Using OBC in Casino

[Katie H]

I know that I cannot use my non-refundable OBC to draw cash out of the casino. But can I use it for non-cashable playing chips to use for gambling?

[shedridt]

I don't think the average Azamara cruiser cares a bit about the casino so it will be hard to get a response to your question.

 

If you are interested in gambling you are probably barking up the wrong tree in choosing Azamara.....

[Katie H]

I don't think the average Azamara cruiser cares a bit about the casino so it will be hard to get a response to your question.

 

If you are interested in gambling you are probably barking up the wrong tree in choosing Azamara.....

 

Thanks for your reply :). We are just looking for ways to use a large OBC. I have some plans for the shops and maybe some excursions and a couple of dinners at the specialties. Just wondering if we have some left if it is possible to gamble with it. Guess we'll have to wait until onboard to ask if nobody here has any experience.

[crzrr]

Hi - I don't know about using the OBC for gambling. I haven't tried. I just make my nightly deposit to the casino using cash;)! We were just on the Journey and the casino was quite busy most evenings. They redid the bar area and everyone's favorite bartender, Dale, was down there in the evening so it was a happening place on the ship. The tables and slots were quite busy most evenings.

 

As for spending a large OBC, here are a couple of suggestions. We enjoy the chef's table dinners. Held in Prime C, they spotlight wines from Italy, France or California. The menu is designed around the wines and the dinners are limited to 12 people. We have done all of them multiple times and especially enjoy the Italy and California dinners. You can purchase a specialty restaurant package that includes a chef's dinner. The other suggestion is to take advantage of the premier package for the Azamazing evening. Usually it is priority transportation and priority seating at the event. It also includes other extras. We did the one in Cartagena and enjoyed it. Besides the transport and seating, there was a reception with the performer backstage afterwards with champagne, food, pictures, and gifts. We got the performers CD and a goodie bag of Colombian products (no emeralds though). We said that we would do it again if offered.

 

Just a couple of thoughts. Enjoy your trip!!

[tommiroke]

I know that I cannot use my non-refundable OBC to draw cash out of the casino. But can I use it for non-cashable playing chips to use for gambling?

 

Have never seen non-cashable chips in a casino. What comes close to what you are talking about is that as promos in casinos or casino hotels they give you coupons that can be played with an equal or larger bet. Whether or not you win, the coupon is retained by the dealer.

 

Good luck with your gambling and cruise.

[beachseeker]

The other suggestion is to take advantage of the premier package for the Azamazing evening. Usually it is priority transportation and priority seating at the event. It also includes other extras. We did the one in Cartagena and enjoyed it. Besides the transport and seating, there was a reception with the performer backstage afterwards with champagne, food, pictures, and gifts. We got the performers CD and a goodie bag of Colombian products (no emeralds though). We said that we would do it again if offered.

 

Just a couple of thoughts. Enjoy your trip!!

 

I have not heard about this before. How did you learn about this option, precruise or onboard?

[crzrr]

I have not heard about this before. How did you learn about this option, precruise or onboard?

 

We received an email about it right before leaving for the cruise. I went down to the excursion desk when we boarded and there was a sign on the Land Discoveries desk about it. I did not see anything about it in the excursion brochures. It was $79 per person.

[Katie H]

Have never seen non-cashable chips in a casino. What comes close to what you are talking about is that as promos in casinos or casino hotels they give you coupons that can be played with an equal or larger bet. Whether or not you win, the coupon is retained by the dealer.

 

Good luck with your gambling and cruise.

 

I have not yet seen non-cashable playing chips, but Celebrity is phasing them in on their ships. All I know about them is what I have read on CC. Up until now, you could take your non-refundable OBC out of the casino on Celebrity and pay a 5% fee. Now they are not letting people take the cash - just give them the gambling chips. They give any winnings in regular cashable chips. I believe they do not charge the 5% fee in that case. I know for a long time that Azamara has not allowed the OBC to be taken out in cash. I never thought about using it to gamble until this came up with Celebrity and I wondered if Azamara does the same.

