Gamblers who get free cruises on HAL earn star status?

[tinawhitecar]

Free does not mean zero dollars.  We travel with another couple that gets casino rates. In the end , they only paid slightly less than we did.  

[Fly and Sail]

That's pretty common among all cruise lines. I'm Celebrity Captains Club Elite Plus from my 13 free cruises.

 

Chances are these gamblers pay more for their cruise in losses than revenue passengers do paying cash.

[Fly and Sail]

On 2/27/2024 at 11:40 PM, tinawhitecar said:

Free does not mean zero dollars.  We travel with another couple that gets casino rates. In the end , they only paid slightly less than we did.  

 

Casino Rates aren't really something to look for. I only travel when it's totally comped and only taxes apply. Then you can add a beverage package, wifi and the Thermal Spa Pass.

[cbr663]

Many years ago we won a "free" bingo cruise.  It was from the buy raffle tickets to get a free cruise.  What a cruise line considers free is not what I consider free.  It wasn't at no cost as there was indeed a cost for us for this free cruise.  Port fees, taxes and a non-commissionable charge all meant we won a discount on a cruise.  Add in the charge to upgrade from the inside cabin and while we had a lovely cruise, it was hardly free.

 

You gotta pay attention to ship talk and accept that sometimes, things have a different  meaning on a ship than on land.  

 

Ironically, I just realized we have stopped playing bingo and purchasing those raffle tickets ever since.  😀

[dockman]

I used to escort full united charter flights to vegas....in my experience it was pretty rare for passengers to go home a winner.  Lots of them talked a big game about how they won a big jackpot but when i would ask so how much more are you going home with the answer was usually a sheepish...oh i lost it all back ++more on blackjack etc...the number one rule of casino is if you play long enough you will lose....it's simple math....they don't build all those beautiful casinos because they lose $$. 

 

To add to the odds being against all players is the fact that the vast majoirty of players don't even follow basic strategy of play. Many are pitifully ignorant of the basic odds and smart play.

 

I think it is a safe bet that the vast majority of people who get a "free" cabin end up finding out that is was far from free....some enjoy the "gaming" (sounds better than gambling) for the few who might win...good for you....but as said play long enough and you will lose.

 

About 13.5% of gamblers go home from a casino having made any money. This statistic comes from a study of 4,222 gamblers, and only 7 of them won more than $150. Conversely, 217 of them lost over $5000 at casino games. Also, note that those who play more often have lower chances of winning.Nov 13, 2023

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

You have to pay the fair to earn Mariner's days.

[cccole]

I just read this interesting thread.  There was also a recent thread about passengers who were not invited to join the President's Club because their days were not fully paid HAL days. Apparently casino and other discount fares did not qualify.  I also thought the casinos were another company, like the spa and art store, and all money spent there does not go to HAL. 

 

VMax1700 There are also slot tournaments that are organized by passengers and are not $25,000.  Yikes, that's serious $.

 

mcrcruiser I have two coffee mugs from the Sands Hotel that my parents brought home when I was a child.  Las Vegas was really a glamorous place.

 

I don't really care what someone pays for their cabin and I think we overpay because we want specific cabins.  But we also get the same benefits of those with 5 star status without 5 star status.  Who cares who is a 2, 3,4, or 5 star?   JMO. Cherie

[oaktreerb]

@cccole  The casinos are run by another company.  HAL benefits from onboard spending of the gamblers in the shops, bars, upscale dining venues.

 

The best * benefit is 4*, free laundry on every cruise for 4* cruisers….a goal worth achieving for many!

Edited May 7 by oaktreerb

[cccole]

23 minutes ago, oaktreerb said:

@cccole  The casinos are run by another company.  HAL benefits from onboard spending of the gamblers in the shops, bars, upscale dining venues.

 

The best * benefit is 4*, free laundry on every cruise for 4* cruisers….a goal worth achieving for many!

I understand that, but if it's a goal to achieve why worry about why or how anyone else has it?  Just enjoy it.  If it's a casino cruise and HAL is benefiting somehow from this and makes your cruise price more reasonable, who cares.  Let them lose money in the casino and benefit everyone else. As has been said on this thread numerous times... casino freebees are not really free for most.  As has also been said, why would you know how much someone pays for their cabin?  Cherie. p.s.  I agree that free laundry is HUGE.   

[Laminator]

37 minutes ago, oaktreerb said:

@cccole  The casinos are run by another company.  HAL benefits from onboard spending of the gamblers in the shops, bars, upscale dining venues.

 

The best * benefit is 4*, free laundry on every cruise for 4* cruisers….a goal worth achieving for many!

The Casino is run by Carnival Casino Division which falls under the Carnival Casino Corporation umbrella. Those who receive comped rooms, not including the 30% off discounts, usually receive free drinks in the casino and comped dinners in the specialty restaurants as well. Many also receive the SBP also. 

