WTH? Booked with NCLCAS no Drink card!

Currently on a NCL Breakaway CAS booked cruise with 10% discounted rate from our Total rewards card. This is the 4th or 5th time using the CAS and total rewards card and always have received the house drink card in the past. But this time, Main Host Carissa said, my rate/booking was not eligible for the card. When I booked via the phone, I comfirmed 5 months ago, my agent confirmed, welcome party and free drink card.

I requested, begged, talked to Clarissa, and guest relations and they all say Sorry but no card. Casino staff said they talked to CAS in Maimi and I never was eligible for a house drink card? What?

Based on my past experience and the booking agents confirmation. We did not request a drink package as a perk. And to buy one on the ship is $700 each! Really feeling let down and thirsty!

I sent an email to CAS but have not received a reply. No phone service on the ship. Any suggestions? I never had any issues with NCL or CAS and we turn platinum after this trip.

I haven't heard of not getting the drink-card if booked through CAS, but perhaps they are making some changes. If I recall correctly, you would need to make 1500 points on your current cruise in order to earn a drink card for the rest of your trip. Not sure if you intended to play that much or not. And, for a Total Rewards discount you really aren't required to play on-board in order to enjoy that discount on your cruise.

Just a thought, have you played in the casino on your other CAS trips and used a players card to document it? Perhaps they are looking at your prior cruises to determine what you might be eligible for from CAS in addition to the discount on the room.

You said you used the TR discount on other cruises, what casino tier are you with CAS? If I were to use my TR discount I also am pearl on NCL so I would still be entitled to a drink card no matter who I book with. I did read a few months ago on some forums that they were cutting the drink cards on discounted rooms so I guess it is true. As the other poster said you can get a drink card at 1500 points or you can tier up to a minimum of Pearl status @5001 points, if you do the tier up to pearl that status will cover you on all cruises until March 2019 no matter who you book with. As an FYI any fully comped rooms from any land casino still includes the drink card, I believe they only made the cuts on the discounted rooms. I pulled the Total rewards/NCL booking phone number as well as the customer help email link for TR for you.

https://totalrewards.custhelp.com/app/ask_first/session/L3RpbWUvMTUxMzU5MzMwOS9zaWQvZlV0MHZvcm9MN1pETm4zR2ViNzdCRjJQaFcxSDR4ZUE1ZTljcWU4UHdLYjRDNVNSbkJYMHVwQkpFdDVOOHB1V1NwbHNydjBzTlBSMGxYN1NhajN2dGZScks3bWE5eGolN0VnbjNsd0JJJTdFWGt5TUNyUkI0eFNkTzFpZyUyMSUyMQ==

877-742-9519

Please let us know your response from CAS when you hear back today. CAS is very good at responding to emails in a timely manner.

Thanks for the help. I did send an email to CAS and they replied very promptly.

They recently changed it up and No drink card if getting the rate from your Total rewards status unless you r diamond and above.....Sorry they told you originally you were

1,500 points is pretty easy to hit though but if you only spend $100 in the casino it kind of sounds like you weren’t planning on gambling much this cruise anyway

They recently changed it up and No drink card if getting the rate from your Total rewards status unless you r diamond and above.....Sorry they told you originally you were

 

1,500 points is pretty easy to hit though but if you only spend $100 in the casino it kind of sounds like you weren’t planning on gambling much this cruise anyway

Unfortunately this is the reason CAS has been cutting back, when they invite a player onboard whether it’s CAS or any land based casino the expectation is that you gamble and when a customer does not CAS loses money so they have to cut someplace else. I am already hearing of more “changes” (i.e. cuts) coming soon, my guess is April 1st at the start of the new tier year.

Unfortunately this is the reason CAS has been cutting back, when they invite a player onboard whether it’s CAS or any land based casino the expectation is that you gamble and when a customer does not CAS loses money so they have to cut someplace else. I am already hearing of more “changes” (i.e. cuts) coming soon, my guess is April 1st at the start of the new tier year.

That is so true! They don't want to give you a discounted cruise without the expectation you will play in that casino. Just their marketing strategy to get more customers.

What kind of CAS changes do you think they are looking at? Do you think they will cut benefits for the various tiers? I am about to make Ruby on my next cruise before their March 31st year ending. Hope all that hard work over 4 cruises this year isn't going to be super disappointing.