[Katie H]

Hi - I don't know about using the OBC for gambling. I haven't tried. I just make my nightly deposit to the casino using cash;)! We were just on the Journey and the casino was quite busy most evenings. They redid the bar area and everyone's favorite bartender, Dale, was down there in the evening so it was a happening place on the ship. The tables and slots were quite busy most evenings.

 

As for spending a large OBC, here are a couple of suggestions. We enjoy the chef's table dinners. Held in Prime C, they spotlight wines from Italy, France or California. The menu is designed around the wines and the dinners are limited to 12 people. We have done all of them multiple times and especially enjoy the Italy and California dinners. You can purchase a specialty restaurant package that includes a chef's dinner. The other suggestion is to take advantage of the premier package for the Azamazing evening. Usually it is priority transportation and priority seating at the event. It also includes other extras. We did the one in Cartagena and enjoyed it. Besides the transport and seating, there was a reception with the performer backstage afterwards with champagne, food, pictures, and gifts. We got the performers CD and a goodie bag of Colombian products (no emeralds though). We said that we would do it again if offered.

 

Just a couple of thoughts. Enjoy your trip!!

 

Thanks for the suggestions. I would enjoy Chef's Table but DH would not. He doesn't enjoy those long meals. We won't have an Azamazing evening since we are doing a TA. If we can't gamble any of the money, I'm sure I will find a way to spend it. They always have a selection of Swarovski jewelry which would make nice Christmas gifts.

[beachseeker]

We received an email about it right before leaving for the cruise. I went down to the excursion desk when we boarded and there was a sign on the Land Discoveries desk about it. I did not see anything about it in the excursion brochures. It was $79 per person.

 

Thanks. We sail on Monday and no email yet. Will look when we board. I'm not sure we would book it but I would like to see the offer. On our last Azamra cruise, the Azamazing Evening was not set up well. We thought we had good seats, but they let people stand in front of the chairs and we couldn't see anything.

[Familygoboston]

OP- we had a note in our cabin telling us the amount of OBC we had and it specifically said not for use as Casino Credit. We noticed that the casino manager was very accessible- even though we never gambled she was out and about and very friendly. If you establish a relationship with her, playing early, I'll bet she could make an exception for you. We had considered it only to cash out the OBC, since we don't gamble, so that was the end of that idea for us;) We bought a GoPro instead, which is more in keeping with our hobbies!

 

Hi - I don't know about using the OBC for gambling. I haven't tried. I just make my nightly deposit to the casino using cash;)! We were just on the Journey and the casino was quite busy most evenings. They redid the bar area and everyone's favorite bartender, Dale, was down there in the evening so it was a happening place on the ship. The tables and slots were quite busy most evenings.

 

As for spending a large OBC, here are a couple of suggestions. We enjoy the chef's table dinners. Held in Prime C, they spotlight wines from Italy, France or California. The menu is designed around the wines and the dinners are limited to 12 people. We have done all of them multiple times and especially enjoy the Italy and California dinners. You can purchase a specialty restaurant package that includes a chef's dinner. The other suggestion is to take advantage of the premier package for the Azamazing evening. Usually it is priority transportation and priority seating at the event. It also includes other extras. We did the one in Cartagena and enjoyed it. Besides the transport and seating, there was a reception with the performer backstage afterwards with champagne, food, pictures, and gifts. We got the performers CD and a goodie bag of Colombian products (no emeralds though). We said that we would do it again if offered.

 

Just a couple of thoughts. Enjoy your trip!!

You guys looked like you were having so much fun on that Azamazing Premium- I would use our OBC for that in the future!

 

We received an email about it right before leaving for the cruise. I went down to the excursion desk when we boarded and there was a sign on the Land Discoveries desk about it. I did not see anything about it in the excursion brochures. It was $79 per person.

