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OBC use for the Casino

shelbird

By shelbird,
in Celebrity Cruises

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bluehorizonlover123

bluehorizonlover123

Posted
Posted

Yes to get your OBC back in cash you just go to the window and say I would like $100 cash. They would keep $3.00 and you would get back $97. Or you can just gamble with your room key card and withdraw money off your card to gamble. This does not incur any fees since it is coming off your room charges. So if you wanted to start playing $20.00, you just deduct the $20.00 from your room account and start playing. But there is no fee on the $20.00 in this case since the money never changes hands to you.

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Trainer

Trainer

Posted
Posted

I don't remember whether the casino slots uses regular US quarters or if they have their own tokens. I save quarters and don't know if I should bring some or if I won't be able to use them in the slot machines. Can anyone tell me? Thanks. (I leave Sunday on Solstice.)

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wrk2cruise

wrk2cruise

Posted
Posted

A couple of details.

 

On Summit in Oct they were charging 5% in the Casino for getting cash on your seapass card. However on Constellation the end of Nov they were still only charging 3%. I do think 5% is getting greedy.

 

The slot machines on Summit have been upgraded in the last year to use the paper tickets. The ones on Connie still accept bills and coins and pay in quarters.

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Xport

Xport

Posted
Posted
Or you can just gamble with your room key card and withdraw money off your card to gamble. This does not incur any fees since it is coming off your room charges. So if you wanted to start playing $20.00, you just deduct the $20.00 from your room account and start playing. But there is no fee on the $20.00 in this case since the money never changes hands to you.

 

But this is not, and--to the best of my knowledge--has never been an option on any Celebrity, Royal Caribbean, or Azamara ship...

 

Cash for casino play is available through the casino cashier via a charge to the guest's Sea Pass card; as noted above, such transactions are subject to a 3% transaction fee...

 

On some ships--expecially Solstice Class and others on which the casino has been modernized, the Sea Pass Card can be inserted to track slot machine play; that play can, in turn, generate cash-back or other rewards... But it is not a direct source of funding play at a slot machine...

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psbfan01

psbfan01

Posted
Posted

Rather than having to carry lots of cash on me during traveling (to use for excursions), could I just get an advance at the casino for what I need?

 

Has anyone does this or recommend for/against? What is the limit per day?

 

$1,000 would be a $30 fee?

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Xport

Xport

Posted
Posted
Rather than having to carry lots of cash on me during traveling (to use for excursions), could I just get an advance at the casino for what I need?

 

Has anyone does this or recommend for/against? What is the limit per day?

 

$1,000 would be a $30 fee?

 

...As to whether or not a casino advance is a good way for you to secure US Dollars while aboard ship; depending upon how much you'll need in total and per transaction, an on-board ATM may be preferable... Here are the on-board alternatives...

 

  • Celebrity ships typically have two ATMs aboard; one adjacent to Guest Relations and one in the casino... When sailing Europe, one dispenses US Dollars and the other dispenses Euros... Don't know for sure but expect that they both dispense US Dollars in places like the Caribbean and Alaska... The fee for ATM use--assessed by a bank, perhaps shared with Celebrity--is $6 per transaction... I've never encountered a situation in which an on-board ATM was out of service for a lack of cash but its functionality is dependent upon the ship's satellite signal; if the signal is out, the ATMs [like some TV transmissions] are also out... The maximum amount available for ATM withdrawal [usually, the limit is set per 24 hour period] may be lower than your land-based limit as some ATMs impose a $ limit per transaction fee...

  • Cash [uS Dollars] is available through the Casino Cage subject to a 3% fee [ie; you'll be charged $1030 for a $1000 transaction] and subject to a $2000 daily maximum [which is, I assume, also constrained by the limit on your credit card]... These transactions are charged to your Sea Pass Card just like any other on-board purchase [ie; they will not be identified as Cash Advances or subject to related Cash Advance fees assessed by a credit card issuer]...

ATM fees can be more reasonable while in port but will, if not the $US, dispense local currency... If you choose to do your transactions in local currency--not necessarily a bad idea--do be certain that [a] you notify your bank in advance when/where you might be using your ATM Card outside of the US (you should do the same with credit cards if you might use them outside the US), and you withdraw no more than you plan to use [fees associated with conversion of foreign currency can be steep]...

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kitty9

kitty9

Posted
Posted
Yes to get your OBC back in cash you just go to the window and say I would like $100 cash. They would keep $3.00 and you would get back $97. Or you can just gamble with your room key card and withdraw money off your card to gamble. This does not incur any fees since it is coming off your room charges. So if you wanted to start playing $20.00, you just deduct the $20.00 from your room account and start playing. But there is no fee on the $20.00 in this case since the money never changes hands to you.

 

You can't use your room key in the slots to gamble. You can do that on Carnival, but not Celebrity. They do have their Blue Chip card that you put in the slots to track your play, but passengers have never been able to use their sign and sail cards to gamble with in the slots.

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dkjretired

dkjretired

Posted
Posted
...As to whether or not a casino advance is a good way for you to secure US Dollars while aboard ship; depending upon how much you'll need in total and per transaction, an on-board ATM may be preferable... Here are the on-board alternatives...

 

  • Celebrity ships typically have two ATMs aboard; one adjacent to Guest Relations and one in the casino... When sailing Europe, one dispenses US Dollars and the other dispenses Euros... Don't know for sure but expect that they both dispense US Dollars in places like the Caribbean and Alaska... The fee for ATM use--assessed by a bank, perhaps shared with Celebrity--is $6 per transaction... I've never encountered a situation in which an on-board ATM was out of service for a lack of cash but its functionality is dependent upon the ship's satellite signal; if the signal is out, the ATMs [like some TV transmissions] are also out... The maximum amount available for ATM withdrawal [usually, the limit is set per 24 hour period] may be lower than your land-based limit as some ATMs impose a $ limit per transaction fee...

  • Cash [uS Dollars] is available through the Casino Cage subject to a 3% fee [ie; you'll be charged $1030 for a $1000 transaction] and subject to a $2000 daily maximum [which is, I assume, also constrained by the limit on your credit card]... These transactions are charged to your Sea Pass Card just like any other on-board purchase [ie; they will not be identified as Cash Advances or subject to related Cash Advance fees assessed by a credit card issuer]...

ATM fees can be more reasonable while in port but will, if not the $US, dispense local currency... If you choose to do your transactions in local currency--not necessarily a bad idea--do be certain that [a] you notify your bank in advance when/where you might be using your ATM Card outside of the US (you should do the same with credit cards if you might use them outside the US), and you withdraw no more than you plan to use [fees associated with conversion of foreign currency can be steep]...

 

Good description, important in this post is the part about the cash taken out being charged at the end of the cruise as a purchase on your sea pass card. Years ago when they did not charge a fee, it was a great way to get miles or whatever incentive was on your credit card. This still applies but whether the 3 % is worth it to offset the gain is your choice.

 

Remember also, that if you take it out to gamble your now down three more percent in addition to the casinos already winning odds.

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bluehorizonlover123

bluehorizonlover123

Posted
Posted
You can't use your room key in the slots to gamble. You can do that on Carnival, but not Celebrity. They do have their Blue Chip card that you put in the slots to track your play, but passengers have never been able to use their sign and sail cards to gamble with in the slots.

 

Well as you can tell I am not a big gambler. Every time I gamble I just bring 5 bucks or 10 and lose it all. But I do try to get my shipboard credit back by going to the cashier in the casino and asking for cashback.

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