HAL expanding Five Onboard Casinos

[PACD_JG]

I'm surprised nobody posted this story yesterday, particularly since you can't add on a ship without taking away.

 

https://www.cruisehive.com/holland-america-line-expanding-five-onboard-casinos/92723

[Sir PMP]

Disgusting.

[BobbiSox]

I was on Rotterdam for three weeks late October-November 2022 and there was a new casino in the works. It never disturbed us with the usual unpleasantness of 'remodel'  noises or paint smells. Opening night there was a nice party, free champagne, etc.. I like gaming in the casino, but not the new machines, so it didn't rock my boat, but others seemed to be having a great time in there, with about 50-60 new machines,  (rough guess, I didn't actually count them).

[albingirl]

Yippee.  More smoking.

[kochleffel]

This is almost, but not quite, a reason to switch to Disney.

 

[BobbiSox]

I almost never see anyone smoking in the casino. If you're a  smoker, you will have a hard time to find a smoking area in the casinos. I don't smoke so I wasn't paying attention. I would like it if HAL went 'smokeless'. I usually see only a handful people smoking by the Seaview bard, outside in back.

[Sea42]

21 minutes ago, albingirl said:

Yippee.  More smoking.

From the article:

"Rotterdam, Nieuw Statendam, and Koningsdam are also getting a separate non-smoking area of the casino, so more guests can enjoy gameplay in the conditions they prefer."

 

At least it's a step in the right direction.

[Roz]

I was on the Rotterdam last March, and even though I don't gamble in the casino, I remember commenting on how small it was for that size of ship.  Wonder why they didn't include a larger casino to start with?

[FlorenceItaly]

1 minute ago, Roz said:

I was on the Rotterdam last March, and even though I don't gamble in the casino, I remember commenting on how small it was for that size of ship.  Wonder why they didn't include a larger casino to start with?

I was on the Nieuw Statendam in November and wondered the same thing.

Also, there was already a non smoking room.  However, not many machines, imo.

[daisy-mae]

2 minutes ago, Roz said:

 Wonder why they didn't include a larger casino to start with?

I guess they realized that with fewer entertainment options the guests needed something to lure them out of their staterooms (and open their wallets).

[BobbiSox]

A non-smoking "area" doesn't help anything, unless it's completely enclosed. 

[CruiserBruce]

22 minutes ago, daisy-mae said:

I guess they realized that with fewer entertainment options the guests needed something to lure them out of their staterooms (and open their wallets).

Ah, the Pinnacle class ships have the most entertainment options of all the HAL ships.

 

I would suggest, given all the casino cruise offers, the revenue from gambling is pretty good.

[Colorado Klutch]

I don't gamble, but the positive side of cruise ship casinos is they bring in a lot of revenue which helps to offset costs for everyone. (Slot machines are ATMs that work in reverse.) One of the reasons Disney cruises are so expensive is because there are no casinos to offset costs. 

 

I hoping the extra casino space will prevent more cost-cutting with Holland America.

Edited January 21, 2023 by Colorado Klutch

[ChinaShrek]

I think is what they are going to use the Lincoln Center Stage area for when they expand. Not a bad idea but will attract different clientele I suspect.

[Mary229]

1 minute ago, ChinaShrek said:

I think is what they are going to use the Lincoln Center Stage area for when they expand. Not a bad idea but will attract different clientele I suspect.

The open concept of the Lincoln Stage was never a good concept.  They could hold those concerts in the little used Wajang Theater

[DaveOKC]

We were on the Eurodam a few months ago and noticed that they already have expanded the casino into the adjacent area which was not used much previously.

 

[highfields]

We are looking at Viking Ocean Cruises even though we are 4 Star Mariners with Holland. NO casino NO kids with similar port intensive iteneries. One draw back is their pay in full policy well before sailing date.

[fusion927]

We were on the Nieuw Statendam in October, and found they converted the old Art display area (right next to the main casino) into a small non-smoking casino.  Maybe 20 machines in there, most with the volumes set pretty low (maybe because the 2nd floor  of the Lincoln Center/BB Kings room in next to the new casino area!)  

 

[Oceansaway17]

3 hours ago, kochleffel said:

This is almost, but not quite, a reason to switch to Disney.

 

Yes my thoughts exactly.

and kids can be fun to watch and they don’t drink or talk politics either 

[Laminator]

It's been posted on here by many that there should be no smoking in the casino. So HAL makes a decision to attempt to appease those pax and there is still complaining. I don't believe there to be a  larger money maker per sq ft on a ship than the casino. 

[Mary229]

10 minutes ago, Laminator said:

It's been posted on here by many that there should be no smoking in the casino. So HAL makes a decision to attempt to appease those pax and there is still complaining. I don't believe there to be a  larger money maker per sq ft on a ship than the casino. 

It seems to me with every tweak, change or upcharge there are at least 10% who are never sailing again.  This is a moneymaker as are alcohol and tobacco sales.  It is what it is.  

[shack]

14 minutes ago, Laminator said:

It's been posted on here by many that there should be no smoking in the casino. So HAL makes a decision to attempt to appease those pax and there is still complaining. I don't believe there to be a  larger money maker per sq ft on a ship than the casino. 

 

Thermal suite and spa treatments $$/SF close.  And no smoking in there. 

[twodjs]

If that small no-smoking room on Koningsdam we experienced in November is their answer to offering a no-smoking section, a better solution would be to make that room the Smoking Room, perhaps with doors to help keep the smoke in, and make the majority of the casino non-smoking to better represent the minority % of guests who still smoke.

[Laminator]

1 minute ago, twodjs said:

If that small no-smoking room on Koningsdam we experienced in November is their answer to offering a no-smoking section, a better solution would be to make that room the Smoking Room, perhaps with doors to help keep the smoke in, and make the majority of the casino non-smoking to better represent the minority % of guests who still smoke.

The small minority bring them the most business. If it was the other way around smoking would have been eliminated in the casino quite some time ago. And it is my understanding that 140 slot machines are being added. That is not an insignificant amount. Now the question is with a dedicated non smoking slot machine area will they allow smoking at all of the machines in the casino in the future!

[Mary229]

6 minutes ago, shack said:

 

Thermal suite and spa treatments $$/SF close.  And no smoking in there. 

People in the thermal suite are at maximum relaxation and won’t be enticed more to relax more but smokers and drinkers do gamble more when they are drinking and smoking.