Unexpected free cruise

[LatinaInTexas]

Last month I got a flyer in the mail from my local Indian casino inviting me to an event to pick up a free Carnival cruise certificate.

I thought it was a gimmick of some sort like sitting thru a travel timeshare pitch or a cruise with lots of fees attached.

Decided to make the 2 hour drive and check it out. Turns out it was legit. All I had to do was go to a kiosk and print out a paper with all the info needed to book a complimentary inside cabin on any sailing up to 8 days in length.

Called yesterday, very helpful knowledgeable Carnival agent that helped me book the Celebration and also helped me upgrade my inside cabin to a spa inside so I could use up FCC from a cancelled cruise.

I know the big casino players clubs offer free cruise certificates depending on your tier level but never heard of an Indian casino doing it.

Haven't been to this casino in almost 2 years so this was completely out of the blue. Im happy and surprised Carnival offered this.

 

 

[Mr Bulldops]

It's a pretty common promo casinos offer. It doesn't really cost the land-based casinos anything and it gets players in the door.

 

If you have a higher tier, don't be afraid to shop around either. Cruise lines want your business if you can prove you have established play. I am 7 stars at Caesars and get a free 7 night balcony cruise with NCL. Instead of taking them up on that this year, I opted to try Carnival's "fun match" program and as a result of that I booked a 16 night Panama Canal cruise on the Spirit in a suite with $500 in free play for only a $200 credit refundable as OBC + tax, port fees, etc.

 

 

[LatinaInTexas]

8 minutes ago, Mr Bulldops said:

It's a pretty common promo casinos offer. It doesn't really cost the land-based casinos anything and it gets players in the door.

 

If you have a higher tier, don't be afraid to shop around either. Cruise lines want your business if you can prove you have established play. I am 7 stars at Caesars and get a free 7 night balcony cruise with NCL. Instead of taking them up on that this year, I opted to try Carnival's "fun match" program and as a result of that I booked a 16 night Panama Canal cruise on the Spirit in a suite with $500 in free play for only a $200 credit refundable as OBC + tax, port fees, etc.

 

 

Good info, and very nice offers. Unfortunately I'm pretty low tiered everywhere even though I go to Vegas at least twice a year, just don't spend enough time in the casinos lol. That's why I was so surprised to get this offer. It also came with $200 OBC.

[FastShip24]

59 minutes ago, LatinaInTexas said:

Last month I got a flyer in the mail from my local Indian casino inviting me to an event to pick up a free Carnival cruise certificate.

I thought it was a gimmick of some sort like sitting thru a travel timeshare pitch or a cruise with lots of fees attached.

Decided to make the 2 hour drive and check it out. Turns out it was legit. All I had to do was go to a kiosk and print out a paper with all the info needed to book a complimentary inside cabin on any sailing up to 8 days in length.

Called yesterday, very helpful knowledgeable Carnival agent that helped me book the Celebration and also helped me upgrade my inside cabin to a spa inside so I could use up FCC from a cancelled cruise.

I know the big casino players clubs offer free cruise certificates depending on your tier level but never heard of an Indian casino doing it.

Haven't been to this casino in almost 2 years so this was completely out of the blue. Im happy and surprised Carnival offered this.

 

 

Mine gave my a princess cruise 

[LatinaInTexas]

9 minutes ago, FastShip24 said:

Mine gave my a princess cruise 

Nice, was it from an Indian casino? I just thought it was odd because big ole Texas only has this one casino.

[FastShip24]

3 minutes ago, LatinaInTexas said:

Nice, was it from an Indian casino? I just thought it was odd because big ole Texas only has this one casino.

Yes. In northern California 

[Elaine5715]

4 hours ago, LatinaInTexas said:

Last month I got a flyer in the mail from my local Indian casino inviting me to an event to pick up a free Carnival cruise certificate.

I thought it was a gimmick of some sort like sitting thru a travel timeshare pitch or a cruise with lots of fees attached.

Decided to make the 2 hour drive and check it out. Turns out it was legit. All I had to do was go to a kiosk and print out a paper with all the info needed to book a complimentary inside cabin on any sailing up to 8 days in length.

Called yesterday, very helpful knowledgeable Carnival agent that helped me book the Celebration and also helped me upgrade my inside cabin to a spa inside so I could use up FCC from a cancelled cruise.

I know the big casino players clubs offer free cruise certificates depending on your tier level but never heard of an Indian casino doing it.

Haven't been to this casino in almost 2 years so this was completely out of the blue. Im happy and surprised Carnival offered this.

 

 

I just got one from my local Indian casino.  I am at the  lowest level player at this casino.

[Eli_6]

I may have to stop by the Alabama Coushatta casino on my way to my lake house if they are giving away free cruises.  

[KarmaCruisers]

16 hours ago, FastShip24 said:

Yes. In northern California 

I’d be curious which casino partnered with carnival…I’ve NEVER heard of them partnering before 

(NCL, and Princess are the usual players who partner with land-based casinos to give our free cruises)

[mz-s]

11 minutes ago, KarmaCruisers said:

I’d be curious which casino partnered with carnival…I’ve NEVER heard of them partnering before 

(NCL, and Princess are the usual players who partner with land-based casinos to give our free cruises)

 

Relatively new venture from Carnival, I am pretty sure it's only been since the restart that they've seriously been courting the Indian casino players.

