Casino Program Changes

[seaofwonder]

The thread has been a big help for me too!

[jd10367]

Big help for me too. I haven't used Cruise Critic in a long time. After I got the email about rebates expiring ( what rebate)last year, the thread was right there. I knew nothing about this program. In 6 mths I have already saved several hundred in cruise fares and gotten almost 1000 back in rebates. Thanks for lighting the way. :)

[Shippy]

We last sailed on the Oasis last November. We have another cruise on that ship this August.

We were not able to use our rebate on this next cruise because it "expired" in March.

After reading your post, I emailed Club Royale last night and asked them to apply the rebate...they never told me how much it was but it always a couple of hundred dollars.

There should not be a problem because this next cruise was booked throught Club Royale.

I will let you know if this worked !

 

Got my email back with a great answer.

There will be $350. waiting for me at the casino cashier on Oasis. My husband gets a seperate rebate.

Thanks again to CruiseCritic !

You really have to be proactive on this one. I am sure they are not going to hunt people down to tell them the ending date of the program has changed & they are still enetitled to their rebates.

[MaritimeR&R]

Spoke with the powers that be at Club Royale last evening regarding an update to the new program. The following is what I was told.

• 
  Casino cash rebates will continue to be earned during the initial period of the new program; all cash rebates must be used by March 15, 2016--no exceptions.
   
  Current members will be assigned to tiers that each have specific perks so that there will be uniformity across the line -- apparently, there have been complaints regarding some Hosts short-changing comps for some members while going over board (pardon the pun) for others
   
  The initial assignment to a tier will be based on cumulative play from April 2014 to March 2015 (those sailing late in March may request to have their tier reevaluated)
   
  The new program will allow for members to be reassigned to a higher tier based on their play; this movement can occur as a result of a player requesting that his/her play be reevaluated or by Casino Royale's periodic evaluations; being reassigned to a lower tier because of play is an unknown at this time
   
  They are hoping to launch the new program starting April or May but also said its implementation may be delayed due to dissemination of information to them, the membership, and employees. They are hoping to send out an email sometime in March with information regarding the new program, however that email may be limited in its scope.
   
  The Club is referring to the time period the new program is put into effect and the March 15, 2016 as a time for sort of "double-dipping" as members will still be able to get cash rebates along with those guaranteed perks for their tier.
   
  Though the Club has not been given the specifics to date, they have been told that the perks assigned to each tier will be equal if not better than those of land-based casinos.
  

 

Please feel free to ask me any other questions that I might have the answers to but accidently omitted herein.

[Shippy]

Spoke with the powers that be at Club Royale last evening regarding an update to the new program. The following is what I was told.

• 
  Casino cash rebates will continue to be earned during the initial period of the new program; all cash rebates must be used by March 15, 2016--no exceptions.
   
  Current members will be assigned to tiers that each have specific perks so that there will be uniformity across the line -- apparently, there have been complaints regarding some Hosts short-changing comps for some members while going over board (pardon the pun) for others
   
  The initial assignment to a tier will be based on cumulative play from April 2014 to March 2015 (those sailing late in March may request to have their tier reevaluated)
   
  The new program will allow for members to be reassigned to a higher tier based on their play; this movement can occur as a result of a player requesting that his/her play be reevaluated or by Casino Royale's periodic evaluations; being reassigned to a lower tier because of play is an unknown at this time
   
  They are hoping to launch the new program starting April or May but also said its implementation may be delayed due to dissemination of information to them, the membership, and employees. They are hoping to send out an email sometime in March with information regarding the new program, however that email may be limited in its scope.
   
  The Club is referring to the time period the new program is put into effect and the March 15, 2016 as a time for sort of "double-dipping" as members will still be able to get cash rebates along with those guaranteed perks for their tier.
   
  Though the Club has not been given the specifics to date, they have been told that the perks assigned to each tier will be equal if not better than those of land-based casinos.
  

 

Please feel free to ask me any other questions that I might have the answers to but accidently omitted herein.

 

The ones I spoke to yesterday said that the evaluation will be made on the entire year of 2014 only.

Seems that they are not even sure since they keep giving out different information.

[jd10367]

Hmmmm... Not sure I like the being downgraded part. If we do a European cruise we only do 1 a year. If we do a Caribbean cruise it's 2 times a year. Obviously, I have more of a chance of staying at my tier if we do 2. What if you skip a year and don't cruise?!? God forbid that actually happen but you never know .

