The Vault Machine

[skittl1321]

So how much is it per play, $1 or $5? Is there an minimum age limit to be able to play this machine?

 

On Triumph it is $1.

I think because it is IN the casino, you have to be 18, old enough to play in the casino.

 

BUT there is an nearly identical type of game in the arcade. Not quite the same thing, not a vault with keys, but the same theory.

[imatexan]

This! It is similar to an algorithm ...

 

I hate to be a wet blanket, but please understand this is NOT a game of skill. These games are highly popular with the player because they think it IS a game of skill. These games are highly popular with operators because they are 100% safe and HIGHLY profitable.

 

The manufacturer of these machines advertises that you can even give away a CAR as the prize.

 

You will always be OH SO CLOSE unless the chip says - hey its time to give away a prize.

 

The winner mentioned he didn't know why people would go for the $100 or $200 prize...the answer, with the machine controlling ROI - there is a statistically better chance for you to win the lower prize than the top prize.

 

So, as long as you understand this is similar to a slot machine (but NOT as random as a slot machine) - play. You have a chance at winning. However, please don't think it is a game of skill..it is not.

[Sargent_Schultz]

I'm not sure that it is technically in the casino and think it was always available to "play" even when the casino was closed, but not positive about the latter.

 

Anyway, it is set off by itself and you have to walk right by it.

[skittl1321]

Maybe that depends on the ship. It was definitely IN the casino on the Triumph, though on the edge. But slots were on either side of it.

 

It was always open though.

 

I never saw kids try to play it, but kids were told to keep walking through the casino by the hosts, so if they aren't supposed to be in there, I don't know how they could play it.

[4hunters]

I put about $30 bucks through that machine last week on Splendor. Got very close, but that's about it. During the week, I think the iPad/$500 bundle was won twice while the $1000 cash was never won.

[PegNRay]

Maybe that depends on the ship. It was definitely IN the casino on the Triumph, though on the edge. But slots were on either side of it.

 

It was always open though.

 

I never saw kids try to play it, but kids were told to keep walking through the casino by the hosts, so if they aren't supposed to be in there, I don't know how they could play it.

 

They had the Vault in the kid's arcade on the Miracle. Grandson lost an undetermined amount of his own money. He declined to say how much. Next cruise his wallet will go in the safe with his cell phone.

[skittl1321]

They had the Vault in the kid's arcade on the Miracle. Grandson lost an undetermined amount of his own money. He declined to say how much. Next cruise his wallet will go in the safe with his cell phone.

 

 

The arcade on the triumph had a very similar machine, but not the vault. One girl told me "I was SO close like twenty times!" So I imagine she spent at least twice that, for the ones that weren't close...

 

The arcade is dangerous.

[4hunters]

They had the Vault in the kid's arcade on the Miracle. Grandson lost an undetermined amount of his own money. He declined to say how much. Next cruise his wallet will go in the safe with his cell phone.

 

Yes some ships do have the vault in the arcades. However, they do not contain cash, only prizes, which makes sense since those under 18 are not allowed to gamble.

[mamieof3]

That i have heard so much about on the carnival ships in the casino i think......john heald just posted someone won an ipad on it and remember someone saying on here they won an ipad......come on let the secerts out lol i wanna win one!!!

 

On the Magic last November and there were several winners!! 3 IPAD with cash attached were won that I know of and several won just cash prizes. The machine always had a crowd around it since you could play it whether the casino was open or not. We would watch people for hours while sitting at the bar but I was never around it when there wasn't a huge crowd so I never got to play :( probably a good thing, though! :D

[Sargent_Schultz]

I'm not sure that it is technically in the casino and think it was always available to "play" even when the casino was closed, but not positive about the latter.

 

Anyway, it is set off by itself and you have to walk right by it.

 

On Carnival Magic.

[craftykitty]

On the Elation, the Vault is outside the casino in the promenade.

[cathyz]

On the Spirit the Vault is in the casino on the walkway thru the casino and was available 24/7, but I never saw any kids trying it.

[Georgie562]

Its on the Inspiration. Just off this past Monday.

 

It's a big hit! The machine was always busy and by the end of the cruise (3 Day) most of the cash prizes were gone. The Ipad's still remained.

[Wrigley0524]

I think there is a system so that they do not lose, but I do not think it is all luck, first of all you have to get it perfect to go through. While I watched people no one got it as close as I did before i won. Everyone was a minimum 1/4 inch away. Yes it sounds close but it is not going to adjust it 1/4 inch just so you lose. maybe a 1/16th of an inch. While I was on the ship for the week including myself two people won $500 and an iPad, 1 person won $200 and 3 people won $100. It is not 100% skill but it does involve hand-eye cordination.

 

For people wondering what i noticed while playing...

 

The key always moved up a little after starting to move forward. So to win you needed to aim a little low because when it is pushing towards the keyslot about halfway there it shifts up. maybe an 1/8 inch at most. The machine almost always had a line at it, so I am sure they made their money, but if it was set to pay off, they would pay off in the begining not the last night of the cruise at 1:30 am when the casino was going to close for everyone by 4am.

 

Just my thought, although everyone has their own theories. Hope this helps some of you.

 

Also on the pride it is $1 each try and it was in the casino.

[campdaan]

The game itself is a re-branded version of Sega Key Master.