[dallasdan]

I have received several offers for Carnival cruises through a casino in Shreveport.  Because of the offers I am getting from Carnival I don't even go and pick up the free cruise offer at the casino.  I wish I was retired because of all the free cruise offers we have been getting since the restart.  

[Mr Bulldops]

28 minutes ago, KarmaCruisers said:

I’d be curious which casino partnered with carnival…I’ve NEVER heard of them partnering before 

(NCL, and Princess are the usual players who partner with land-based casinos to give our free cruises)

MGM has Royal Caribbean / Celebrity as their regular partner. Wynn has Holland America. Caesars and Penn have NCL. I'm sure the Semiole tribe/Hard Rock has one as well. Those are pretty much all the big players.

 

I know someone that "Carnival fun matched" their Diamond Plus at Caesars, which is really not that difficult to obtain, and was offered the same thing I got (detailed above), less the free play and in a balcony room. He opted for a 14 day Hawaii option. Cruise lines are not making money on unoccupied cabins, so they are taking a chance that if you gamble on land, you will gamble at sea.

Edited March 29, 2023 by Mr Bulldops

[john91498]

Congrats!!!!!

 

Free cruises just seem more fun since, well, it's a free cruise...

[LatinaInTexas]

14 hours ago, Elaine5715 said:

I just got one from my local Indian casino.  I am at the  lowest level player at this casino.

Interesting, and here I thought I knew all the ways to get a comped cruise lol. Now I need to figure out what I need to do to get more! Are the cruise giveaways at your casino random, or once a year, or any other criteria or requirements to qualify for the offer?

[Elaine5715]

16 minutes ago, LatinaInTexas said:

Interesting, and here I thought I knew all the ways to get a comped cruise lol. Now I need to figure out what I need to do to get more! Are the cruise giveaways at your casino random, or once a year, or any other criteria or requirements to qualify for the offer?

This is the first cruise giveaway ever but this casino is in mid Michigan and my bet is there is a connection with upcoming MGM Sports Betting partnership.  Ocean Players Club buys player data from all casino related vendors and targets them for offers.  

[Elaine5715]

1 hour ago, john91498 said:

Congrats!!!!!

 

Free cruises just seem more fun since, well, it's a free cruise...

"Free cruises" triggers the "well, it was free so I might as well spend" process

[Mr Bulldops]

41 minutes ago, Elaine5715 said:

Ocean Players Club buys player data from all casino related vendors and targets them for offers.  

Since I did the match in January, I have been getting bombarded with emails from Royal Caribbean. I never signed up for them or sailed with them before. Seems weird that Carnival would share my data with a competitor, unless maybe a third party is administering the fun match and sharing it.

[john91498]

1 hour ago, Elaine5715 said:

"Free cruises" triggers the "well, it was free so I might as well spend" process

 

We do that anyways, regardless of whether it's a free cruise or not 😆

[MagnoliaBlossom]

5 hours ago, KarmaCruisers said:

I’d be curious which casino partnered with carnival…I’ve NEVER heard of them partnering before 

(NCL, and Princess are the usual players who partner with land-based casinos to give our free cruises)

 

1 hour ago, john91498 said:

 

We do that anyways, regardless of whether it's a free cruise or not 😆

Was in Sams Town, Shreveport in February and they were advertising the Carnival promo.

[Elaine5715]

2 hours ago, Mr Bulldops said:

Since I did the match in January, I have been getting bombarded with emails from Royal Caribbean. I never signed up for them or sailed with them before. Seems weird that Carnival would share my data with a competitor, unless maybe a third party is administering the fun match and sharing it.

The casino cards you used to match also sold your information to their partners.  

[dallasdan]

Received a free cruise offer in the mail today from our casino in Shreveport.  It was for an inside room.  However, this time is was for Carnival or Princess.  I won't even go pick it up because the online Carnival offers as so much better.

[john91498]

better than free?

[MagnoliaBlossom]

On 3/29/2023 at 10:22 AM, dallasdan said:

I have received several offers for Carnival cruises through a casino in Shreveport.  Because of the offers I am getting from Carnival I don't even go and pick up the free cruise offer at the casino.  I wish I was retired because of all the free cruise offers we have been getting since the restart.  

We just got one today from WinStar, which would be closer for you than Shreveport.

[MagnoliaBlossom]

On 3/28/2023 at 9:33 PM, Elaine5715 said:

I just got one from my local Indian casino.  I am at the  lowest level player at this casino.

Elaine, I just got a similar card today from WinStar in OK.  Could you pick any cruise date or were there only selective dates available?   We have been getting $100 rates (inside) from Carnival and have booked two of those.  We have a favorite group of cabins that are inside but have a large window.  They are priced as insides because there is a walkway outside the room.  Very front of the ship, which we like anyway and easy outside access from our room.  

[Elaine5715]

38 minutes ago, MagnoliaBlossom said:

Elaine, I just got a similar card today from WinStar in OK.  Could you pick any cruise date or were there only selective dates available?   We have been getting $100 rates (inside) from Carnival and have booked two of those.  We have a favorite group of cabins that are inside but have a large window.  They are priced as insides because there is a walkway outside the room.  Very front of the ship, which we like anyway and easy outside access from our room.  

My pick up date isn't until 4/4 so I don't know