Casino comps and prepay restaurants

[ryty44]

My parents just returned from the Epic. They sailed as guests of the casino and usually the casino comps them most of their onboard charges.

 

They have always been comped the specialty restaurants. This time not one restaurant comp and they played just as much if not more. The casino boss told them he can not comp charges made prior to sailing. He told them to hit the spa, he would take care of that. He felt bad and wanted to comp them something but they weren't interested in going to the spa.

 

This was the first cruise where they paid for all of their specialty restaurants prior to sailing since they began sailing as guests of the casino and the first time they weren't comped any.

[Hopes4]

My parents just returned from the Epic. They sailed as guests of the casino and usually the casino comps them most of their onboard charges.

 

They have always been comped the specialty restaurants. This time not one restaurant comp and they played just as much if not more. The casino boss told them he can not comp charges made prior to sailing. He told them to hit the spa, he would take care of that. He felt bad and wanted to comp them something but they weren't interested in going to the spa.

 

This was the first cruise where they paid for all of their specialty restaurants prior to sailing since they began sailing as guests of the casino and the first time they weren't comped any.

 

Makes perfect sense to me. If their reservations were paid for already, "comping" them would actually turn into a refund.

[che5904]

Sorry makes sense to me as well. If you pay up front at any casino before you get there, a casino host cannot reimburse you for what you have spent prior.

[emcelh]

I would agree. Something already paid for cannot be comped anymore than having a portion of your fare refunded based on your play. Good advice though.... if casino guests reserve and prepay anything, shows, restaurants, etc., they need to know that some of the comps they received in the past might not happen. Might be better to wait until you're on the ship and let the casino host take care of it.

[aces389]

If you make reservations and pay for your specialty in advance, can you cancel them and receive a refund while on the ship? Has anyone done this

[che5904]

If you make reservations and pay for your specialty in advance, can you cancel them and receive a refund while on the ship? Has anyone done this

 

See below from NCL FAQ

Your refund will be in the form of OBC.

 

"What is the cancellation process once I’m on board?

Dining/Entertainment: Guests that cancel on board more than 24 hours prior to the booked activity will receive a refund for their purchase in the form of an onboard credit. If a cancellation is made less than 24 hours prior to the activity, no refund will be issued.

Refunds and Cancellation Fees

For dinner reservations made on board, cancellations must be made no later than 24 hours prior to the scheduled dining time. If cancellation occurs within 24 hours notice, the full cover price per guest will be charged to the guest’s account.

For pre-paid reservations, cancellations must be made no later than 24 hours prior to the scheduled dining time to receive a full refund. If cancellation occurs within 24 hours notice, no refund will be issued."

[bayview97]

My parents just returned from the Epic. They sailed as guests of the casino and usually the casino comps them most of their onboard charges.

 

They have always been comped the specialty restaurants. This time not one restaurant comp and they played just as much if not more. The casino boss told them he can not comp charges made prior to sailing. He told them to hit the spa, he would take care of that. He felt bad and wanted to comp them something but they weren't interested in going to the spa.

 

This was the first cruise where they paid for all of their specialty restaurants prior to sailing since they began sailing as guests of the casino and the first time they weren't comped any.

 

We recently sailed as Casinos at Sea guests for the first time on NCL and received a $150 "Casino - Seabucks Comps" credit at the end of the cruise. I am curious so will ask if your parents took any shore excursions thru NCL and if so, were they comped? Anyway, you've provided some good info for casino players when preparing for future cruises. Thanks for posting!

[sjbdtz]

This is why I don't make any reservations prior to sailing.

 

Or book shore excursions, for that matter.

 

 

There's no guarantee they'll get comp'd, but if I prepay them then there is a guarantee they won't.

 

 

 

.

[che5904]

This is why I don't make any reservations prior to sailing.

 

Or book shore excursions, for that matter.

 

There's no guarantee they'll get comp'd, but if I prepay them then there is a guarantee they won't.

 

:D Very good point ;)

[ryty44]

Makes perfect sense to me. If their reservations were paid for already, "comping" them would actually turn into a refund.

 

The way the casino has always worked it for my family was at the end of the trip take specialty restaurants off their bill. They would not ask for a comp then go. They would reserve, eat, sign for it and days later have it reversed from their bill. They were encourage to prebook speciality restaurants, so they did. They certainly can afford it but it seemed odd that they not would recieve the usual perks or perks a passenger with comprible play has because they listened when encouraged to prebook.

[che5904]

The way the casino has always worked it for my family was at the end of the trip take specialty restaurants off their bill. They would not ask for a comp then go. They would reserve, eat, sign for it and days later have it reversed from their bill. They were encourage to prebook speciality restaurants, so they did. They certainly can afford it but it seemed odd that they not would recieve the usual perks or perks a passenger with comprible play has because they listened when encouraged to prebook.

 

Encouranged by who?

 

The highlighted is how it works for most. From my understanding those with good rapport with the ship casino host will be offered outright to have "a dinner on them". But what you have described is the norm.

