Calculating your room pre-comps

Seems like a lot of you are upset with Carnival's casino. Why do you guys keep begging Carnival? I have never heard of a casino which bases comps off actual losses. Its bad business.

Both NCL and Royal Caribbean base comps on something called theoretical loss. Which means your room is pre-comped based on how much you would lose on a trip based on odds in house's favor and not actual loss. So you could end up winning big but you comps remain that same. That is actually the only way a player can get some manner of breakeven or even profit over the long term.

As an example this is how comps should be based:

Average Bet: $100

Number of Hands Played During Cruise: 2500

Theoretical Loss is about 2.5% in Blackjack: so 2.5/100 X100 X 2500

= $6250

Normally you are pre-comped about 40% of that value. So $2500. If your average bet is $200 .... comps will double to $5000. If your average bet is $500. Comps should be $12,500.

So calculate your comps based on above formula. If the ship is not offering the comps as shown about. You really shouldn't be gambling on that cruise line.

BTW: Theoretical Loss is as high as 15% in slots. So each game's calculation and theoretical loss percents are different.

From my experience you never have to haggle with NCL and Royal Caribbean/Celebrity and they offer deals very close to the above calculations.

RCCL must have changed from my Nov 2011 sailing.

Played HARD and couldn't even get a drink out of them.

First and last cruise with RCCL.

RCCL must have changed from my Nov 2011 sailing.

Played HARD and couldn't even get a drink out of them.

First and last cruise with RCCL.

Yeah they changed big time! I personally think they are the best cruise casino right now.

I lost $4500 on my last Carnival cruise and all they gave me this cruise is a $100 casino credit. Hope I win some of that back on this cruise!

I lost $4500 on my last Carnival cruise and all they gave me this cruise is a $100 casino credit. Hope I win some of that back on this cruise!

The 1st step to winning back is quit cruising on carnival. Try NCL or RCI/Celebrity. They do transfer your ratings from land based casinos on your 1st cruise to determine how much they will comp room wise.

The 1st step to winning back is quit cruising on carnival. Try NCL or RCI/Celebrity. They do transfer your ratings from land based casinos on your 1st cruise to determine how much they will comp room wise.

I'm going to take your advice and try one of these cruise lines next time! Obviously with all of the cruise history on your signature you know what you are talking about. Thanks! :)

We tip the dealers frequently the first night. For some reason, we seem to earn the free drink cards pretty fast, and get strawberries, wine, robes and other goodies delivered to our cabin.

And we're NOT big spenders... minimum bets at 3-card poker, but lots of hours of play, with maybe $30 to $50 in tips in an evening. We cheer for good hands (ours and others) and enjoy a sociable table -- which attracts more players.

We're booked on our fourth free cruise in August.

We tip the dealers frequently the first night. For some reason, we seem to earn the free drink cards pretty fast, and get strawberries, wine, robes and other goodies delivered to our cabin.

 

And we're NOT big spenders... minimum bets at 3-card poker, but lots of hours of play, with maybe $30 to $50 in tips in an evening. We cheer for good hands (ours and others) and enjoy a sociable table -- which attracts more players.

 

We're booked on our fourth free cruise in August.

On NCL and RCI/Celebrity ... all comps are calculated automatically including incruise comps. There is 0% discretion on part of the dealer or pit boss. So if you are tipping solely to get those freebies ... save your money you'd get the comps anyways. On the other hand ... the occasional drink that they offer at the table without a drink card ... that is the pit boss's discretion and maybe a freebie.

I'm going to take your advice and try one of these cruise lines next time! Obviously with all of the cruise history on your signature you know what you are talking about. Thanks! :)

On cruise ships you get about 40% of your theoretical losses as comps. I am assuming your actual loss is the same as your theoretical loss (look up on google how a casino calculates your theoretical loss ... its an automated process). If that is the case you should receive about $1,800 in comps. I know for a fact that it cant be $100. Carnival is definitely ripping you off.

On cruise ships you get about 40% of your theoretical losses as comps. I am assuming your actual loss is the same as your theoretical loss (look up on google how a casino calculates your theoretical loss ... its an automated process). If that is the case you should receive about $1,800 in comps. I know for a fact that it cant be $100. Carnival is definitely ripping you off.

