Casino question

[El Mono]

Is there a fee for withdrawing cash from a creditcard at the casino or is it possible to buy chips at the cashiers cage directly with the credit card?

I could be carrying cash, but don't know exactly how much I will need so I don't want to bring large amounts that will never be used.

 

Can the same be made when finished playing, puting money back to the credit card account or does one need to "keep" the cash?

 

I have heard rumors that RCI removes the craps tables on their european cruises and substitutes them with Black Jack tables?

 

Can anyone cofirm or deny this? It would be a bummer since its one of the few casino games that are pretty hard to find in Europe outside London and the south of France:(

[shelbylook]

Just off the Enchantment last week. I can't answer all your questions, but I can tell you that you can get cash from the casino cashier by using your seapass card. There is no fee. Also, the roulette tables accepted seapass cards (I'm assuming other tables did as well). I just used the casino cashier whenever I needed extra cash. Warning.... it makes it really easy to get moolah!

 

Cathy

[madforcruising]

Is there a fee for withdrawing cash from a creditcard at the casino or is it possible to buy chips at the cashiers cage directly with the credit card?

I could be carrying cash, but don't know exactly how much I will need so I don't want to bring large amounts that will never be used.

 

Can the same be made when finished playing, puting money back to the credit card account or does one need to "keep" the cash?

 

I have heard rumors that RCI removes the craps tables on their european cruises and substitutes them with Black Jack tables?

 

Can anyone cofirm or deny this? It would be a bummer since its one of the few casino games that are pretty hard to find in Europe outside London and the south of France:(

 

 

I´m not sure if you can use your credit card to get money from the casino, but you definitely can use your SeaPass card to get money from the casino. Just tell them it´s for gambling and not for having cash in pocket;) . There´s no fee involved for this service and it won´t be a cash in advance on your credit card as it just appears as entertainment on your final bill on the ship and is charged to your CC together with all other charges onboard.

 

I don´t think you can put cash back on your credit, though I never tried it. But of course you can take that cash to the pursers desk and pay your onboard bill off with it.

 

I´m not a craps player but I think there has been a craps table on my European cruises.

[ShillyShally]

On the Liberty OTS we used our seapass card to get cash out once but they were very adamant it needed to be used IN the casino so we didn't push our luck by trying it again (I needed it for a shore excursion the next day and didn't have a PIN for the CC I use for traveling to use the ATM). I have heard they have really cracked down on people doing this so I would try but don't be dissapointed if it's a no go. BUT if it is for casino use then go for it! I would have been happy to use some in the casino but knew I'd end up needing another cash advance, LOL, if I did!

[madforcruising]

On the Liberty OTS we used our seapass card to get cash out once but they were very adamant it needed to be used IN the casino so we didn't push our luck by trying it again (I needed it for a shore excursion the next day and didn't have a PIN for the CC I use for traveling to use the ATM). I have heard they have really cracked down on people doing this so I would try but don't be dissapointed if it's a no go. BUT if it is for casino use then go for it! I would have been happy to use some in the casino but knew I'd end up needing another cash advance, LOL, if I did!

 

That´s the point I tried to make by saying tell them it´s for gambling. The cashier won´t follow you around, so ask for money for gambling purposes and don´t tell them what you need the money for. You might even go and put a buck or two in the machine and then keep the rest and walk out;)

[ShillyShally]

That´s the point I tried to make by saying tell them it´s for gambling. The cashier won´t follow you around, so ask for money for gambling purposes and don´t tell them what you need the money for. You might even go and put a buck or two in the machine and then keep the rest and walk out;)

 

Oh we said it was for gambling and made it look like we stayed for a bit but I think if we had tried it a few nights in a row they would have caught on - they have cameras and can track play by the seapass card. I don't know that they do but I didn't want to push my luck or charge anymore anyway - LOL - I managed to do enough damage without the casino! :)

[robtulipe]

I was on the Legend's Greece and East Med. cruise last month and it had a craps table I believe. I play Black Jack, not craps but I recall watching people rolling the dice.

Getting cash on my seapass account was easy and without fees but I did use the cash to play Black Jack for about a 1/2 hour. I play according to Holye and bet conservatively thus usually don't lose much in a 1/2 hour of play. I actually won $40 in that 1/2 hour. I was needing some cash for a shore excursion thus used my gambling funds for that and used the advance to replace those funds for the casino.

[El Mono]

I was needing some cash for a shore excursion thus used my gambling funds for that .

