Casino @ Seas

[SailorJoe22]

Hey everyone,

I'm gearing up for my first ever cruise in 2024 and have some questions about casino play. 

As far as I understand, you earn 1 point per $5 wager, but I'd love some insights from experienced cruisers.

Here are my questions:

1) Does this mean you need to wager $1,000 for the Pearl level?

2) Is the Pearl level worth it for the possible comps? What kind of comps can I expect at the Pearl level? I've heard whispers of people scoring free cruises from NCL at this tier.

3) If you strike it big, how do taxes work for non-Americans (sailing from US Ports)?
4) I'm also curious about how table games work when you preload money onto the casino card. How do you track your play and balance?

5) Any other insider tips 🙂

Looking forward to hearing your experiences and tips!

[ferretktf]

It’s really for slot players only,  very hard to earn sufficient points on table play.
 

I play $25 a hand blackjack and after monitoring the points I received I worked out I would need to play 14 hours a day every day of my cruise to get any kind of meaningful reward….or up my stakes to $250 per hand …..which obviously I was not prepared to do.

[BirdTravels]

2 hours ago, SailorJoe22 said:

Hey everyone,

I'm gearing up for my first ever cruise in 2024 and have some questions about casino play. 

As far as I understand, you earn 1 point per $5 wager, but I'd love some insights from experienced cruisers.

Here are my questions:

1) Does this mean you need to wager $1,000 for the Pearl level?

2) Is the Pearl level worth it for the possible comps? What kind of comps can I expect at the Pearl level? I've heard whispers of people scoring free cruises from NCL at this tier.

3) If you strike it big, how do taxes work for non-Americans (sailing from US Ports)?
4) I'm also curious about how table games work when you preload money onto the casino card. How do you track your play and balance?

5) Any other insider tips 🙂

Looking forward to hearing your experiences and tips!

Welcome to Cruise Critic!

 

Pearl is 5000 points. You need to wager $25,000 US (you even said it, 5000 points x $5) on slots or $50,000 on video poker. 
 

Your tier level dictates your onboard perks. Or has no real affect on what you are comped. One you hit Pearl onboard, you can get a drink card food for bottled water and energy drinks at the casino bar. 
 

Your comps used to be totally depended on your theoretical losses. Now it is a mystery on how CAS determines comps. BUT,,, if you hit Pearl, you certainly should call and see what CAS will offer on your next cruise. 
 

Any jackpot over $1199 is hand paid. For US citizens, a US tax form is generated and the winnings are reported to the US government.  I don’t know what is done for Canadians. 

[cruiserbear55]

1 hour ago, SailorJoe22 said:

Hey everyone,

I'm gearing up for my first ever cruise in 2024 and have some questions about casino play. 

As far as I understand, you earn 1 point per $5 wager, but I'd love some insights from experienced cruisers.

Here are my questions:

1) Does this mean you need to wager $1,000 for the Pearl level?

2) Is the Pearl level worth it for the possible comps? What kind of comps can I expect at the Pearl level? I've heard whispers of people scoring free cruises from NCL at this tier.

3) If you strike it big, how do taxes work for non-Americans (sailing from US Ports)?
4) I'm also curious about how table games work when you preload money onto the casino card. How do you track your play and balance?

5) Any other insider tips 🙂

Looking forward to hearing your experiences and tips!

 

      You need to accumulate 5000 points to reach the Pearl level. Every $5.00 you play through the machines equals one point. Points come from a combination of actual money played and any winnings put back through the machines. Technically speaking, if you had no wins, you could spend $25,000.00 to attain Pearl level. Video poker is even worse, as they allot one point for every $10.00 played. And there is no rhyme or reason for points given at the tables. Totally at the whim of the pit boss, or whomever may be in charge at any specific time.

  You may get a comped inside or ocean view at Pearl level. Or a percentage off. No way to tell till you call CAS a week or so after your cruise.

   Have no idea how taxes in international waters work for Canadian citizens.

     My tip? Don't spend your kid's inheritance trying to attain certain levels in the casino. The rewards are just not there. Simply set a daily casino budget for each session, and stick to it! Happy Cruising!

[cruiserbear55]

 Sorry, @BirdTravels. Evidently, we were both typing basically the same answer at the same time!

[AndyCapn]

There is no US non-resident withholding tax applied, and Canadian residents are (generally) not subject to income tax in Canada on gambling wins.

 

If you have more than $10,000 in cash, cheque or other monetary instruments, you will have to declare that to US Customs both when you arrive and when you leave (and again at the Canadian border when you arrive.) However that is just a declaration and not a tax obligation.

[ChiefMateJRK]

4 hours ago, SailorJoe22 said:

Looking forward to hearing your experiences and tips!

Are you asking how to come out ahead by gambling in a casino?

 

🤣🤣🤣

[ChiefMateJRK]

2 hours ago, BirdTravels said:

Pearl is 5000 points. You need to wager $25,000 US

 

2 hours ago, BirdTravels said:

One you hit Pearl onboard, you can get a drink card food for bottled water and energy drinks at the casino bar. 

Such a deal!!!

