Will RCCL start adding 3% for casino cash?

[kingsgirl]

Why not just bring travellers cheques instead? That's what we do, and cash them as needed at the purser's desk.

[critterchick]

That is the rule.

 

I've never seen that posted anywhere...

 

I have had cashiers ask me if I intend to gamble, and on some ships if you're only going to play the tables they instruct you to use your Seapass to get chips.

[curley23]

Why do you say people are taking something they don't deserve? It's not abuse to use the system if playing by the rules and apparently this person did just that, max'd out his allotment at the cashier daily. If the cruise line makes a rule that states all money received from the cashier is to be used in the casino only then it would be abuse. It's not something i would care to be bothered with but it's not abuse any more then my using a grocery coupon I clip out of the newspaper and then only buy that one item even tho the store intended for me to do some shopping.

 

The abuse is this.

There is an ATM machine on the ship to get cash for spending in port, paying tips etc. or use the purser. It costs a fee to use the ATM, as well as the credit card company charging a fee for the cash advance. Since you can get cash at the casino with your sea pass card, you bypass the fee, thus here is where the abuse is, because a lot of people get the cash and walk out of the casino with no intention on using it there, just to avoid the fees. The casino cashier is not a local bank, it was designed to provide cash for the casino.

The other abuse has been talked about already as far as ficticously building your credit card points.

Some people always have to have a slighted angle to try and cheat someones system. As always some get away with it, but it usually catches up with the majority of non cheaters in the end, who will pay the tab.

[sea-cruise]

I They could make you use your sea pass card to purchase your chips at the tables, or have you use a card to insert in the slot machines which is similar to what they quote]

I was onboard Sovereign in September and the slot machines had an access for our seapass cards to track spending and earn gifts.

[dirtgirl]

You'd still be able to get cash, and the purser's desk would likely still cash traveler's checks. You just wouldn't get a free ride on the cash advances, like you've been getting. It does cost RCI money to give you cash against the credit card you have on file.

 

 

Trust me - I will be dinged by my cc company no matter what I do. What this means is that I will be double-dinged.

[phoenix1181]

Why do you say people are taking something they don't deserve? It's not abuse to use the system if playing by the rules and apparently this person did just that, max'd out his allotment at the cashier daily. If the cruise line makes a rule that states all money received from the cashier is to be used in the casino only then it would be abuse. It's not something i would care to be bothered with but it's not abuse any more then my using a grocery coupon I clip out of the newspaper and then only buy that one item even tho the store intended for me to do some shopping.

 

The rule is very clear. Cash taken on your seapass in the casino is to be used in the casino. That means taking it for any other purpose is an abuse.

[sea-cruise]

Here's an interesting question. If you have a large OBC and take cash do you still pay 3%? Can you get you OBC in cash from the purser? Afterall, it's not a charge, it's your money so why have to pay a fee to get it?

That's a good question. :confused: I had $450 OBC from my Visa points during my December cruise. I went to the casino each day and withdrew $100 per day for gambling, therefore using up my OBC. Now I'm wondering if I'll be able to do that without paying a fee.

[pmshirl]

 

I was onboard Sovereign in September and the slot machines had an access for our seapass cards to track spending and earn gifts.

 

This monitoring device is on all the Freedom class Ships and many other ships too. I have seen a pax refused Cash at the Casino Cashier, trying to get cash on their SeaPass Card. I was on the Liberty in June 07 and a pax in front of me at the Cashier booth was requesting cash on the card, the Casino Host was giving this person a hard time, ( something to the effect the pax had gooten cash a few times, and the Host watched this pax walk out of the Casino.

 

The money is to be used in the Casino, when taking it out from the Casino Booth! I am a Casino Royal VIP Player, and one of the perks is to be approved for 10K from the Casino ( which you are not charged a fee for. I wonder if this will change that policy now too.

[PH8]

Yes, I remember that poster, too. He actually stated that he carried FOURTEEN THOUSAND DOLLARS IN CASH HOME WITH HIM. :eek: :eek: :eek:

I remember asking him if he claimed it (like you should) on the customs form...............never did get an answer...:mad:

 

 

That's a good question. I had $450 OBC from my Visa points during my December cruise. I went to the casino each day and withdrew $100 per day for gambling, therefore using up my OBC. Now I'm wondering if I'll be able to do that without paying a fee.