Yea I was disappointed when I found this out but my last cruise was 3 years ago and I was offered a discounted casino cruise out of NY but couldn't make the dates. So I'm assuming this is why I'm only getting $100 in comps? Hoping there will be drink cards and some other comps waiting in my room. :p

My gambling budget has been the same on both NCL and Carnival. NCL treats me so much better. My recent offers: NCL comped ocean view cabin 250$ casino cash and drink card. Carnival $25 casino cash and an opportunity to earn the drink card.

My gambling budget has been the same on both NCL and Carnival. NCL treats me so much better. My recent offers: NCL comped ocean view cabin 250$ casino cash and drink card. Carnival $25 casino cash and an opportunity to earn the drink card.

LOL ... That is funnier than you think!

My gambling budget has been the same on both NCL and Carnival. NCL treats me so much better. My recent offers: NCL comped ocean view cabin 250$ casino cash and drink card. Carnival $25 casino cash and an opportunity to earn the drink card.

Why would any gambler choose CCL over NCL if gambling is a main part of cruising. Which it is for me.

More great info, ric. I assume the theoretical losses you speak of is ADT, Average Daily Theoretical, which Caesars uses to determine comps.

ric, I must say, though, as far as Carnival, I'm getting ready to go on my third free (inside cabin) Carnival cruise. I much prefer Royal Caribbean over Carnival and based upon what you're saying, I'll be looking to go on Royal Caribbean again.

More great info, ric. I assume the theoretical losses you speak of is ADT, Average Daily Theoretical, which Caesars uses to determine comps.

ric, I must say, though, as far as Carnival, I'm getting ready to go on my third free (inside cabin) Carnival cruise. I much prefer Royal Caribbean over Carnival and based upon what you're saying, I'll be looking to go on Royal Caribbean again.

That is correct .... theoretical loss is exactly the same as ADT.

I am a diamond at Caesars too .... NCL's comps are on par with Caesars. RCI additional comps are about 3X greater than Caesars, since the new guy took over. Precomp on room are based on history with RCI (its been great lately) ... however they will transfer your history from Caesars (I did it in 2012 on my 1st Allure sailing). Do you have a host agency which works with RCI ... if not you should get one .... they'd work better comps for you.

ric, the only host agency I know of is the one that gets me comped rooms at Atlantis. I will see if they work with RCCL and if not, I will try to find one that works with RCCL.

ric, the only host agency I know of is the one that gets me comped rooms at Atlantis. I will see if they work with RCCL and if not, I will try to find one that works with RCCL.

If your talking about Premier they only do NCL. I use them for Punta Cana, st kitts, Atlantis. Great guy I have there.

ric, the only host agency I know of is the one that gets me comped rooms at Atlantis. I will see if they work with RCCL and if not, I will try to find one that works with RCCL.

I have one that works with RCCL. If you want to email me off line, seaesquire@gmail.com

Since you are a Total Rewards Player, and ranked, you should have no problem.

I have one that works with RCCL. If you want to email me off line, seaesquire@gmail.com

 

Since you are a Total Rewards Player, and ranked, you should have no problem.

Is it against guidelines to post the name on the board?

Hey rics321,

You seem like you're in the know, so I'll ask. Are you fairly confident that RCCL uses a 2.5% theoretical for blackjack. I know that my local casino uses 1.5% and have read on wizard of odds that the strip casinos in Vegas use a .75% theoretical. I realize that typical cruise gamblers are worse than those on land, but not sure if it makes that much of a difference. I only ask, because if they are going to give me 1% comps on a game with roughly a .6% house edge(depending on house rules), I may just do all of my gambling on the high seas from now on.

Why would any gambler choose CCL over NCL if gambling is a main part of cruising. Which it is for me.

It used to be the difference in driving to Galveston vs New Orleans and limited time to get there. Now that NCL is in Houston.....

I just sailed on the Celebrity Millineum in Alaska. Gambled several times at the blackjack tables. Not once did they EVER take my card to determine who I was or accumulate comps. Weirdest casino I've ever been in. No one's cards were taken. And only twice during the 7 day cruise did I even had a waiter wander through the casino to take drink orders. SOOOO not impressed with Celebrity.