Casino Offers

[CarolinaCruiser20]

Are the benefits on an Elite cruise worth taking a lower freeplay amount for? For example, if you have a regular casino offer for $2,000 in freeplay and the Elite offer is only for $500 in Freeplay. Both offers are for same free balcony stateroom and free drinks anywhere for you and companion.

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

12 minutes ago, CarolinaCruiser20 said:

Are the benefits on an Elite cruise worth taking a lower freeplay amount for? For example, if you have a regular casino offer for $2,000 in freeplay and the Elite offer is only for $500 in Freeplay. Both offers are for same free balcony stateroom and free drinks anywhere for you and companion.

Everything else being equal - I'd certainly take the $2,000 over the $500. The little things that Elite gets you  additionally are not worth anywhere near that amount. Granted, you could spin the wheel and get something worth a grand or so... maybe...

 

Tom

[Virga]

I track everything pretty obsessively, and can't figure out their rhyme or reason myself.  I had a few sheets cruises before my husband started sailing, but since then we've had the same history - twenty or so sailings, a hiatus from 2014 to 2021, and minimal casino play until September 2021.  We both initially received identical excellent offers after our first gambling cruise, both got dropped back to merely 'pretty good' offers after a low-play trip on MG, both dropped back to slim pickins when we had five cruises on the books.

 

Then this cycle hit, and I have some pretty good offers, while his our lackluster - not even free drinks in the casino! - though one of his rate codes had slightly wider dates for free cabins than mine.  The only differences we can guess at are that he got something like 700pts more than me on this last cruise, he maxed out his fifteen consistently while I might miss a few days, and I book and pay for all the cruises with a credit card in my name.  We keep separate folios and pay for those with credit cards in our own names, though that's mostly just tips and the occasional specialty dining.

 

Regardless, the discounts and Freeplay we got initially amount to MUCH more than we have lost, and we've lost every cruise.  Even the discounts/drinks/OBC offers I'm getting now are more generous than my play should earn us.  His are probably fair, though I'm bummed his casino drinks are gone.  Still makes me think paying for the cruises on my card must factor in somehow, or maybe the algorithm has a dartboard mode lol.

[PittsburghGirlee]

18 hours ago, dgpappas said:

Can you expound on the $1000 “fun points” as it’s referred to.  I too have this offer and am curious as to it’s distributed.  All at once on my players card?  Or do you have to play with your own money to receive it?  And do you have to only use it on 1 machine or multiple machines? Thanks in advance

I have had it done both ways.  In Aug 2021 on MG, it was uploaded to my SnS card.  Other times, it was cash handed to me from the casino desk.  As long as I was getting it, I really didn't care how the transaction happened😁

[ChuckF]

22 hours ago, EngIceDave said:

Yeah, trying to keep wife off the ledge

Trying to stay off ledge myself. 

[EngIceDave]

Fun play = free play

Same thing

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

8 minutes ago, EngIceDave said:

Fun play = free play

Same thing

 

Fun Play --- aka --- Free Play --- aka --- "stings less when you lose it"!

 

(Easy come, easy go)  😄 

 

Tom

[EngIceDave]

Just now, Tom-n-Cheryl said:

 

Fun Play --- aka --- Free Play --- aka --- "stings less when you lose it"!

 

Tom

I play the conversion game....how much can I convert to cash?

Best way, but dull and slow, is roulette.....bet black or red and never waiver...stick to that color. ( choose whatever appears to be trending) and I can usually convert my FP 100% or more.

 

My wife usually does it and she shops with the winnings (she doesn't gamble)...so more fun for her

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

37 minutes ago, EngIceDave said:

I play the conversion game....how much can I convert to cash?

Best way, but dull and slow, is roulette.....bet black or red and never waiver...stick to that color. ( choose whatever appears to be trending) and I can usually convert my FP 100% or more.

 

My wife usually does it and she shops with the winnings (she doesn't gamble)...so more fun for her

 

I suppose betting red or black does not have to be slow - what's the max bet on that play?

 

I'm purely a BJ guy. Though I've played a little JoB in the past (but not with bad pay tables - like pretty much ALL are now).

 

Tom

[kwokpot]

8 hours ago, CarolinaCruiser20 said:

Are the benefits on an Elite cruise worth taking a lower freeplay amount for? For example, if you have a regular casino offer for $2,000 in freeplay and the Elite offer is only for $500 in Freeplay. Both offers are for same free balcony stateroom and free drinks anywhere for you and companion.

If both offers include free drinks everywhere for two and both are free balcony then for sure the $2000 regular casino offer, no debate needed on that!

[EngIceDave]

4 hours ago, Tom-n-Cheryl said:

 

I suppose betting red or black does not have to be slow - what's the max bet on that play?

 

I'm purely a BJ guy. Though I've played a little JoB in the past (but not with bad pay tables - like pretty much ALL are now).

 

Tom

I honestly play slots as a time killer. I enjoy it. On land, I get a lot more hand pays or wins. So, have to play down onboard and there is just not the same juice when you win

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

2 hours ago, kwokpot said:

If both offers include free drinks everywhere for two and both are free balcony then for sure the $2000 regular casino offer, no debate needed on that!

 

Best offer I've ever managed was $1,000 free play. Now it's pretty much locked in at $500.

