Jump to content
Cruise Critic Community

Casino offers - be sure to check the website!

DaveOKC

By DaveOKC,
in Holland America Line

 Share

Recommended Posts

d9704011

d9704011

Posted
Posted
2 minutes ago, KBC73 said:

Is it possible to book two cruises that are back to back? I am looking at the Zaandam on Sep 10 and Sep 17. We just did it in June but the deal is great and we have the time.

Sure, just offer money.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
DaveOKC

DaveOKC

Posted
  • Author
Posted
13 hours ago, IamHungry said:

I am new to Casino offer and got an email just like you guys. Got some questions...... 1.If I don't book any of these cruise will casino offer stop? 2. If I book one or more of these cruises and not playing at Casino, will casino offer stop as well? 3. Also do we know how much $$$ we have to spend for HAL to send out casino offer?

 

Thanks!

1. You will still get offers - no one can take every offer HAL sends out.  SOmetimes they even overlap.

2. Yes they will stop, but no one knows the requirements for this.

3.  No one can answer this - it depends on how bad HAL wants to fill the ship I expect, so once demand catches up for them I think we will be getting fewer and fewer offers.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
kangforpres

kangforpres

Posted
Posted (edited)
15 hours ago, IamHungry said:

I am new to Casino offer and got an email just like you guys. Got some questions...... 1.If I don't book any of these cruise will casino offer stop? 2. If I book one or more of these cruises and not playing at Casino, will casino offer stop as well? 3. Also do we know how much $$$ we have to spend for HAL to send out casino offer?

 

Thanks!

The Club 21 algorithm is a mystery to all of us. Some people get great offers after just one cruise, some sail multiple times and never get offers. Logically it would seem you should play some on a casino offer cruise so the offers keep coming. Just think of it as a roll of the dice.

Edited by kangforpres
Link to comment
Share on other sites
DaveOKC

DaveOKC

Posted
  • Author
Posted
1 hour ago, kangforpres said:

The Club 21 algorithm is a mystery to all of us. Some people get great offers after just one cruise, some sail multiple times and never get offers. Logically it would seem you should play some on a casino offer cruise so the offers keep coming. Just think of it as a roll of the dice.

I agree - give them some play or offers will disappear.  I used to get discounted offers but after I reduced my play they stopped.   My DW has played a moderate amount and gets free cabins now.  The casino deals have saved us thousands on each cruise while she has never lost more than $300 on any cruise and sometimes even comes home ahead.  

  • Like 1
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
IamHungry

IamHungry

Posted
Posted
8 hours ago, kangforpres said:

The Club 21 algorithm is a mystery to all of us. Some people get great offers after just one cruise, some sail multiple times and never get offers. Logically it would seem you should play some on a casino offer cruise so the offers keep coming. Just think of it as a roll of the dice.

We got free ocean view room offer after our first cruise. For sure we will be playing more on our next cruise which we already booked using casino offer.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Euby

Euby

Posted
Posted

I got my free cruise offer after my cruise in December.  Never played anything in the Casino, but I played Bingo every time it was offered at the highest costing option.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites
DaveOKC

DaveOKC

Posted
  • Author
Posted (edited)
13 hours ago, Alabaster Cruiser said:

Thank you OP.  I just booked a cruise that was not on my "list" of free oceanviews.  It's on it now!

Talked to my HAL PCC yesterday and told her that we saw the $200 fares on the website last Friday but did not get the email until 4 days later and she was quite surprised at that.

Normally we get the email first and a day or two later it shows up on the website.

 

Edited by DaveOKC
Link to comment
Share on other sites
kangforpres

kangforpres

Posted
Posted

Bingo is run by the Casino Staff and prize money is handled by the Casino department. So if you play every session and get the $59 tablet, that comes with the bonus 3 card and bonus scratcher it might be  enough gambling to get a casino cruise offer. 

 

I use to play the 6 card for $29 but casino staff convinced of better results with the tablet (36 cards) and I've been winning more at bingo.

