Slot Machine Changes on HAL Ships......

[cp556]

Ok, this has probably been answered 100 times but I still don't get it.

 

I am using my room key but it's not going onto my on board account - is this correct?

 

Say I put in $100 the first night and I have $80 credit, can I cash out that first night or do I have to keep it on the card? I like to budget myself with real money not credit and it would be much easier for me.

 

 

 

Hi Pat ...

 

YES - you use your room card (and the casino will punch a hole in your card and give you a lanyard to use so you don't leave the card in a machine)

 

CORRECT - it is not going on your onboard account. It's a casino sub-account, I'd call it. The machine will tell you your balance.

 

You can cash out any time/as many times as you'd like.

 

I didn't get it, either, until I was actually there and experienced. Within two minutes I had it down and realized it was quite easy. As long as I remembered to cash out at the end of the cruise, that is :)

 

Bon Voyage

[sail7seas]

Oh my word.......

 

This is an OLD thread. :)

 

I remember writing it and as an update, I have hardly played slots more than a few minutes on one or two cruises since.

 

They literally did chase me away from playing slots. I always played on every cruise and just about never do anymore. I only played for fun and, for me, it's no longer fun.

 

If I can't have coins in the machine hopper, I don't care about playing. :(

[sail7seas]

My DW didn't like it either. (I don't play slots or anything else in the casino.) I had to help her through the procedures at first.

 

I'm sure that there will a lot of resistance from all of US :D who often don't like changes to what we're used to! Eventually we'll all get used to it, and the casino profits will be higher because of eliminating the costs of producing and handling the coins or tokens.

 

I'll bet there are less maintenance costs for the machines too, without the mechanical pay-outs. :cool:

 

Speaking just for myself........ No, I will not play with this new system. There is no 'fun' left to it. I don't play to get rich. I don't gamble enough to get rich but still if you multiply the sum we USED to play each cruise by how many cruises we take each year..... it accounts for some set amount of dollars.

 

We are not the only ones who simply did not have fun playing anymore so we're done with HAL slots. It isn't resistance to change.......... it's that the change took away the fun. I gave it a try and it failed to please.

 

 

Of course, one of my favorite parts was when one of the casino people said to me, "You'll just have to get used to it".

No..... I don't have to get used to it. I don't have to play.

 

 

 

 

 

Here it is two and a half years later and I no longer play slot machines.

 

I didn't 'have' to get used to it and I don't 'have' to play.

 

It's too bad; it used to be a fun thing we enjoyed doing on our cruises.

I doubt I am the only one who left rather than 'get used to it.'

 

[Patsie47]

CP556 - thank you for clearly answering my question. Now it makes sense and does sound easy.

 

To everyone else, I am sorry I brought up an old thread but I was doing a search and this one seemed appropriate for my question. Still learning to work these boards.

Many thanks

Pat

[slimknyzer]

Yep, 'Vegas has been coinless for many years. It's very hard to find a machine any more that takes coins. Coins were eliminated, as noted, due to the high labor involved in gathering/stocking coins in thousands of machines. They did program many of the machines to play a coins-droping sound effect ... but I must say it's not the same.

 

Money is dirty, that's for sure. Serious players in 'Vegas wore gloves to keep their hands clean. Just looking at their gloves showed how filthy coins are. Even the handi-wipes casinos supplied failed to remove all the residue from the fingers of someone who had played any length of time.

 

If HAL would install the "receipt" machines, that would be nice. No having to remember to put the amount back on your card. Just press the cash out button and get the slip that can be put in another machine or taken to the cage for cash.

 

With the paper receipt, you at least have something tangible in hand that has a numerical figure printed on it. You can then show off your winnings.....or, as most people do, go quietly about your business still in search of the Big Score!

[sail7seas]

CP556 - thank you for clearly answering my question. Now it makes sense and does sound easy.

 

To everyone else, I am sorry I brought up an old thread but I was doing a search and this one seemed appropriate for my question. Still learning to work these boards.

Many thanks

Pat

 

 

Pat,

You did fine. There is nothing wrong with bringing an old thread forward. I was surprised to see it and found it interesting that this much time later, I was reminded what I had said......

 

and, indeed, I did what I said I would do. :eek: THAT doesn't always happen. :D

 

Absolutely no reason for you to apologize.

[Randyk47]

I agree, absolutely no problem with bringing this thread forward. Probably saves a whole lot of repeating of history, background, etc. While it took some getting used to when we were on the Maasdam last March the new procedure really wasn't all that bad. Of course the slots on the Maasdam were so tight that we never built up any kind of balance to worry about. :)

[Nasmas]

Regardless of the reasons, its not fun anymore. Last year, on the Eurodam, I only played twice. I used to love to drop in the casino and just play for a bit. I don't gamble much (quarters) but its just not fun.

[jtl513]

I'd like to know what happens if you lose your key card with money in its "bank". Is that money gone, like cash or a gift card, or is there some way the ship can retrieve it? They do seem to know who still has money on the cards on the last day, so ...

[arzz]

My guess is it's not so much fun anymore because the slots are so tight...

[sail7seas]

My guess is it's not so much fun anymore because the slots are so tight...

 

 

I can't speak for anyone else, but your guess would be wrong in my case.

 

It usesd to be fun to 'feed' the machines, hear coins drop down, hear the bells and whistles........ that was the fun that is gone. It is now so mechanized it's boring, to me.

 

I now walk on by and don't give a second thought to depositing a single quarter in a single machine. Too bad as it was something we used to enjoy for a little while each evening after dinner.

