Cash from Casinos-Service Charge?

[sfcook]

We will be sailing next month and don't want to carry a lot of cash but will need cash for travel home after the cruise. Can we get cash from the casino and have it charged to our ship account? Is there a service charge or do they require us to use an ATM machine on board?

 

Thx!

[bruce-r]

We will be sailing next month and don't want to carry a lot of cash but will need cash for travel home after the cruise. Can we get cash from the casino and have it charged to our ship account?

Yes

Is there a service charge?

Yes, 3%

 

do they require us to use an ATM machine on board?

That is also an option. OR you could take travelers checks and cash there at the pursers desk for no fee.

[sfcook]

Yes

Yes, 3%

 

That is also an option. OR you could take travelers checks and cash there at the pursers desk for no fee.

 

Thanks for letting us know! Have a great Thanksgiving and Happy Holidays.

[Sue L]

You can also just use your seapass card at the pursers desk and get cash with no service fee. It will just come off as a regular charge on your credit card, not a cash advance.

[ckrobyn]

You can also just use your seapass card at the pursers desk and get cash with no service fee. It will just come off as a regular charge on your credit card, not a cash advance.

 

 

Really???????????????? UUUUGH!

I took cash 2x at the casino and payed the 3% each time. I wish I had known that :(

[Sue L]

Really???????????????? UUUUGH!

I took cash 2x at the casino and payed the 3% each time. I wish I had known that :(

 

 

Did it several times in Sept and they were charging the fee in the casino but not at the pursers desk. I didn't take that much so not sure if there is any kind of limit.

[Lightsluvr]

You can also just use your seapass card at the pursers desk and get cash with no service fee. It will just come off as a regular charge on your credit card, not a cash advance.

 

The last three cruises we tried to do that, but they directed us to the ATM or the casino cashier... the purser rep said they do not issue cash on the SeaPass account. Go figure.

 

What chaps me is they still want to charge a 3% service fee in the casino even if we have a positive (OBC) balance in our SeaPass account.

 

Nickles and dimes...

 

LL

[Sue L]

The last three cruises we tried to do that, but they directed us to the ATM or the casino cashier... the purser rep said they do not issue cash on the SeaPass account. Go figure.

 

What chaps me is they still want to charge a 3% service fee in the casino even if we have a positive (OBC) balance in our SeaPass account.

 

Nickles and dimes...

 

LL

 

Once again it just shows who you get or what ship you are on makes a big difference in how they do things.

[Richiebaseball]

The last three cruises we tried to do that, but they directed us to the ATM or the casino cashier... the purser rep said they do not issue cash on the SeaPass account. Go figure.

 

This is actually the current policy. Getting any result other than this should not be expected and should be considered a bonus.

[GLBT CRUISER]

We've always pulled our excess OBC credits off in the casino as 'change' to play with and then play a few and 'cash them in'. I don't ever recall being charged 3%.:eek:

[Sue L]

We've always pulled our excess OBC credits off in the casino as 'change' to play with and then play a few and 'cash them in'. I don't ever recall being charged 3%.:eek:

 

 

the 3% service fee is a pretty recent unwelcome occurrence.

[MIcruiser99]

OR you could take travelers checks and cash there at the pursers desk for no fee.

 

Is it only travelers checks or will they cash personal checks?

[FL_Cruiser64]

 

Nickles and dimes...

 

 

Nope. Abuse of the system.

[PhoenixCruiser]

Nope. Abuse of the system.

 

Spot On...with that said I will remove my other comments :mad:

 

###

[Merion_Mom]

Is it only travelers checks or will they cash personal checks?

 

They will cash a personal check (with no fee) up to $200. I believe that you can only do this once on a cruise. I also "heard" that it's $250 if you produce an American Express card.

[popeye0429]

:rolleyes:On AOS a few weeks ago we were able to cash travelers checks..no fee..no problem at the pursers desk. On the last day in St.Thomas we needed additional cash for a "non-RCCL" excursion and cash for tips and the purser allowed us $400 cash on our credit card...not charged to the Sea-Pass.. again no fee..no questions asked...

 

Terrific cruise.. most gracious personnel.. great food.. we (the four of us) had the very best time on this ship!!!!!:D

[silentbob007]

I just paid my 3% to get a little extra cash out on the Navigator. I was reminded of the charge before the transaction took place and it showed up as "entertainment surcharge" on my bill.

[Lightsluvr]

Nope. Abuse of the system.

 

We all have our opinions...

 

In my opinion, it is nickling and diming to charge 3% to access a positive cash balance in one's onboard account.

 

LL

[alert]

I would like to know the answer to this please.

 

I have booked a cruise on the NOS with a prepaid tips already and I still have $200 credit in my account. Is it possible take this $200 out if I happen not to spend any $ while on the cruise?

 

another quick question I have is, I know of web sites that will tell me what ships are in dock on certain days but I would like to know a web site which will tell me the exact dock # my ship will dock at.

