Gamblers who get free cruises on HAL earn star status?

[Guest debbiejohncruise]

I am on the Rotterdam right now and have met folks who don’t pay for their cabins and are now 4 or 5 star mariner cruisers. One lady was actually demanding her free laundry even though she is short the number of cruise days she needs for that. We have cruised with HAL many times and are disappointed to know that folks who don’t pay for their cabins are entitled to the same things we have paid for for so many years……

[Djptcp]

 

After our first HAL cruise, all of our cruises with HAL have been through casino offers. In reality we have paid for our "free" verandahs and suites by spending lots of money in the casinos over the years. DH and I are 4* Mariners and we deserve our status. 

 

This is not at all unique to HAL - we have had "free" cruises through ships' casino offers on  Carnival and friends regularly receive them from Royal Caribbean and Celebrity. 

[FlorenceItaly]

I did not start receiving offers until I was well into a 3 star level.  We are now 4 star.  Aside from casino we spend money on wine packages, specialty restaurants and more.  I have three cruises coming up and only 1 is a casino offer.  The other two have a casino discount attached to them, but they are not inexpensive cruises, one being 28 days and the other 45 days.

Be careful with assumptions.

[Riversedge]

1 hour ago, debbiejohncruise said:

I am on the Rotterdam right now and have met folks who don’t pay for their cabins and are now 4 or 5 star mariner cruisers. One lady was actually demanding her free laundry even though she is short the number of cruise days she needs for that. We have cruised with HAL many times and are disappointed to know that folks who don’t pay for their cabins are entitled to the same things we have paid for for so many years……

I have to agree with you.  Free cruises are a sore point with me.  I have a friend on a cruise now and she was bragging that she was turning 5* on this cruise.  She’s gotten free or vastly reduced cruises for a long time.  She swears that even tho she gambles she comes out about even at the end.  Not sure I believe that but I feel if you gamble onboard it’s how you choose to entertain yourself.  Same as if I were choosing to pay big bucks to see shows or concerts every week at home.  Why would I expect to be rewarded for my own entertainment other than the fun I had doing it?   I know the recipients of these free cruises are not going to agree with me and I know it’s been discussed before.  I’m probably stirring up the hornets nest.  

[d9704011]

8 minutes ago, Riversedge said:

Same as if I were choosing to pay big bucks to see shows or concerts every week at home.

Except you're not and you're definitely not doing it on a HAL cruise ship.  I'm not a gambler nor do I get 'free' cruises.  The cruise line obviously has weighed the potential income from gambler activities aagainst what the fare would sell for and decided it's worthwhile to extend the offer.

[Djptcp]

Land casinos reward their gamblers with comped rooms and food. There is a long history of gamblers being rewarded for the money they spend in casinos. On land? At sea? What's the difference.

 

On our "free" cruises we do pay the same port charges, taxes, and fees that everyone does. We spend money on board shopping, eating at specialty restaurants, drinks, and excursions.

 

Nothing is free in this world.

[NotLikeBelleRosen,IHope]

I put discussing how much one pays for a cruise (or doesn't pay) in the same category as discussing salary. People shouldn't do it, or shouldn't be surprised if people are ticked when they do. 

 

Edited February 27 by NotLikeBelleRosen,IHope

[POA1]

I think we'd all be surprised by the number of casino players who pay to upgrade their rooms. True, some will take an interior guarantee, or obstructed ocean view or balcony - I bet a fair number of them pay for the upgrade to a room that's got a view or is not under the Rolling Stone Lounge.

 

We're never going to qualify for a casino rate on our piddling amount of play, but I don't begrudge someone who's earned a comp room. The math clearly says that they're helping to subsidize the cruise for the rest of us.

 

Now, if they could only subsidize the wiener schnitzel back onto the menu for sailings under 12 days....

[rodndonna]

I never understand the complaints against Casino offers.

 

The Casino is open to everyone equally. If you believe the folks bragging about wat they are receiveing, then go to the Casino, play, and join them in on that "free" train, and/or find out that maybe they are exaggerating a bit on what it costs them overall for that "free" cruise.

[REOVA]

I've look at the cabins people get with free offers and they are not what we want. Many times HAL knows which cabins they need to fill and having someone onboard to spend money in other venues is better than empty cabin. And if picky people like me book, HAL knows they will upgrade and spend money so that cabin is again available. Some people don't care what cabin they get and these people pay less than we do also. The markup on onboard non cabin purchases helps HALs kitty and the Casino "department" also helps subsidize.  My guess is if they didn't fill these cabins, the rest of us would be paying more for our cabins and other things.  Marketing works for everyone. 

[McDeb2119]

Now that you earn credits on number of nights as well as spend I don’t see the reason for the complaint.  However this person earned 4*, they earned it. If they didn’t spend a dime they would only get credit for the number of nights and that would take forever.  

[Guest debbiejohncruise]

Just now, rodndonna said:

I never understand the complaints against Casino offers.

 

The Casino is open to everyone equally. If you believe the folks bragging about wat they are receiveing, then go to the Casino, play, and join them in on that "free" train, and/or find out that maybe they are exaggerating a bit on what it costs them overall for that "free" cruise.

No thanks. Not into smoky rooms and gambling. I was just asking how it all worked. We pay a lot for our cabins and just curious who makes the money from those who do get the free rooms. On our Hawaii cruise there were a lot of folks who had aft cabins next to us who got them free.

