Bingo Ripoff?

[merl]

I love playing Bingo. I figure the small amount of my finaces for an hour or so of enjoyment, is worth it. If I win, swell...if I don't, it's ok. I must admit I had a thrill when my pony won the race on my first cruise. Haven't won since but that's ok. Life is to be enjoyed not to analyze it to pieces (well I guess if you are a psychiatrist then you get both) LOL

I agree with you. It's all about having some fun. My husband and I love to play bingo on the ships. We have never felt "ripped off". We have been fortunate enough to win small $ amounts a few times and were thrilled. It paid for our bingo cards to play that day. We look foward to bingo on every cruise.

[cruiserbryce]

not sure why its a big shocker that the Bingo games are rigged up so that Princess makes a lot of $ on them

[gertz]

Fortunately, I have an advanced math degree and can easily smell a rip off by thinking about the basic gaming economics. Clearly, I won't be playing cruise line bingo any more. However, I feel sick to my stomach for other travelers many of which are seniors and may not understand exactly why the Princess bingo structure is such a rip off for them. Since cruise ship gaming is essentially unregulated, there are no state gaming commissions to enforce disclosure or reasonable protections for consumers. I can pretty much guarantee that such a gaming structure would not survive any reasonable fairness test.

 

Sure, there is a "high" to participating in a jackpot bingo game in a crowded cruise ship lounge, but for me that benefit does not mean I'm willing to give away money. On top of that is the sinking feeling that most of the room has no idea how badly their being taken. I can guarantee you that if the pot actually got bigger with ticket sales, the customer satisfaction with bingo would actually increase.

 

It would be one thing if the cruise ships take were merely an obscenely large percentage (like 90 percent), but its another thing entirely when the passenger's upside is completely limited. No matter how many tickets Princess sells, that first game is worth -- $100 dollars. (that's about a sofa or two worth of ticket sales). I even witnessed a $125 dollar pot split six ways! This means even the winners lost money!

 

Finally, it's fine to say -- its your choice, don't participate. But don't forget that there is a finite amount of space and time on any voyage. Every vista-lounge-hour spent swindling passengers out of bingo money, is another hour lost for things like cultural lectures, cooking demos, and other forms of non-revenue entertainment.

 

<begin rant>

More generally, I would almost rather pay a little more $$ for my cruise on a truly all inclusive cruise line than spend the entire cruise feeling that the cruise line is trying to maximize its revenue from me with bogus bingo games, art auctions, jewelry sales, shore excursions (aka more jewelry sales), internet charges, etc... I fear that cruising will eventually turn into the vacation equivalent of a 10 day "time share" sales pitch.

</ end rant>

 

 

Sorry to quote this whole cockamamie thing.

 

Please don't feel sorry for us poor seniors we can very well take care of our selves. Just speak for your self.

 

If I want to play bingo for entertainment that is my business. Or have you with your advanced degree figured out the profit on a $10.00 martini?

 

Also I suspect a great majority of those seniors can well afford to play bingo, or pay for their mini or full suite even after this October. It's called cruising and entertainment.

 

Lastly please go on your all inclusive cruise and spend a little more money. If you can find one. Or maybe you can Seaborne.

 

GERTZ

Princess Elite

Next Coral 4/12 FLL to LA

Island 8/17 Back to Alaska 4th time w/grandson:D

Star Feb 2010 MR

 

PS: Just got off Tahitian Vancouver to Honolulu then spent a few more days in Paradise with a beautiful hula girl. This senior is having the time of his life.

[notentirelynormal]

I like to play Bingo too. Its called ENTERTAINMENT. Unlike what is being said by some of the previous posters we really aren’t stupid. Your insults are well heard. You choose your fun and I’ll choose mine. I don’t need some stranger calling me a sucker because I choose to spend an hour listening to the calls and seeing if I get lucky. Yes, believe it or not we all know its luck. I promise I will not question how you spend your money if you mind your own business too. Maybe us Bingo players think you’re a sucker if you go to the spa, or the art auction, but hey its your money so have fun the way you want. Please stop insulting those of us that want to spend an hour doing something we enjoy. I can afford to lose the $30 or I wouldn’t be playing, but again, thanks for making sure we simpletons know we are just throwing our money away.

.

[rustytdog]

If you've ever been to Las Vegas, do you think the odds are really any better. I have lived and worked in Vegas for 17 years. do you honestly think the casino's give you much of a chance of winning? Gambling or gaming should be for enjoyment and another form of entertainment, not to make money from it. How many professional gamblers do you know? If you don't like the odds, just don't play. If you want fair, look at a roulette wheel with numbers 1 - 36 0 and 00. If you hit on a played number the payoff is 35 to 1 not 38 to 1 if its was fair.