 

It is the casino host or casino manager (from my understanding) that makes the decision on how much is comped back off of your onboard account of allowable expenditures. Once you reach 2500 you can get $25 in seabucks. Depending on your total play the casino host will do their magic and come up with the amount they are going to allow you in seabuck credits off of your on board account. So NCL or CAS main offices would have no say on whether something on board would be comped to you ahead of time or not.

 

Either way "The casino boss told them he can not comp charges made prior to sailing." Because as explained a couple of times here, since they already paid that would have to be done as a refund which no casino would do (on ship or on land).

 

Unless things have changed in the last year, the Epic was a pretty tough ship to get comped on unless you were quite a high player. That being the case, I'm surprised that your parents were unaware that a casino would not be able to do this.

[emcelh]

The way the casino has always worked it for my family was at the end of the trip take specialty restaurants off their bill. They would not ask for a comp then go. They would reserve, eat, sign for it and days later have it reversed from their bill. They were encourage to prebook speciality restaurants, so they did. They certainly can afford it but it seemed odd that they not would recieve the usual perks or perks a passenger with comprible play has because they listened when encouraged to prebook.

 

Probably they were encouraged to prebook restaurants because, from what I've read about the Epic, they can sell out. Whoever they spoke to may not have been aware of their past experience getting them, comped, or that any OBC they received could not be applied against something already paid for. With the ability to book and prepay shore excursions and restaurants on all the ships now (I guess you prepay restaurants), it's good that you've made people aware. Some people travel with a substantial amount of OBC, not casino related, and may find themselves in the same situation.

[ryty44]

We recently sailed as Casinos at Sea guests for the first time on NCL and received a $150 "Casino - Seabucks Comps" credit at the end of the cruise. I am curious so will ask if your parents took any shore excursions thru NCL and if so, were they comped? Anyway, you've provided some good info for casino players when preparing for future cruises. Thanks for posting!

 

I ask them and they did not book any excursions. Sorry I couldn't help.

[Kaboochi]

My parents just returned from the Epic. They sailed as guests of the casino and usually the casino comps them most of their onboard charges.

 

They have always been comped the specialty restaurants. This time not one restaurant comp and they played just as much if not more. The casino boss told them he can not comp charges made prior to sailing. He told them to hit the spa, he would take care of that. He felt bad and wanted to comp them something but they weren't interested in going to the spa.

 

This was the first cruise where they paid for all of their specialty restaurants prior to sailing since they began sailing as guests of the casino and the first time they weren't comped any.

 

Boo hoo:cool:

[garycarla]

In Vegas, it is common knowledge to NOT prepay for a room, as the casino side can not comp it later.

 

On a ship, prepaid things are difficult for the casino to handle.

 

Actually, not that many people get this stuff handled anyways on a ship.

 

As to prepaying ANYTHING, including tours, spa, restaurants, tips - there is rarely an upside, but often a downside. Don't do it.

[bauer6210]

So when do you suggest asking a Host for a Comp? I always ask while I'm playing at the casinos by me. Would that be the same while on the cruise?

[SuiteCruiser]

So when do you suggest asking a Host for a Comp? I always ask while I'm playing at the casinos by me. Would that be the same while on the cruise?

 

I only asked once and it was more out of curiosity. I asked the casino manager what makes them offer comped meals to some and not others. He looked up my play and offered me Cagney's for 3 and wine, but didn't ever answer my question :). I would wait until day 4 or 5 so they can look at your play.

[johnsak123]

I tend to disagree with some of the comments. My friends are high rollers and sail courtesy of CAS. At the end of the cruise there are a lot of charges made to their room removed by CAS. That includes spa treatments and dinner at specialty restaurants.

However, they are not pre paid before the cruise. but they are charged by the restaurants when they dined

[SuiteCruiser]

I tend to disagree with some of the comments. My friends are high rollers and sail courtesy of CAS. At the end of the cruise there are a lot of charges made to their room removed by CAS. That includes spa treatments and dinner at specialty restaurants.

However, they are not pre paid before the cruise. but they are charged by the restaurants when they dined

 

Are you sure it's not just their points being cashed in at the end of the cruise? I sail courtesy of CAS, and at the end of the cruise I have credits allocated due to my points against my account. One cruise I was left with a $95 bill, but they didn't comp me any dinners or spa treatments. I suppose if you're a REALLY high roller they might.

[Fine and Jim Dandy]

I NEVER prepay anything on a cruise. It can cause too many problems. All my charges are conveniently billed to my credit card at the end and everyone is happy. Like any business, once they have your money, you lose lots of power.

[sjbdtz]

So when do you suggest asking a Host for a Comp? I always ask while I'm playing at the casinos by me. Would that be the same while on the cruise?

 

 

The casino floor is MUCH smaller than a regular casino, and if you're playing enough to be comped, then they already know who you are.

