Casino rate on Holland

[CherryG]

We booked a casino rate that was sent to me last year and grabbed a Neptune suite for 799 Cdn. Would have been $599 is paying in US funds. This year we have a Signature suite booked for the same amount. Both eastern cruises. Rate showing now is $4200 for the 2 of us. Can’t expect to get much cheaper than what we’re getting. Last Nov someone we met on the ship said I was wrong and couldn’t possibly have got a Neptune that cheap. Yep - we did. By the way I am not a big gambler by any means and my husband spends even less.

 

 

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[DaveOKC]

We booked a casino rate that was sent to me last year and grabbed a Neptune suite for 799 Cdn. Would have been $599 is paying in US funds. This year we have a Signature suite booked for the same amount. Both eastern cruises. Rate showing now is $4200 for the 2 of us. Can’t expect to get much cheaper than what we’re getting. Last Nov someone we met on the ship said I was wrong and couldn’t possibly have got a Neptune that cheap. Yep - we did. By the way I am not a big gambler by any means and my husband spends even less.

 

Well, I believe you - one of my relatives got a similar price on a Neptune a year ago.

 

One thing I noticed on a recent friend's mailer is that you can get some VERY low fares, but they are for the lowest level sub-category in the main category (Neptune, Signature, Veranda, Outside, Inside) and they are just guarantees - you cannot select a specific cabin. For example, my friend got an inside on a 10 day Eastern Caribbean cruise for $99 pp, but if he wanted to select a cabin it was $599 pp (or higher).

 

I am now getting a 10% off casino rate and based upon our limited play this seems very generous. If I could get the 30% off rate mentioned in a previous post, I would be extremely happy, as with the % off rate you can select your cabin.

[CherryG]

Yes, that sounds like the mailer we got. We're in Canada and I think it had inside for $159 and then you paid extra depending on what you wanted. That's how we got the Signature suite for 799. Last year we were thrilled with the location of our Neptune suite on the casino special rate. It was perfect for us. Also, at these prices, we won't be too upset on the location. We're both retired so saving money is more important when it's this big of a difference. That said, we have splurged on suites before and will probably do so again in the future.

[fatcat04]

This is all fascinating to me. We haven't really done the casinos a bunch on HAL but my dh loves slots thanks to a few trips to Vegas and I love a lively Craps table. Tbh, the smokiness kind of kept us at bay on ships. But I think we will bring along a modest gambling budget this next cruise and see if we can't have fun. Might really be worth it. :D

[SALMARK]

We just started getting the casino discount and was told it is now embedded in our mariner numbers. My husband swears he is not spending a lot of money in the casino (I never go) but remember Bingo is a casino game. He is a devoted bingo player and I play on most bingo days also.

[blueboro]

Last year we were on the Westerdam from Rome to Venice. When we booked, my brother and sis-in-law (who gamble some on cruises) paid $1,200 LESS for the same cabin ($600 each) than myself and another brother. We were told it was a casino discount.

 

We recently booked Koningsdam from Amsterdam to Rome. The two brothers/wives who gamble paid around $800 less than me and my other brother...so it pays to gamble apparently.

 

Interesting that they do not gamble a lot of money...just maybe a short time on several evenings. We were told the discount was secured on my sis-in-law's Mariner number who plays slots exclusively...not my brother who plays craps.

[oliver1821]

Get good offers a lot!! Always good!!!

[MajMom96]

One word of warning on booking the special casino fares sent to you by mail. We have gotten some incredible deals from the mailings in the past, but we recently booked a cruise through the mailed offer and within a month the fares have dropped below the special rate. I have tried to get HAL to allow us to go down to the lower fare but everyone at HAL I have talked to says they do not know how to do it. It seems they have never run into this before. If we had not booked a special casino rate we would be compensated, but since we are special casino customers no compensation. I am not very happy with HAL right now. Just something to consider when booking from the mailing

 

 

 

Couldn’t you just cancel your original casino booking and re-book under the lower fare? I’ve never had an issue doing this if the price went down and I hadn’t made final payment (which I always hold back $100 until final payment due date).

 

 

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[taba]

There are "casino offers" and "casino rates". The "casino offers" can be last minute heavily discounted rates that are non refundable. It is not combinable with other offered.

 

The "casino rates" can be 10 to 30 percent discount. We have booked both. We were able to combine it with the Explore 4 or Ready Set Sail promotions. We were also able to take advantage of lower fares when they became available.

 

I have booked the "casino rates" over a year in advance of the sailing.

[Slyfox16]

How do you contact the casino department at Holland America, as we are ready to book a cruise now. We get casino rates on NCL and Celebrity. Greatly appreciate any comments.  languageman16@aol.com

[baggal]

On 8/1/2018 at 4:34 PM, blueboro said:

Last year we were on the Westerdam from Rome to Venice. When we booked, my brother and sis-in-law (who gamble some on cruises) paid $1,200 LESS for the same cabin ($600 each) than myself and another brother. We were told it was a casino discount.

 

We recently booked Koningsdam from Amsterdam to Rome. The two brothers/wives who gamble paid around $800 less than me and my other brother...so it pays to gamble apparently.

 

Interesting that they do not gamble a lot of money...just maybe a short time on several evenings. We were told the discount was secured on my sis-in-law's Mariner number who plays slots exclusively...not my brother who plays craps.

At the blackjack table they ask for your cabin card so your play can be tracked.  I would be surprised if they didn't do the same at the craps table.  We only play blackjack, and are not "high rollers" and both DH and I receive the casino rate.  

 

Definitely at land-based casinos blackjack and craps players are second-class citizens.  I have nothing that proves it, but in terms of receiving cruise fare discounts,  I think HAL doesn't discriminate against table game players.