Edited November 4, 2008 by rustytdog

[ILOVEMEXICO]

I like to play Bingo too. Its called ENTERTAINMENT. Unlike what is being said by some of the previous posters we really aren’t stupid. Your insults are well heard. You choose your fun and I’ll choose mine. I don’t need some stranger calling me a sucker because I choose to spend an hour listening to the calls and seeing if I get lucky. Yes, believe it or not we all know its luck. I promise I will not question how you spend your money if you mind your own business too. Maybe us Bingo players think you’re a sucker if you go to the spa, or the art auction, but hey its your money so have fun the way you want. Please stop insulting those of us that want to spend an hour doing something we enjoy. I can afford to lose the $30 or I wouldn’t be playing, but again, thanks for making sure we simpletons know we are just throwing our money away.

.

 

Perfectly stated - I agree it's just a form of entertainment and everyone has a right to spend their money how they want - regardless of the odds - and yes everyone hopes they win but in reality if we don't it doesn't matter - its fun while we are playing - whether it's bingo, slots, cards or whatever.

[chasetf]

.....but again, thanks for making sure we simpletons know we are just throwing our money away.

.

You're welcome :D ;)

[Tina G]

I have been on eight Princess cruises, and the big Bingo jackpot was not won by anyone on any of my cruises. Has anybody ever seen someone win one of the big jackpots? Just curious.

[notentirelynormal]

Every game has a big winner - the very last one must be the coverall game. That's why on the last day its standing room only. People are crowded in to win. In our case, we've won the occasional $100 games. My DH won the big one about 20 years ago but had to split it, but still walked away with around $1200. I won the big bingo on my last Tahiti cruise, walked away wiht about $1600. I figure I spend a couple of hundred each trip so its really just reimbursement. We've been cruising over 25 years too.

[MaryPoppinz]

Oh yeah. One more.... UBER ROSSI...

 

I"M OKKKKK!!!!

 

(had to be there)

 

 

Never played Bingo, but I do love some Uber Rossi. It's pretty much the same show every time and it's still....OKKKKKKK.....with me.

[Cynthia48]

You know, if I spent my cruise time reflecting on how much profit Princess was making by way of a soda sticker, formal photos, shore excursions, foo foo drinks, extra charge restaurants, wine, casinos, chef's table charges and tapas from the International Cafe, I would end up driving myself crazy.

 

That is hardly what I want to do on my cruises, not matter how many advanced degrees I have.

 

 

Agree. Go on cruise do as you wish and have a good time. No need to analyze everything. Vacation is vacation. Time a way from daily routines.

Cynthia48

[kingfoot]

Apologies if anyone took offense, I was just trying to provide an analysis of the gaming aspects of the Princess Bingo proposition. Entertainment value aside, I found the game to be a surprisingly poor proposition from a game theory standpoint. If you just don't care about the analysis of the game and play strictly for entertainment -- more power to you. (and you should probably stop reading this thread!)

[COMBOY]

Like the Art Auctions Bingo is next biggest cruise ship rip-offs. All gaming is entertainment and that's why people participate with the very smallest chance to win big. I stopped playing long ago once the cruise line got greedy. I can smell a rat a mile away. I wish others did too!!

[wizard-of-roz]

I'm married to a "kingfoot", "COMBOY" and any other whiney, complaining, over educated, aggravating man who thinks; "if you can't boil and eat it, you can't have it!"

Take a cruise/relax/go lay in the sun/go take a nap/sip a drink.....do whatever it is that men like YOU like to do.......Gawd knows, I can't or should I say I don't want to figure it out! And, I've been married to mine for a very long time.............And, I love my man, wouldn't trade him for any other....but, get over yourselves!

It's the reason I continue to work and purchase the things that make me happy and that includes "BINGO CARDS" on a cruiseship! Oh! Sure! He'll come along and watch me win or not (with his expressionless grin), not forgetting to remind me of the "odds" against my winning! Such a brainiac! WHO CARES! Sit down, hold on, shut up!!!!!!!

Sorry, I feel so much better! ;)

Now, all you brainiac's, (that includes my DH), try and have a good time!!!!! Life is for the living!!!! Stop counting! RELAX!!!!! :cool:

[grandmato4]

I'm married to a "kingfoot", "COMBOY" and any other whiney, complaining, over educated, aggravating man who thinks; "if you can't boil and eat it, you can't have it!"

 

Take a cruise/relax/go lay in the sun/go take a nap/sip a drink.....do whatever it is that men like YOU like to do.......Gawd knows, I can't or should I say I don't want to figure it out! And, I've been married to mine for a very long time.............And, I love my man, wouldn't trade him for any other....but, get over yourselves!

 

It's the reason I continue to work and purchase the things that make me happy and that includes "BINGO CARDS" on a cruiseship! Oh! Sure! He'll come along and watch me win or not (with his expressionless grin), not forgetting to remind me of the "odds" against my winning! Such a brainiac! WHO CARES! Sit down, hold on, shut up!!!!!!!

