Am Getting Free Cruise from Total Rewards

[garycarla]

I'm so confused. I used to get the free cruise certificates through the Hard Rock/Casinos at Sea, but a couple of weeks ago, I got a card in the mail directly from Norwegian Cruise Line /Casinos at Sea for a slot tournament specially for August 9th. Sadly, I can't go on that one, but a week later, I got another card from Norwegian for a free cruise October - December (not holidays). So I'm wondering - what changed? Why (not that I'm complaining) am I getting these from Norwegian, I really didn't gamble that much. I'm taking them up on this offer and going on the Getaway. I was on the Getaway in April and really enjoyed the ship.

 

You are getting them because you gambled on NCL. Must have been enough to get their attention and/or they have cabins available.

[kylenyc]

My two cents... why some people are saying they are high tiered casino players but not earning a free cruise. Earning comps depends on your style of play/type of game, how much you bet over time, and possible hotel/casino/store/restaurant/bar spending. I've never earned a free cruise but I have been comped rooms and dinner in A/C. Caesars Entertainment (owner of Bally's, Caesars, Harrah's, Showboat in A/C) has a partnership with NCL hence why some Total Rewards players are getting cruise ship perks.

 

Your player rating and ability to earn comps depends on the type of game (table games vs slot machines), your average bet on table games (as well as how much the pit bosses like you and notice you) or your "coin in" on slots, and how long you play. It does not have anything to do with how much you win or lose at the casino (unless maybe if you're a high roller). Also, slot players earn comps faster than table game players for the same money bet.

 

For instance to be rated at card table games, I've read that casinos expect a minimum bet to be roughly $20-25 to earn basic comps on say blackjack, and those comps are earned very very slowly over several hours. On the other hand if you walk over and bet $100 on one hand thinking you'll get lucky and just walkaway, you'll earn zero comp points whether you won or lost.

 

Similarly if you play a few minutes on a $5 slot and lose $100 quickly, you may earn very few comp points but at least more than at a table game. Whereas a penny slot player might be able to keep playing the machine for a long time earning more points than the $5 slot player. However, it doesn't mean you can put $100 in the machine and sit there doing nothing... "Coin in" refers to how much money you have been betting over time. It (hypothetically) doesn't matter whether you're betting your own money put into the machine, whether you're betting your winnings or you're losing, or it came from a slot coupon. It all depends on how much money you keep betting and circulating in the machine over time.

Edited July 8, 2014 by kylenyc