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pokie players playing P&O machines at the casino - warning


exRNZN
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I play the pokies and know to check the RTP (Return to player) percentages before playing so I know what percentage the machine is set to. (press I and then number 2). All machines in NZ and Australia have to have the % showing by law. Ranges from 86 to 94 % so the house always wins overall!

And this is where the warning comes in.... On board P&O Jewel, I asked staff why do the machines not display it - and what level are they set to. They refused to disclose the RTP rate. It is in international waters. I guess that means robbery on the high seas (without the guns, lol).

Anyway I know most people don't care about Pokie players- or how much they lose, but I think P&O should display the RTP rate or at the very least have a sign saying RTP is withheld from players.

Definitely a case of player be aware.

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  • 1 month later...
I play the pokies and know to check the RTP (Return to player) percentages before playing so I know what percentage the machine is set to. (press I and then number 2). All machines in NZ and Australia have to have the % showing by law. Ranges from 86 to 94 % so the house always wins overall!

And this is where the warning comes in.... On board P&O Jewel, I asked staff why do the machines not display it - and what level are they set to. They refused to disclose the RTP rate. It is in international waters. I guess that means robbery on the high seas (without the guns, lol).

Anyway I know most people don't care about Pokie players- or how much they lose, but I think P&O should display the RTP rate or at the very least have a sign saying RTP is withheld from players.

Definitely a case of player be aware.

I have been on about 8 different cruises and half would be on different P&O ships. I play the pokies and yes the payouts are not good compared to other cruise lines, and i have had some good jackpots on those. But I have recieved two free cruises by playing on the pokies on P&O ships, and next week we head to Fiji on the Pacific Jewel which is one of them. The last free cruise was on the Pacific Eden up to Bali. There were about 20 of us who got a free cruise.I spoke to one of the players and she had been on 7 free cruises. I think it all depends on your turn over playing the pokies, or the length of time you spend on them during the cruise.They make you a member of the Southern Cross players club and then give out free cruises to you now and then.Yes I will be playing the pokies on this trip, and then checking the mail box when I get home.

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The only thing is I doubt this is specific to P&O, and I also doubt it specific to poker machines.

 

I'm not sure what regulation applies to their onboard operations, but they only operate them in international waters, as they do not comply with local country gaming regulations. As such they most likely make their own rules. From what I've seen most things on varying cruise lines e.g. Celebrity, RCL are less generous than you would get ashore and some even seem to have removed the chance element from some games e.g. cash machines, and even bingo appears to not have a random chance to win, at least on some ships.

 

So while your observation may well be valid, it's more a buyer beware case for all casino gaming onboard than just for poker machines on P&O.

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I have been on about 8 different cruises and half would be on different P&O ships. I play the pokies and yes the payouts are not good compared to other cruise lines, and i have had some good jackpots on those. But I have recieved two free cruises by playing on the pokies on P&O ships, and next week we head to Fiji on the Pacific Jewel which is one of them. The last free cruise was on the Pacific Eden up to Bali. There were about 20 of us who got a free cruise.I spoke to one of the players and she had been on 7 free cruises. I think it all depends on your turn over playing the pokies, or the length of time you spend on them during the cruise.They make you a member of the Southern Cross players club and then give out free cruises to you now and then.Yes I will be playing the pokies on this trip, and then checking the mail box when I get home.

 

Hi we are going on the Pacific Jewel (P&O) cruise ship next week to Fiji from Auckland and are not getting a lot of information around how cashing in your winnings works.

 

Do you put cash in the slot machines, and then any winnings go straight to your cruise card? Can you cash these into Aus dollars or can you only spend the winnings on your cruise card. What about if you go back a second night can you use the winnings in the machines the next night.

 

Very confused clear.png?emoji-roll-eyes-1744 as the P&O staff seem to have given us very different messages.

 

D

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Hi we are going on the Pacific Jewel (P&O) cruise ship next week to Fiji from Auckland and are not getting a lot of information around how cashing in your winnings works.

 

Do you put cash in the slot machines, and then any winnings go straight to your cruise card? Can you cash these into Aus dollars or can you only spend the winnings on your cruise card. What about if you go back a second night can you use the winnings in the machines the next night.

 

Very confused clear.png?emoji-roll-eyes-1744 as the P&O staff seem to have given us very different messages.

 

D

It looks like we are going on the same cruise leaving Auckland next monday. I have never been on the Pacific Jewel before but on other ships you can put cash into the machine, but all you are doing is topping up your cruise card. If say you have a good win then you would wthdraw your cruise card which now has your win on it and go to the purser desk and withdraw. As P&O are australian based you will recieved aussie money. You cannot use cash anywher else on the ship so you might as well leave it on the card and that will go towards credit when paying your bill at the end of the cruise. I won $2600 on a machine on Ovation of the seas. when i withdrew my cruise card that amount was not on it but a casino hostess was quickly there and gave me a casino note which i could redeem at the casino desk for cash, being an amercian ship i was paid out in US dollars. When you are playing on the pokies on Pacific Jewel I have heared that they are always giving out lucky spot vouches and some times a free drink.I have been on 4 P&0 ships and have only won ittle jackpots, but big enough to make me go back again the next day and thats what P&O want you to do.I hope this helps see you on board. Peter
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  • 4 weeks later...

I can only say this from personal experience and anecdotal evidence but I am convinced the ships set a high RTP for the first couple of days and then lower it towards the end of the cruise. Cannot count the number of times I've had people tell me after a couple of nights how much they're winning, but then they all tell me later that the machines went cold. Can't say this is 100% but it makes sens to be generous early, making people keen, and then hit them towards the end so the casino finishes with a good profit.

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  • 5 years later...
On 10/15/2017 at 11:04 AM, wpkpete said:

I have been on about 8 different cruises and half would be on different P&O ships. I play the pokies and yes the payouts are not good compared to other cruise lines, and i have had some good jackpots on those. But I have recieved two free cruises by playing on the pokies on P&O ships, and next week we head to Fiji on the Pacific Jewel which is one of them. The last free cruise was on the Pacific Eden up to Bali. There were about 20 of us who got a free cruise.I spoke to one of the players and she had been on 7 free cruises. I think it all depends on your turn over playing the pokies, or the length of time you spend on them during the cruise.They make you a member of the Southern Cross players club and then give out free cruises to you now and then.Yes I will be playing the pokies on this trip, and then checking the mail box when I get home.

It seems like the Southern Cross players club has been a rewarding program for you and others who enjoy playing pokies. It's great to hear that they recognize and reward their loyal players with such exciting perks.

Edited by MichaelPowell
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