taken seriously?

I’ve met QUITE A FEW who told me they got free cruises and when I watched them play over the course of a 10-day Alaska cruise they only bet minimum on Heads-Up Hold’Em; so I personally asked them if they were using an Amex Black or Chase Sapphire Reserve credit card on file for the cruise and they said “how did you know?”

even carnival has folks who, in their personal life have access to big money..they just choose to cruise the “value” line.

[MaryZ]

28 minutes ago, KarmaCruisers said:

I’ve met QUITE A FEW who told me they got free cruises and when I watched them play over the course of a 10-day Alaska cruise they only bet minimum on Heads-Up Hold’Em; so I personally asked them if they were using an Amex Black or Chase Sapphire Reserve credit card on file for the cruise and they said “how did you know?”

even carnival has folks who, in their personal life have access to big money..they just choose to cruise the “value” line.

Seriously?
I find this hilarious.
 

[KarmaCruisers]

28 minutes ago, MaryZ said:

Seriously?
I find this hilarious.
 

What exactly?

I can with certainty, tell you, (like others here have) that casino points ALONE doesn’t contribute to what offers you get from corporate.

The cruise line wants people who have ACCESS to money, on their ship. It’s just a numbers game..the more folks with ACCESS to money on the ship, the more likelihood SOME of them will SPEND it.

[DallasGuy75219]

3 hours ago, kwokpot said:

You talk as if everyone can get an AMEX Black card. It doesn't work that way. You have to be invited, and among the qualifications is spending at least $250,000-$500,000 in charges on AMEX cards. The annual fee for that card is $5,000 and the initiation fee is $10,000.

And 99% of AMEX Black cardholders have no interest in slumming it with the unwashed masses on Carnival.  They're sailing Virgin, Celebrity, or one of the luxury lines.

[DallasGuy75219]

1 hour ago, KarmaCruisers said:

I’ve met QUITE A FEW who told me they got free cruises and when I watched them play over the course of a 10-day Alaska cruise they only bet minimum on Heads-Up Hold’Em; so I personally asked them if they were using an Amex Black or Chase Sapphire Reserve credit card on file for the cruise and they said “how did you know?”

even carnival has folks who, in their personal life have access to big money..they just choose to cruise the “value” line.

If someone asked me a personal and nosy question like that, I'd lie too.

Edited March 14 by DallasGuy75219

[MaryZ]

19 minutes ago, KarmaCruisers said:

What exactly?

I can with certainty, tell you, (like others here have) that casino points ALONE doesn’t contribute to what offers you get from corporate.

The cruise line wants people who have ACCESS to money, on their ship. It’s just a numbers game..the more folks with ACCESS to money on the ship, the more likelihood SOME of them will SPEND it.

I have to say if you asked me, I would probably just say why, are you auditioning to be my financial advisor?  And then tell you to stfu
Did you mother not teach you it's never polite to ask people about their finances?

What the casino can see is all your lines of credit with other casinos.  There is a central database for that.  They can see how you pay back your markers.  That's often how out of the blue you'll get offers for a casino you've never been to.
When you apply for a line of credit, they check your credit.  So now they know more about you.  But only what's on Experian or whatever agency they use.
In effect, they don't know your disposable income, only how you use credit.

The Amex Centurion card is meant for the 1%'s.  Unless you spend a min of 250k a year on amex for more than a few years, if you're not a celebrity, have a salary of 1+million, and have a credit score in the high 800's  you will never get an invitation. 

I don't think the people playing minimum (your description) at Carnival's poker tables are going to be in that 1%....lol

So I find your insight....hilarious.

 

[KarmaCruisers]

Cool bro

[kwokpot]

12 hours ago, MaryZ said:

I have to say if you asked me, I would probably just say why, are you auditioning to be my financial advisor?  And then tell you to stfu
Did you mother not teach you it's never polite to ask people about their finances?

What the casino can see is all your lines of credit with other casinos.  There is a central database for that.  They can see how you pay back your markers.  That's often how out of the blue you'll get offers for a casino you've never been to.
When you apply for a line of credit, they check your credit.  So now they know more about you.  But only what's on Experian or whatever agency they use.
In effect, they don't know your disposable income, only how you use credit.

The Amex Centurion card is meant for the 1%'s.  Unless you spend a min of 250k a year on amex for more than a few years, if you're not a celebrity, have a salary of 1+million, and have a credit score in the high 800's  you will never get an invitation. 

I don't think the people playing minimum (your description) at Carnival's poker tables are going to be in that 1%....lol

So I find your insight....hilarious.

 

Having said all the for the average Joe, so to speak, the BEST Credit cards to use on cruiseships are the AMEX Green and Chase Sapphire Reserve which gives 3X points on all travel charges, and the Chase Sapphire Preferred which is 2X point on travel.  My husband uses the Sapphire Reserve or Amex Green on all of our cruises to pull out money (via room charges through the Slot machines or the Cashier) for slot play. It can vary from $2,000 to a high of $10,000 which gives use between 6,000-30,000 points for use for travel, usually for airfare or hotel stays. We transfer the points to the allowable airline and/or hotel partners. 

