For Laughs: Filipino Mafia on the Caribbean Princess

[Nobbi]

I was going to write a diatribe about an experience I’m having on our current cruise but as I would have expected, Princess came through.

Last afternoon on embarkation day, Jack, Valerie, and I went to the casino bar. Yesterday it was one of the few bars that still allows smoking. (Today it was smoke free.) I wasn’t in a drinking mood and thought I would play some slots. But I wasn’t in a gambling mood either. So rather than doing the $1 wheel of fortune, I settled for a 2 or 5 cent machine. I charged $100 from my shipboard account onto the machine. Great fairly new service aboard Princess! I played one round and won about $10. So I cashed out. Pushed the right buttons to get the sum onto my cruise card players acct. And made sure the machine credit went down to zero.

So tonight after a great sea day, a faboo formal night dinner, before going to bed, I happened upon the casino again. I ran across a Texas Teas machine. I loved that one when going to Reno. When I put my card in, I expected to get the equivalent of about $110 in credit. It showed zero.

I went to the casino services desk to inquire. The attendant called one of the floor people. The gentleman asked for my card, made me enter my pin, and informed me I had zero balance. Yes, I know! I explained my question, and he asked for the machine I played on. Well, despite not having had much to drink, I did not quite remember. I picked out two possible slots. Wrongo! But he found the machine I played from my cabin card. Great, I thought. He came back with the record of my charge and my win.

So, could I please get my credit. No it’s not there. Somebody played your credit. You did not charge it back to your card. I think I did, but if I didn’t all I want back is my $100, so I can play some more. Another gentleman came by. Also nice. He also did not seem to be able to help. So I just told them to not bother. It was late, close to midnight ship time.

I stopped by the passenger services desk. Lee, a pleasant man from the UK assisted me. I explained my dilemma. After letting me know that I should speak with Casino services, etc., etc., and I told him I had, he paged Julie, the Casino manager. She called back shortly thereafter, spoke with him. Lee then told me that they were investigating the situation. When I commented that I was surprised they didn’t just believe a frequent Princess cruiser’s story, he remarked that it was the casino, just like Las Vegas. My snide remark about not thinking the Mafia was around was answered by, “you’d be surprised Sir, it’s the Filipino Mafia!”

Once I returned to my room I received a phone call from one of the gentlemen at the casino letting me know that I could get my $100 back. That’s all I wanted in the first place. Don’t care about the extra 10. I’m sure had I doubled my money I would have gone to the cashier immediately.

All’s well that ends well. But it still is a funny anecdote.

[RickEk]

I'm glad you got your money back.

 

Personally, I wish they'd go back to cash in the machines. The visceral thrill when the coins hit the tray when you win is, IMHO, a big part of the slot machine experience. The cashless method is convenient, but it's all the responsibility of the player to be ever vigilant as to what is happening with the card and your credits. I wonder how many people forget to cash out at the end of the cruise??... :rolleyes:

[bhopal21]

it's all the responsibility of the player to be ever vigilant as to what is happening with the card and your credits. I wonder how many people forget to cash out at the end of the cruise??... :rolleyes:

 

You are right it is the player's responsibility to zero out their account bby the cruise end and yours truly forgot and left $10.25 on his players card in February while on The Island. I got a phone call about 0130 asking would I come down and cash out to which I replied, just give it to the bar waiter in the casino for me as I had already retired for the evening.

 

Well, the first week in July I received a check from Princess for that $10.25.:D

 

Mike:)

[gooch47]

I agree that the card method can be confusing. I was playing a machine and the lady next to me called someone over to help. The casino guy said, "OH, you again." She just couldn't get the hang of it.

 

But I HATE the coins. Dirty, never seem to have enough to cash out with, etc. etc. etc.

[Pia1913]

Filipino Mafia? Interesting terminology if you've read Brian Brun's book: Cruise Confidential: A hit below the water line. If you haven't, you just exerpted w/o even knowing about it.

[Woobstr112G]

I also received a call from the Casino asking me to come down and cash out my card.....

 

Bob

[Nukesailor]

The DW and I were recently in Las Vegas. I had brought a pocketful of quarters for the slots. When I got to the slots, there was no place to insert change. Turns out the new machines will accept paper money and cards, but no change. When (if) you win, it still makes the clinking noise, but prints out a slip of paper with the record of the win on it instead of spitting quarters. You can either cash in the paper receipt or insert it in another machine to play. The times, they are a-changing.

 

Art

[pedirn]

Glad you got your money back....I wouldn't have been happy. What I found interesting was casino smoking on night one but not night two. DH was not happy on our June cruise when Cigar Bar was smoking on night one (and he didn't feel like one) but on night two they decided to make it non smoking for the entire cruise. Why have a Cigar Bar?