 

thx.

[pcur]

The last three cruises we tried to do that, but they directed us to the ATM or the casino cashier... the purser rep said they do not issue cash on the SeaPass account. Go figure.

 

What chaps me is they still want to charge a 3% service fee in the casino even if we have a positive (OBC) balance in our SeaPass account.

 

Nickles and dimes...

 

LL

 

Me, too, on the Serenade in October. However, they will cash a personal check for up to $200 with no fee.

[FL_Cruiser64]

We all have our opinions...

 

In my opinion, it is nickling and diming to charge 3% to access a positive cash balance in one's onboard account.

 

LL

 

We really do not have to go through that again but here it is:

 

cash out of the casino is intended (or was intended) for casino purposes only.

 

a) It doesn't matter at what point you take cash out and you feel it is against your positive cash balance (OBC) on your account or not, the casino does not know if you stay in positive cash balance by the end of the cruise

 

b) considering a) most take cash out against a credit card backed SeaPass bill. If used in the casino it falls under 'entertainment'. If taken out and used for anything else it becomes a cash advance which by agreement with your credit card company and you and the agreement between merchant and their merchant account provider is subject to an additional cash advance fee. Taking out cash for any other use than casino play is a viol;ation of both agreements thus and abuse of the system.

 

c) every dollar taken out of the casino and not used in the casino becomes part of the expense account of the casino and the profit/loss statement in that department becomes scewed.

 

This is not an opinion. This is a statement made to me by people who are involved in that.

 

Now having said that: the policy seems to be fine tuned eventually. On our Majesty cruise in October they rejected a SeaPass card for buying chips at the table (which also holds a 3% fee). As nosy as I am (and since it was only day 2) I was asking why the person was rejected and the pit boss told me that it was a cash backed SeaPass card and he should take cash out at the purser's desk otherwise they would charge 3% against a cash account.

[sfcook]

Now having said that: the policy seems to be fine tuned eventually. On our Majesty cruise in October they rejected a SeaPass card for buying chips at the table (which also holds a 3% fee). As nosy as I am (and since it was only day 2) I was asking why the person was rejected and the pit boss told me that it was a cash backed SeaPass card and he should take cash out at the purser's desk otherwise they would charge 3% against a cash account.

 

Thank you all for your help but the above sort of confuses me. By "cash backed SeaPass card" do you mean when people deposit cash at the beginning of the cruise to pay their SeaPass account? Is an on board credit considered a cash account? Lastly, we may end up cancelling a prepaid excursion (DH has a health issue), wouldn't that credit go back to our credit card? If not, since it is already paid, would it be considered a cash account? Sorry, we are trying to simplify by carrying less cash and it seems like it may be more work! :D

[robtulipe]

Thank you all for your help but the above sort of confuses me. By "cash backed SeaPass card" do you mean when people deposit cash at the beginning of the cruise to pay their SeaPass account? Is an on board credit considered a cash account? Lastly, we may end up cancelling a prepaid excursion (DH has a health issue), wouldn't that credit go back to our credit card? If not, since it is already paid, would it be considered a cash account? Sorry, we are trying to simplify by carrying less cash and it seems like it may be more work! :D

If cancelled 4 or more days prior to your cruise, the refund goes back onto your credit card. If cancelled within four days of the cruise or onboard, the refund gets credited to your Seapass onboard account. Here is the RCCL blurb.

 

"Reservation charges for cancellations made at least 4 days prior to boarding or 10 days prior to the start date of your Cruise tour will be refunded in full to the credit card used for payment. Reservation charges for cancellations made within 4 days of boarding or after departure will be credited to your shipboard account. Cancellations made less than 24 hours before the reservation and no-shows are subject to a cancellation fee."

[Sue L]

The online excursion system closes down 10 days before sailing. If you cancel before then the credit will go to the credit card you booked with. After that you have to wait until you board then it will be credited to your on board account.

[FL_Cruiser64]

Thank you all for your help but the above sort of confuses me. By "cash backed SeaPass card" do you mean when people deposit cash at the beginning of the cruise to pay their SeaPass account? Is an on board credit considered a cash account? Lastly, we may end up cancelling a prepaid excursion (DH has a health issue), wouldn't that credit go back to our credit card? If not, since it is already paid, would it be considered a cash account? Sorry, we are trying to simplify by carrying less cash and it seems like it may be more work! :D

 

Let me clear something up first:

 

The incident I described I have never seen before. It was the first time. It may be applied to other sailings and/or ships or just a trial. I do not know.

 

Now to your questions:

With cash backed SeaPass I meant those passengers who use cash instead of a credit card to pay for the SeaPass bill.

 

Let me put everything together I had over several conversations with many RCI people (I am a talkative fool). :o

 

Taking cash out from the cashier at the casino was initially intended to be used at the slots which only took cash. But the cash advance was abused by many, many cruiser (who took cash out to be used for anything but casino use).

