WOW! Win a Suite Bingo!

[Merion_Mom]

Sounds, great, right?

 

Most of you have probably seen this on many or most of your cruises.

 

Will it be the Royal Suite? Wow, maybe the Royal Family Suite? Owner's Suite?

 

Think of all the perks!!!! Concierge Lounge access, Gold SeaPass card for access to special seating. If the ship is going to Labadee, access to Barefoot Beach.

 

WOW.

 

And at $36 a pop, and hundreds of passengers playing, just think about how much money RC is raking in!

 

Well, this past Sunday, the Independence of the Seas held Win a Suite Bingo.

 

The prize?

 

A Junior Suite.

 

What do you think?

 

;)

Edited January 8, 2014 by Merion_Mom

[Clarea]

Sounds, great, right?

 

Most of you have probably seen this on many or most of your cruises.

 

Will it be the Royal Suite? Wow, maybe the Royal Family Suite? Owner's Suite?

 

Think of all the perks!!!! Concierge Lounge access, Gold SeaPass card for access to special seating. If the ship is going to Labadee, access to Barefoot Beach.

 

WOW.

 

And at $36 a pop, and hundreds of passengers playing, just think about how much money RC is raking in!

 

Well, this past Sunday, the Independence of the Seas held Win a Suite Bingo.

 

The prize?

 

A Junior Suite.

 

What do you think?

 

;)

I'm thinking yet another cutback.

[Retired LEO]

Sounds, great, right?

 

Most of you have probably seen this on many or most of your cruises.

 

Will it be the Royal Suite? Wow, maybe the Royal Family Suite? Owner's Suite?

 

Think of all the perks!!!! Concierge Lounge access, Gold SeaPass card for access to special seating. If the ship is going to Labadee, access to Barefoot Beach.

 

WOW.

 

And at $36 a pop, and hundreds of passengers playing, just think about how much money RC is raking in!

 

Well, this past Sunday, the Independence of the Seas held Win a Suite Bingo.

 

The prize?

 

A Junior Suite.

 

What do you think?

 

;)

 

Well at least the odds were a little better. Hopefully those in a JS or above weren't playing.

[setsail]

I am thinking the person who won had a grand time in their js:D

[Cruzin' Rob]

I'm thinking yet another cutback.

 

They've been doing this for years.

[nbsjcruiser]

Been cruising since 2001, dang, has it really been 13 years? Anyway, of all the rip offs and money sucking schemes the cruise lines play (and they all do it) bingo has got to be the biggest scam of them all. The first time I remember bingo being such a big deal was on our 2004 cruise on the NOS. Twice and sometimes 3 times a day you'd hear "Its bingo time" from the CD staff over the public announcement system. That's all they puched, day after day, bingo bingo bingo. DW and I went down for the win a cruise one just for something to do. I think it was $30 a pop. As I was sitting there I did an unofficial head count. I figured there was somewhere near 500 people in there playing for a free cruise. $15,000 they raked in on that game and they paid out a lousy $1200 for an inside cabin on a 7 night cruise. I just shook my head. It would probably scare you what the cruise lines rake in on Bingo on a cruise and the payout is next to nothing.

Edited January 8, 2014 by nbsjcruiser

[Retired LEO]

Been cruising since 2001, dang, has it really been 13 years? Anyway, of all the rip offs and money sucking schemes the cruise lines play (and they all do it) bingo has got to be the biggest scam of them all. The first time I remember bingo being such a big deal was on our 2004 cruise on the NOS. Twice and sometimes 3 times a day you'd hear "Its bingo time" from the CD staff over the public announcement system. That's all they puched, day after day, bingo bingo bingo. DW and I went down for the win a cruise one just for something to do. I think it was $30 a pop. As I was sitting there I did an unofficial head count. I figured there was somewhere near 500 people in there playing for a free cruise. $15,000 they raked in on that game and they paid out a lousy $1200 for an inside cabin on a 7 night cruise. I just shook my head. It would probably scare you what the cruise lines rake in on Bingo on a cruise and the payout is next to nothing.