[MaritimeR&R]

Please note - The person I spoke to said that he did not know if downgrading based on lesser play would occur. However, it does seems logical that since you can be upgraded the reverse will likely be true. I tend to think they will not downgrade anyone during the program's first year of existence, but that afterwards it will be fair game.

[MaritimeR&R]

The ones I spoke to yesterday said that the evaluation will be made on the entire year of 2014 only.

Seems that they are not even sure since they keep giving out different information.

 

Because of all the conflicting information I had heard/read from here, Casino Hosts, etc. I asked to speak with the Supervisor.

Apparently because of the many complaints regarding people not receiving the email about the new program coming and the inability of people to cruise in time to utilize their rebates before a 3/15/15 cutoff, the April 2014 to March 2015 evaluation period came into being -- I would not be surprised if things change yet again, since so much of the program has yet to be revealed.

Example - the new program was to begin on March 16, 2015 -- now they are hoping for April or May.

[bighairtexan]

I'm one of those people who have been in the program for years and NEVER receive emails. I've put the club into my address book and I check spam. It just never gets sent and they have the correct email. Annoying. So I have to subscribe to this thread to see if there are any new emails.

 

Can anyone make a guess as to when the last emailing went out? Was it when this thread started?

[MaritimeR&R]

I'm one of those people who have been in the program for years and NEVER receive emails. I've put the club into my address book and I check spam. It just never gets sent and they have the correct email. Annoying. So I have to subscribe to this thread to see if there are any new emails.

 

Can anyone make a guess as to when the last emailing went out? Was it when this thread started?

 

Couldn't tell you when the last email went out ---I also never get emails from them or from Crown and Anchor...only RC marketing. Not in my spam, allowed in my mailbox....like you I never get them, but I cruise fairly often, talk with the Casino Hosts and Managers, along with calling Club Royale whenever I need to clarify something.

[bighairtexan]

I cruise about 4 times a year almost always on RCI or Celebrity, but didn't even know to ask the host/ess about anything if it weren't for this email.

Like you I get the marketing emails but also nothing from the Crown and Anchor. In fact I surprised a friend w/ a cruise in December. I booked it. I paid for it. I was in a R/S. My friend had only cruised once on RCI. Guess who got the email from the Concierge prior to the cruise. YUP. Not I. She got it. Kind of irritated me to say the least.

I don't find Celebrity to be very much better.

[wolfganghowell]

Hi Other Sharon!! Hope all is well in your world.

 

We were told onboard in December that we would get a packet from Club Royale with program information. Since we are brand new, we have no real concept of what we get. No idea about rebates or cash back. I guess we'll find out next time. When I called I was told there was no packet. All I got were our member numbers to give to our TA. I can't recall if we gave our email to the casino host so doubt we'll ever get an email either. Thanks to those keeping us in the loop!

[bighairtexan]

Hey Sharon Junior! :D I was going to say... PACKET? What packet.... I didn't get no stinkin' packet!! haha

[Shippy]

Hi Other Sharon!! Hope all is well in your world.

 

We were told onboard in December that we would get a packet from Club Royale with program information. Since we are brand new, we have no real concept of what we get. No idea about rebates or cash back. I guess we'll find out next time. When I called I was told there was no packet. All I got were our member numbers to give to our TA. I can't recall if we gave our email to the casino host so doubt we'll ever get an email either. Thanks to those keeping us in the loop!

 

...your plastic Club Royale membership card. Do not know when they stopped that.

The same thing was done by Celebrities Blue Chip Club. I have them both in a leather, room key case....something else you do not get anymore !

You know both these clubs are reciprocal. Whatever rebate you have earned on Royal could be used on Celebrity & vice versus.

[bighairtexan]

Yes you can earn rebates on one and use it on the other, however you have to be invited to each club individually. Just b/c you were invited to one doesn't mean AUTOMATICALLY you'll be invited to the other. (but probably would be).

[seaofwonder]

Even the existing program has conflicting info. I was told not to cash out my points because that is what my rebate was based on. So I left a lot of money/freebies at the end of cruises.

 

Also, 3/15/16 has exceptions. My cruise is booked for May 2016 and they said it will transfer.

[#55worktoplay]

Tanderine,

 

It only happens for slot play and for every RCCL shipboard point you earn you get 5 tier credits on your m life account.

 

Smiley,

 

How does this happen? Do you have to get this arranged before sailing or can it be done after you return from your cruise.

 

How do you hook MLife to Royal Casino? I am a new Casino VIP player and don't really understand how the two combined work.