 

Chris

[lkmamom]

While the casino is being discussed.....it has been a while since we have cruised with Princess( and I am sure the other ships are or are going to this system eventually). I understand that the cruise card is used for playing slots but does that mean I cannot deposit a paper bill and not add a charge to my cruise card? I am really confused about this. I guess I do not really understand how it works and I hate to miss out on my casino time:)

Linda

[gooch47]

You can insert paper money and you can still charge it to your account (for a fee). There is no charge involved if you simply use the card to cash out and then re-use the money on the next machine.

[Ethel5]

Glad you got your money back....I wouldn't have been happy. What I found interesting was casino smoking on night one but not night two. DH was not happy on our June cruise when Cigar Bar was smoking on night one (and he didn't feel like one) but on night two they decided to make it non smoking for the entire cruise. Why have a Cigar Bar?Chris

 

While I can't answer about the Cigar Bar, the casino is Non-smoking for a few nights during a cruise-usually on formal nights.

[Jimjam]

The exact thing happened to me at Harrahs in Atlantic City. After playing many different slots I had the slip of paper with $124 balance. Went to a $5 slot and put the paper into the machine. I immediately realized I was at a $5 slot instead of 5 cent and pushed the "cash out" button and a printed piece of paper came out..Not looking at it (BIG MISTAKE) about 5 minutes later I went to another 25 cent machine and put the slip of paper in and it recorded only $4.00.. After talking to several slot managers I was OUT OF LUCK... Why you ask ?? The $5 slot machine printed out the $4 from the original $124 to make it an even $120 since it was a $5 slot machine I never thought of looking at the slip when it came out (BIG MISTAKE) .. They checked the $5 slot machine and informed me that I left a credit of $120 that someone came by and simply cashed out and collected $120. I was told that there are people that just "cruise" the slot floor looking for balances that people forget to cash out.. Proof once again, if you don''t fully understand what goes on and how to operate in a casino, one should NEVER even go into it. You really cannot blame the casino. Just be aware or stay away.. You were very lucky that they returned you the $100 that you obvisouly did not check out correctly.

[uppitycats]

How is the phrase "Filipino Mafia" funny? And I don't understand at all how it relates to your mistake in checking out of the slot machine??

[Cruisematic]

The Filipino Mafia comment is likely reference to the industrious Filipino crew members who are often known to be able to fill virtually any and all needs for goods and services their fellow crew members may require, at any hour of the day. Hair cuts, toiletries, clothes, you name it, they help meet the ever vast needs of the floating city.

That is why the Wal-Mart shore excursion is always the crew favorite. Go there at your next stop especially in AK and you will find the crew stocking up with essentials and everything else that makes their shipboard lives more pleasant. Better entrepreneurs are hard to find.

Don't ask me how I know this, however I can say it was not on the Ultimate Ships Tour.

[Pia1913]

The Filipino Mafia comment is likely reference to the industrious Filipino crew members who are often known to be able to fill virtually any and all needs for goods and services their fellow crew members may require, at any hour of the day. Hair cuts, toiletries, clothes, you name it, they help meet the ever vast needs of the floating city.

That is why the Wal-Mart shore excursion is always the crew favorite. Go there at your next stop especially in AK and you will find the crew stocking up with essentials and everything else that makes their shipboard lives more pleasant. Better entrepreneurs are hard to find.

Don't ask me how I know this, however I can say it was not on the Ultimate Ships Tour.

 

In all the Hawaiian ports too. :D

[uppitycats]

The Filipino Mafia comment is likely reference to the industrious Filipino crew members who are often known to be able to fill virtually any and all needs for goods and services their fellow crew members may require, at any hour of the day. Hair cuts, toiletries, clothes, you name it, they help meet the ever vast needs of the floating city.

That is why the Wal-Mart shore excursion is always the crew favorite. Go there at your next stop especially in AK and you will find the crew stocking up with essentials and everything else that makes their shipboard lives more pleasant. Better entrepreneurs are hard to find.

Don't ask me how I know this, however I can say it was not on the Ultimate Ships Tour.

 

I certainly know that many (most?) Princess ships are staffed by Filipinos. And they are indeed "able to fill virtually any and all needs..." etc..

 

But I've always taken "mafia" to be a slur, not a compliment! And I still don't understand how it relates to the original post. Oh well.

[Pia1913]

 

But I've always taken "mafia" to be a slur, not a compliment! And I still don't understand how it relates to the original post. Oh well.

 

Read the book. See post #5 above.

[Cruisematic]

Mafia is easily construed to mean organized crime. In this case we humorously adopt only the organized function of the family business. They organize to facilitate quality of life in sequestration. Builds moral and helps keep everybody in good spirits.

[Colo Cruiser]

Very funny. :D

[jamesboat]

I had the same exact problem, but it was only for $10. I thought I had put the credits back into my card and moved on, but at the next machine it said 0, so I had to run back and it was already gone.

 

Luckily, princess did return my credit.

 

Its a terrible system, and Im sure this happens to multiple people every night

[MNYTRPS2GO2]

With any luck my husband and I will be so confused by this method that we'll stay away from the casino after the first visit.I doubt it though since we are both so addicted we'll find it worth the effort of learning the new procedure..