Interesting Casino Subsidy Discussion...

[TexasCPA]

I had a very interesting discussion with the Casino Manager on the Celebrity Galaxy in 2005. As we often do, after boarding the ship my wife and I usually each take about 30-45 minutes to wander around the ship using the deck plan cards they usually leave in the stateroom (if they're not in place in your cabin, go see the purser as they usually have a stack there on embarkation day).

 

During my wanderings, I went through the (then empty) casino and paused to read the rules on some the games. The casino manager (from Australia) was there and we struck up a friendly conversation for about 25 minutes or so. I then asked him to tell how much money the casino brings in over the course of the cruise. He told me that he could not tell me that figure. After some probing, he did tell me that were it not for the money brought in by the casino cruise fares would have to be increased by 40-50%.

 

The ship was full on that cruise, so there were about 1,870 people on board. Back in 2005 let's say that the average price per passenger for this 10 day cruise (conservatively) would have been around $1,000. If you impute the value of 40% of the average passenger's cruise you come up with $400. When multipled by the amount of passengers you get $748,000 of gambling proceeds.

 

If he wasn't sand-bagging me, that's a healthy chunk of change. So I have to say...THANK YOU to all the GAMBLERS. I appreciate it. :D

[dforeigner]

You are more than welcome. :D Unfortunately, for the cruise line, I always make a profit. I never bet my earnings and once the betting money is gone, I call it quits. I am not saying I will never lose any money. But so far, so good.

[Aurori]

I've been on 4 cruises, gambled only once. Lost $40. Damned roulette!

 

But you're welcome for my $40 :)

[cb at sea]

I've never won a dime on a cruise, but hubby did come away with about $500 on our 1st cruise--we have since lost that!!!!!

The ships have no real incentive to let folks win--where else will they go?

[jagergirl55]

I'm glad we could help! haha. Darn gambling, we coulda been in a huge suite for what we lost! But I'm glad it brings down the fares for everyone! :) Now I don't feel so bad for loosing. :)

[SelectSys]

...After some probing, he did tell me that were it not for the money brought in by the casino cruise fares would have to be increased by 40-50%.

 

No surprise here, I have wanted to go back on Disney but the casino subsidy keeps me on RCCL.

[Putterdude]

We are not big gamblers, we might loose $5 or $10 each in the slots but that is it. However I am certain that the casinos must be a huge profit center for the lines otherwise they wouldn't dedicate that much space for that purpose.

[Philip217]

Texas,

 

You might want to re-think your numbers; they are far too high.

I can't give you the real numbers either, but they are far lower than you think.

 

On any given cruise, as many as a third of the passengers are too young to be allowed into the Casino.

 

On nearly all cruises, another third of passengers just do not gamble at all.

 

Then you might want to make a poll here as to how many cruisers drop $400 per cruise in the casino. You won't find too many.

 

After working with shipboard Casino Managers for many years, I rarely believe anything they say to me.

[wayne_trisha]

i think the most i ever lost was $40 and the most won was about $50 over the course of 4 cruises. I'm certainly not helping us get cheaper rates so thanks to those dropping teh big bucks!

[chasetf]

.........Then you might want to make a poll here as to how many cruisers drop $400 per cruise in the casino. You won't find too many............

So how many do you think will fess up to dropping a couple of grand a cruise. My mother wouldn't.... all she tells us about are her winners.....:rolleyes: and we know she used to drop a bundle. She played $1 and $5 slots so you know over the long run she'd be a loser. :cool:

 

For those who may not be aware........Winning gamblers didn't build Las Vegas. ;)

[chasetf]

........If he wasn't sand-bagging me, that's a healthy chunk of change. So I have to say...THANK YOU to all the GAMBLERS. I appreciate it. :D

I think he was.... but it might be a tenth of that.... which still keeps our fares down.

 

Not only should we thank the gamblers, but we should also thank the heavy drinkers, the gotta have a balcony / suite crowd, the art buyers, the photo buyers, ......... They are all also subsidizing us "Inside is good enough for me" cruisers. ;) :D

[MadManOfBethesda]

Not only should we thank the gamblers, but we should also thank the heavy drinkers, the gotta have a balcony / suite crowd, the art buyers, the photo buyers, ......... They are all also subsidizing us "Inside is good enough for me" cruisers. ;) :D

 

Sure, if you book the lowest category inside cabin, never buy a drink, never purchase a photo, never get a relaxing massage or other spa treatment, don't take any shore excursions through the ship, never make reservations for a nice evening in a speciality restaurant, and never put so much as a quarter in the slot machines, then, yeah, the cruise line is probably losing money on you and your fare is being subsidized by the other cruise passengers who are actually, you know, having FUN on their vacation.:)

[chasetf]

Sure, if you book the lowest category inside cabin, never buy a drink, never purchase a photo, never get a relaxing massage or other spa treatment, don't take any shore excursions through the ship, never make reservations for a nice evening in a speciality restaurant, and never put so much as a quarter in the slot machines, then, yeah, the cruise line is probably losing money on you and your fare is being subsidized by the other cruise passengers who are actually, you know, having FUN on their vacation.:)

Who said "never"......... :confused:

 

.....and why would it be a condition "to have fun" that I have to run up a bill higher than my fare. How much I spend is not on my "fun meter".:D

 

We don't sail to gamble, drink ourselves under the table, shop for overpriced art, play bingo, dump money at an overpriced spa........... :rolleyes: those that enjoy that stuff ... have at it.