 

Cardinal sin!!! NEVER EVER use you gambling fund for something else, be it rent, food or paying debts! ;) ( to a smaller degree the opposite MIGHT apply, to never use rent money for gambling..)

 

Thanks everyone for you answers, it helped a lot :) Looking forward to rolling the dice on JOS next year.

 

Are the play comped in anyway on board? or do they atleast offer free drinks like most other US based casinos?

[imsulin]

No free drinks, but they will gladly charge your SeaPass! U.S. based casinos? Sorry - not found on any of the U.S. ported (but not flagged) cruise lines. You ARE aware of the casino operations of ships leaving from or arriving to the U.S.??

[madforcruising]

There is a players club on RCCL ships that comp. the players.

My knwoledge about this is from the boards only and I´m posting this as what I think I´ve read here on the boards, so if it´s wrong I´m sure someone will correct me.

 

I think the players club is by invitation only and you have to play at least two hours a day and with some minimum play per hand / pull at the slots to get invited. So in my eyes you have to be a serious player to receive a free drink, YMMV.

[El Mono]

No free drinks, but they will gladly charge your SeaPass! U.S. based casinos? Sorry - not found on any of the U.S. ported (but not flagged) cruise lines. You ARE aware of the casino operations of ships leaving from or arriving to the U.S.??

 

Sorry, I meant a comparison to us "land" casinos like the ones in Vegas, Atlantic City and Connecticut.

I am not familiar with the cruiseships casinos, are there any major differences against "land" casinos? Of course I realise they are not the same as Foxwoods, but exept for maybe worse rules and odds, are there any other major differences?

[robtulipe]

The cruise ship casinos IMO are similar to the US land based ones except they modify the rules slightly to increase the house odds. For example on a RC ship, in Black Jack the dealer hits a soft 17 (Ace + 6) giving the house a chance to improve it's hand whereas most of the NA casinos hold on all 17s. It was even worst on old Sun (MY Travel) Cruises' ships, in that if you had an 11 hand and doubled down or split pairs against the dealer's 10 and he had a Back Jack you lost both bets. This resulted in me not doing that for those situations which is not what you should do normally especially if you have a pair of eights. This was possible since the dealers dealed (what I call) European style where he didn't deal his second card immediately but only after finishing the play with all betters. I read about similar differences on other cruise casino table games. I believe the slots also pay out less since this is easy to set on slot machines.

[El Mono]

The cruise ship casinos IMO are similar to the US land based ones except they modify the rules slightly to increase the house odds. For example on a RC ship, in Black Jack the dealer hits a soft 17 (Ace + 6) giving the house a chance to improve it's hand whereas most of the NA casinos hold on all 17s. It was even worst on old Sun (MY Travel) Cruises' ships, in that if you had an 11 hand and doubled down or split pairs against the dealer's 10 and he had a Back Jack you lost both bets. This resulted in me not doing that for those situations which is not what you should do normally especially if you have a pair of eights. This was possible since the dealers dealed (what I call) European style where he didn't deal his second card immediately but only after finishing the play with all betters. I read about similar differences on other cruise casino table games. I believe the slots also pay out less since this is easy to set on slot machines.

 

I am used to the european style, have also heard its called the London Deal, so thats not a big surprise to me even if it increases the house percentage slightly. Worse is the other "carnival" style rules such as hitting soft 17 and losing double and splitted bets if the dealer having a 21 :mad:

 

I guess there are only single odds at the craps tables also?

[robtulipe]

I guess there are only single odds at the craps tables also?

Yes, I've seen that reported here on CC but I can't say first hand since I don't play craps. I do recall on our last month Legend Med. cruise, the casino was offering multiple odds on a few evenings as a special play event thing.

[tomko2]

There is a players club on RCCL ships that comp. the players.

My knwoledge about this is from the boards only and I´m posting this as what I think I´ve read here on the boards, so if it´s wrong I´m sure someone will correct me.

 

I think the players club is by invitation only and you have to play at least two hours a day and with some minimum play per hand / pull at the slots to get invited. So in my eyes you have to be a serious player to receive a free drink, YMMV.

 

Just to add to what is covered above. There are five ships in the fleet which have automated tracking of slot play whereby you insert your seapass in the machine as you do with your players card in a land based casino. Above and beyond that RCI has a VIP Casino Royale Players Card which are issued by mail to players aka by invitation. Hope this helps.

:)