[ineedadisplayname1Vbbjhju]

what is considered free? I have booked cruises because I gambled and it was 100 a person plus port fees and 200 OBC , so i paid between 470-530 for 2 people room with window and drinks on us for just me. Is this what they considered free?

[weezal]

2 minutes ago, ineedadisplayname1Vbbjhju said:

what is considered free? I have booked cruises because I gambled and it was 100 a person plus port fees and 200 OBC , so i paid between 470-530 for 2 people room with window and drinks on us for just me. Is this what they considered free?

free cabin fare, can't escape the taxes/fees

[weezal]

35 minutes ago, kwokpot said:

the BEST Credit cards to use on cruiseships are the AMEX Green and Chase Sapphire Reserve which gives 3X points on all travel charge

us bank altitude reserve is another great one, for travel spending

[mz-s]

22 minutes ago, ineedadisplayname1Vbbjhju said:

what is considered free? I have booked cruises because I gambled and it was 100 a person plus port fees and 200 OBC , so i paid between 470-530 for 2 people room with window and drinks on us for just me. Is this what they considered free?

 

That's free in my book - free room fare since the deposit is refunded as OBC. Uncle Sam will always get his due.

[edrussell]

I consider 'free' a fully COMP'd base fare.  Taxes and port fees are always going to be charged.  With Carnival we also get the 'deposit' back in OBC.

 

[sgttami]

I gave up speculating on how Carnival decides to comp people and tired of being asked how much I spend blah blah to get what I get.

 

As long as the offers keep coming I won't worry how they figure it all out.

 

Smooth sailing!

[mz-s]

Everyone knows it's always one more than you're willing to play.

 

It's the next spin that will pay the huge bonus.

 

The next number will hit on roulette.

 

The next hand will earn you enough points to get a comped suite.

 

Etc.

[asalligo]

I can tell you I played a minimum of 30 minutes a day for a seven-day cruise and racked up 600 points at the end and I got no offers at all. This made me swear off trying as I hated spending 30 minutes a day in the Casino. There is just so much I love doing on a cruise ship and this is not one of them. 

[IntrepidFromDC]

On 3/13/2024 at 10:57 PM, KarmaCruisers said:

I’ve met QUITE A FEW who told me they got free cruises and when I watched them play over the course of a 10-day Alaska cruise they only bet minimum on Heads-Up Hold’Em; so I personally asked them if they were using an Amex Black or Chase Sapphire Reserve credit card on file for the cruise and they said “how did you know?”

even carnival has folks who, in their personal life have access to big money..they just choose to cruise the “value” line.

Then you can add Citi Cashback to your list of "preferred credit cards" because I bet minimum on Heads-Up Hold'Em and that's the only game I play - and all my charges go to my Cashback card.

Edited March 15 by IntrepidFromDC

[TravelBluebird]

On 3/13/2024 at 9:59 AM, Elaine5715 said:

owns a business, holds the Costco Plus card and paid for their cruise with a Delta Business Reserve card.   

 

Well that describes me pretty well (I put all my travel on my Delta Business Reserve). Never considered if that would influence the casino offers. I also regularly spend other $$ on the ship for excursions, specialty restaurants, spa etc.

 

I’m not a huge gambler—my points are mostly at or under the 3,000 range in a cruise. As others have said, just too many other things to do on a ship that I enjoy! However, I DO enjoy gambling, especially late in the evening, and I am in the casino most days of a cruise. My offers tend to be free interiors, plus Premier and Ultra cruises, or choose your own cruise with discounted rates and free play and DOU in casino only.  

 

This is all very lovely, and more fun and makes it much cheaper to cruise Carnival than on the other large cruise lines, and definitely has helped cement my loyalty to Carnival. Honestly, their casinos are the most fun as well, and the gambling has to be fun for me while I’m earning those points!

[weezal]

3 hours ago, asalligo said:

I can tell you I played a minimum of 30 minutes a day for a seven-day cruise and racked up 600 points at the end and I got no offers at all. This made me swear off trying as I hated spending 30 minutes a day in the Casino. There is just so much I love doing on a cruise ship and this is not one of them. 

it's not the amount of time you're in the casino playing, but rather the coin-in that determines points earned.

[StephPS79]

59 minutes ago, weezal said:

it's not the amount of time you're in the casino playing, but rather the coin-in that determines points earned.

 

Is there any source of confirmation for this?  There have been many mentions of "how long" you spend in the casino as a tick-mark on the ideal player.  Vegas certainly does everything they can to keep you in the casino, as it is a well-regarded theory that the longer you sit, the more you lose.

[weezal]

Just now, StephPS79 said:

 

Is there any source of confirmation for this?  There have been many mentions of "how long" you spend in the casino as a tick-mark on the ideal player.  Vegas certainly does everything they can to keep you in the casino, as it is a well-regarded theory that the longer you sit, the more you lose.

1 pt = $2.5 coin in

for example, player betting $10/spin is more valuable to the casino, than another player at $1/spin, even though they spend the same amount of time on the slots