Virgin announces it's casino loyalty program

[CineGraphic]

 

https://www.virginvoyages.com/casino

 

You have 12 months to earn tier status, followed by another 12 months to sail with your status perks.

Your earning cycle operates on a annual basis (May 1, 2024, to April 30, 2025)

Once you've earned enough points to achieve your status tier, you retain that status until the end of the following status year.

Receive access to your current tier benefits and the chance to level up on each voyage throughout this earning cycle.

 

Edited April 23 by CineGraphic

[jcarter4551]

Pretty good start if you ask me. Also, of significance is if you go to that link you posted, it appears they may match your casino loyalty status at other casinos.

[Wildcatllamas]

Oh my. Having worked in the casino industry for 25 years I will usually inquire on a cruise what the coin in is to earn a point. I know most land based casinos are at and that is in the vicinity of $3/1 point. One of the cruises I was one it was $6/1 point. I haven't been in the casinos on Virgin so I haven't asked but I would guess it would closer to the $6 then the $3. 

 

So, I could spend, let's say $15,000, to get free drinks while in the casino or $300 for a bar tab.

[CineGraphic]

44 minutes ago, Wildcatllamas said:

I haven't been in the casinos on Virgin so I haven't asked but I would guess it would closer to the $6 then the $3. 

 

At the bottom of the chart it says for slots, it's $5 per point, $10 per point for video poker.

[Wildcatllamas]

@CineGraphic I saw that just after I hit submit. I've been talking with our GM and Marketing Director. They got a big kick out of those percentages. We give way more promo stuff for a whole lot less.

[-The-True-North-]

18 minutes ago, Wildcatllamas said:

@CineGraphic I saw that just after I hit submit. I've been talking with our GM and Marketing Director. They got a big kick out of those percentages. We give way more promo stuff for a whole lot less.

$50,000 put in to video poker to move up 1 category which gets you a dedicated booking number and a free beer 🤣🤣🤣 Thank you for the chuckle VV.

Edited April 23 by -The-True-North-

[Wildcatllamas]

5 minutes ago, -The-True-North- said:

$50,000 put in to video poker to move up 1 category which gets you a dedicated booking number and a free beer 🤣🤣🤣 Thank you for the chuckle VV.

Amen to that!

[pmarrsouth]

1 hour ago, -The-True-North- said:

$50,000 put in to video poker to move up 1 category which gets you a dedicated booking number and a free beer 🤣🤣🤣 Thank you for the chuckle VV.

EV of $50,000 playthrough on cruise ship VP is? Cost of a standard 7 day VV cruise with in a Sea Terrace is?

[Jzx1103]

It does seem pretty high amount of wagers to receive perks. Royal Carribbean is also $5 per point but you only need 2500 pts to reach Prime status to get free drinks and free annual cruise of your choice. You also only need 1200 points to start getting free cruises on an instant certificate. Looks like with Virgin its 5k pts to start getting anything at all.

[CineGraphic]

I get free cruises with other lines based on chump change compared to the numbers listed here, but the food, accommodations, etc are not even close to comparing to VV.

Even so, I find it hard to turn down a free cruise on those lines when there's a big tournament involved. A chance to win $250K for just taxes, port fees, and gratuities!? Why yes, thank you!

[Cloud9 Bob]

At the bottom where is says once a year "Annual Cabin Offer"....is that a free cabin or a discount on a cabin??

[-The-True-North-]

2 minutes ago, Cloud9 Bob said:

At the bottom where is says once a year "Annual Cabin Offer"....is that a free cabin or a discount on a cabin??

Good question.

 

Seeing how VV has gotten burned a few times because of semantics, maybe they specifically left it vague because they didn't want to offer a free cruise to everyone who meets the criteria. Leaving it as an "offer" could mean free or $50 off.

[Cloud9 Bob]

I'm getting the impression that VV is afraid to "leave anything on the table" (pun very much intended)

[CruisingWalter]

After working in marketing for 2 years for one of the largest casinos in the world I learned that the house always wins. There's no such thing as a free cruise or a free suite in a casino. The vast majority of 'casino comp' guests pay far more than the average guest who is simply paid for their cruise or resort stay. It's brilliant marketing and I was a big part of that to make sure you felt like you were getting something for free and the company was really glad to have you there. The numbers don't like and those numbers were honestly staggering so I see why the cruise lines keep offering "casino comps" to keep folks coming back.

