Casino at Seas Rated Play for Comp cruises

[kabbpres]

Hi can someone explain how CAS calculates play for a comp cruise? I know for slots 5.00 in gets one point but points are not used when CAS calculates play correct? What are some examples of comps that you have received?

Also how far out has anyone been able to book invited slot tournaments for 2018? :) Thanks so much. :):)

[BirdTravels]

CAS does not use points to grant comped rooms. It uses theoretical losses based on play. You need to play consistently (couple of hours a day) in the casino and you will be comped a room on your next cruise. Room comps range from inside room to Haven suites.

 

Points are used to establish your level in the CAS player's club. You get onboard perks based on your level in their players program. What you get from the players club can be found here https://www.ncl.com/why-cruise-norwegian/casino-cruise/players-club.

[cruise4kicks]

Also how far out has anyone been able to book invited slot tournaments for 2018? :) Thanks so much. :):)

If the tournament cruise had been announced, you can book it through CAS. I think you have to receive an invite, though. You can always call and ask if you can participate.

[Son of a son of a ...]

I played hard on Carnival twice to get 1,500 points on Victory to get a drink card (10 years ago). They still keep sending me literature. I still put a good bit of play on NCL, but I think the level of play and thresholds have gone up. Of course, my “good bit of play” is relative. :)

[Sand and Seas]

I was told by a CAS agent a couple of years ago that comped Inside cabins usually start at a $2500 actual or theoretical loss. (Based on 7 day cruises.) OceanView starts at $3000 and Balcony at $3500. All of this can vary if it's an extremely popular cruise like Bermuda or sailing to Alaska on a brand-new ship. You might get a better cabin for an off-season sailing. You can get an idea by checking prices of a cruise you are interested in.

 

For ongoing comps while onboard, they track your points earned during the prior players club year which goes from April 1st to March 31st. When you reach a higher Tier you will have guaranteed on-board credit for each cruise for that following year along with some other comps you will find on the chart referenced on their players club page.

[BirdTravels]

...you have to be a CAS-rated player to sign up for tournaments. If you were not invited, you can call and see if they are willing to invite you to the tournament.

[kabbpres]

...you have to be a CAS-rated player to sign up for tournaments. If you were not invited, you can call and see if they are willing to invite you to the tournament.

Thanks for all the info. You all are great.

Another question say you earned 14,000 points ( play based no point bonus added) on a 10 day cruise. I know comps are not based on points earned but indirectly they are. What kind of room comp would you expect? Just trying to learn more. Thanks

 

Sent from my SM-G892U using Forums mobile app

[smplybcause]

What does theoretical loss mean?

 

Asks someone who's only played in a casino a few times.

 

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

[JGmf]

Theoretical loss is based on your past play, the duration of play, your average bet, and the relative odds or house wins on the game(s) you play. So if you sit and churn on a slow game like pai gow, betting $100/hand, you will lose less over time than if you did playing $100/hand at a fast paced game like black jack. You are basically "profiled" by the casino on the level of action you will provide them.

[Sand and Seas]

Theo is a calculation of how much time you spend on a game and what your expected 'loss' would be. For slot machines, the casino has an idea of how much the average person will be expected to lose over time on that machine.

 

Trying to give you an easy example of Theo loss:

Imagine you are playing slots and losing X dollars per hour for a total loss of $1000. Your spouse is playing the same game at the same rate of play but on the very last hand wins a jackpot of $3000. Your Theo loss would be the same but your spouse's ends up with a 'win' of $2000 but a Theo loss of $1000.

[chars]

Trying to also understand theo loss. So, what I am reading, is that if you win, your theoretical loss goes down? Is this why they always make sure you cash out at the table games? So they can see what you are walking away with?

[Moby0215]

Trying to also understand theo loss. So, what I am reading, is that if you win, your theoretical loss goes down? Is this why they always make sure you cash out at the table games? So they can see what you are walking away with?

 

 

 

This is not correct. Winning has nothing to do with theoretical loss. Many casinos call it ADT (average daily theoretical). What it boils down to is that casinos have sophisticated mathematical formulas that can tell them (insanely accurately) what they can expect to make off of a player per day. They only care about cashing you out at a table so they can keep the chips there. Trust me, they already know how much you have won/loss.

