Fortunes Casino Review

[Hearthosesteeldrumsplayin]

We have our first X cruise in March.  I noticed on the vacation planner that you could buy chips early and get the bonus chips.  I am a craps player, but $25 seems high on a ship, where it is usually fun and $10 with 3/4/5 odds (at least on NCL).  Can someone who is/has cruised post-hiatus tell me if X is only offering 2X odds at under $25 on craps still?  That just boggles the mind!  One of the reasons I like to cruise is for the casino (not available where I live!) and I usually play for a couple of hours each day.  I will be seriously bummed if these minimums/odds are still in place!

[NutsAboutGolf]

28 minutes ago, Unlvswezel said:

Couple of comments/ questions. 1, the $25 and $50 tables were 3:2 on the edge last week. I was playing $50 a hand on the $15 hit a blackjack and the dealer told me I should go play the $25, otherwise I never would have known.

 

2.How did you mind your tier and get comps? I asked a couple of time and they told me they wouldn’t be able to figure it out until later this week. Based on my play I should be at least an amethyst, but think I should hit Saphire.  Called the BCC and they said they won’t have anything for a couple of weeks.

3. Congrats on your winning week, hope you had a great time!

 

7/24 sailing?  That was the one I was on.

1)  I asked a the dealer twice about 5:6 who said there wasn't any, perhaps I asked when the table was closed

2)  Host said no earlier than three days after your sailing call the BCC phone number and ask how many tier points you have, you can also email them but when I called yesterday it was an hour so I'm not sure how responsive they'll be with emails.  I just put my phone on speakerphone and do something else

3)  Thanks, was a fun time; hope you had a great time as well

[Fly and Sail]

6 hours ago, NutsAboutGolf said:

Host said no earlier than three days after your sailing call the BCC phone number and ask how many tier points you have, you can also email them but when I called yesterday it was an hour so I'm not sure how responsive they'll be with emails.  I just put my phone on speakerphone and do something else

 

So basically any type of status change takes place AFTER the sailing and comps have to be run by the host manually on the second last/last day? I wonder how they're doing that considering the number of players.

 

FWIW: Tomorrow is the last full day of the cruise and while I have met and chatted with the host a couple times until now there is no welcome letter, no welcome amenity or anything that's supposed to come for MLife Noir members. I wonder at this point after 6+ changes if it's even coded anymore as a Casino cruise. But must be as I was able to draw $8k without the 5% fee. NIce bunch of Chase points.

[NutsAboutGolf]

2 hours ago, Fly and Sail said:

 

So basically any type of status change takes place AFTER the sailing and comps have to be run by the host manually on the second last/last day? I wonder how they're doing that considering the number of players.

 

FWIW: Tomorrow is the last full day of the cruise and while I have met and chatted with the host a couple times until now there is no welcome letter, no welcome amenity or anything that's supposed to come for MLife Noir members. I wonder at this point after 6+ changes if it's even coded anymore as a Casino cruise. But must be as I was able to draw $8k without the 5% fee. NIce bunch of Chase points.

 

Correct, IDK if it's fleet wide but on the Edge the host said you won't know until three days after.  Great with the chase ultimate rewards, if you have a chase card that awards extra points for travel like the CSR, if you pull the funds directly from sign and sail account you get it coded as travel.

[hwmyones]

1 hour ago, NutsAboutGolf said:

 

Correct, IDK if it's fleet wide but on the Edge the host said you won't know until three days after.  Great with the chase ultimate rewards, if you have a chase card that awards extra points for travel like the CSR, if you pull the funds directly from sign and sail account you get it coded as travel.

That’s the trick I’ve been using for years. On Royal at least they don’t charge the 3% because I’m signature, and I can take up to $5000/day for free and get 3x CUR points. It’s wonderful. 

