3% fee in casinos - read & contribute if you JUST got back from a cruise

[PhoenixCruiser]

Maybe your right with the Sea Pass Account ? Thanks for "Nice edit" comment..:D Your usually much nicer to me then here tonight so I better quit while I'm behind..:) Have a great night Phoenix.:D

 

The nice edit comment was referring to your statement that I am getting a commission and perhaps an RCI employee...both are far from the truth.

 

You too have a great evening, I guess we will have to agree to disagree :)

 

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[Lightsluvr]

Yes, no problem at all.

 

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Where?

 

LL

[prc]

We just returned from the 9/5 Radiance southbound sailing. As we are from Houston, I grabbed an extra $500 from the casino, as I knew we would not be flying home the 12th (heck, I didn't know if we would have a house to go home to!). The extra $15 for the ability to do it meant nothing to me. Yes, some would consider that abusing the system because I didn't get it for use in the casino, but so be it...I had other things on my mind. Would I feel different about the 3% under "normal" circumstances...maybe.

 

btw...the 4 of us (we took my parents) were stuck in Vancouver for 4 days. We finally did get home late on the 16th, and we did have a house...we were EXTREMELY fortunate compared to so many others in our area.

[BudB]

We sailed on the Monarch 9/1/08 and the 3% fee was posted at the casino and charged to your seapass.

[Merion_Mom]

You are way behind the RCI sneaky curve...:rolleyes: They were charging it in January on the Voyager and in June on the Radiance. It (quietly) went into effect late 2007.

 

No, LL, it is you who missed the point.

 

The reports have been trickling in about various ships charging the fee, and other ships not.

 

The cashier on the Liberty on 8/24 told me that it was NOW, as of the previous week, rolled out fleetwide.

 

I was asking people to post their experiences AS OF MID-AUGUST to test her assertion.

[Merion_Mom]

Where?

 

LL

 

At the Purser's Desk (Guest Relations).

[Merion_Mom]

Some of you are performing faulty math, to your own detriment.

 

The ATM on board charges a flat $6 per withdrawal, regardless of the amount taken. (check with your own bank to find out if THEY add a fee for using a machine which isn't theirs - mine doesn't charge me).

 

This means that if you want MORE than $200 in cash, you are better off at the ATM. (3% of $200 = $6)

[Lightsluvr]

Some of you are performing faulty math, to your own detriment.

 

The ATM on board charges a flat $6 per withdrawal, regardless of the amount taken. (check with your own bank to find out if THEY add a fee for using a machine which isn't theirs - mine doesn't charge me).

 

This means that if you want MORE than $200 in cash, you are better off at the ATM. (3% of $200 = $6)

 

Mom... don't forget the fee charged by your own bank tacked on for use of an "international" ATM... :rolleyes:

 

LL

[uksimonusa]

Mom... don't forget the fee charged by your own bank tacked on for use of an "international" ATM... :rolleyes:

 

LL

 

I don't think the ATM's onboard are classed as International, I think they are operated by Bank Atlantic, which I believe is a Florida ased bank and therefore domestic

[redbaroness]

I just returned from Monarch of the Seas. I've always charged my casino chips to my shipboard account (it's a shipboard charge to them. Yes what ever the credit card company charges them for charges would apply, but it's not listed the same as a cash advance). I don't like to carry large sums of cash with me so I preferred putting my chips on my shipboard account. (I don't have any shipboard credits from bookings etc, so we aren't talking trying to convert those to cash.)

 

What I object to the most is I usually get my chips at the table. There was no sign there to inform one of this 3% charge. I just happened to notice that "there may be a charge" on a sign at the cashiers cage when I was helping a friend turn in slot winnings, and asked the cashier about it. Every day in the Cruise Compass they let us know we could get up to $2000 on our seapass card. Never was there a mention of a 3% charge for this service. I think that's a little bit underhanded of RCI. Be up front about the charge, and post it everywhere people may be getting their chips!

 

The cashier made no differentiation between using the funds to gamble or getting cash for ports. It was simply if I bought chips there was a 3% charge. So I didn't gamble last trip - RCI lost more by my not gambling than they would have gained from the 3% charge. But they aren't getting me on both ends. Sorry RCI you lost this bet with me.

[Bakincakes]

Um..if you are using a credit card to get cash it isn't your money unless you have prepaid on that credit card and are using that positive balance. Anything else is a loan from whatever bank gave you that card. RCI is charged a fee for every transaction you make on their ships even if you are drawing from a positive balance on your credit card. Oh well.

 

Thank those that abused that system in order to pad their RCI points.:)

[BecciBoo]

Jeesh, it's all about that abuse isn't it:rolleyes:

Hi Carol: Mariner as of last week charged it! Had a great trip!

[Captain Jake]

Um..if you are using a credit card to get cash it isn't your money unless you have prepaid on that credit card and are using that positive balance. Anything else is a loan from whatever bank gave you that card. RCI is charged a fee for every transaction you make on their ships even if you are drawing from a positive balance on your credit card. Oh well.

 

Thank those that abused that system in order to pad their RCI points.:)

 

RCI's high ATM fee's also encouraged folks to use the casino to get cash

[VASOXFANN]

We're not gamblers, but we did notice in the Compass that a fee would apply to cash advances from the casino :(

[lovelife]

Just off Grandeur. I asked and they did charge 3% in the casino.