 

That's what I was thinking. They probably made over $10,000.00 on that JS

[ryano]

Been cruising since 2001, dang, has it really been 13 years? Anyway, of all the rip offs and money sucking schemes the cruise lines play (and they all do it) bingo has got to be the biggest scam of them all. The first time I remember bingo being such a big deal was on our 2004 cruise on the NOS. Twice and sometimes 3 times a day you'd hear "Its bingo time" from the CD staff over the public announcement system. That's all they puched, day after day, bingo bingo bingo. DW and I went down for the win a cruise one just for something to do. I think it was $30 a pop. As I was sitting there I did an unofficial head count. I figured there was somewhere near 500 people in there playing for a free cruise. $15,000 they raked in on that game and they paid out a lousy $1200 for an inside cabin on a 7 night cruise. I just shook my head. It would probably scare you what the cruise lines rake in on Bingo on a cruise and the payout is next to nothing.

 

I understand totally what you are saying but that is not a scam IMO.

 

Scam is to defraud or swindle. The people playing bingo were not swindled in anyway. They knew exactly what they had to pay to play and exactly what they would win if they won. :)

 

I dont fault the cruise line for making money on bingo. They should at least offer a balcony cabin though on "free" cruises. In the end, it costs them nothing really.

[MS52]

In the end, it costs them nothing really.

 

Sure it does. It potentially costs them lost revenue.

 

And as far bingo being a ripoff, I would rather people play bingo voluntarily and the cruise line make $10,000 plus on a game than raise the cruise fare on everybody. If it's not for you, don't play it.

 

It's all about profit - and profit is not a dirty word. They have to make it somewhere.

Edited January 8, 2014 by MS52

[leaveitallbehind]

...where do I sign up!? :rolleyes: Never been a big bingo fan anyway...

[MyNameIsGermy]

The prize?

 

A Junior Suite.

 

What do you think?

 

;)

 

On every RC cruise I've been on, this has always been the prize. It's never been anything more than the junior suite.

 

-germ

[gerif]

Going back to MM's original post, yes, I would absolutely consider it a ripoff to be offered the chance to win a suite (assuming this is on the current cruise not a suite on a future cruise) and then be given a JS with virtually NO suite benefits. Heck, you've already checked in so you don't even get priority check-in and you won't get double points either since it is considered a free upgrade. Bleah.

 

Note that this is an unsold cabin so it costs the cruiseline absolutely nothing. Very poor form if you ask me.

[Retired LEO]

On every RC cruise I've been on, this has always been the prize. It's never been anything more than the junior suite.

 

-germ

 

I've seen the Royal Suite on a few occassions

[ryano]

Sure it does. It potentially costs them lost revenue.

 

And as far bingo being a ripoff, I would rather people play bingo voluntarily and the cruise line make $10,000 plus on a game than raise the cruise fare on everybody. If it's not for you, don't play it.

 

It's all about profit - and profit is not a dirty word. They have to make it somewhere.

 

Potentially :) But not necessarily. Even so though, when you are making the kind of profit they make off bingo, giving up a balcony that "cost" a couple grand is nothing really. :)

 

Other than that I TOTALLY agree with what you are saying. Especially the last part. RCI is a business and they are in business to make money.

[Dave85]

Haven't played bingo in years. The cost is outrageous compared to the awful odds. Take that $36, walk to the roulette table in the casino, and plop it all down on black. You're much better off. :rolleyes::p

[cruisenfever]

On every RC cruise I've been on, this has always been the prize. It's never been anything more than the junior suite.

 

-germ

Have been on cruises where a GS was the prize.

[MS52]

Haven't played bingo in years. The cost is outrageous compared to the awful odds. Take that $36, walk to the roulette table in the casino, and plop it all down on black. You're much better off. :rolleyes::p

 

EXACTLY. They'll get my $$ one way or the other, but it won't be playing bingo!

[drarill]

Haven't played bingo in years. The cost is outrageous compared to the awful odds. Take that $36, walk to the roulette table in the casino, and plop it all down on black. You're much better off. :rolleyes::p

I like playing Bingo, won over $500 on our first Disney cruise, over $200 on the Jewel, and after a couple of small prizes in different cruise lines I won de Jackpot on the Disney Dream… over $5000 :):)

[critterchick]

Sure it does. It potentially costs them lost revenue.

 

And as far bingo being a ripoff, I would rather people play bingo voluntarily and the cruise line make $10,000 plus on a game than raise the cruise fare on everybody. If it's not for you, don't play it.