 

Also you should get a mariner point for every night spent in a HAL cabin on a HAL cruise regardless of how the cabin is payed for. Maybe they didn't have your mariner #? I would investigate.

 

And you don't get mariner credits for money played in the casino. If that was the case I would be 5 stars by now, instead of 4.

 

-Paul

Link to comment
Share on other sites
rocksteady27

rocksteady27

Posted
Posted
3 hours ago, IamHungry said:

Points from casino play? How does that work?


I just got off the Zaandam on July 9. I was in a suite and earned 21 credits (7 sailing, 7 bonus for suite, and 7 for onboard spend).

 

I didn’t buy anything on board as I had the beverage package and my only charges were for gratuities. I did independent excursions.
 

I did play every night in casino - I would win, play it back and win again ending up a little on top. It’s all tracked on the card. However I did charge to my room account for casino cash and paid it off every night with winnings. There’s no fee associated with it and I prefer to do so versus bringing cash with me.

 

HAL’s website isn’t clear - it says “eligible spend” but doesn’t define it.

 

https://www.hollandamerica.com/en_US/mariner-society.html
 

As a member, you’ll earn Cruise Day credits for every day you cruise and for each purchase you make onboard. Earn bonus credits when you pay a published fare for a suite or penthouse and for each $300 in eligible onboard purchases.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
BigMattT

BigMattT

Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, kangforpres said:

 

 

Also you should get a mariner point for every night spent in a HAL cabin on a HAL cruise regardless of how the cabin is payed for. Maybe they didn't have your mariner #? I would investigate.

 


Thank you— resolved. Amazing what happens when one logs in to the correct account.

 

I did receive Mariner points!

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Suncoastsailors

Suncoastsailors

Posted
Posted
On 7/27/2022 at 10:43 AM, kangforpres said:

The Club 21 algorithm is a mystery to all of us. Some people get great offers after just one cruise, some sail multiple times and never get offers. Logically it would seem you should play some on a casino offer cruise so the offers keep coming. Just think of it as a roll of the dice.

I have been told by some frequent players who get free balcony or better cruises, that it is time spent gambling not points. Since I don't gamble, while my wife does, I walk around the last day of the cruise and look at total points displayed on the slots for each player. Many of them are well above 20,000 for a 7 day cruise. If you gamble this much you should qualify by points or time spent at the machine. My wife is a small time gambler with usually less than 1500 points. We got free cruises after Covid until just recently. Now they seem to have dried up. Was fun while it lasted. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
DaveOKC

DaveOKC

Posted
  • Author
Posted
22 hours ago, Suncoastsailors said:

I have been told by some frequent players who get free balcony or better cruises, that it is time spent gambling not points. Since I don't gamble, while my wife does, I walk around the last day of the cruise and look at total points displayed on the slots for each player. Many of them are well above 20,000 for a 7 day cruise. If you gamble this much you should qualify by points or time spent at the machine. My wife is a small time gambler with usually less than 1500 points. We got free cruises after Covid until just recently. Now they seem to have dried up. Was fun while it lasted. 

I would be surprised if this is the case (only time matters).  First of all, the casino tracks points on the machines which are based upon "coin in", not time played - just like land based casinos do.  So, why not use that measurement as they already have the data in hand PLUS it is too easy to manipulate time played (IMO).  Second, my wife and her sister both played on a recent cruise (sister's first) about the same amount of time, but sister plays more $ per spin, so thus had much higher coin in points.

 

Result, the sister got SIX TIMES as much free play as my wife on last week's free cabin offer.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
 Share
Go to topic listing
  • Forum Jump
    • Categories
      • Welcome to Cruise Critic
      • New Cruisers
      • Cruise Lines “A – O”
      • Cruise Lines “P – Z”
      • River Cruising
      • ROLL CALLS
      • Cruise Critic News & Features
      • Digital Photography & Cruise Technology
      • Special Interest Cruising
      • Cruise Discussion Topics
      • UK Cruising
      • Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
      • Canadian Cruisers
      • North American Homeports
      • Ports of Call
      • Cruise Conversations
×
×
  • Create New...