Slot Machine Change

[Blackrobe]

The Ocean Players Club is changing the slot machines to use your room key to move money from one slot machine to another slot machine. You can either take a draw on your room account (with the 3% surcharge) directly into the slot machine or put money in the machine and withdraw it onto your Ocean Players Club account via your room key. It makes moving from slot machine to slot machine much easier without the hassle of cashing out and reinserting the coins. With the new system you simply cash out to your Ocean Players account and then draw from that same account when you move to a new machine. You can withdraw the money in your account at the cashiers cage at any time. I found it to be a very effective and handy system. The system is an aIternative to the chit based system used by land based casinos.

[B40 Tha Cruisa]

Great info, that sounds like it would be a very effective system. Not that the old one didnt work well, but this sounds very convenient.

[chasetf]

Sounds like a faster way to lose your money...;) :eek:

[tattboi26]

Sounds like a faster way to lose your money...;) :eek:

 

That would definately be the main reason they are doing this, to get you to spend more money and faster :rolleyes:

[slothandle]

This is not a new concept. The land casino of which I have visited a few times on Oklahoma/Texas state line follows this procedure.

 

Anyway you look at it, though, it is hard to keep track of your winnings/losses without actual money in hand.

 

Are all the Princess ships going to this? I will be on the Island Princess this summer and I am just curious.

 

Pat

[spongerob]

I know whereof you speak, Pat. I'm not a fan of the system myself. I like the ticket-in/ticket-out system that is used at our race track (though I must say, the ticket-out part is rather rare :rolleyes: ). What happens if you lose your card, or it is damaged in some way? Is there a backup system that keeps track of any cash you might have on your account? Finally, if you have cash on your card but don't visit the casino again before disembarking, how is that handled?

[canadiansnowbird]

Was on the Star last month and it worked well. Although it is too easy to withdraw money and put it on the cruise account!! :eek:

 

On the other hand it certainly is better than handling all those dirty coins. ;)

I liked it a lot; when you won or were winning on the machine, it was very easy to download your winnings to the card and just load a small amount to see if it was paying any more, if not, just walk.

 

Just make sure you withdraw any cash on the card by midnight before leaving the ship.

 

The card you use is your shipboard card. Initially you set it up with a numbered password and use it each time you access the card. (Both DH and I used the same numbered password on each of our cards - so we wouldn't forget easily) You put it in the slot and indicate if you are withdrawing money from a balance on the card or if you are borrowing from your shipboard account (plus 3%) or if you are downloading any money from the machine (if you are winning). Works just like your ATM card.

 

Snowbird

[spongerob]

Thanks, 'bird. :)

[Blackrobe]

What happens if you lose your card, or it is damaged in some way? Is there a backup system that keeps track of any cash you might have on your account? Finally, if you have cash on your card but don't visit the casino again before disembarking, how is that handled?

 

Spongerob let me answer your questions. "The computer", I don't know if it is different than the ship's computer, maintains your account under your name and a password you establish. I can't say whether there is a backup system but I strongly suspect there is. You have to physically go to the cashier's window to withdraw your money from this account. I do not know this for a fact but I suspect that if you do not withdraw the balance from your account you forfeit that balance. The casino staff was diligent about reminding everyone to close out their Ocean Players accounts before midnight on the last night of the cruise.

[slothandle]

Spongerob let me answer your questions. "The computer", I don't know if it is different than the ship's computer, maintains your account under your name and a password you establish. I can't say whether there is a backup system but I strongly suspect there is. You have to physically go to the cashier's window to withdraw your money from this account. I do not know this for a fact but I suspect that if you do not withdraw the balance from your account you forfeit that balance. The casino staff was diligent about reminding everyone to close out their Ocean Players accounts before midnight on the last night of the cruise.

 

 

The winnings cannot be applied to your account balance at the end of the cruise?

 

Pat

[muffydawg]

Here's a stupid question....What part of my Cruise Answer book or myprincess have I missed? When did Princess start using Ocean Players Club cards / accounts and how do I establish one before we cruise in September?

[Blackrobe]

slothandle - I do not think winnings can be directly applied to your account. I say this for two reasons: 1) the Ocean Players account seems to be a separate account set up solely to handle the gaming machine transactions; and, 2) as persistent as the casino staff was in reminding everyone to close their accounts before midnight of the last night of the cruise, it seems there is no automatic payover to the shipboard account.

 

muffydawg - You won't find the information in the current or past information books. This is very new. We cruised with Princess in January and heard nothing about it. In April it is fully implemented on the Grand Princess. There is no need to advance register. The temporary Ocean Players account is linked to the information on your cruise card. The temporary Ocean Players account can be set up at the first machine you play and takes about 3 minutes to set up. You cannot set up an account until you have embarked and established your shipboard account. You do not have to establish an account if you want to continue to play with tokens

[Herschel Dirtwater]

I was told that there was no surcharge to use your room card for the slot machines, but yes there is a 3% to withdraw chips using your card. Was I told incorrectly?