 

I've never asked to be comped anything....but have had the Host approach me while playing, and ask if I'd be interested in a spa treatment....other times I've had as much as $1500 taken off my onboard charges (everything except cash advances and service charges)....so that all the discretionary spending I had done (call it...uninvited comps, if you will...) was removed. HOWEVER, I've also had sailings where they didn't do all of that...where I had $500+ in spend, and only a $250 sea-buck redemption against those charges.

 

 

Are you sure it's not just their points being cashed in at the end of the cruise? I sail courtesy of CAS, and at the end of the cruise I have credits allocated due to my points against my account. One cruise I was left with a $95 bill, but they didn't comp me any dinners or spa treatments. I suppose if you're a REALLY high roller they might.

 

When you are being given more than $1 per 100 points, that's a comp. I've had sailings with 5,000 points earned (at tables), but have lost around $10k (bad casino!).... for that sailing, I got $1500 in seabuck credit/comp.....not the $50 that the 5,000 points would suggest.

 

 

 

.

[che5904]

The casino floor is MUCH smaller than a regular casino, and if you're playing enough to be comped, then they already know who you are.

 

I've never asked to be comped anything....but have had the Host approach me while playing, and ask if I'd be interested in a spa treatment....other times I've had as much as $1500 taken off my onboard charges (everything except cash advances and service charges)....so that all the discretionary spending I had done (call it...uninvited comps, if you will...) was removed. HOWEVER, I've also had sailings where they didn't do all of that...where I had $500+ in spend, and only a $250 sea-buck redemption against those charges.

 

When you are being given more than $1 per 100 points, that's a comp. I've had sailings with 5,000 points earned (at tables), but have lost around $10k (bad casino!).... for that sailing, I got $1500 in seabuck credit/comp.....not the $50 that the 5,000 points would suggest.

 

.

 

Stephen I also think it depends on the host. I've had a lot of exec hosts over the years on land. Although I got enough sea bucks to cover my discretionary spending on both cruises, I can't say i was impressed with either host I had and especially the one on the Star. In all the hours I spent in the casino, I never seen her on the floor once, the only time I actually seen her in the casino was her designated times behind the counter. I liked the casino manager on the star though, he was very friendly and helpful.

[gizmo911]

Someone posted that being comped by Casino is the "norm". I have sailed through CAS and never been offered any or had any charges removed from final bill. Do you ask for a comp such as spa or Cagney's? I would love either. Please tell me how to go about obtaining one or both of these comps. I usually play daily for several hours in the casinos. Thanks for the advise.

[Nightengale212]

Someone posted that being comped by Casino is the "norm". I have sailed through CAS and never been offered any or had any charges removed from final bill. Do you ask for a comp such as spa or Cagney's? I would love either. Please tell me how to go about obtaining one or both of these comps. I usually play daily for several hours in the casinos. Thanks for the advise.

 

Although I have had only one cruise with CAS which was this past March on the Star a comped cruise from a local casino, from my comp experience from this cruise, getting the comps which were offered to me and not asked for had more to do with the amount of money I was loosing/recycling back into the machines than time spent in play.

 

My husband who plays 3 card poker and I slots was playing pretty much every minute I was and got offered nothing likely because he can play for hours with $50, and I on the other hand drop $500 - $1,000 per play session. The comps I received on this cruise was a Cagney's dinner for two with wine, chocolate covererd strawberries and wine delivered to our cabin, and at the end of the cruise the casino threw in $800 which my points did not cover in OBCs, and on my dime picked up $100 OBCs that was on my husband's account.

 

Other's may have had very different comp experiences than I, but IMO Sbdtz's following quote pretty much sums up the recipe for getting the comps you are interested in.

 

"but have lost around $10k (bad casino!)...."

[VideoTech]

Someone posted that being comped by Casino is the "norm". I have sailed through CAS and never been offered any or had any charges removed from final bill. Do you ask for a comp such as spa or Cagney's? I would love either. Please tell me how to go about obtaining one or both of these comps. I usually play daily for several hours in the casinos. Thanks for the advise.

 

Assuming you were using your CAS card in the machines and at the tables, then you were not putting enough money at risk to allow them to comp you for your play.

 

To be considered for a credit against your final bill, you must reach at least 2,500 points, with points earned at a rate of $5 at risk for each point. Assuming you lost each and every $5 you put at risk (i.e. never won any of it back and replayed it) that could be as much as $12,500 put at risk.

 

Of course, in reality you always win something back as you play, so the true amount is never that high. But based on the fact that this question is posed over and over again, I think many people under estimate the amount of money it is necessary to put in at the casino to enjoy some of the "comps."

 

You could spend hours and hours in the casino each day, but if you're only playing .01 cent and 1 line on the slots, you will never generate enough points to qualify for any comps.

 

You do not need to ask for the comps. If you put enough money at risk, and spend enough time in the casino, you will be offered some of these comps. Believe me, they know who is spending the money, particularly if you play the slots with your CAS card, which allows them to track each and every point you earn.