 

My last cruise,we had about $100 left in OBC...the guest relations desk told me to get from the casino cashier/

[julesbeara]

How do you carry $14K in cash. That is a huge pile of money? I take money off my Seapass Card at the Blackjack Table to play, so I can track my winnings etc. I didn't know you could get cash at the window?

[cookiersmom]

On our recent Princess cruise, we found that Princess has something called Casino credits. Before you leave for the cruise you can charge an amount to your credit card or maybe your shipboard account, can't remember which, and then the money is there for you in the casino. We got coupons along with our shore ex tix the first day, and these were exchanged in the casino for cash (no 3%). But, then again, Princess had our money from the CC company up front.

 

I think the credits were set up for TA's to give to clients, not necessarily for you to use for yourself, but they worked fine that way. So, we didn't have to carry the cash from home. We could get $100 a day, as we wanted, on the ship.

 

Does anyone know if RCCI has a similar type of credit that can be

pre-purchsed?

[FL_Cruiser64]

Yes, taking 2k a day was over the top, but there's a lot of abuse going on. I can't count the number of posts I've seen telling people to get cash for tips, shore excursions, the trip home, and anything else they can think of. My guess is at the end of each cruise, even though the games are showing a profit, the cashier isn't!

 

People on this board provide a lot of very useful and valuable information. Included in that are ways to beat the system. You're told how to use the casino as a bank, smuggle booze, get away with sharing a soda card, get an OBC by complaining about noise from the next cabin, and how to stiff the waitstaff because you didn't eat in the dining room every night and the head waiter never came to your table.

 

More and more people are willing to take something they don't deserve because they can get away with it. Those who play by the rules pay the price. I'm hoping this doesn't happen, but I certainly can't say I blame them...............

 

Very well said. People always look to beat the system and when others hit back the outcry is big. This taking cash out to get credit card points and turning it around to get OBC is not an isolated incident. Many threads were created dedicated to this issue.

 

Personally I don't care if they apply a 3% charge. If I want to gamble I pay with my sea card at the table. I always bring enough cash with me for my wife to pay the slots.

 

Of course not everybody abuses the system. I certainly feel sorry for those who actually get the cash to gamble. But they shouldn't bitch about cruise lines who are trying to block abuse of the system but rather those who are encouraging such abuse.

[Mark_K]

I always bring CASH for gambling--I would never take a "loan" (and that's what your credit card is!) to gamble with!

I'm surprised that they didn't charge extra for a cash advance--everyone else does!

While it may be a "loan", until they begin charging fees at the casino it's an interest free loan - if you pay off the credit card before the next due date.

 

You can do what you want, but your best financial move would be to leave the CASH in a savings account where it draws interest, charge all your gambling on the ship, then pay off the credit card before the due date. Not only is it safer, your not carrying cash around, but it earns you a little interest.

[twoputt.plusone]

Trust me - I will be dinged by my cc company no matter what I do. What this means is that I will be double-dinged.

 

You're absolutely right! :mad: The other problem I've run across is that you can't always get TCs cashed on land. For me, they're more trouble than they're worth.

 

2P.P1

[twoputt.plusone]

Here's an interesting question. If you have a large OBC and take cash do you still pay 3%? Can you get you OBC in cash from the purser? Afterall, it's not a charge, it's your money so why have to pay a fee to get it?

 

That's a very good question. In the past, I've always loaded up my seapass account before I leave home and used the casino cashier to withdraw it as I needed it. Guess I won't be doing that again any time soon. I suppose it's OK for RCI to have my money in advance and not pay me any interest on it but god forbid I try to get any of it back without paying a fee. If indeed this is true, I'm really ticked off. :mad: :mad: :mad:

 

2P.P1

[MakinGold]

Trust me - I will be dinged by my cc company no matter what I do. What this means is that I will be double-dinged.

 

Is that because of exchange rates or just a generally bad cc company? I don't get dinged by mine. I've got two cards, one of which gives me a Cashback Bonus on everything I spend and another that gives me a credit toward gasoline purchases on everything I spend. So, since I don't carry a balance, they basically pay me to use their cards. I did get dinged with a small exchange fee when I bought something in Cozumel that was charged in pesos, though.

[dirtgirl]

Is that because of exchange rates or just a generally bad cc company? I don't get dinged by mine. I've got two cards, one of which gives me a Cashback Bonus on everything I spend and another that gives me a credit toward gasoline purchases on everything I spend. So, since I don't carry a balance, they basically pay me to use their cards. I did get dinged with a small exchange fee when I bought something in Cozumel that was charged in pesos, though.