I am feeling a bit judged about my expection of being promised a drink card (I see as a perk) and then refused with out warning after boarding the ship. Guess, I do not feel my issue was a deserving a house drink card but being promised and then refused. I would have been just as upset if my speciality dining or internet was refused upon saling.

I was surprised with the CAS generous drink card offer in the past. I am a low grade VP player and the points are earned at a lesser rate. This trip, I just did not feel the ship casino due my issues and played at a much lower rate than I have planed. It did feel great leaving the ship with most of my original bank for a change.

Anyway, now I know of the new CAS rules and will plan according.

Thanks for the help and commits.

That is so true! They don't want to give you a discounted cruise without the expectation you will play in that casino. Just their marketing strategy to get more customers.

 

What kind of CAS changes do you think they are looking at? Do you think they will cut benefits for the various tiers? I am about to make Ruby on my next cruise before their March 31st year ending. Hope all that hard work over 4 cruises this year isn't going to be super disappointing.

I do not know all the changes at this point but I will keep my feelers out for any info. One thing that has already changed is CAS is no longer sending out blanket tourney comps at the beginning of the year, they are going to send them quarterly because people book multiples and then they drop their play on some of them (figuring comps are based off their last cruise they will low play the first 2 and then go back to normal levels on the third). I do not think they will hit the perks that are given now in terms of OBC since they only implemented that this April but my guess will be higher losses for comped cabins and tighter machines. I did notice on my last tourney cruise that the casino changed all the quarter machines to 1 dollar denominations. (I cruised June $.25, September $1.00, & October back to $.25). While that may not seem like much they are also putting in more machines at $8.88 max bet.

I will update if/when I hear anything.

I am feeling a bit judged about my expection of being promised a drink card (I see as a perk) and then refused with out warning after boarding the ship. Guess, I do not feel my issue was a deserving a house drink card but being promised and then refused. I would have been just as upset if my speciality dining or internet was refused upon saling.

 

I was surprised with the CAS generous drink card offer in the past. I am a low grade VP player and the points are earned at a lesser rate. This trip, I just did not feel the ship casino due my issues and played at a much lower rate than I have planed. It did feel great leaving the ship with most of my original bank for a change.

 

 

Anyway, now I know of the new CAS rules and will plan according.

 

 

Thanks for the help and commits.

I am sorry, I wasn’t meaning to beat you up, yours is not the only thread about CAS upsetting a passenger and in turn they did not play in the casino. I was only trying to point out that when this happens in the long run it will affect every player due to the changes that come from situations as yours.

I agree if you were told you would have a drink card, you should have received it. Personally, this is the reason it is better to deal with one or two reps at CAS and make note of who you book with so you can contact them in situations such as this and have them go to bat for you. The reps do try their best to keep players happy, trust me there are times they are not thrilled with the changes that come from above but their hands are tied at times. Just as DelRio has made a lot of changes, fees, upcharges it was only a matter of time he would make changes to CAS and the new 10% rule is just one of them.

I do not know all the changes at this point but I will keep my feelers out for any info. One thing that has already changed is CAS is no longer sending out blanket tourney comps at the beginning of the year, they are going to send them quarterly because people book multiples and then they drop their play on some of them (figuring comps are based off their last cruise they will low play the first 2 and then go back to normal levels on the third). I do not think they will hit the perks that are given now in terms of OBC since they only implemented that this April but my guess will be higher losses for comped cabins and tighter machines. I did notice on my last tourney cruise that the casino changed all the quarter machines to 1 dollar denominations. (I cruised June $.25, September $1.00, & October back to $.25). While that may not seem like much they are also putting in more machines at $8.88 max bet.

I will update if/when I hear anything.

 

 

Wow! Very interesting changes to denoms on those machines. Although we were invited we didn't book any of the Tourney cruises. Now I'm kind of glad that I had already planned other cruises. Thanks for keeping us updated. We have cruises booked on the Escape next month, and then again in early April. Will be interesting to notice if they make changes to the overall program then since I can compare based on the same ship.

I am feeling a bit judged about my expection of being promised a drink card (I see as a perk) and then refused with out warning after boarding the ship. Guess, I do not feel my issue was a deserving a house drink card but being promised and then refused. I would have been just as upset if my speciality dining or internet was refused upon saling.

 

I was surprised with the CAS generous drink card offer in the past. I am a low grade VP player and the points are earned at a lesser rate. This trip, I just did not feel the ship casino due my issues and played at a much lower rate than I have planed. It did feel great leaving the ship with most of my original bank for a change.