 

If you Google that, you will see some of the coin-op trades touting it's excellent ROI.

 

It is a game of chance, made to look like a game of skill.

 

Having worked in the amusment industry repairing and maintaining such devices, I have seen many similiar versions touting themselves as a "skill" game.

 

Like the Slots, it's best to think of it as amusement and hope to have a little luck.

 

BTW, on my recent Miracle Cruise, I had a great time playing, but did not win.

[christinalvt]

I found a Key Master machine (same thing, different name, no cash prizes) in my local diner so I've been practicing for my upcoming cruise. I always get it about 1/8th of an inch too high. But it's fun practicing.

[golfadj]

I found a Key Master machine (same thing, different name, no cash prizes) in my local diner so I've been practicing for my upcoming cruise. I always get it about 1/8th of an inch too high. But it's fun practicing.

 

So does everyone else.

[usafchick1980]

Sounds like the quarter flipper... I could feed money into that thing all day... It is just so amusing, but it never pays to do it.

 

 

Isn't that the truth. I love those stupid quarter flip games. But I only allow myself $20 per cruise for it. Might need $20 for that and $20 for this new game now..LOL.

[reerun25]

Is The Vault $1 a try?

[BamaboyinUT]

Is The Vault $1 a try?

 

Yep. It's so fun watching people try to win. I heard on our last cruise that the same guy won three different prizes. That was just hearsay though.

[surfjock27]

On the Dream 3 weeks ago I won $200 on the Vault.

I put in a $5 bill and won on my third try.

After that I stopped.

Luck?

[surfjock27]

Also wanted to point out that on the Dream, it's clearly IN the casino.

 

Does anyone know the name of the other "luck" machine on the Dream?

It's $1 a play. You have to hit a button to drop circular donut looking things onto a pole.

The circular things get smaller and smaller.

As you make them on you have a chance to stop for a smaller prize (your $1 back) or continue on for the major prize (iPad or $1000).

That was quite addicting also.

[hassellcastle]

Hi all,

 

A little insight on the machine as my company I own is an amusement company.

The game as others have stated is made by Sega and it's real name is Key Master. I think Carnival had some arrangement with Sega to have the game graphics changed for having them on their ships.

 

This type of game is called an Instant Redemption Prize game. These are the hottest things in the arcades right now and make great ROI. Along with other similar games that offer a BIG prize if you can do it just right. Other games such as: Road Trip, Stacker, Tic Tac Toe and Barber Cut and plush cranes. All very similar, but the same concept.

 

Just so you know, there is little skill involved. Mostly luck. Luck meaning that you happen to be playing when the machine is due to pay off a Big Prize.

 

All of these games along with most newer plush cranes have percentaging settings in them, that can be set by the owner of the machine. Your biggest chance to win on one of these machines could be accomplished by counting how many times the machine has been played since it's last win. I know this is not an easy task to do, and who wants to do it on your cruise. But that would be your best chance of winning.

 

When setting up one of your machines, you enter into the machine the value of the prize it is awarding then, you set at what percentage of revenue must be taken in before giving out the prize. Usually most operators set the machines to take in about 300% of the value of the prize before giving out an award. So with that being said. If there is in Ipad valued at $500 with $500 bound to it, the value of that prize is $1000. The machine would then be set to award a prize after collecting $3000 (ie: 3000 plays).

 

Word to the wise...if you see someone win. Do not go up and play immediately after an award has been given. The machine is going to need to take in a lot more revenue before giving out another prize. I'd estimate any of the machines on the cruise lines needing to at least bring in $3000 before awarding a prize...but that's a guess.

 

I think it's so fun when I'm at one of my locations and I see a kid win a stuffed animal out of the crane. "I won". What immediately follows is all the kids around them now try to win ..and most don't successed...their just helping pay for the toy that was just awarded. :-)

I'm sure some will say..."I'm really good at cranes and win all the time". Well that might be the case with some older model plush cranes, but most newer ones have adjustable percentaging in them and are set by the operators when to award a teddy bear.

 

Like slot machines...these machines weren't built to make winners. They're built to make money.

[1 HappyCruiser]

I found a Key Master machine (same thing, different name, no cash prizes) in my local diner so I've been practicing for my upcoming cruise. I always get it about 1/8th of an inch too high. But it's fun practicing.

 

There actually is NO PRACTICING required in using the machine, although they make it look like there's skill involved. Would you consider practicing to win at a slot machine a logical investment?

 

Yep. It's so fun watching people try to win. I heard on our last cruise that the same guy won three different prizes. That was just hearsay though.

 

I think so. I never saw anyone else win as much as $100 but there were empty slots and lots of people lining up to give it a shot. It looks like a good money maker. :p

[Tahmay]

I won $1,000 on my 3rd try on the last sea day of our cruise on the Legend last month. I thought that I was awesome when my husband told me that he was told that only one other person had only won $200 aside from me the whole week. I tried later on that night cause I got cocky so I was trying for the ipad. $10 dollars later, close but no cigar.

 

However much I would like to think that I won based on "skill", I agree with everyone else, it is probably like a slot machine where it only "allows" a winner every once and awhile. I'm just glad that I didnt know about the machine until the last day, or I probably wouldve wasted a lot more money on it. lol