 

Sorry, I feel so much better! ;)

 

Now, all you brainiac's, (that includes my DH), try and have a good time!!!!! Life is for the living!!!! Stop counting! RELAX!!!!! :cool:

 

Hoping you get to sail on a hundred more cruises wizard-of-roz and enjoy EVERY single minute any way that you wish, cause you deserve it !:D Hope your DH apreciates what a gem he has! :)

[Cruisin' Chick]

Hoping you get to sail on a hundred more cruises wizard-of-roz and enjoy EVERY single minute any way that you wish, cause you deserve it !:D Hope your DH apreciates what a gem he has! :)

 

Ditto from me.

[kingfoot]

Hate to revive this thread, but... Cruising on Regent recently I asked about the bingo proposition. House takes 10% (pretty modest), and the house take goes entirely to the crew entertainment fund. Now *that's* a bingo game even a grumpy mathematician can enjoy!

 

Our first time on Regent, and I must say it is a complete class act. Totally different product than Princess.

[paul929207]

Hate to revive this thread, but... Cruising on Regent recently I asked about the bingo proposition. House takes 10% (pretty modest), and the house take goes entirely to the crew entertainment fund. Now *that's* a bingo game even a grumpy mathematician can enjoy!

 

Our first time on Regent, and I must say it is a complete class act. Totally different product than Princess.

I assume this means that Regent has different payouts each game depending on the number of game cards sold?

[vmom]

You are right. Heard wonderful things about Regent and you can't compare a Regent cruise with a Princess cruise. Its a different product and like comparing apples with oranges, they may both be fruit, but that's where the comparison ends.

 

It cost a whole lot more to cruise with Regent than Princess. They don't have to take as much from their Bingo games for revenue.

[kingfoot]

I assume this means that Regent has different payouts each game depending on the number of game cards sold?

 

Yes. 90% of sales are used to pay winners. The more people play, the bigger the prizes.

[goldenrod]

My wife and I took our first cruise in 1969 our second was on the Boheme of Commedore cruise line, we played bingo on that cruise and won, the pay out was every dollar taken in on each game they kept nothing not one dollar. We stopped playing many years ago when they started keeping to much we also don't play slots just blackjack where if you know what your doing you stand at least a decent shot at winning sometimes, that said if others want to play Bingo or slots go for it, it's called free will aren't we glad we have it.

PS we believe the art (so called auctions) are a bigger rip-off but as I said It's called free will so if it's your thing Enjoy while you can:D life is short.

Edited June 14, 2009 by goldenrod
spelling

[mellapl]

To the OP,

 

Lets say you are the CEO of a company that has a product that sells for x dollars and makes you a HUGE profit. Your customers are very happy. Laughing, clapping and carrying on as if they don't feel ripped off. They come back for more day after day. Your profits become even better!

 

You would throw those profits away because they were not "fair"?

 

Bless your little socialist heart!! :D

 

If I were a stockholder in this company of yours you would be sacked faster than you can yell "Bingo!" :mad: :mad: :mad:

 

Since when did profit become such a bad word? :confused:

 

I have never seen anyone FORCED to spend one cent for ANY extras on Princess. You can remove tips from your account. You need not do any ships tours, bingo or go to the casino. You wont die of hunger or thirst if you only have what is included. Far from it actually! Photos? When has someone put them under your nose and begged you to buy?

 

Other people losing money? Mind your own....... oh well, hope you enjoyed something.

 

Gary P

 

Totally agree !!!!!

[Bob Winters]

I have written on this subject several times over the years. My wife and I enjoy bingo but like a lot of you we have stopped playing because of the terrible odds that Kingfoot has mentioned. Those of you who come back with the answer, "if you don't like the odds, don't play" are missing the point. Bingo is a fun game. Cruise ships or whoever runs the games just needs to be more fair so that when I am on vacation, I and the many other cruisers who feel as I do, have a choice of playing a fun game and not something that insults my intellience.

 

Thank You Kingfoot for bringing this up once again. I have been upset about this for a long time.

Bob

[paul929207]

I have written on this subject several times over the years. My wife and I enjoy bingo but like a lot of you we have stopped playing because of the terrible odds that Kingfoot has mentioned. Those of you who come back with the answer, "if you don't like the odds, don't play" are missing the point. Bingo is a fun game. Cruise ships or whoever runs the games just needs to be more fair so that when I am on vacation, I and the many other cruisers who feel as I do, have a choice of playing a fun game and not something that insults my intellience.

 

Thank You Kingfoot for bringing this up once again. I have been upset about this for a long time.

Bob

As long as all those people are willing to play with the horrible odds currently offered, the cruise lines have no reason to change.

[trey420]

thank you for rehashing this post I was going to play bingo for the first time ever and now im going to leave it thanks.