[CalTexCruiser]

2 hours ago, NutsAboutGolf said:

 

Correct, IDK if it's fleet wide but on the Edge the host said you won't know until three days after.  Great with the chase ultimate rewards, if you have a chase card that awards extra points for travel like the CSR, if you pull the funds directly from sign and sail account you get it coded as travel.

 

Is pulling funds using the CSR card from the sign and sail account considered a cash advance like from an ATM, subject to fees from Chase ($ 10 or 5%, whichever is greater)?

 

If I can pull it off without getting charged fees from Chase or from the Fortunes casino, I'd love to do it.

 

In looking at the BCC benefits chart, looks like credit card cash advance fee is waived for Onyx and above.  So now it's down to avoiding the cash advance fee from Chase.

 

 

 

Edited August 5, 2021 by CalTexCruiser

[dkjretired]

If you put it on your card it all goes into the credit card at the end as a purchase same as if you took an excursion or bought t shirts on board.We did this 20 years ago on Celebrity when they didn’t charge for cash advances in the casino. 

[Fly and Sail]

3 hours ago, CalTexCruiser said:

 

Is pulling funds using the CSR card from the sign and sail account considered a cash advance like from an ATM, subject to fees from Chase ($ 10 or 5%, whichever is greater)?

 

If I can pull it off without getting charged fees from Chase or from the Fortunes casino, I'd love to do it.

 

In looking at the BCC benefits chart, looks like credit card cash advance fee is waived for Onyx and above.  So now it's down to avoiding the cash advance fee from Chase.

 

 

 

It's coded as a normal purchase not as a cash advance. Plus it earns 3X on the Sapphire Reserve or Amex Green. I wish I had another Celebrity Amex Offer on my Platinum but no love this year. Got 15k for spending $500+ in 2020 which is the reason I prepaid all gratuities etc.

[Fly and Sail]

3 hours ago, dkjretired said:

If you put it on your card it all goes into the credit card at the end as a purchase same as if you took an excursion or bought t shirts on board.We did this 20 years ago on Celebrity when they didn’t charge for cash advances in the casino. 

 

This fee (5%) is waived for BCC Onyx and above, corresponding MLife tiers and onboard suite guests.

 

What I like about this option is that if you play your cards right and withdraw enough cash, with the current Chase Pay Yourself Back promo where one point is worth 1.5 cents it could pay you back for most if not all of your slot losses (if any). Otherwise I just move them to Hyatt.

[CalTexCruiser]

10 minutes ago, Fly and Sail said:

 

This fee (5%) is waived for BCC Onyx and above, corresponding MLife tiers and onboard suite guests.

 

What I like about this option is that if you play your cards right and withdraw enough cash, with the current Chase Pay Yourself Back promo where one point is worth 1.5 cents it could pay you back for most if not all of your slot losses (if any). Otherwise I just move them to Hyatt.

 

16 minutes ago, Fly and Sail said:

It's coded as a normal purchase not as a cash advance. Plus it earns 3X on the Sapphire Reserve or Amex Green. I wish I had another Celebrity Amex Offer on my Platinum but no love this year. Got 15k for spending $500+ in 2020 which is the reason I prepaid all gratuities etc.

 

Great to know!!! 👍

 

Is there a limit on how much can be withdrawn at the casino using a credit card?  I may just maximize my withdrawals each day to get the CSR points (intend to gamble just a small fraction of it).  But then there is the issue I'll be bringing a wad of cash back to the USA (on my Apex cruise) and one has to declare over $10k cash to US customs.

[Fly and Sail]

9 minutes ago, CalTexCruiser said:

 

 

Great to know!!! 👍

 

Is there a limit on how much can be withdrawn at the casino using a credit card?  I may just maximize my withdrawals each day to get the CSR points (intend to gamble just a small fraction of it).  But then there is the issue I'll be bringing a wad of cash back to the USA (on my Apex cruise) and one has to declare over $10k cash to US customs.

