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Princess Cruise Casino Cash Offer


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I recently returned from a cruise on Royal Princess that included a casino fare reduction and some "Casino Cash". I met the casino host after boarding and confirmed my "casino cash" amount, and was advised I could use this free play on table games or slots (no longer actual cash given at casino cage as in the past). I am ok with that part of the promotion. I chose table play, was given the appropriate amount in promotional chips (different color) and went to the Three Card Poker Table. I paced my bets and was dealt a Q,Q,9. The dealer did not have a qualifying hand. My bet on the Play was pushed, my bet on the Ante was paid even money and my promotional chip was taken and not replaced with a real chip by the dealer. I was paid even money on the Pairs Plus bet and again my promotional chip was taken by the dealer and not replaced. When I offered an objection, as I had won the hand, the dealer said "The promotional chips have no value, we take them whether you win or lose." I objected and asked to see a manager. In the past when I have played promotional chips at another cruise casino when a bet loses, the promotional chip is lost. When the bet wins, the bet is paid the proper odds, and the promotional chip is replaced with a cash valued chip. Not on Princess. I explained to the casino manager, you have changed the bet from a one TO one wager to a one FOR one wager which is not right. He said he understood my position but could do nothing about it as it was the rule from corporate. I could complain to them when I returned home. I have submitted my complaint through their website, but have yet to receive a response. Have any of you casino players had a similar experience on Princess or other cruise lines? Please correct my reasoning if I am wrong, but I can't understand how I can win a hand and end up with less money.

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I recently returned from a cruise on Royal Princess that included a casino fare reduction and some "Casino Cash". I met the casino host after boarding and confirmed my "casino cash" amount, and was advised I could use this free play on table games or slots (no longer actual cash given at casino cage as in the past). I am ok with that part of the promotion. I chose table play, was given the appropriate amount in promotional chips (different color) and went to the Three Card Poker Table. I paced my bets and was dealt a Q,Q,9. The dealer did not have a qualifying hand. My bet on the Play was pushed, my bet on the Ante was paid even money and my promotional chip was taken and not replaced with a real chip by the dealer. I was paid even money on the Pairs Plus bet and again my promotional chip was taken by the dealer and not replaced. When I offered an objection, as I had won the hand, the dealer said "The promotional chips have no value, we take them whether you win or lose." I objected and asked to see a manager. In the past when I have played promotional chips at another cruise casino when a bet loses, the promotional chip is lost. When the bet wins, the bet is paid the proper odds, and the promotional chip is replaced with a cash valued chip. Not on Princess. I explained to the casino manager, you have changed the bet from a one TO one wager to a one FOR one wager which is not right. He said he understood my position but could do nothing about it as it was the rule from corporate. I could complain to them when I returned home. I have submitted my complaint through their website, but have yet to receive a response. Have any of you casino players had a similar experience on Princess or other cruise lines? Please correct my reasoning if I am wrong, but I can't understand how I can win a hand and end up with less money.
Sorry about your issue but thanks for the free drink provided by the pit boss while the table play was held for you to talk to the manager!

 

Sent from my VK700 using Tapatalk

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Alabaster, I am glad you (and hopefully the others at the table) were comped a drink while play stopped at the table. I felt bad that I negatively impacted others play while you all waited for the manager to arrive to address my issue. I gladly would have paid for the drinks myself, as it wasn't a money value problem for me as much as I felt cheated by the action. Since I posted no play in the casino for the remainder of the cruise, I saved quite a bit of money compared to what I normally spend. I am still waiting for a reply from Princess Players Club. I hope you had a great cruise and a good time in the casino. Again, my apologies if I negatively impacted your time at the casino that evening.

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Thank you, tompeter for your response. At least, I now know they are consistent, and therefore, I do not expect any different response from corporate to my complaint. Princess lost my casino play for that 10 day cruise because of this, and may very well lose my cruise business in the future. I have two cruises currently booked on other lines through casino promotions. It seems Princess, while trying to attract gamblers with "casino cash" promotions, is willing to lose those same customers by the way they are treated once on board. So be it. Their casino may be the only one on the ship, but their ships are not the only ones on the seas.

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yes, my nephew and I both went through this on our last cruise. This is the same process they use when busses go to Foxwoods and people are given 'Free plays".

Thus the value of these tokens is really >50%.

We discussed this after our meeting with the casino manager and decided that next time if given free play the best payback would be at the roulette table.

