Can I get Cash onboard?

[Vale]

According to a post on here it was stated that you can just insert your key card in a casino slot and upload $100 or so and play with no fees. We will be on the Westerdam, does the same apply to the casino there?

[serendipity1499]

The way it works now on the Veendam is put your key card into a slot machine, follow the instructions as to password etc and you can load your key card with at least $100 (I didn't try for more) When you are finished gambling on the slot machines take your key card to the cashier and he/she will give you in US dollars, on what is left on the card....There is no 3% service charge for this....there is a charge if you want chips.

 

I really dislike the new way of playing the slots & dislike putting my gambling $$$ on our account or our joint credit card..:(

It looks like they are trying to get more revenue out of many of us who are budget minded..:( DH will rarely gamble & if he does, will only play $5,00 in a nickle machine once in a while.. He really doesn't even approve of my gambling either.;).

Therefore, I have my own fun budget & only take a small portion of that Cash into the casino with me each night...When I use it up I quit..

Can I instead take my cash to the casino Cashier & have them put a small amount on my Key Card each night? Or does it have to be in increments of $100 each time?

As I gamble will the machine keep a tally of what I've spent & when I use it up, will the machines tell me that I've used up XXX amount?

Betty

[yogi2929]

I play BJ. The dealers advise you to get $ out of the slots to avoid the 3% fee.

 

Serendipity- The machines will also accept bills in any amount, no need to go to the cage. A casino person will help you. The process is as easy as an ATM. If you are getting money from your Key card it will ask you how much you want to transfer over. The remaining credits need to be uploaded to your players bank until you use them in another slot machine or cash them out at the cage. (If you do not transfer them off the slot someone else can get them, Voice of Experience talking)

 

Our last cruise we were lucky to get a good amount of OBC, about half not refundable. We were able to get it out at the slots and used it to fund our shore excursions.

[yogi2929]

 

Therefore, I have my own fun budget & only take a small portion of that Cash into the casino with me each night...When I use it up I quit..

 

As I gamble will the machine keep a tally of what I've spent & when I use it up, will the machines tell me that I've used up XXX amount?

 

Betty

 

(This explaination is sounds more complicated than it really is.)

 

Let's say you have money in your Players Bank.

Stick card into machine and plug in you PIN.

The machine will tell you how much you have in your 'bank' (let's say $75) and ask how much you want to put onto the machine. If you want to play $10 on the machine punch in 10. It will transfer $10 in credits to the machine. When finished upload your winnings ;) and the machine will give the new balance.

 

One cruise I put $100 into my Players Bank and that is what I used. If I wanted cash for shore I would transfer an amount from my Key card (let's say $50) and then go to the cage and cash $50 out. That way I was able to keep track of my gambling money. When I played the tables I would go to the cage and I would cash out PART of my bank.

[doclove]

Last year I gifted myself my chips using the HAL online gifts. When I presented the certificates to the cashier at the casino they gave me the full amount in cash. I was expecting chips, but they gave cash instead. I was then able to use that money to buy chips, but I could also have used it as a way to just get cash.

[English_in_Spain]

It was mentioned here to get cash at ATMs in port.

 

It is a while since I have been to the Caribbean. Are there plenty of ATMs in port? Will they just give me local currency or can I request $USD?

 

I will be coming from Europe and it is not easy here to get travellers cheques - we rarely use them here. I do not want to carry lots of cash.

 

What is my best way of getting local currencies and $USD during my 33 day cruise?

[mclaire]

i have tried a search and can't find an answer. can you no longer just insert cash in a slot machine or must it be connected to your sea pass? (bummer, if that is the case i will be doing a whole lot less gambling)

[lardor]

[quote

 

Our last cruise we were lucky to get a good amount of OBC, about half not refundable. We were able to get it out at the slots and used it to fund our shore excursions.

 

Shhhhhhhh, let's not ruin a good thing.

[lardor]

i have tried a search and can't find an answer. can you no longer just insert cash in a slot machine or must it be connected to your sea pass? (bummer, if that is the case i will be doing a whole lot less gambling)

 

It will take bills, don't know about coins....

[serendipity1499]

(This explaination is sounds more complicated than it really is.)

 

Let's say you have money in your Players Bank.

Stick card into machine and plug in you PIN.

The machine will tell you how much you have in your 'bank' (let's say $75) and ask how much you want to put onto the machine. If you want to play $10 on the machine punch in 10. It will transfer $10 in credits to the machine. When finished upload your winnings ;) and the machine will give the new balance.