 

Honestly, if they REALLY wanted to entice me to book something I otherwise might not, it would take a couple grand (or more)  - and, even then, I'd still have to have Cheryl sign off on it (and Carnival is definitely not at the top of her list). Aside from that, I just book what works with my schedule.

 

Tom

[pinklucky61]

On 5/5/2022 at 11:37 AM, Tom-n-Cheryl said:

 

I'm curious - if you have (basically) a CHEERS package for yourself - would your spouse be able to purchase CHEERS (for just 1 of the 2 in the cabin)?

 

Tom

Going by what my SIL told me, my brother gets drinks anywhere, but they wouldn't let her use OBC to pre-purchase Cheers. She has to wait until onboard.

[EngIceDave]

I would actually be ok with better cabin status or a suite than the casino free play.

 

I get balcony offers, but if I could get offers like suites and less or no free play, I'd probably take it.

 

If Carnival did like some others with a "Cove" like experience within the ship and offered that, I'd take for sure over free play.

[WKUTopperFan]

I always choose free suites over fun play. My offers that have $1000 in Fun Play are always paired with a comp balcony. Alternatively my offers with $500 in Fun Play are paired with a comp ocean suite. It's a no brainer for me, I go with the the comp suite offer.  These obviously come with Drinks Anywhere for myself only. 

 

What I have yet to be offered, and not sure what I have to do to get extended one, is a comp suite for an Elite Cruise. I am only offered comp balconies.  I usually book a Elite cruise every so often as it's nice to have the Drinks Everywhere for my cabin mate, the limo transfer to/from airport, bar setup, Fun Play,  etc... I find those amenities great for me. I much prefer being in a suite but a balcony is acceptable with the amenties you get with the Elite offer. Have any of you guys been offered a comp suite with your Elite offers? If so, what is your bankroll? 

 

Carnival takes care of it's gamblers better than any other cruise line. That's why I cruise Carnival.  

[lazydayz]

Pre-COVID I received a suite offer on an Elite cruise, which unfortunately got cancelled.  Since then, all have been balcony or lower.  And I too would chose the suite over free play, unless it was a lot of free play ($1,500 or more).

[mowogo]

I had the offer for almost $200 less that I booked a couple of weeks ago, but this is still a steal for an extended balcony cabin on the Spirit in June, especially compared to the general options, and this was where i fun matched for a cruise in March, and only put in $100 cash on that cruise.  

[EngIceDave]

7 hours ago, WKUTopperFan said:

I always choose free suites over fun play. My offers that have $1000 in Fun Play are always paired with a comp balcony. Alternatively my offers with $500 in Fun Play are paired with a comp ocean suite. It's a no brainer for me, I go with the the comp suite offer.  These obviously come with Drinks Anywhere for myself only. 

 

What I have yet to be offered, and not sure what I have to do to get extended one, is a comp suite for an Elite Cruise. I am only offered comp balconies.  I usually book a Elite cruise every so often as it's nice to have the Drinks Everywhere for my cabin mate, the limo transfer to/from airport, bar setup, Fun Play,  etc... I find those amenities great for me. I much prefer being in a suite but a balcony is acceptable with the amenties you get with the Elite offer. Have any of you guys been offered a comp suite with your Elite offers? If so, what is your bankroll? 

 

Carnival takes care of it's gamblers better than any other cruise line. That's why I cruise Carnival.  

I play slots, in a land based casino, like say Caesars, I can do 1000 tier points in a day, which is a "coin in" of about $5K...that's coin in, not out of pocket

 

[angela12345]

On 5/4/2022 at 11:21 AM, IntrepidFromDC said:

My daughter's bf is a pit boss who travels not on certain ships, but only Ultra, Elite, etc. cruises.  

Who is it ?  Mind sharing ?  So curious !
 

On 5/4/2022 at 3:29 PM, Tom-n-Cheryl said:

Also gets lots of free sailing offers from the casino, but bets a fraction of what I play... and it's MY $ he's playing with... LOL (front some $, if he wins, I get my "investment" back, if he loses, my tough luck)

Where do I go to signup to be your daughter ?!?!  : )
 

On 5/6/2022 at 12:30 PM, EngIceDave said:

I play the conversion game....how much can I convert to cash?

Best way, but dull and slow, is roulette.....bet black or red and never waiver...stick to that color. ( choose whatever appears to be trending) and I can usually convert my FP 100% or more.

Actually, you can convert to cash better and faster on craps.  Example on $1000
$490 pass line
$490 don't pass
$20 on the 12  (pays 30:1 odds)

35/36 times you collect $980 (if a 12 doesn't roll)

If 12 rolls, you will get $1000-$1110 depending on if they convert your FP chips to real chips or not after the 12 (yes convert = pick up the 20, the 600 win, and 490 dont pass=$1110 total).  I do not know the answer to whether they convert it, I've never been lucky enough to get 12 on FP chips to find out.  You can test this theory out at https://wizardofodds.com/play/craps/ or at https://wizardofodds.com/play/craps/v2

If they do NOT convert, you still pick up the dont pass, but you have to replay it as 240 pass, 240 dont pass, and 10 on the 12.  35/36 times you will collect $480 + the 620 you collected before=$1000 total

If you don't get so much FP, here's $100 example:
$49 pass $49 don't pass, $2 on 12 = $98-111
$50 pass $50 don't pass, $2 of real chips on 12 = $100-$2 real chips = $98-112
 

Edited December 9, 2022 by angela12345