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I have an offer of $125 casino cash. So using these promotional chips on roulette, say I bet $4 on each number for a total of 4x37 or $148 total. I use the $125 in promotional chips and $23 out of my pocket. One of the numbers are guaranteed to hit, and I'm paid 4x35 or $140 in real chips. Deduct the $23 I took out of my pocket, it's a net win of $117. So I converted my $125 in promotional chips to $117 in real money for a conversion rate of 93.6% (or $121/96.8% if your out of pocket chips win). Sound reasonable?

 

The only issues would be

(a) if they don't allow the promational chips to be be on the inside of the roulette table, or

(b) if you are required to be the full value of individual chips, say $5 minimum. In that case you would bet $5 on each of the 37 numbers for a total of $185 ($125 promotional chips and $60 out of your pocket), and the win would pay $175 (35x5) , less your $60 out of pocket for a net win of $115 or 92.0% return (or $120/96.0% if your cash chips win).

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  • 1 month later...
I have an offer of $125 casino cash. So using these promotional chips on roulette, say I bet $4 on each number for a total of 4x37 or $148 total. I use the $125 in promotional chips and $23 out of my pocket. One of the numbers are guaranteed to hit, and I'm paid 4x35 or $140 in real chips. Deduct the $23 I took out of my pocket, it's a net win of $117. So I converted my $125 in promotional chips to $117 in real money for a conversion rate of 93.6% (or $121/96.8% if your out of pocket chips win). Sound reasonable?

 

The only issues would be

(a) if they don't allow the promational chips to be be on the inside of the roulette table, or

(b) if you are required to be the full value of individual chips, say $5 minimum. In that case you would bet $5 on each of the 37 numbers for a total of $185 ($125 promotional chips and $60 out of your pocket), and the win would pay $175 (35x5) , less your $60 out of pocket for a net win of $115 or 92.0% return (or $120/96.0% if your cash chips win).

 

Yes they let you play your chips inside the table and yes you have to play the whole value of the free play chip($5). Going in 3 weeks and will be getting $300 in free play so wil investing $80 to insure $350 in real cash resulting in net $270 real cash to use as normal.

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Do you know how this would work when playing machines? My husband and I will be on the Grand in June. We couldn't take advantage of the offer given at the end our cruise in November as we had already booked our June cruise but Global Casino Service did give me $300 and my husband $200 in casino cash which they say may be issued as free play credits or free play chips. We don't pay table games so I'm wondering when using it on a machine will you actually be able to "win" credits that you can eventually cash out or will they just disappear as your winnings did at the tables? I know that our local casinos (we live in Nevada) when you get free play you get to keep whatever you win.

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Do you know how this would work when playing machines? My husband and I will be on the Grand in June. We couldn't take advantage of the offer given at the end our cruise in November as we had already booked our June cruise but Global Casino Service did give me $300 and my husband $200 in casino cash which they say may be issued as free play credits or free play chips. We don't pay table games so I'm wondering when using it on a machine will you actually be able to "win" credits that you can eventually cash out or will they just disappear as your winnings did at the tables? I know that our local casinos (we live in Nevada) when you get free play you get to keep whatever you win.

 

My DH had a lot of "casino cash" to use on our last cruise. When he put the card in, monies are divided into two parts...."free play" which you can't cash out, and your "bank" which you can. So your option is just to play down the free play and cash out any monies earned. Any cash out is money ahead.

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FWIW, what happened to the OP has been my experience MOST of the time with promo chips on land-based casinos as well.

 

Occasionally, I'll get "play-til-you-lose" chips, which do indeed work as the OP was expecting them to behave (except that they just let the promo chip ride, rather than replacing it with a real chip), but that's been the exception, not the rule.

 

IMO, Princess was in the right, here, and it's unfortunate that the OP chose to no-play them based on it.

 

Now, had the dealer taken away the promo chip on a push, he'd have a valid gripe. (Actually, the fine print would imply that the casino COULD take away the promo chip after a push, but I have a 100% hit rate on the dealer letting it ride until a win or loss.)

 

Also, I've always been restricted to even-money bets only, which makes the net value of these chips at just under 50% of face value, as noted above. Given that, you're better off taking the free slot play, if the total amount is the same.

 

Finally, if you can really get away on Princess with playing the promo chips on single roulette numbers - all bets are ON! The analysis upthread is spot-on, and makes the chips worth over 90% of face value.

 

Referencing the OP's analysis, the bets shift from "X to 1" to "X for 1". Going from "2 to 1" to "2 for 1" is a big haircut. "35 to 1" to "35 for 1" is almost nothing.

 

Me personally, I wouldn't "paint the table" and make it obvious that I was hedging the bet. That might invite being shut down. I'd just play roulette as usual, making sure to use the promo chips ONLY on single-number bets.

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