 

 

Anyway, now I know of the new CAS rules and will plan according.

 

 

Thanks for the help and commits.

Please don't think we were judging you. It's sometimes hard to answer questions here without knowing what type of player or where a comped cruise or discount came from. On my first several Caesars/Harrah's cruises I played very little. My 'real' play was in Las Vegas. I was too busy enjoying everything else about cruising. Just stopped in some evenings for that free drink on my way to do something else.

(Now I play a lot on-board and cruise more often getting my cruises directly from CAS rather than CET.)

I totally agree with you....if someone specifically asks and is told 'Yes, you will get the card', they should have made an exception to their new rules. It's another type of 'good marketing' to realize that they may have lost your future play, your friends future play, and others who would have played there had they not read about this on these boards.

I hope you have another cruise planned to enjoy:D

Wow! Very interesting changes to denoms on those machines. Although we were invited we didn't book any of the Tourney cruises. Now I'm kind of glad that I had already planned other cruises. Thanks for keeping us updated. We have cruises booked on the Escape next month, and then again in early April. Will be interesting to notice if they make changes to the overall program then since I can compare based on the same ship.

Yeah I was surprised also because I tend to play those quarter machines on every trip when I am waiting on a quick hit machine down that aisle (on the BA), needless to say those machines did not get any play from me that week, I would rather play a dollar QH machine then those same coin-in machines which are non-progressive. Good luck next month and keep us posted on your April comparison, my next one is not until May and I found out that my October booking is now a tourney cruise but it is way to early to be added due to the new “rules”.

With regard to changes coming, I get the sense that the hosts/manager now have more discretion that they previously had. We cruised in October and had not previously cruised in more than 18 months on NCL, so although I previously had been VIP under the old system, based on the timing, I started back at lowest level on this cruise. I lost big time and I had taken mucho advances on my room card. Clarissa in the middle of week offered a spa treatment and a dinner without my asking, and when I cashed out, she offered to comp off all of the 3% fees on my advances and also suggested I go "buy something" before I checked out. Ive never had anyone offer that before, especially when I wasnt at the ruby or equivalent level where the convenience fees were automatically comped. If they now have more discretion, I think that is a good thing because it allows them to reward infrequent but heavy gamblers and makes them feel rewarded and appreciated.

tel2- Thanks for that info. Even though you hadn't cruised for awhile I find it encouraging they still treated you like the 'VIP' status you had been and that solid play you were showing on that cruise. A good host should be able to do that for a good player. Can you tell us what ship you were on?

I have had a host on the Escape tell me to 'go shopping' the last day of a cruise. I am currently Sapphire and close to Ruby now. I don't usually have a lot of charges on board so I appreciated that he gave me that heads up. With the current program you know when you board the ship that you will have $200 OBC at Sapphire status. Not sure if they figure that amount into their computations of how much more they can comp you. I should reach Ruby with my cruise later this month so with that I have heard I will start each cruise with $400 OBC.

You should definitely call CAS and ask what kind of cabin they can comp you for a future cruise. It sounds like you aren't cruising frequently but it wouldn't hurt to book something for a year or so in advance. CAS has allowed us to change dates/ship as long as we weren't past the final payment date.

tel2- Thanks for that info. Even though you hadn't cruised for awhile I find it encouraging they still treated you like the 'VIP' status you had been and that solid play you were showing on that cruise. A good host should be able to do that for a good player. Can you tell us what ship you were on?

 

 

 

I have had a host on the Escape tell me to 'go shopping' the last day of a cruise. I am currently Sapphire and close to Ruby now. I don't usually have a lot of charges on board so I appreciated that he gave me that heads up. With the current program you know when you board the ship that you will have $200 OBC at Sapphire status. Not sure if they figure that amount into their computations of how much more they can comp you. I should reach Ruby with my cruise later this month so with that I have heard I will start each cruise with $400 OBC.

 

 

 

You should definitely call CAS and ask what kind of cabin they can comp you for a future cruise. It sounds like you aren't cruising frequently but it wouldn't hurt to book something for a year or so in advance. CAS has allowed us to change dates/ship as long as we weren't past the final payment date.

Sorry, I didn’t see this post until now. We cruise about once a year but sometimes, due to the timing, the cruises might be 18 months apart one year, then six months apart. We always cruise through CAS, and usually are comped a penthouse suite, although on a couple of more expensive itineraries, we have gotten mini suites, which we generally upgrade. I know people have complained about the reduced benefits, but I have no complaints.

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