[travelnap]

I can't speak for anyone else, but your guess would be wrong in my case.

 

It usesd to be fun to 'feed' the machines, hear coins drop down, hear the bells and whistles........ that was the fun that is gone.

 

I now walk on by and don't give a second thought to depositing a single quarter in a single machine. Too bad as it was something we used to enjoy for a little while each evening after dinner.

sail7seas, I would agree with you. I haven't been on HAL since the new machines came into the casino but I will find out in a couple weeks as I am doing a TA on the Rotterdam. I am not a big gambler but I like to spend time in the casino on the sea days just playing a few different machines. I don't play to win money, because I know that is not going to happen, but it was a good way to have a little fun and waste a little time. With the new process, I may save some money on this trip. I will give it a try, but if I don't like it, then it will probably only be once or twice instead of every day. I like the Bells & Whistles too, that's what makes it fun. I usually limit myself to about $50 a day for the slots so on a 15 day trip that could save me some money if I don't like the new setup.

[Lesinindy]

With the paper receipt, you at least have something tangible in hand that has a numerical figure printed on it. You can then show off your winnings.....or, as most people do, go quietly about your business still in search of the Big Score!

 

On the Freedom of the Seas this summer, when you cash out you get a paper receipt. I saved mine from the last machine I was on. RCL owes me a grand total of .05 cents. I think I will frame it.

[sail7seas]

:) Take another cruise so you can collect it.

 

Sounds like a good 'investment' to me. :D

 

[KirkNC]

Yea that was the new way on the Rotterdam also. I found one of the bigger pains was to remember to take your room card with you when you leave as it needs to be in the slot while you play. We were also on a B2B cruise and had to cash out the card on the last night of the first leg as they said otherwise they might loose track of any credits we had :eek:. I think it will have a pretty negative impact on the casual player (which is the most common kind on a cruise).

 

Kirk

[travelnap]

Kirk, I like to jump around from machine to machine so how does this work? Do you have to load the machine each time from your card, and then unload it back to the card, and then repeat this process at each machine, or do your credits just stay on the card itself and the loading and unloading of machines not needed? Thanks. Neil

[iriemon]

I have gotten use to the new system, do I like it as well as the old system, yes and no. Your hands and clothes don't get that dirty and you don't have to wait in line every night to cash it in. Most of the machines we go to around here use a similar system. I think they figure if you are not actually putting money in and charging it against your room you will spend more. The one thing I do not understand is if they can take the money away from your room account, why can't they put your winnings on the account. The last night on the ship is a real pain with everyone trying to cash out.

[cp556]

Kirk, I like to jump around from machine to machine so how does this work? Do you have to load the machine each time from your card, and then unload it back to the card, and then repeat this process at each machine, or do your credits just stay on the card itself and the loading and unloading of machines not needed? Thanks. Neil

 

 

Neil, you go to the machine, stick your card in, enter your passcode (The machine welcomes you by name) and then either insert $$ (bills only) or deduct $$ from your card balance.

 

When you change machines, you sign out of Machine A and repeat the sign-in procedure for Machine B. It's simpler than it sounds ... you will see when you're onboard. And there are casino personnel around if you have questions.

 

You are also accumulating points as you play toward a Cash Back bonus ... not much, but anything is better than nothing.

[NMLady]

The new cashless system was in place on the Westerdam last May. We are not gamblers, but like to play the quarter slots for entertainment.

 

I agree with you. We did not like the new system. It's not a big loss for us or HAL, we don't play very often.

 

BTW, the cashless system was installed at the casino we visited in New Mexico over the holidays.... must be the latest thing.

 

 

B

 

The cashless system has been in use in NV for several years. Personally I like it since I don't have to wait for empty hoppers to be filled. I don't have to carry containers of various coins since the cashout ticket is good on any denomination machine. It's much easier to change from on machine to another since you just 'cash out', get your ticket and put the ticket into the next machine you want to play.

 

When we were on the Amsterdam last year I was really surprised that it still took coins and tokens.

[djhsolara]

It usesd to be fun to 'feed' the machines, hear coins drop down, hear the bells and whistles........ that was the fun that is gone. It is now so mechanized it's boring, to me.

 

I now walk on by and don't give a second thought to depositing a single quarter in a single machine. Too bad as it was something we used to enjoy for a little while each evening after dinner.

 

This is how I feel about slots in general now. We used to stop by and drop a few coins every night after the show, but now we're lucky if we spend $20 on the slots during the whole sailing.

 

We go occasionally to Atlantic City and a few months ago went to Las Vegas (where between the two of us we gambled $2.00). None of the slots take coins anymore and that just isn't fun to me. I love dropping and receiving the coins. I also can't stand the electronic machines that give you like twenty-five ways to win. If I can't look at it and see right away how I've won, it just isn't fun to me. This is probably why I don't really play slots anymore at all...and if I do it has to be an "old-fashioned" machine that I can look at and understand.

 

:) :)

[sail7seas]

I have gotten use to the new system, do I like it as well as the old system, yes and no. Your hands and clothes don't get that dirty and you don't have to wait in line every night to cash it in. Most of the machines we go to around here use a similar system. I think they figure if you are not actually putting money in and charging it against your room you will spend more. The one thing I do not understand is if they can take the money away from your room account, why can't they put your winnings on the account. The last night on the ship is a real pain with everyone trying to cash out.

 

 

Good point.

 

I don't think they can't......

 

 

I think they don't.

 

One can only speculate why. :rolleyes:

[travelnap]

cp556, Thanks for the information. I will try it and see how it goes. Neil