 

We sail to see the sites, experience the sea, meet new friends, eat good food

 

Most of the rest of your list ... we do enjoy.

[retiredonthesea]

We WIN we LOSE, but we get comped staterooms and/or 50% reductions in suites plus free liquor if we want. It's part of our entertainment and we budget for it. Everyone has their own style of cruising--we LOVE it all.:D

[TexasCPA]

Hey...I'm all for everyone having FUN as they define having FUN. Isn't that why we all plunked down our hard-earned after all?

 

I do play in the casino (and am still significantly ahead after all these years), we do go on the occasional ship excursion (if we don't know the language or our way around), we have been known to buy a bingo card during a cruise (to watch the "full contact" bingo people), and we have also bought a photo or two...you get the "picture" (yes, pun intended). We're not really drinkers, though.

 

We also enjoy meeting fellow cruisers from all over the world and hearing their stories. I, however mostly enjoy having a concentrated amount of time to spend with my LW (and no, she's not looking over my shoulder). :D

 

Your fun is your fun, period. Have at it...escape completely...get out there, whatever works for you.

[cruiselover57]

I had a very interesting discussion with the Casino Manager on the Celebrity Galaxy in 2005. As we often do, after boarding the ship my wife and I usually each take about 30-45 minutes to wander around the ship using the deck plan cards they usually leave in the stateroom (if they're not in place in your cabin, go see the purser as they usually have a stack there on embarkation day).

 

During my wanderings, I went through the (then empty) casino and paused to read the rules on some the games. The casino manager (from Australia) was there and we struck up a friendly conversation for about 25 minutes or so. I then asked him to tell how much money the casino brings in over the course of the cruise. He told me that he could not tell me that figure. After some probing, he did tell me that were it not for the money brought in by the casino cruise fares would have to be increased by 40-50%.

 

The ship was full on that cruise, so there were about 1,870 people on board. Back in 2005 let's say that the average price per passenger for this 10 day cruise (conservatively) would have been around $1,000. If you impute the value of 40% of the average passenger's cruise you come up with $400. When multipled by the amount of passengers you get $748,000 of gambling proceeds.

 

If he wasn't sand-bagging me, that's a healthy chunk of change. So I have to say...THANK YOU to all the GAMBLERS. I appreciate it. :D

 

I always win money in the casino and I don't gamble! LOL It's a secret ...

[blindrid]

Who said "never"......... :confused:

 

We don't sail to gamble, drink ourselves under the table, shop for overpriced art, play bingo, dump money at an overpriced spa........... We sail to see the sites, experience the sea, meet new friends, eat good food

 

Most of the rest of your list ... we do enjoy.

 

Gambling is an important part in my planning a cruise. I do not spend the entire time gambling as other do but I probably spend 15 hours over a craps table during a week. I do not play the slots and only deal with games that have a reasonable house advantage. Over the week, I typically come out ahead, sometimes a fair amount sometimes not but it is still a form of enjoyment for me.

 

Don't do art...... Wife enjoys a spa treatment, more power to her. Relax by the pool with a drink in our hand is a good thing. I'm not sure one cruises for the "good food" but regardless some may find the food exceptional, we do not.

 

As mentioned people cruise for various reasons and have things that provide enjoyment, obviously some things that I do not enjoy. That's why I like to cruise, I'm doing what I want to do, pretty much when I want to do it.

 

To the condescending few and those of you thanking the gamblers, heavy drinkers, those whose bill is larger than the cruise fare, spa goers, etc. - Your Welcome.

[Canadianhey!]

Texas,

 

You might want to re-think your numbers; they are far too high.

I can't give you the real numbers either, but they are far lower than you think.

 

On any given cruise, as many as a third of the passengers are too young to be allowed into the Casino.

 

On nearly all cruises, another third of passengers just do not gamble at all.

 

Then you might want to make a poll here as to how many cruisers drop $400 per cruise in the casino. You won't find too many.

 

After working with shipboard Casino Managers for many years, I rarely believe anything they say to me.

 

I guess you folks can all thank me big time, not only do we budget for $200pp per day for the casino (which most of the time we leave it there), we also take an excursion at every port and of course must include the bar tab and we must no forget the JEWERLY BILL or the spa treatment. Get the drift. I should be rewarded with a free room because I more than make up for the cost with the extras.:eek: ;)

[50cruiser]

Last year on the grand Princess The 1st night my friend and I went to the cassino. Dave sat down at the blackjack table, I went to play slots. I put $20.00 in wheel of fortune and 1st spin hit the wheel . I hit for $450.00. I walked over to show Dave and he had won $300 . I told him we should quit . Dave wanted to keep playing so I went to Blazing 7s . I put $20 in . 3rd spin I hit for $500. I went back to see dave and he was up to $450 . I showed him my money and told him I was done . I was $930 ahead . Paid for half my cruise. Dave came in about 1:00 . He lost all winnings plus $200 . I reminded him all week nasty me . CARL:rolleyes: