Drinks on us in casino

[jxtgreek]

I have “drinks on us“ in the casino on my upcoming cruise.  Last cruise I was on it was nearly impossible to find a server to get a drink.  Has anyone had any experience with walking up to the casino bar and getting a drink?

[john91498]

Most of the newer ships don't have a casino bar.

 

In my experience, giving an extra tip usually gets the server's attention.

[weezal]

technically you're not allowed to order a drink directly from the bar, even if the casino has one.

[1025cruise]

Per the terms of Drinks on Us, you must be playing to get served.

[Mike45LC]

I agree with the complaint that cocktail servers are hard to find.  Especially at the craps table. 

 

I think that the servers do not get any income from "Drinks on Us" customers because the drinks are comp'ed, so it is important to tip the servers directly.  

 

I agree with John, a $5 bill when the first few drinks are delivered will help the cocktail servers find you.  Just like in Vegas!

[rolloman]

As mentioned, tip your server and build a rapport...they will remember you and most often look for you. I have never had a problem.  If it is crowded, order another when it is delivered or if you are thirsty, order from two different servers. 

[Frank12]

The early greased palm definitely helps.  Once you build a rapport with a server and tip them well they will look for you! Also, if you are playing tables and don't see any servers tell the pit boss you need bar service.  They will find you one!

[Elaine5715]

Sitting at the casino bar on Mardi Gras, everyone who tried to use just the DOU at the bar was denied.  Plenty of servers in the casino.  Of course, more than one server was walking around trying to find people who ordered a drink and moved away from the machine they where they were sitting.

[rolloman]

1 hour ago, Elaine5715 said:

Sitting at the casino bar on Mardi Gras, everyone who tried to use just the DOU at the bar was denied.  Plenty of servers in the casino.  Of course, more than one server was walking around trying to find people who ordered a drink and moved away from the machine they where they were sitting.

I know that has to be frustrating for the servers when people move from slot to slot. However, it is frustrating for the player as well because if you are on a loser machine you gotta move...I always make a point to look for the server I ordered from if I happen to move. Failing to do so more than once will certainly get you on the slow/no service list lol...

[hurricane0226]

12 minutes ago, rolloman said:

I know that has to be frustrating for the servers when people move from slot to slot. However, it is frustrating for the player as well because if you are on a loser machine you gotta move...I always make a point to look for the server I ordered from if I happen to move. Failing to do so more than once will certainly get you on the slow/no service list lol...

I will just sit there and wait, smoke a couple of cigs, then get my drink and move on, dos equis at that.stay thirsty. 

[hurricane0226]

27 minutes ago, hurricane0226 said:

I will just sit there and wait, smoke a couple of cigs, then get my drink and move on, dos equis at that.stay thirsty. 

free is free, 

[mz-s]

Varies from ship to ship. On my last cruise I was mostly in the smoke-free casino annex on Magic. That casino was rarely busy and so it was easy to get the bar's attention for a drink.

 

I choose to avoid being around smoke so I spent very little time in the regular casino, so not sure how east getting a drink was up there.

 

As others have mentioned, you won't be able to order a drink from the casino bar if you want the casino to pay for it unless you have "Drinks on Us Anywhere" which is a different offer.

[mfs2k]

I have Drinks in the Casino for my upcoming 10 day cruise on Legend.  I bought the Cheers package anyway because I don't want to be so restricted about where I can get a drink and not pay for it.  I don't want to run to the casino every time I want an included drink.

 

I'd gladly trade the perk for a bottle of Bulleit in my cabin.

[DallasGuy75219]

10 hours ago, rolloman said:

I know that has to be frustrating for the servers when people move from slot to slot. However, it is frustrating for the player as well because if you are on a loser machine you gotta move...I always make a point to look for the server I ordered from if I happen to move. Failing to do so more than once will certainly get you on the slow/no service list lol...

It works both ways.... players also get up and leave when they get tired of waiting for a drink that seemingly never comes, usually because the server took too many drink orders at once and/or forgot where the player was sitting.

[havanadaydreaming]

we have had varying degrees of success getting DOU at the casino.   

 

recently on the Venezia it was challenging to find a machine empty.  that was a "difficult" cruise to get DOU.  

 

Almost every other ship has been easy to get DOU.  They usually know our names by end of sailaway night.  (we aren't THAT big of gamblers but i'll lose some funds if i'm fed free drinks!)  

 

 

[edrussell]

Venezia was awful, even with liberal tipping and being as nice as possible to the servers in the casino.  Now the ship was still new to Carnival when we sailed (Sept 2023) so there was that as a factor.  Happy we both had Cheers on that sailing.  We found is so odd coming over from RCCL where walking up to the casino bar as Prime and being served is commonplace.  We are on Vista next month and will be keen to see how that works out.  We will have Cheers again though.  

[john91498]

23 hours ago, 1025cruise said:

Per the terms of Drinks on Us, you must be playing to get served.

 

It might be the terms, but I've sat watching my wife play slots and I was still served. And vice versa, she'd sit and watch me play blackjack and she was still served. Your mileage will vary...

[Anyislandwilldo]

On the Magic, there is a non smoking casino on deck 4.  Never have a problem getting a drink in there.  Hardly anyone in that casino.

[kdr69]

on the Jubilee in April i managed sometimes 2-3 drinks in 4 hrs of play. I find it helps to order a drink with each server that comes by the table even if you just ordered one as it takes that long for them to get back with the previous order.  Drinks on us in the casino isnt a very big money loser for the casino trust me on that. Also the servers hang around the slots so you have to flag them on their way past when sitting at tables.  Otherwise just tell the pit boss you will have to leave to find a drink and you might not get back and they will have a server there asap. lol

[noshoobie]

22 hours ago, edrussell said:

Venezia was awful, even with liberal tipping and being as nice as possible to the servers in the casino.  Now the ship was still new to Carnival when we sailed (Sept 2023) so there was that as a factor.  Happy we both had Cheers on that sailing.  We found is so odd coming over from RCCL where walking up to the casino bar as Prime and being served is commonplace.  We are on Vista next month and will be keen to see how that works out.  We will have Cheers again though.  

Fortunately, we didn't have that problem on our Sept 2023 sailing on the Venezia. We found a few servers that we really liked and tipped them out early. Like many have said already, they would come looking for us! Venezia does not have a casino bar which we disliked. We were used to MSC where you can sit at the casino bar with DOU and order all the day long!

[Elaine5715]

On 5/22/2024 at 7:04 PM, john91498 said:

 

It might be the terms, but I've sat watching my wife play slots and I was still served. And vice versa, she'd sit and watch me play blackjack and she was still served. Your mileage will vary...

Couples sitting together at machines can get served because many couples share machines