[Djptcp]

If our offer is for an ocean view we always pay the extra cost to upgrade to a verandah or vista or neptune suite and then we pay extra again to choose specific cabins. If it wasn't for the "free" casino offers we wouldn't be sailing on HAL - way too expensive when we compare a vista or neptune without the offer. So, we're happy to be able to cruise on a wonderful cruise line.

[sunviking90]

Its beyond tacky for people to discuss how much they did or didn’t pay. Why would you tell people how little you paid, which would then make them feel they paid too much? 
Even beyond the casino, on any cruise you’ll have people who booked last minute who may have paid less than half of what some advance bookers did. 
As far as the casino cruiser with a “free” suite, I’m sure he “paid”. There was a thread on the Princess board recently by a casino cruiser that shocked us with the amount of money being wagered, lost, and occasionally won. He was offered a suite for his next cruise.

For those who come out ahead and get the offers, good for you. Happy cruising!

Edited February 27 by sunviking90

[Horizon chaser 1957]

The house ALWAYS wins. If someone gets a ‘free’ cruise on a casino offer, you can bet they’ve already paid their fare chunk by chunk on previous cruises. 
There are all kinds of other deals and discount offers. Did you know HAL, Princess, and possibly other lines hire masses of workers to keep the summer tourism structure in Alaska running every year? Part of the deal is a free cruise if they complete their summer contract. On the 2023 Grand World we had three Alaska employees who had won the draw to get the World Cruise as their free trip. I’m sure the other Grand Voyages had the same. If I busted my tail with 5-6 months of long, tiring days pleasing tourists I’d have the same chance. No thank you.

Get the best deal you can, and don’t think about what others seem to have paid. It will just ruin your cruise. 

Edited February 27 by Horizon chaser 1957

[julia]

After living in a beautiful community in Las Vegas, I can assure you that the word "free" is highly subjective! People would often crow about their "winnings", conveniently omitting how much they "put in". The "free" buffets, shows, trinkets, drinks, and yes, occasional jackpot, cost them BIG... no difference at sea.

[Laminator]

From HAL's perspective it is a win win, The casino division pays HAL for the cabin. Granted it's not full price but appears to be 75% of the cabin rate. Many pax on cruise offers upgrade their cabins so there is additional revenue for HAL. 

[VMax1700]

@Laminator  Some time ago (August 2022?) you posted a listing of cruises that were hosting various slot tournaments etc.  Do you have an updated version available?  I am currently updating the groups onboard listing.

Thanks!

[Laminator]

6 minutes ago, VMax1700 said:

@Laminator  Some time ago (August 2022?) you posted a listing of cruises that were hosting various slot tournaments etc.  Do you have an updated version available?  I am currently updating the groups onboard listing.

Thanks!

These are the 2 I just received. 

[VMax1700]

30 minutes ago, Laminator said:

These are the 2 I just received. 

@Laminator

Thanks for the info.  Are these actual slot tournaments?

[mcrcruiser]

2 hours ago, julia said:

After living in a beautiful community in Las Vegas, I can assure you that the word "free" is highly subjective! People would often crow about their "winnings", conveniently omitting how much they "put in". The "free" buffets, shows, trinkets, drinks, and yes, occasional jackpot, cost them BIG... no difference at sea.

I traveled on business to Las Vegas for 35 years    .My business was with the hotels &  casinos  . I got the   occasional  free show with  drinks . I never got a free room   but ,I did enjoy the occasional perk   .Over the years we got to see all the major entertainers  including Elvis twice , Sinatra ,Sammy Davis ,Dean Martin Joey Bishop at the Sands hotel .no longer there etc etc . 

The best years in  las Vegas were 1965 to 1975  when there was space between the hotels  not a concrete wall like today . when you work in a mega gambling city like Las Vegas you soon  learn to keep your wallet in your pocket . I never met a gambler who was a winner long term & I did know counters playing Black Jack  

 

 No free cruise cabin is worth the price of what a person  drops in the casino  . In fact the only decent odds game in any casino is craps  or bacarat .  If a  person   bets correctly you will get true odds on a craps table . The only Fun thing we do on cruises is a Fun Slot Pull & we are about  even  wins vs losses 

[Laminator]

28 minutes ago, VMax1700 said:

@Laminator

Thanks for the info.  Are these actual slot tournaments?

Yes...$25,000 slot tournaments 

[VMax1700]

44 minutes ago, Laminator said:

Yes...$25,000 slot tournaments 

Thanks!

[kazu]

6 hours ago, POA1 said:

I think we'd all be surprised by the number of casino players who pay to upgrade their rooms. True, some will take an interior guarantee, or obstructed ocean view or balcony - I bet a fair number of them pay for the upgrade to a room that's got a view or is not under the Rolling Stone Lounge.

 

We're never going to qualify for a casino rate on our piddling amount of play, but I don't begrudge someone who's earned a comp room. The math clearly says that they're helping to subsidize the cruise for the rest of us.

 

Now, if they could only subsidize the wiener schnitzel back onto the menu for sailings under 12 days....

 

You are absolutely correct.

 

I have only done 2 casino offers - one done and one coming up and both of them turned out to be “not much of a deal” when I upgraded.  I still saved money and I’m fine with that, but unless you stick with the offer, you can get sticker shot 2, 3 or even 6 weeks later with the updated pricing.

I wisely used my TA this time so no money was put out until she was assured of the price.

[Essiesmom]

Years ago, on my first real vacation that did t involve going home to see the parents, I went to curaçao.  While there I met a man who was there on a casino junket.  Expenses paid, I presume.  He said it wasn’t whether you won or lost, but that the casino wants people there gambling, winning a little, losing a little, but causing others to gamble also.  EM