Casino Loophole?

[iamchrisstone]

I didn't know any other way to word that.

 

In a normal casino, we'd get $1,000 in chips, play for a bit or not at all, then cash in the chips. Then we'd go to dinner, and do it again. I love the $5 black jack table so I may play that for a little while, but I'm not a big gambler. After a couple hours, I'd cash my chips back in. After a weekend of that (whether in Vegas or the local casinos to us in Indiana, Ohio, etc) we always end up getting free rooms, events and all kinds of stuff.

 

So, my question is this: During the duration of my cruise, if someone buys a large number of chips, cashes them in and back and forth, does Carnival have the same kind of benefits? Is this even possible, or do you just make a bet with your S&S Card and not even possible?

[stobe1]

Not sure about your actual question, but as far as blackjack on Carnival is concerned, you will have to ante up a little bit more. Their lowest table is $6.

[poz222]

You have to "play" the chips, not just cash in/out. You accumulate points based on amount played and time... or $ run through machine.

[RWolver672]

or do you just make a bet with your S&S Card and not even possible?

 

I don't know about the tables but at the slots, you have to put cash in, then set up a casino account on your S&S card. When you leave the machine, you cash out onto your card. Then you can go to the cashier and get your money. You can also charge your S&S account and transfer that money to your casino account.

 

At any rate, you have to spend a whole lot of money to get a free cruise or even a free Drinks on Us Card.

[Moviela]

In the old days in Vegas I would deposit $5K with the cage and then play a single hand of blackjack for $100. and ask the pit boss to rate me. That was enough to get food, room, & shows comped. Many time a line pass to the buffet could be had.

 

Those days are long gone. IRS rules and the club cards have stopped all that. Now they know how much you gamble to the penny, and have strict rules as to how much you get comped. Carnival is no different.

[iamchrisstone]

In the old days in Vegas I would deposit $5K with the cage and then play a single hand of blackjack for $100. and ask the pit boss to rate me. That was enough to get food, room, & shows comped. Many time a line pass to the buffet could be had.

 

Those days are long gone. IRS rules and the club cards have stopped all that. Now they know how much you gamble to the penny, and have strict rules as to how much you get comped. Carnival is no different.

 

I didnt know that. Yeah the casino in columbus ohio and evansville indiana as of last year still hookes us up. Maybe they just didnt care. Idk. Oh well.

[StolidCruiser]

I didnt know that. Yeah the casino in columbus ohio and evansville indiana as of last year still hookes us up. Maybe they just didnt care. Idk. Oh well.

 

Don't expect the Big Boys to play fast and loose with the bennies like those podunk casinos more desperate to keep the player hooked.

[coevan]

In the old days in Vegas I would deposit $5K with the cage and then play a single hand of blackjack for $100. and ask the pit boss to rate me. That was enough to get food, room, & shows comped. Many time a line pass to the buffet could be had.

 

Those days are long gone. IRS rules and the club cards have stopped all that. Now they know how much you gamble to the penny, and have strict rules as to how much you get comped. Carnival is no different.

 

 

Have to call B.S on this. I am a gambler. I don't care if you deposited 50,000, if you don't play, you will not be marked. The cruise ship has some very high standards a $5 BJ player will likely not earn anything

[timeinthesand]

What does it mean to be marked or rated,?

[Micahs Grandad]

You have to "play" the chips, not just cash in/out. You accumulate points based on amount played and time... or $ run through machine.

 

How could they possibly know how much you have bet at say roulette or BJ?

[dporter]

They know, the dealers watch, the pit bosses watch, the camera watches.

[rolaur]

The dealer and pit boss keep an eye on your play (average bet) and mark it down as you go. When you start to play, you give your player card to the dealer and are put in the system as sitting in that position. Your amount of hands are now counted (by a sensor in the table) along with average bet and THAT's how you get rated and comps. On our last cruise, I played 798 hands straight of Black Jack at an average of $40 a hand and was given a free cruise (plus did nicely in $$ that night). You can't just move money around, you need to at least risk it!

[drvmywifecrzy]

Not a loophole, it is based on what you gamble. You can buy in for $5 win that hand, and let it ride so now bet $10, win that hand let it ride, now bet $20 and let it ride, keep doing this until you hit the table max, and keep winning and eventually you will get a free cruise for your $5 buy in.

[Bosrox]

LOL. You seriously think they aren’t smart enough to clue in that you’re not actually playing the chips?

 

Also, it takes a lot more than one single $100 hand to get free food and room comps in Vegas.

[winddawn]

Play is usually rated by the pit boss at the table games wherever you play, and slot play tracked via your player's card.. It doesn't matter how many chips you actually buy because you're rated on play. That being said, I also find the land-based casinos to be much more liberal with comps than Carnival. I usually only gamble a few hours a year at Harrah's pre-cruise, and I always get my pre-cruise hotel room comped and mailed coupons for free play and free buffet. The land-based casinos mail me these offers to get me visit their casino. Carnival's comps aren't nearly as valuable.

[maryred]

Here's the skinny on being rated on a Carnival ship...

First off regardless of how much you buy in for at a table the dealer/croupier will not alert the pit boss actively track your play unless you are popping at least $20 per hand, spin, or roll. This is even true when they ask you at buy-in for your S&S card. After about 2 continuous hours of play under the same pit boss at that same rate, s/he will "highlight" your S&S card in their system, that other casino personnel get a heads up that you are a potential valued player. Sometimes those that prefer a high bet per round may get away with less play time before being noticed.

One way to tell if you have been noticed is at some point of play one of the casino host staff will come over with a bar server and offer you personally a free drink off the standard menu. Once that happens you will know they are closely tracking your play and possibly be eligible soon for other comps, like the Drink on Us card, edible treats delivered to your cabin, free bottles of wine, dinner at one of the specialty restaurants, but free or reduced cabins are not a given comp. Those tend to go only to the top 10-15% of gamblers on any given cruise. That could mean regardless of how many comp points you earn that if on a gambler heavy cruise your might not see any offers for future free cruises curtsy of the casino. Reduced offers for what use to be called Pack-n-Play cruises are made randomly, but the casino cash and the amount of the discount given off the Past Guest rate is determined by your most recent cruise's comp point level.

How comp points are accumulated at the tables is a closely held secret by casino personnel, so check out the CPC FAQs page.to see if they ever publish how they make their calculations.