 

Thanks in advance.

[PompeySailor]

 

Current members will be assigned to tiers that each have specific perks so that there will be uniformity across the line -- apparently, there have been complaints regarding some Hosts short-changing comps for some members while going over board (pardon the pun) for others

 

Agreed on the above, dropped 4K on recent cruise, never saw Casino Manager

And host was not very good.

Rebate $0.00, now granted 4K was a small amount for us that cruise;)

Would of been nice to have gotten some recognition

 

"The initial assignment to a tier will be based on cumulative play from April 2014 to March 2015 (those sailing late in March may request to have their tier reevaluated)"

 

This I am not very happy about at all, so having been in the program since its birth, I am only going to be assigned a tier on 1 years play:eek:

So the $ 6 figure amount we have probably spent in CR other than last year is

Going to be brushed under the carpet..

 

Me thinking they might want to consider a players bankroll since they were invited into the program, not just back dated from April 2014

 

Geez!!! dropped $27k when we were on Brilliance in 2006:p

 

Will not stop us sailing on RC, but if tier does not reward for loyalty, then the casino will not get a dime out of us in the future:cool:

 

Rant over!!! For now anyways:)

Shame Elise no longer works the CR VIP loyalty program, she knew how to look after her loyal customers.

 

Happy Days!!

[jd10367]

Gulp.... I am going to be in the lowest tier. I'll be lucky if a free soda is my comp. my bankroll is much smaller. A 7 nighter I may have 1000 for the week. I just happen to hold my own most of the time, so I'm in there all day or night.

[Daghis]

Agreed on the above, dropped 4K on recent cruise, never saw Casino Manager

And host was not very good.

On my past two Royal Caribbean cruises, I had uninterested (Allure of the Seas) or non-existent (Independence of the Seas) Casino Hosts.

 

I had mentioned it in another thread somewhere, but I'll share it here again. On the Independence of the Seas cruise last year, I was told by the casino staff (since there was no Casino Host onboard) that I was not a "VIP" (despite having a Club Royale sticker on my SeaPass that I received when I picked up my cash rebate) and that I didn't even qualify for free alcoholic drinks in the casino. The lack of a Casino Host really changed the nature of the casino and I got no perks during that cruise.

 

It would have been nice to have gone into that cruise with some expectation of what specific perks I should be entitled to receive and been able to ask for them specifically. This is an area where NCL has it much better. Their web site details their player's club tiers and what you get at each tier so there's no surprise.

[PompeySailor]

Marc

 

Thanks for the NCL casino data, crystal clear and upfront on the rules and regs.

Have sailed NCL, but never thought about the Casino way back when we cruised on Dream.

Looks like a good honest program

 

I assume the ranking at table games on NCL is similar to the $50 per hand on BJ with RC, with time played also factoring in.

 

In all honesty probably won't be sailing on NCL, but more than likely will look at Celebrity and HAL for when DD leaves the nest.

 

Graham

[3red7s]

I have no idea what the changes are....or will be...but I did receive a personal email from my casino host yesterday, who indicated that changes, now, will not go into place until 2016. :D

[OTownNick]

On my past two Royal Caribbean cruises, I had uninterested (Allure of the Seas) or non-existent (Independence of the Seas) Casino Hosts.

 

I had mentioned it in another thread somewhere, but I'll share it here again. On the Independence of the Seas cruise last year, I was told by the casino staff (since there was no Casino Host onboard) that I was not a "VIP" (despite having a Club Royale sticker on my SeaPass that I received when I picked up my cash rebate) and that I didn't even qualify for free alcoholic drinks in the casino. The lack of a Casino Host really changed the nature of the casino and I got no perks during that cruise.

 

It would have been nice to have gone into that cruise with some expectation of what specific perks I should be entitled to receive and been able to ask for them specifically. This is an area where NCL has it much better. Their web site details their player's club tiers and what you get at each tier so there's no surprise.

 

Interesting. It looks like this is exactly what RCCL was planning to do with their new program. However, now that it's delayed til 2016, I'm wondering if thy decided to change it. NCL still doesn't say how the table play equates to reward points.

[bighairtexan]

:( I'll be lucky if I get a dang email by 2016. :mad:

[swiss2619]

:( I'll be lucky if I get a dang email by 2016. :mad:

That includes me, too. They tell me emails are sent out and they double checked that they had the correct email, but never received anything EVER! Maybe we are better off not hearing from them....we get better info here! :)

Swiss