 

We didn't get an email, but we did get a notice in our room about the program a day or two ahead of the event. I think probably, Sue got an early notice for being such a great AZ customer :D...we probably got one because there was still room left. I'll bet if you are interested, once you get on board, they will let anyone participate!

Edited February 29, 2016 by Familygoboston

[Familygoboston]

Thanks. We sail on Monday and no email yet. Will look when we board. I'm not sure we would book it but I would like to see the offer. On our last Azamra cruise, the Azamazing Evening was not set up well. We thought we had good seats, but they let people stand in front of the chairs and we couldn't see anything.

 

The one in Cartegena was very well done...I was actually shocked at how smoothly it went especially given that this was not something they do logistically every week (or even once ever before!) It all moved like clock work! Have a fun cruise!

[nordski]

OP- we had a note in our cabin telling us the amount of OBC we had and it specifically said not for use as Casino Credit. We noticed that the casino manager was very accessible- even though we never gambled she was out and about and very friendly. If you establish a relationship with her, playing early, I'll bet she could make an exception for you.

 

Perhaps you are correct about forming that relationship but, since it is clearly company policy that OBC is not to be used in this way, I think it best not to place the manager in a potentially awkward position.

[munch1]

Absolutely agree nordski. Awkward position is one thing but to put someones job in jeprardy is another. There is lots of other things to spend your OBC on without resorting to this type of behavior.

[p18750]

Just curious how this works now if you cannot use your OBC for certain expenses like gambling. We have always considered our OBC as cash on our account and when we spent money the balance decreased. If the balance went negative we owed money at the end of the cruise and they charged our credit card.

Now it seems that if we get money in the casino it will be charged to our credit card at the end of the cruise whether or not we have expended our OBC. Is that how it works?

I wonder how this shows up on the account information available on the TV in the cabin. Is there a separate accounting of OBC and non OBC eligible expenses? So we could end the cruise with $100 of OBC and $100 gambling chips and have $100 charged to our credit card?

[tv24]

Well there are a number of AZ customers who enjoy the casino and who use the CC forums, and I am one of them! The original question posed was one that I had for our November transatlantic on the Journey since we were lucky to have tons of OBC. We were reminded in several ways that AZ's policy is to not allow non-refundable OBC to be used to purchase gambling chips. I even asked about that in the casino and at the purser's office and received a negative response. As of November, AZ had no non-cashable gambling chips, such as the OP said were available on Celebrity. There was only one type of chip, fully cashable. As to how AZ does their accounting to separate charges for gambling money (plus a fee, I might add!) from other charges that can be made against OBC, I have no idea. Haven't tried that yet, and I haven't tried to peak into AZ's accounting system.

[Katie H]

Well there are a number of AZ customers who enjoy the casino and who use the CC forums, and I am one of them! The original question posed was one that I had for our November transatlantic on the Journey since we were lucky to have tons of OBC. We were reminded in several ways that AZ's policy is to not allow non-refundable OBC to be used to purchase gambling chips. I even asked about that in the casino and at the purser's office and received a negative response. As of November, AZ had no non-cashable gambling chips, such as the OP said were available on Celebrity. There was only one type of chip, fully cashable. As to how AZ does their accounting to separate charges for gambling money (plus a fee, I might add!) from other charges that can be made against OBC, I have no idea. Haven't tried that yet, and I haven't tried to peak into AZ's accounting system.

 

Thank you. I think that answers my question. Time to think about Christmas shopping :D.

[Andy]

Hi Katie H,

 

Azamara does not have the same program as Celebrity, where you can get "Gaming Chips" for the OBC. The Celebrity program is very new, and Azamara's Casino is probably too small to bother with gaming chips.

 

As for using the OBC in the Casino ? Frankly, I highly doubt it, but you have nothing to lose by asking once onboard. I recommend looking for other ways to use the funds. Excursions are an option. There's plenty of nice items to purchase in the shops, and the Chef's table is a great option too.

 

Hope this is helpful !