[complawyer]

get the drink package when you book the cruise, save yourself 25k

[dbrown84]

9 hours ago, SailorJoe22 said:

4) I'm also curious about how table games work when you preload money onto the casino card. How do you track your play and balance?

you have to use cash at the table games.  Honestly, I don't think you can preload money onto any card, even for slots, but I don't play slots so I could be wrong.  But you can't give any card for buying in at table games.  You can give your card and ask them to charge cash to your room (for a 3% fee) that would be used to buy in

[BirdTravels]

15 minutes ago, dbrown84 said:

you have to use cash at the table games.  Honestly, I don't think you can preload money onto any card, even for slots, but I don't play slots so I could be wrong.  But you can't give any card for buying in at table games.  You can give your card and ask them to charge cash to your room (for a 3% fee) that would be used to buy in

Slot and table games, you can charge your room for a 3% fee (which is better than Royal’s 5% fee). So $1000 US costs you a $30 US service charge. 

[dbrown84]

6 minutes ago, BirdTravels said:

Slot and table games, you can charge your room for a 3% fee (which is better than Royal’s 5% fee). So $1000 US costs you a $30 US service charge. 

right, that's what I said.  but you can't pre-load your card with money and buy into the game

[BirdTravels]

6 hours ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

 

Such a deal!!!

You could be an Elite level member and get $1000 OBC ($400 Ruby level) on every cruise, limo service to/from ship, $600 shore ex credit (after the $50 free at sea credit), free daily service charge, free premium WiFi, a black drinks card (Ruby and Elite) which is any drink at the casino bar (beverage package plus plus) 3 bottles of wine or treats (Ruby and Elite), cash advance service charge waived (Ruby and Elite) 

Edited January 1 by BirdTravels

[JGmf]

@SailorJoe22 Welcome to cruise critic.

 

Casinos at Sea is nice, but it's relatively very difficult to get to a point level that provides notable comps.  You'll find that your land-based casinos are far more generous and quicker to attain the next higher tier level.  I've found Princess cruises is way more generous as far as cruise gambling is concerned.

 

As @cruisebear52 said above, don't chase the comps.  That never works in your favor....especially when gambling on NCL.

[phillygwm]

3 hours ago, dbrown84 said:

you have to use cash at the table games.  Honestly, I don't think you can preload money onto any card, even for slots, but I don't play slots so I could be wrong.  But you can't give any card for buying in at table games.  You can give your card and ask them to charge cash to your room (for a 3% fee) that would be used to buy in

Technically you play chips at the games.  In fact, if you put cash on the table (for a double or split, for instance) they'll convert to chips.  

 

How do you BUY chips?  Usually cash, as stated.  But you could have a casino marker OR CREDIT.  When you have a casino line of credit, they'll only pay out in cash up to a certain amount per day.  Above that and it goes on your account.  When you approach a table, you'd ask the floor person to give you $ from your account.  It takes a few minutes for those formalities; there's a slip to sign etc.  

 

I've never tried to wire funds in advance of my play but don't see why it shouldn't be possible.  Recommend you call or email CAS to confirm that.

[dbrown84]

17 minutes ago, phillygwm said:

Technically you play chips at the games.  In fact, if you put cash on the table (for a double or split, for instance) they'll convert to chips.  

 

How do you BUY chips?  Usually cash, as stated.  But you could have a casino marker OR CREDIT.  When you have a casino line of credit, they'll only pay out in cash up to a certain amount per day.  Above that and it goes on your account.  When you approach a table, you'd ask the floor person to give you $ from your account.  It takes a few minutes for those formalities; there's a slip to sign etc.  

 

I've never tried to wire funds in advance of my play but don't see why it shouldn't be possible.  Recommend you call or email CAS to confirm that.

don't recall me saying that you can play with cash....so besides the fact that your response has nothing to do with the question (and my answer to the question), you're wrong.  They do not give out cash from your line of credit.  Since you want to be so technical, they give you chips.  And the only limit to how much you can cash out is your ability to win

[candygirl27540]

Just off the Bliss and had a line of credit set up before sailing. Yes,they can and did give us cash when we asked for it. They don't necessarily want to but they will.

 

[dbrown84]

6 minutes ago, candygirl27540 said:

Just off the Bliss and had a line of credit set up before sailing. Yes,they can and did give us cash when we asked for it. They don't necessarily want to but they will.

 

at the table?

[candygirl27540]

At the cage

[dbrown84]

Just now, candygirl27540 said:

At the cage

yeah, that makes sense.  We were talking about buying in at the table.  I guess they went ahead and did it since they don't have to worry about you walking to the next casino :)

[candygirl27540]

Always chips at the table

 

[SailorJoe22]

12 hours ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

Are you asking how to come out ahead by gambling in a casino?

 

🤣🤣🤣

No, I was not. It might have been the way I worded the questions, but I was very curious about how CAS worked.

Thank you for all the information! 

[kenzie]

On 1/1/2024 at 1:15 AM, ferretktf said:

It’s really for slot players only,  very hard to earn sufficient points on table play.
 

I play $25 a hand blackjack and after monitoring the points I received I worked out I would need to play 14 hours a day every day of my cruise to get any kind of meaningful reward….or up my stakes to $250 per hand …..which obviously I was not prepared to do.

It gets harder every year, I gamble for probably 5 hours a day on Texas holdum against dealer, I did 2 7 day cruises B2B, this year they only offered me 20% off.