 

RCI implemented a 3% fee to discourage passengers to take cash out because

 

a) it reduced revenue and falsified the profit/loss statement for the casinos. Every dollar taken out as cash and used away from the casino was registered as a loss. The true profitability could not be calculated anymore.

 

b) since all expenses on a cruise (including cash taken out) fell under "entertainment" on your credit card statement, the credit card companies and the companies processing the credit card charges for RCI (merchant bank) came down hard on RCI.

Taking cash out of the casino violated the credit card holder agreement with the bank issuing the credit card (cash withdrawels on credit cards have additional fees) and the merchant bank on RCI because every merchant agreement has a special sections for cash on credit cards.

 

Thus RCI implemented a 3% fee to discourage such practice. The reason why also chips carry a 3% charge is to discourage people to buy chips at a table, play one game and cash the rest at the cashier essentially creating a 'cash withdrawel'.

 

That's what I gathered on previous cruises.

 

On my last cruise a young man wanted to have chips at the table and the pit boss rejected it. Well, not really rejected it but said something to the extend that "I can't do that since you have a cash account".

 

That sparked my interest so I engaged him in a convo. In that convo he told me that the 3% charge was highly unfair to those who have cash based accounts. Most pit boss' warn you that there is a 3% charge and you can then decide. But he couldn't do it that day because the cash accounts were blocked.

 

Now the following assumptions are based on the conversation with the pit boss, later the hotel manager which I grabbed at the Schooner Bar and the onboard accountant:

RCI might soon upgrade their systems where people with cash accounts get cash without the 3% fee and passengers who use a credit card for the SeaPass will be charged 3%.

 

Please be reminded that this was the first time I heard about it and I do not not know if it was just for this sailing, that one particular day, just this ship or whatever. But it sounded that it may just become a policy one day - sooner or later.

 

OBC cashing out: I think as long as you have a credit card listed to pay for your SeaPass bill, regardless if that little happening from above becomes policy or not, that if you take cash out you will be charged. RCI does not know if you stay in the plus or not.

 

I.e. what if you have $200 OBC, cash it out on day 1 and then gamble so you have to pay your SeaPass bill, let's say, $300 with your credit card. In the world of accounting you took actually $200 cash advance (eventhough you had a positive balance at the time of cash withdraw). Because if you would have not taken these $200 out your SeaPass bill would have been only $100 thus your credit company would have only paid $100 instead of $300.

Darn, I hope I made myself clear. If not just ask. :D

 

Being Mr Talkative I think I gathered enough information tha I can safely assume that over the next months or year the 3% and OBC cashing will be fine tuned.

 

These are the future changes I came up with:

 

a) cash on OBC will be seperated between unpaid and paid OBC

Currently the ship's accounting system does not differentiate between paid OBC (i.e. TA paid OBC) and unpaid OBC (RCI OBC such as Wow sale, NC etc). The internal system will soon differentiate between the two and will not allow a cash back on unpaid OBC. I.e. let's say you have $50 NextCruise OBC and $50 OBC from a TA you will only be able to collect the OBC from a paid account. Let's say at the end of the cruise you only charged $25 and you have $75 positive left you will only get $50 (the OBC your TA paid for) and the $25 will be part of the unpaid OBC from RCI. Basically, if you don't use your unpaid OBC onboard (Onboard Credit) you lose it.

To make that a little more clear:

Lets say you have $100 NC OBC, $100 Stockholder OBC and $100 TA OBC. That gives you a total of $300 of OBC of which $200 are unpaid and $100 are paid. Your final SeaPass Bill is $105. After applying the $300 OBC you are $195 in the positive balance. Now you can cash them all out. But in the future you won't. You will be able to cash the $100 of TA OBC but the RCI OBC left ($95) will be a goner. Basically, you use it or lose it. I think that is a fair policy.

 

b) Cash funded SeaPass bills most likely will be excempt from the 3%. A complication which would arise from:

if credit card funded SeaPass bills would be charged 3% but you pay your SeaPass bill of with cash (let's say you won in the Casino). In that case the 3% would be refunded (as long as you do not leave a credit card charge in the amount of the cash withdraw).

 

c) If you are able to see your SeaPass bill on the TV (not all ships support this feature) or you receive your final bill, all OBC will be listed on the bottom in order: unpaid OBC - paid OBC.

 

I think thats about it. But changes like that take probably a long time (even longer with RCI) and we most likely see test phases which will confuse everybody even more. But hey, as RCI cruisers we are used to that. ;)

 

Of course if booking is down due to the economy these changes may be years off because RCI won't have that investment capital on hand.

 

Now, please do not shoot the messenger.

 

There are also news in regards to the re-instatement of the combination of OBC but I keep that one for now since that is probably way off, unless RCI gets it act together rather quickly. :)