[Blackrobe]

Herschel - If you physically put money into the machine, you can withdraw it from the machine to your Ocean Players account. Then you can put all of it or some of it (at least $10.00) in a different machine from your Ocean Players account. There is no charge for this.

 

You can also use your room card, create an Ocean Players account and take a draw on your room account directly into the machine. This process costs you the 3% of the amount you draw.

 

I hope my explanation is clear enough to be understood.

[jbpinkie]

I was told that there was no surcharge to use your room card for the slot machines, but yes there is a 3% to withdraw chips using your card. Was I told incorrectly?

 

Ummmm you would doubt the source of your information? LOL :D

 

To confirm, you can not transfer any balance on your card remaining to your ship board account. But all you have to do is take it to the casino cage and they "cash out" any credits that are on it. You just had to do it by a certain time the last night at sea. Just make sure you get in on time. Ask anyone of the casino staff and they can give you the time cut off.

[SoFloDeb]

muffydawg - You won't find the information in the current or past information books. This is very new. We cruised with Princess in January and heard nothing about it. In April it is fully implemented on the Grand Princess. There is no need to advance register. The temporary Ocean Players account is linked to the information on your cruise card. The temporary Ocean Players account can be set up at the first machine you play and takes about 3 minutes to set up. You cannot set up an account until you have embarked and established your shipboard account. You do not have to establish an account if you want to continue to play with tokens

 

We sailed on CB on 10/14/06 and it was active then. You used your sign and sail and they put it on a lanyard (sp? don't know if that's the right word or not). I liked it a lot - no carrying buckets of coins around.

[kodidog]

Nice to see you are still here on the boards, and passing on useful information in a clear, concise manner! :-)

 

After meeting you on the Dawn, we rested up for a year and then took a lovely European River Boat Cruise....VERY restful (except for the flights!).

 

We are planning a cruise...Diamond Princess to Hawaii in the Spring of 2008. Where are you off to next?

[Blackrobe]

kodidog - rather than sidetrack this thread, drop me a line schwartz@hughes.net

[Stevesan]

Ah Ha! I knew it would come in handy. Direct from the on board procedure card:

 

CASH OUT CASINO PLAY

 

NO CASH. NO COINS. NO WORRIES

Directions Access funds from your cruise card account.

1) Create A PIN:

Insert cruise Card

Press “change PIN”

Enter current PIN (hint: it’s your birth date)

Enter 4 new numbers

Re-enter them

If it says “PIN successfully chaged”, you’re good

2) Put Cash Out On Your Cruise Card*:

Insert cruise card

Press “debit cruise card”

Input your PIN and press Enter

Enter a dollar amount between $10-$200

(Some machines $100. Up to $1,000 per day, per card. $5,00-0 maximum per cruise)

Go Ply

3) Done Winning? Put it in your bank

Make sure your cruise card is in the slot!

Press “To Player Bank”

Input your PIN & press enter

4) Wanna win some more? Go play!

Make sure your cruise card is in the slot!

Press “from player bank”.

Input your PIN & press Enter

5) View player bank balance.

Insert cruise card

Press “from player bank”

Input Your PIN & press Enter

* A 3% surcharge is applied to all cruise card debits. No surcharges apply to Cash Out transactions to/from the Player Bank. All winnings must be collected at the Casino Cage before the casino closes on the last night of the cruise. Player Bank can not be accessed when the casino is closed.

[tbag124]

When I was on the Carnival Liberty, I forogt to take out the approx. $35 i had left on my card, i went down to the purses office in the AM, YES the dreaded last day line! i was trying EVERYTHING to avoid it too! Stupid me forgot about the balance on the card! They said they could not give me cash then....about 3 - 4 weeks later, i got a check in the mail from Carnival for the $35....so you won't lose the $ if you forget to take it out, but it'll take a bit to get it back to you! HTH!

[West Coast]

Here's a stupid question....What part of my Cruise Answer book or myprincess have I missed? When did Princess start using Ocean Players Club cards / accounts and how do I establish one before we cruise in September?

 

More info here:

http://www.oceanplayersclub.com/about/

[Pia1913]

You do not need to join the Ocean Players Club and wear/carry that PITA lanyard. For me, Players Club is not necessary. I donate an occasional $5.00 (and sometimes even $10.00) to the slots;fortunately for my purse, not on a regular basis. :) All you need to do is establish an account at the machine with your ship's card and after playing, if by chance you have money you want to take out, go to the cage, enter your pin and VOILA! you get your cash. Or you can leave the "big bucks" in there for your next session. Easy for someone who doesn't play regularly.

 

Pia