 

Edited May 7 by Laminator

[Andi Land]

My coworker received a free casino cruise to Hawaii on Carnival. He and his wife got a free inside room with “Drinks on Us”.  They lost over $7000 in the casino on the 15 day journey. This is not unusual which is why they keep receiving the offers. Nothing free about it. 

[Fly and Sail]

8 hours ago, oaktreerb said:

@cccole  The casinos are run by another company.  HAL benefits from onboard spending of the gamblers in the shops, bars, upscale dining venues.

 

The best * benefit is 4*, free laundry on every cruise for 4* cruisers….a goal worth achieving for many!

 

The casino is operated by Carnival Casino Operations (CCO) so comped cruises are initially a marketing expense. Left pocket, right pocket. At the end of the day, HAL is owned by them (Carnival).

 

What's even worse is that HAL allows smoking in the casinos (at least on the Rotterdam). I have played the first two days and then stopped going because my clothes now reek of smoke to the point of me getting sick. I banished them to the balcony.

[Fly and Sail]

On 5/6/2024 at 11:49 PM, Gail & Marty sailing away said:

You have to pay the fair to earn Mariner's days.

 

I assume you mean that you have to pay a base fare for Mariner status. Based on practical experience, I disagree. It might be somewhere in the rulebook, but in reality, you get your points on comps. And you definitely get them and are entitled to them if you pay any kind of upcharge to the higher cabin which will then be the base fare.

[cccole]

But...if your goal is to be invited into the President's Club your free or discounted cruises apparently do not qualify.  They may give star status but not President's Club status.  Cherie  

[Khlela]

On 5/6/2024 at 5:50 PM, cccole said:

I understand that, but if it's a goal to achieve why worry about why or how anyone else has it?  Just enjoy it.  If it's a casino cruise and HAL is benefiting somehow from this and makes your cruise price more reasonable, who cares.  Let them lose money in the casino and benefit everyone else. As has been said on this thread numerous times... casino freebees are not really free for most.  As has also been said, why would you know how much someone pays for their cabin?  Cherie. p.s.  I agree that free laundry is HUGE.   

 

This is how I feel as well! I never understand when people want others to have less. Someone else having laundry service doesn't impact if other 4* individuals have it as well. How they earn it should be no ones business.

For others, 
Should it also be only for people who pay the highest amount? Should ALL discounts be excluded? Feel free to get upset if you don't receive the incentives you are promised, but maybe just focus on that and enjoying your cruise. The stars should be to give you perks, not something used to make yourself feel superior to others. We're all cruising to have a great time! Let's all just have a great time!

[Fly and Sail]

11 hours ago, Khlela said:

 

This is how I feel as well! I never understand when people want others to have less. Someone else having laundry service doesn't impact if other 4* individuals have it as well. How they earn it should be no ones business.

For others, 
Should it also be only for people who pay the highest amount? Should ALL discounts be excluded? Feel free to get upset if you don't receive the incentives you are promised, but maybe just focus on that and enjoying your cruise. The stars should be to give you perks, not something used to make yourself feel superior to others. We're all cruising to have a great time! Let's all just have a great time!

 

IMHO, it's simply not up to customers to dictate a company what marketing and financial strategy to follow. A company will always do what's best for their bottom line and if someone feels that peeved because another guest gets a casino comp, a free laundry or meals then be my guest and sail with Carnival. Or - since Carnival follows the same strategy - take a ferry somewhere.

[Fly and Sail]

11 hours ago, cccole said:

But...if your goal is to be invited into the President's Club your free or discounted cruises apparently do not qualify.  They may give star status but not President's Club status.  Cherie  

 

Fair enough, but there's nothing this club can give you that you can't get with a little money. I'd rather save tens of thousands of dollars by not buying cruises as a retail customer instead of getting lip service via some club membership 15-20 years down the line (IF I even live that long).

[LAFFNVEGAS]

In our over 20 yrs of sailing HAL or any cruise line we have never gambled a dollar let alone a quarter. We live in that city of bright lights that is known for gambling been here since 1978.Because my time here I have worked in finance and know that it is a way of life here as well as for those that work in the casinos. I do not begrudge anyone getting freebies. I know they have paid for them. Just remember it is always a gamble if it is going to payoff.

[RuthC]

It isn't paying for the cruise that gets you nights aboard credited. It's actually being aboard. 

If you pay for the cruise and don't sail, but don't get any money back, either, you do not get credits toward Mariner status (ask me how I know). 
So, if you sail, but don't pay out of your own pocket, it's only fair that you do get the Mariner credits. 

Besides, if someone gifts you a cruise, and you do sail, you get the credits! It isn't who pays that matters, it's that HAL is paid. 
When a passenger gets a 'free' cruise for having gambled, HAL gets paid by the Casino Division, so granting Mariner credits is justified.