 

 

I get dinged for the currency conversion, and even more dinged if RC does it against my wishes. It took 3 months for me to correct that from my last cruise. They converted my US cc to CAD, and then the cc company converted back to US. This is commonplace for international travelers. Most don't fight it as it is too much work.

[spammie]

What is the policy of cashing personal checks? I also don't like having a lot of cash on me and I HATE paying ATM fees. On our last couple of cruises the ATM ran out of money. Wanda

[cruisePRN]

That is the rule.

 

I stand corrected. I never take money from the casino except for tips so no one ever said anything to me to correct my misconception. I like using travelers checks when I travel and usually have no trouble cashing them at the pursers desk.

[Sunny AZ Girl]

I stand corrected. I never take money from the casino except for tips so no one ever said anything to me to correct my misconception. I like using travelers checks when I travel and usually have no trouble cashing them at the pursers desk.

 

Hi, Karyn! How are you doing?:)

 

Now to my concern - we have a $75 Casino Credit from our TA, a $550 OBC from our RCI VISA and a $90 OBC from the fuel surcharge rebate. I don't really gamble at all....I was really hoping to take $300 out of the Casino early in the cruise and then use possibly $40 in the slots. That should take about five minutes!:rolleyes: I was hoping to use the rest for a private tour we have booked. I don't want to abuse the system, but am not sure we would use up all of those OBC's without doing so. We aren't big drinkers either. If I don't use up the OBC's would I have to lose it, get a credit on my card (and therefore lose double points, or be forced to hit the Shops on Board for stuff I don't really need?

[kingsgirl]

You're absolutely right! :mad: The other problem I've run across is that you can't always get TCs cashed on land. For me, they're more trouble than they're worth.

 

2P.P1

 

That's why you cash them ONBOARD. If you don't use them, save them for your next cruise or take them back to the bank.

 

I'm really confused as to why everyone just don't take this option? Sure you have to carry a few pieces of paper with you but isn't it worth the lack of a hassle with this whole thing? :confused:

[familycruzer]

Now to my concern - we have a $75 Casino Credit from our TA, a $550 OBC from our RCI VISA and a $90 OBC from the fuel surcharge rebate. I don't really gamble at all....I was really hoping to take $300 out of the Casino early in the cruise and then use possibly $40 in the slots. That should take about five minutes! I was hoping to use the rest for a private tour we have booked. I don't want to abuse the system, but am not sure we would use up all of those OBC's without doing so. We aren't big drinkers either. If I don't use up the OBC's would I have to lose it, get a credit on my card (and therefore lose double points, or be forced to hit the Shops on Board for stuff I don't really need?

 

Did you prepay your gratuities? If not, you could use some of your OBC to pay them instead of adding it to your bill at the end of the cruise.

[curley23]

Hi, Karyn! How are you doing?:)

 

Now to my concern - we have a $75 Casino Credit from our TA, a $550 OBC from our RCI VISA and a $90 OBC from the fuel surcharge rebate. I don't really gamble at all....I was really hoping to take $300 out of the Casino early in the cruise and then use possibly $40 in the slots. That should take about five minutes!:rolleyes: I was hoping to use the rest for a private tour we have booked. I don't want to abuse the system, but am not sure we would use up all of those OBC's without doing so. We aren't big drinkers either. If I don't use up the OBC's would I have to lose it, get a credit on my card (and therefore lose double points, or be forced to hit the Shops on Board for stuff I don't really need?

 

OBC's are supposed to be just that. For use on board, not to use as another way to have cash to pay for things off the ship. There is a reason why they give double points, too. So you purchase things "on board"

[Cruiser043065]

Is that because of exchange rates or just a generally bad cc company? I don't get dinged by mine. I've got two cards, one of which gives me a Cashback Bonus on everything I spend and another that gives me a credit toward gasoline purchases on everything I spend.

 

Actually, many don't realize that you also will get dinged *if* you carry a balance. If you have even $40 from the previous month on the card, you begin paying interest the day the transaction posts...

 

On the 3% fee side, it seems steep - but hey - RCL is looking to raise their share price :) RCL pays like 1.5% to their bank processor, and then you add to that card perks that are more intangible. A stateroom credit still generates $$$ because you book a cruise...

[cruisegirl1]

Years ago you could cash a personal check at the purser’s desk. Has anyone tried this recently?

 

M