 

It's all about profit - and profit is not a dirty word. They have to make it somewhere.

 

RCI doesn't hold back a suite for bingo - they will only offer it if there is an unsold one, so it really doesn't cost them anything to offer it, other than an extra bottle of water if it's a full suite and the coffee/tea setup that comes along with JS and above. And maybe the extra gratuities if it's a full suite. What they will do is hold a suite back from C&A upgrades, since upgrades don't generate any revenue for them.

 

They will offer a JS if that's the only "suite" category they have available. I don't really pay attention, but I would hope that they disclose that it's a JS before people purchase a ticket. I doubt that they offer up all of the perks of a full suite as an incentive to play, but if they do, then they need to program a gold Seapass for the winner or they are indeed committing fraud.

 

We were on Radiance in 2010 in a cabin next door to the vacant RS, which was offered up in bingo. They had an open house so people could take a look, and I really had to fight through a crowd to get to my cabin. They held bingo in the theater, which I heard was jam-packed. Our new neighbors were a mother and her 2 kids, who were over the moon.

[Dave85]

RCI doesn't hold back a suite for bingo - they will only offer it if there is an unsold one, so it really doesn't cost them anything to offer it, other than an extra bottle of water if it's a full suite and the coffee/tea setup that comes along with JS and above. And maybe the extra gratuities if it's a full suite. What they will do is hold a suite back from C&A upgrades, since upgrades don't generate any revenue for them.

 

They will offer a JS if that's the only "suite" category they have available. I don't really pay attention, but I would hope that they disclose that it's a JS before people purchase a ticket. I doubt that they offer up all of the perks of a full suite as an incentive to play, but if they do, then they need to program a gold Seapass for the winner or they are indeed committing fraud.

 

We were on Radiance in 2010 in a cabin next door to the vacant RS, which was offered up in bingo. They had an open house so people could take a look, and I really had to fight through a crowd to get to my cabin. They held bingo in the theater, which I heard was jam-packed. Our new neighbors were a mother and her 2 kids, who were over the moon.

 

Very interesting, good to know. I recall on both of my Oasis sailings it was a Crown Loft Suite. I was wondering at the time whether they held one back, or if that's just how the chips fell with vacancies.

[Ourusualbeach]

It was a GS on the 5 day Liberty last month and nothing was offered on the 4 day Liberty sailing

[lazeyey]

When I was on the allure it cost $100 to play bingo for a chance at a suite. There was a line from one end of the ship to the other. It was totally insane and not worth it.

[mommabean]

Sounds, great, right?

 

Most of you have probably seen this on many or most of your cruises.

 

Will it be the Royal Suite? Wow, maybe the Royal Family Suite? Owner's Suite?

 

Think of all the perks!!!! Concierge Lounge access, Gold SeaPass card for access to special seating. If the ship is going to Labadee, access to Barefoot Beach.

 

WOW.

 

And at $36 a pop, and hundreds of passengers playing, just think about how much money RC is raking in!

 

Well, this past Sunday, the Independence of the Seas held Win a Suite Bingo.

 

The prize?

 

A Junior Suite.

 

What do you think?

 

;)

 

I've seen that often. Unfortunately. I was told as soon as people hear the word "suite" the card sales go nuts. Most people seem to be pretty clueless what a true suite involves. So maybe they don't care as long as it's an upgrade from what they have.

 

I thought you were going to tell us you won it. :D

 

 

Gina

Edited January 8, 2014 by mommabean

[Clarea]

I've seen that often. Unfortunately. I was told as soon as people hear the word "suite" the card sales go nuts. Most people seem to be pretty clueless what a true suite involves. So maybe they don't care as long as it's an upgrade from what they have.

 

I thought you were going to tell us you won it. :D

 

 

Gina

 

Well, she got upgraded to an aft JS, so it's like winning the bingo without having to buy a bingo card.;)

[mommabean]

Well, she got upgraded to an aft JS, so it's like winning the bingo without having to buy a bingo card.;)

 

 

Well that's even better.

 

I was a top cruiser on a cruise where there was only 1 JS available until the day before sailing. No other suites were available. No upgrade for me - it went to Bingo.

 

Gina