Carnival Fascination Slots!!

[merrycali]

Are the slot machines on the Fascination loose or tight? Husband and I are going in June and were just wondering if anyone has played the slots on the Fascination and what they are like.

 

Thanks,

Meredith

[sadiecat]

Are the slot machines on the Fascination loose or tight? Husband and I are going in June and were just wondering if anyone has played the slots on the Fascination and what they are like.

 

Thanks,

Meredith

 

Never been on this ship, but several others and it has been the same on all of them...tight, tight, tight. The maddening thing is I never seem to win anything, DH does not play much, but every cruise he seems to be able to walk up to the first machine he sees and win. Last cruise he did this on a quarter machine and hit for $600. His theory is....always play max coins, which we all know and to play machines that list only wins at the top of the slot...you know those like the red, white and blue machines that pay just a few coins for just about any combination...he totally avoids those. But it all comes to one thing....pure luck.

[RobertandEileen]

I think they are set to 86.4% system wide, as I saw that info once on screen when the machines were disabled on a port day.

Play Black jack, the odds are way better, and it is easy to learn.

[NCTribeFan]

Let's see. In 2001, on my first cruise, on Jubilee, I won $500 on a $0.25 slot (spent about $20). That was a fortune to me. It paid for my excursions and other S&S charges!

 

I don't allocate a large gambling budget. I just can't afford to lose that much. But let's just say I spent the next 4 cruises trying to duplicate that initial win. I would guess I lost more than the original $500. Not a lot more, but probably some.

 

On Miracle, I lost my first $20 in about 5 minutes the first night! Did nothing the 2nd night. Won about $90 one night. On the last day (at sea), I sat down and put back into my little "cash" envelopes that I take where I've allocated money for excursions, tips and gambling so that I was back to even. With what was left over (about $120), I headed to the casino that night.

 

Oh, and I had quite a lot of wine that evening. Had to finish off the bottle in the dining room and had some drink coupons left to use. Anyway, I ended up with two buckets full of $1 tokens when I cashed out. It came to $799!

 

All the winnings that counted for anything were on the Wheel of Fortune slots, mostly the quarter machines until that last night. I don't normally play $1, but I was up about $150 on the $0.25 machine and moved over to the $1 and played until I hit.

 

I came home and put aside $500 to have as gambling cash on my next cruise and the rest went into to bank to pay on my credit card bill for the S&S.

 

I think it's pretty random. Maybe it varies from ship to ship. I wouldn't think so, but I don't think they're governed by any gaming board so they can do what they like with the machines. Since I don't go to Vegas or other sites with gambling, I have no idea what is loose and what is tight. I just play the slots on the ships because I enjoy it. Some times, at least.

[fligster]

Are the slot machines on the Fascination loose or tight? Husband and I are going in June and were just wondering if anyone has played the slots on the Fascination and what they are like.

 

Thanks,

Meredith

 

We were on Fascination in January. I don't know what the payback % is set at, but they were tight for us. We lost a couple of hundred on a 4 day cruise. It was very easy because you can put your S&S card right in the machine and get money that is charged to your account (no fee). If you get money from the casino cashier, they charge you a %3 service fee.

Also, I considered the video slots they had to be "expensive". Max play was like 20x20 credits, or 15x20 etc. So to play max coins it is $3.00-$4.00 a spin. As opposed to A.C or Vegas where you can find the same types of machines for 9x5, 20x5 etc.

[golf43]

We will be on the Fascination in July. Is the casino open while we are in Key West and Cozumel?

[Handsome58]

They are closed while in ports. Once everyone is back on board and the ship leaves......I believe they have to go several miles out to sea then they open back up.

[fligster]

They are closed while in ports. Once everyone is back on board and the ship leaves......I believe they have to go several miles out to sea then they open back up.

 

Also, on the sea day coming back, I think the slots opened at around 9:00 am, and then the table games didn't open until late afternoon or early evening.

[NCTribeFan]

OP, let us know how you do when you return. I'm booked on Fascination for December.

 

I don't use my S&S to gamble. In the "what you should take" threads, a lot of people recommend taking huge wads of $1 bills for tips.

 

I just take a few $100s, and feed one into a slot machine on the first day once we sail. I play for a couple of minutes, then cash out into a bucket, which I take to the cashier. I ask for plenty of ones, which I then take back and put in the safe and pull out as needed for tips/spending on shore.

 

I refuse to pay a service charge to use my own money!

 

And if you haven't already done so, go to Ocean Players Club's website and let them know when you're sailing.

 

In December, there was a plate of chocolate-covered strawberries waiting in our cabin when we boarded, and I received a $15 coupon toward a photo. Not a big deal, but it was nice. And, trust me! I'm not a high roller! ;)