 

It's the same with the loyalty programs that reward repeat cruisers "free perks" such as WiFi or maybe a few drinks when you hit a certain level. WiFi might cost $200 per cruise but you paid well north of $200k to keep sailing that same cruise line over and over and over and over to get that 'free perk.'  

 

Brilliant marketing all around. 🙂

[Wildcatllamas]

Gamblers are a strange breed. Our biggest promo for a couple of years was a pumpkin pie giveaway from Halloween through Thanksgiving. Put 400 points on your account in 24 hours ($1200) and get a "free" fully cooked pumpkin pie. The pie costed the casino $3 and probably ran about $6 at the grocery store but people came in almost daily to get the pumpkin pie.

 

So @CruisingWalter is right how much is put into welcoming gamblers with open arms and making them feel special. There is no such thing as a "free Lunch" and a sucker is born every minute are so very true.

[CineGraphic]

And yet I've read about and have met people who play very little or who have never spent a single sheckle in the casino, and they get free offers every now and then. My guess is that occupancy rates must be pretty low when they start reaching out to folks with no play history.

[Tyler414]

Last summer (2023) I was on a Med cruise on Valiant Lady.   I played blackjack pretty much every night I could, mostly minimum bets.  There was a wonderful couple also playing every night and they were gambling pretty big and winning big.  They told me that they were told if they gamble $5000 they would get a free cruise.  They easily surpassed that and ended up going on a Greece cruise later that summer for free.

[jcarter4551]

Most are focusing on slots and video poker to get to certain levels but I will offer you some perspective from a solely table games (roulette, bj, craps) player on VV. I am Idol per the email I received yesterday and I promise you I did not lose $35,000. My wife would murder me. I think over the 3 casino comp'd cruises I took on VV over the last year (Dominican Daze 5 nt, Key West 4 nt, and Ibiza 7 nt), I lost close to $10,000 of my own money over the 3 trips.  However, I was playing 50-100 hands/rolls/spins and I made good friends with the dealers and manager so maybe I was rated better.

Every cruise I have been on VV, I "earned" or "lost" my way to a free cruise so we have a Rome trip coming up and Turks in September. Other cruise casinos aren't as generous imo. 

To me, VV is awesome because you get to choose your comp cruise. On RC, I have to go by the dates they give me and certain ships are limited. For instance, they won't let me do Icon of Seas on comp. On VV, I just call them up and tell them which sailing I want and its done (7 nts and under). 

Further, the 15-20k in free cruises I have received exceeds the losses and my wife and I would do the trips anyway. Its a wash to us! 

I just wanted to give some perspective that I think table games may be the play on the VV Cruise. But, overall, I think their casino program may be superior to other cruise lines.

[CineGraphic]

2 hours ago, jcarter4551 said:

I lost close to $10,000 of my own money over the 3 trips. 

 

You may have only spent 10K, but with playing your winnings, you may have easily hit the required $35K

[jcarter4551]

38 minutes ago, CineGraphic said:

 

You may have only spent 10K, but with playing your winnings, you may have easily hit the required $35K

100% that is accurate. should have walked away - dang it. 🙂 

I was just focusing on people saying you need to lose that much and that's not accurate. Goal is get on their money and go wild to earn comps.

[CineGraphic]

1 minute ago, jcarter4551 said:

100% that is accurate. should have walked away - dang it. 🙂 

I was just focusing on people saying you need to lose that much and that's not accurate. Goal is get on their money and go wild to earn comps.

Yes, play amount and actual cash from pocket amount are two different things. $300 from your pocket can easily turn into more than $1K played. Points are based on play.

[Russiamomm]

Anyone NOT receive an email showing their status?  My husband got one, but I didn’t.  He’s just a Showstopper, but I gamble a whole lot more than he does.  😂. I suspect I’m a Star because about a month ago I got an offer, which I already booked for next month, but it would be nice to know the exact status.  

[garycarla]

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE

 

Coin in and money spent are two very different things.