 

For example, I am a total rewards player and at the end of the year I receive a win/loss statement. This statement is almost dead on to what I have actually spent. If you were to then take that number and divide by the number of days I frequented a casino, this number would be the ADT. When looking to be comped something like a cruise, CAS will look at what your theoretical loss is based in the last cruise you took and if that theoretical loss is more than the threshold needed to pay for your cruise the. They will offer you the comp.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[rbt001]

Thanks for all the info. You all are great.

Another question say you earned 14,000 points ( play based no point bonus added) on a 10 day cruise. I know comps are not based on points earned but indirectly they are. What kind of room comp would you expect? Just trying to learn more. Thanks

 

Let me share my experience.

 

April 2017 I took a 7 day on Escape and earned approximately 12,500 points from play almost all on slot machines [i did have two, one-on-one Blackjack sessions at a $50 table. Each were short and good wins. But I don't think I was there more that 20 minutes each time. And another hour session at a $25 table, one on one, meaning just myself and the dealer. I know I probably earned a small bit of points there, but the majority were from slots.]

 

Mid October 2017 I called CAS because I saw a deeply discounted 7 night cruise on Escape for the end of October. Published were balconies for $649 pp with solo travelers like me not need to pay twice.

 

First thing I learned from the CAS host was, NCL had not started to send me offers to return because they like to see play on three sailings before they will mail offers, (obviously to get a better of average play, I concluded.)

 

I ended up comped in a Spa Mini Suite, with UBP & 3 specialty dining.

 

Now on that cruise I played about the same, mostly again on slots. [Hit a $6,000 jackpot 3 hours into the cruise.] I don't recall my point earnings but I do know I'm somewhere in Sapphire with that second cruise.

 

So in February when I called, I said I wanted to sail one more time before March 31, 2018, which is the end of the players club year for point tally and player level.

 

I was comped Courtyard Penthouse Suite in The Haven, UBP, 3 SDP, $300 OBC, $50 Shore Excursion credit, 250 minute internet, and a few other amenities for a Mid-March 2018. I should clarify that he did have to search to find a specific cruise where he could offer The Haven. I hope to hit Ruby on this cruise.

 

Kabbpres, those are base points, or as one land based casino calls them "tier points" because in that casino, tier status in the program determines how many bonus points you earn. But I don't recall NCL delving out bonus points.

 

Good luck to you!

[wizdiz]

I play very little while on cruises. I have found the greatest benefit for me is that if I book a cruise with CAS they always seem to charge me a single rate as I travel solo for any room instead of paying double. Also just booked yesterday and got a sailaway cat room and still free drink package.

[smplybcause]

I play very little while on cruises. I have found the greatest benefit for me is that if I book a cruise with CAS they always seem to charge me a single rate as I travel solo for any room instead of paying double. Also just booked yesterday and got a sailaway cat room and still free drink package.

So you don't play enough for a comped room, but they give you a room without the single supplement? Interesting... And tempting.

 

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

[Nelsj099]

So you don't play enough for a comped room, but they give you a room without the single supplement? Interesting... And tempting.

 

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

 

 

 

Yes, in May I was on the Epic and had a total loss of 300$ but earned 5000 points all on slots so 25,000 coin in. This was my first cruise in years. About a week after I got off the ship I called about a cruise I wanted to go on for Christmas. They said they couldn’t comp the room but would pay the solo supplement and give me 20% off.

 

That was good enough for me I went on 4 cruises in 2017 including the epic. This year I have may booked again along with Norway maybe x2 this summer and I will cruise in October and Christmas again all comped. The life of a solo cruiser with CAS isn’t so bad.

 

Someone mentioned bonus points per tier you get 200$ in comps once you reach sapphire in addition to your play based comps. You also get chocolates and any beverage including top shelf, bottled water (good for excursions) and premium coffee. No bonus points.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[wizdiz]

So you don't play enough for a comped room, but they give you a room without the single supplement? Interesting... And tempting.