[Tranquil Waters]

Thank those that abused that system in order to pad their RCI points.:)

 

I prefer to "thank" the current corporate bean counters that are looking for every way possible to take my money and give it to RCI (while providing less and less product in the process) - since this is where these changes are coming from. But I have no doubt, however, that RCI loves it when posters are silly enough to put the blame elsewhere. :rolleyes:

[Bakincakes]

I prefer to "thank" the current corporate bean counters that are looking for every way possible to take my money and give it to RCI (while providing less and less product in the process) - since this is where these changes are coming from. But I have no doubt, however, that RCI loves it when posters are silly enough to put the blame elsewhere. :rolleyes:

 

 

Oh absolutely.

 

I'm sure that the fact that many pax were taking the $2000 limit, everyday, and racking up points while they were at it had nothing to do with it.:rolleyes: I'm also sure that everyone that took cash from the casino were using it in the casino and not for shopping.:p

 

I'm sure that RCI loved it when pax posted on sites like this and gave out "sound" advice on how to get cash and avoid the ATM fees. Dumb and then even dumber.:D

 

And it isn't your money unless you had a positive balance on your CC. It is a loan from the bank that issues your card. RCI has every right to charge you for lending you their money.:)

[piercetc4]

we actually use the money we get from casino cashier to gamble with.......guess now we'll just have to bring that with us-

does guest relations charge you for cashing a check? will they only do travelers checks? is there a fee for travelers checks?...............sorry so many questions- thanks for any input-

[Myloan6]

Yes, it is truth. If you just want to get cash from the cashier using your credit card, then there is a 3% charge. ATM charge $6 per transaction.

[Tranquil Waters]

Oh absolutely.

 

I'm sure that the fact that many pax were taking the $2000 limit, everyday, and racking up points while they were at it had nothing to do with it. I'm also sure that everyone that took cash from the casino were using it in the casino and not for shopping.

 

I'm sure that RCI loved it when pax posted on sites like this and gave out "sound" advice on how to get cash and avoid the ATM fees. Dumb and then even dumber.

 

And it isn't your money unless you had a positive balance on your CC. It is a loan from the bank that issues your card. RCI has every right to charge you for lending you their money.

 

Oh, right. Like corporate bean counters couldn't have figured out a way to charge pax without CC...... :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: .

 

It was a way to increase charges - like charging $14.95 for steak alternate. Like stopping pax from bringing wine on board. Plain and simple.

 

All these services/policies have been part of cruising for years - free alternatives to the offerings in MDR, cash from the casino, ability to bring alcohol on board. And any so called "abuses" of said pax benefits have gone on for years.

 

These changes are all part of the current trend to keep RCI profits high. A business principle that I certainly understand (until you drive your customer base away anyway :D ). But call it what it is. Don't try to blame the pax for goodness sake! :rolleyes:

[temple1]

I am so confused! I've never taken cash out of the casino :( (I normally make a donation) so I don't completely understand. I did try to ask on my Enchantment cruise because of faulty math I was cash short and did not have cash with me for the casino the person at the teller window only directed me to the ATM - which I refuse to use. I had a seapass, credit card and debit card but not much hard money.

 

So what are my options if I find myself in such a situation in the future? Is an advance on the SeaPass considered a credit card advance and I will be charged a fee even if my Seapass has an on-board credit?

I don't carry checks when I travel, will the purser's desk cash a check? or should I stop at the bank for a few Traveler's checks before leaving home?

 

I don't have an issue with the charge - (at least I don't think I do) but I never plan to actually make use of it either.

[piercetc4]

temple1- if you ask for cash at the casino cashier (is charged to your sea pass acct) they will take a 3% transaction fee out as well- in the past they didnt charge this fee- it is a realitively new thing-

from what i have read- bring travelers checks- or cash- if you dont want to use the atm onboard or pay the 3% fee......... not sure about cashing reg. checks yet- :)

[MikeTheActuary]

Yes, it is truth. If you just want to get cash from the cashier using your credit card, then there is a 3% charge. ATM charge $6 per transaction.

 

In other words, if you don't carry cash or travelers checks, it's still cheaper to get cash off your account from the casino, than it is to hit the ATM, if you're pulling out $200 or less.

[mjyanne]

I am so confused! I've never taken cash out of the casino :( (I normally make a donation) so I don't completely understand. I did try to ask on my Enchantment cruise because of faulty math I was cash short and did not have cash with me for the casino the person at the teller window only directed me to the ATM - which I refuse to use. I had a seapass, credit card and debit card but not much hard money.

 

So what are my options if I find myself in such a situation in the future? Is an advance on the SeaPass considered a credit card advance and I will be charged a fee even if my Seapass has an on-board credit?

I don't carry checks when I travel, will the purser's desk cash a check? or should I stop at the bank for a few Traveler's checks before leaving home?

 

I don't have an issue with the charge - (at least I don't think I do) but I never plan to actually make use of it either.

 

Just returned from a cruise on Adventure (9/21/08 sailing). They are charging the 3% fee. I had an onboard credit ($850). Took $300 on my sea pass card in the casino and told the pit boss I refused to pay the fee to use my money. She said she would waive it this time but any future requests would be charged 3%. If I wanted to avoid the charge I had to go to guest relations and get the advance from them. This is only available if you have a negative balance.

 

BTW my final sea pass bill...$26.

[dixieva]

I'm just off the Grandeur and they were charging the 3% fee for getting cash in the casino.