 

One cruise I put $100 into my Players Bank and that is what I used. If I wanted cash for shore I would transfer an amount from my Key card (let's say $50) and then go to the cage and cash $50 out. That way I was able to keep track of my gambling money. When I played the tables I would go to the cage and I would cash out PART of my bank.

 

Ok Yogi...Lets see if I have this right & understand it..Here are two scenarios..

!) I put a $20 bill in the machine, then when it's gone that's it..:( When I put in the cash, do I always have to insert my key card?

2) Put $20 in machine & win $50..Then take my winnings from the machine with my Key card (using my pin)..Go to the cashier & cash it in for $50.00 cash..:)

Do I have it right? And can I do this each night?..Of course guess one has to remember to take your winnings

out of the machine with your key card.. ;)

Really going to miss the jingle of those dropping coins when I win & decide to cash out...(which is rarely):(

Thanks for the explanation..

 

Betty

[NMLady]

The way it works now on the Veendam is put your key card into a slot machine, follow the instructions as to password etc and you can load your key card with at least $100 (I didn't try for more) When you are finished gambling on the slot machines take your key card to the cashier and he/she will give you in US dollars, on what is left on the card....There is no 3% service charge for this....there is a charge if you want chips.

 

How are the wins from the slot machine paid? Is it a ticket you cash out at the casino cashier or do the wins go on your key card?

When we were on HAL Zaandam for our Hawaii cruise, the keycards weren't used on slot machines, just inserted currency or ticket and cashed out tickets. Is this use of keycards new?

[Hutch&Pat]

We were thinking of paying HAL the estimated amount of our gratuity and bar bill and laundry etc and perhaps a few additional shore excursions (most are already paid for).

 

Is this not a good idea? .... or should we not spend as much as we think or had an emergency and had to leave the ship, would they charge us 3% to get it back?

 

Pat

[RuthC]

We were thinking of paying HAL the estimated amount of our gratuity and bar bill and laundry etc and perhaps a few additional shore excursions (most are already paid for).

 

Is this not a good idea? .... or should we not spend as much as we think or had an emergency and had to leave the ship, would they charge us 3% to get it back?

That sounds very much like the situation if someone has more in on-board credits than they spend while on board. In that case the passenger gets the balance back in cash, and in full.

There is no 3% fee in that case.

[lardor]

How are the wins from the slot machine paid? Is it a ticket you cash out at the casino cashier or do the wins go on your key card?

When we were on HAL Zaandam for our Hawaii cruise, the keycards weren't used on slot machines, just inserted currency or ticket and cashed out tickets. Is this use of keycards new?

 

follow the prompts on the machine to quit that machine and the winnings go on your key card, there is no ticket to fool with...I am assuming that the Veendam got these "upgraded" slots when it when in for her rehab...

[Vale]

My question was not answered and I am a bit confused. Do you have to have money in your players bank in order to use the key card in the machines? Or do you just punch in the amt you want to play with, say $100, and it is automatically charged to your acct. free of fees? Thank you, we are on the Westerdam Nov. 1st. and would like to know if we could get money without fees.

[yogi2929]

[quote name='serendipity1499'][SIZE=3]Ok Yogi...Lets see if I have this right & understand it..[/SIZE][SIZE=3]Here are two scenarios..[/SIZE]

[SIZE=3]!) I put a $20 bill in the machine, then when it's gone that's it..:([/SIZE][SIZE=3] When I put in the cash, do I always have to insert my key card? [/SIZE]

[SIZE=3]2) Put $20 in machine & win $50..Then take my winnings from the machine with my Key card (using my pin)..Go to the cashier & cash it in for $50.00 cash..:)[/SIZE]

[SIZE=3]Do I have it right? And can I do this each night?..Of course guess one has to remember to take your winnings [/SIZE]
[SIZE=3]out of the machine with your key card.. ;)[/SIZE]

[SIZE=3]Really going to miss the jingle of those dropping coins when I win & decide to cash out...(which is rarely):([/SIZE]

[SIZE=3]Thanks for the explanation..[/SIZE]

[SIZE=3]Betty[/SIZE][/quote]

1. The card only has to be inserted for tracking and uploading/downloading credits.

2. You got it! It is so much easier to show how to do it than to explain how to do it. Your player's bank does not have to be cashed out until the end of the cruise.