 

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

Correct. And my last cruise I think I only sat down at a table once. But it does help I have 5/6 cruises with a little more play. Also, advantage is the casino drink card includes bottled water / red bull. I stock up while at the table and take with me closed.

[Nelsj099]

All of that being said I did just call to book with a CAS offer, and the price to upgrade for a 9 night cruise to Norway was 900 dollars from an inside to a balcony. The price to upgrade for a 11 night to Norway a week earlier was $700. The comped cruise with an offer for 9 nights ended up being more expensive than the 11 night no offer cruise (comped based on play when I called.) I put off booking for today. Maybe I will try tomorrow... Maybe tomorrow I will book an inside and wait until closer to the cruise date to see what they can offer for an upgrade.

[KarlChilders]

So if one were to play blackjack at the table minimum for 1 to 2 hours an evening on a cruise, is that even enough to be worth checking with them about?

[Nelsj099]

So if one were to play blackjack at the table minimum for 1 to 2 hours an evening on a cruise, is that even enough to be worth checking with them about?

 

Yes. They have you as a player in the system.

[Tutontow]

So if one were to play blackjack at the table minimum for 1 to 2 hours an evening on a cruise, is that even enough to be worth checking with them about?

 

It is always worth checking with them. The worst that can happen is they say no. Just make sure you always get rated. I can't tell you how many times I didn't bother getting rated and then I get on a roll and wind up spending the better part of a sea day in the casino. Never again.

[Beach Life 1]

All of that being said I did just call to book with a CAS offer, and the price to upgrade for a 9 night cruise to Norway was 900 dollars from an inside to a balcony. The price to upgrade for a 11 night to Norway a week earlier was $700. The comped cruise with an offer for 9 nights ended up being more expensive than the 11 night no offer cruise (comped based on play when I called.) I put off booking for today. Maybe I will try tomorrow... Maybe tomorrow I will book an inside and wait until closer to the cruise date to see what they can offer for an upgrade.

When you call again, ask them about the CAS promotions. I believe they were offering to pay DSC or Port charges/taxes (I can't recall which one they would pay) for cruises 9 days or less. I don't know if they are still offering that. That may be why the 9 day cruise was more money (because they were going to pay the extra charges), so they charge you more for the cruise, because they are going to pay the extra charges.

[Nelsj099]

That was the offer I was using. Maybe that is it.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[sjbdtz]

Coming back to the Average Daily Theo, each game has an expected house edge.

 

 

Let's use two table games as comparisons:

 

 

The house edge in Three Card Poker is 3.37% on the Ante and 7.28% on the Pairplus. Let's assume the player bets both equally, for an average house edge of 5.325%.

Let It Ride, has a house edge of 3.71%

https://wizardofodds.com/gambling/house-edge/

3 card poker is also a slightly faster game, as there is one fewer round of player interaction per hand. So if TCP plays 45 hands/hour, I'd estimate that LIR would be around 40.

Our player plays $100 / hand, on each game, and plays for 2 hours per day.

So the theoretical loss is the House Edge for the game, x the amount of time played x the number of hands per hour x the amount bet.

TCP: 0.05325 x 2hrs x 45 hands x $100 = $479.25 in theoretical losses.

LIR: 0.0371 x 2 hrs x 40 hands x $100 = $296.80 in theoretical losses.

So you'd need 2 hrs / day for 5 days at $100/hand on TCP to hit the $2500 loss level. Or 4 hours at $50, etc.

 

 

That's how it was explained to me. The same applies to slot machines. Some are looser than others - the casino knows the payout % (sometimes its even posted), and applies the same calculations.

 

Stephen

 

.

[robmac330]

It is always worth checking with them. The worst that can happen is they say no. Just make sure you always get rated. I can't tell you how many times I didn't bother getting rated and then I get on a roll and wind up spending the better part of a sea day in the casino. Never again.

 

Is getting rated just making sure to give them your Player's Club card when you buy in?

 

Also, in a game with a low house edge like Craps (I play a Pass Line with max Odds and usually place the 6 and 8) going to yield a significantly lower rating if I'm only playing an hour or two a night?