 

They also offer the option of sending a wire to your account though I don't know if that only relates to winnings or the entire amount. Let's say I create a big ticket of ~ $10k and then on the last day ask them to keep the cash and wire it to my U.S. account.

 

For Alaska sailings an account with Wells Fargo or First Bank comes in handy as they have a branch in Juneau and Skagway. That way you can get rid of cash in between.

[Fly and Sail]

FWIW as far as the argument with BCC/X about actuals vs theoreticals goes here is the information from their website:

 

If despite this Celebrity still insists on actuals because their host/pit boss made a mistake I'd escalate that.

[NutsAboutGolf]

52 minutes ago, Fly and Sail said:

FWIW as far as the argument with BCC/X about actuals vs theoreticals goes here is the information from their website:

 

If despite this Celebrity still insists on actuals because their host/pit boss made a mistake I'd escalate that.

 

Thanks, I sent this to him.  He said the BCC agent said it was the host that rated him this way

[Fly and Sail]

7 minutes ago, NutsAboutGolf said:

 

Thanks, I sent this to him.  He said the BCC agent said it was the host that rated him this way

 

Something doesn't pan out here. The website says 8 TP for every >$1 theoretical on table games compared to 1 TP/$1 on slots ?? Is this just sloppy wording, purposely confusing or really that easy to sail to the 25k/100k level on table games? Not particularly difficult to cycle 3-4k through tables.

[CalTexCruiser]

6 minutes ago, Fly and Sail said:

 

Something doesn't pan out here. The website says 8 TP for every >$1 theoretical on table games compared to 1 TP/$1 on slots ?? Is this just sloppy wording, purposely confusing or really that easy to sail to the 25k/100k level on table games? Not particularly difficult to cycle 3-4k through tables.

 

I believe "theoretical" means theoretical win of the casino.

 

So let's say BJ has a 1.5% house edge, then cycling $ 4,000 through a BJ game will equal $ 60 theoretical win.  The 8 TP is on the $ 60, not the $ 4,000--otherwise we would all be BCC top tier after a few evenings at the table.

[vkb2751]

3 hours ago, Fly and Sail said:

 

This fee (5%) is waived for BCC Onyx and above, corresponding MLife tiers and onboard suite guests.

 

What I like about this option is that if you play your cards right and withdraw enough cash, with the current Chase Pay Yourself Back promo where one point is worth 1.5 cents it could pay you back for most if not all of your slot losses (if any). Otherwise I just move them to Hyatt.

do you promotional chips or regular chips when you withdraw cash? Thank you. 

[Fly and Sail]

10 minutes ago, vkb2751 said:

do you promotional chips or regular chips when you withdraw cash? Thank you. 

 

I use slots and charge $500/transaction to the room.

[fstuff1]

2 hours ago, NutsAboutGolf said:

 

Thanks, I sent this to him.  He said the BCC agent said it was the host that rated him this way

 

What do you mean 'rated by actuals'?

why in the world would a Host override the automatic theo rating to do this?

 

[NutsAboutGolf]

 

2 hours ago, Fly and Sail said:

 

Something doesn't pan out here. The website says 8 TP for every >$1 theoretical on table games compared to 1 TP/$1 on slots ?? Is this just sloppy wording, purposely confusing or really that easy to sail to the 25k/100k level on table games? Not particularly difficult to cycle 3-4k through tables.

 

2 hours ago, CalTexCruiser said:

 

I believe "theoretical" means theoretical win of the casino.

 

So let's say BJ has a 1.5% house edge, then cycling $ 4,000 through a BJ game will equal $ 60 theoretical win.  The 8 TP is on the $ 60, not the $ 4,000--otherwise we would all be BCC top tier after a few evenings at the table.

 

Yes, this is basically correct

 

6 minutes ago, fstuff1 said:

 

What do you mean 'rated by actuals'?

why in the world would a Host override the automatic theo rating to do this?

 

 

Buddy was hoping they could wipe out his bill but only received a $150-ish credit