Tell Me About NCL "Casinos At Sea"?

[need2cruisesoon]

What is the program?

[chars]

This is when you book your room through the Casino-at Sea department.  

[poohdreaming]

It depends on the port. At NYC port, if you tell them you're booked through the Casino At Sea program, you will be directed to a shorter line to check in.

[BirdTravels]

1 hour ago, need2cruisesoon said:

What is the program?

You can get a casino cruise through a land-based casino (offering you a free cruise certificate) or directly from CAS if you have sailed and gambled on NCL before. 

 

Based on your land-based casino or prior play with CAS, you are offered discounted rooms or comped rooms (inside through Haven).

 

If you play on every cruise, every cruise could be free. On any given cruise, several hundred of your fellow passengers are cruising free through the casino. 

 

Just like a land-based casino, you earn points every time you play a slot machine or table game. Based on your "tier level", the casino on the ship offers you perks (OBC, internet minutes, treats/wine for your room, free drink card). 

Edited November 24, 2018 by BirdTravels

[BirdTravels]

48 minutes ago, poohdreaming said:

It depends on the port. At NYC port, if you tell them you're booked through the Casino At Sea program, you will be directed to a shorter line to check in.

In most embarkation ports, there is a casino check-in line. 

 

In NYC, there is a casino waiting area and and you are escorted on board before or with the Ambassador/Platinum Plus/Platinum members (i.e. before general boarding starts). 

[Sand and Seas]

Which port did you take this picture at?

We book our cruises through Casinos at Sea and are also Platinum Plus with NCL.

In New Orleans earlier this month being with CAS got us through check-in faster than being Platinum Plus.  (We always look at both lines.)  The local NCL employees didn't seem to know what Platinum was, but they definitely had heard that Casino guests should get to some priority check in lines.

 

As for boarding the ship, Platinum Plus (with Ambassador) has us following the Haven group onboard at Miami and Boston since NCL created the new tiers.

[bbnjcruiser]

How much do you actually have to gamble to get a cruise?

[cdnsteelman]

28 minutes ago, bbnjcruiser said:

How much do you actually have to gamble to get a cruise?

https://www.ncl.com/ca/en/why-cruise-norwegian/casino-cruise/players-club

 

The link above will take you the the CAS webpage that describes the tier levels and how points are accumulated.

 

Essentially at Pearl Level (5,000 points in a 12-month evaluation period) you start getting discounts offers. If you play exclusively slots you would have to run $25,000 through the machines @ $5 / point to get 5,000 points. Video poker is $10 / point and table games have a more complex formula based on bet amount and frequency. As a real-life example I earned points exclusively through slots on my last 7 night cruise and my "donation" at the end of the week was ~$2,500 and I had earned about 8,500 points from that.

 

My Pearl-level offers have come in the form of direct CAS mailers on specific sailings. I was offered an Inside Stateroom "free" except for a $20 per person / per day admin fee plus taxes and port fees. My "free" inside cost $400 for a 10 day cruise on the epic for me traveling solo (no single supplement through CAS which is nice). I was able to upgrade to a balcony (still solo) for a further $400.

 

I've recently received some helpful guidance from more experienced CAS cruisers here on CC that I shouldn't feel restricted to those mailers and that I should call on any itinerary in which I have interest to see what kind of an offer CAS will make me.

 

Long story short - CAS is a great perq if you're going to be making casino contributions regardless. Otherwise its an expensive way to get a "free" cruise.

 

Hope this helps

[need2cruisesoon]

11 hours ago, Sand and Seas said:

Which port did you take this picture at?

 

San Pedro (Los Angele)

[Son of a son of a ...]

I was on the Star in the casino and they called my name ... I won 2,000 casino points, which translated to $20 free slot play.  I was able to put another 500+ points on the card, but no way did I have the cash to stay in for another 2,500 points.  It would have been nice to get a bottle of wine or dinner comped, but I realize they need to draw the line somewhere.

[Sunburg1]

Since you are in California you should check with your local casinos and see if the offer this perk. You do NOT have a gamble a lot on the ship. Another advantage is that if you are a CAS passenger you get free drinks in the casino. (A small tip each time seems to speed up service a lot)

[BirdTravels]

21 hours ago, bbnjcruiser said:

How much do you actually have to gamble to get a cruise?

Tier Levels earned by accumulating points and getting a free cruise are totally different. 

 

CAS is looking for consistent play (a couple of hours a day at any denomination) to establish your theoreticals for future cruises. If you play in the casino, consistently, then it never hurts to call CAS and ask them what they can offer you on your next cruise. Any discount or comped room is better than nothing. There are several hundred casino comped rooms on every cruise. 

[fstuff1]

On 11/24/2018 at 2:59 AM, cdnsteelman said:

As a real-life example I earned points exclusively through slots on my last 7 night cruise and my "donation" at the end of the week was ~$2,500 and I had earned about 8,500 points from that.

 

Long story short - CAS is a great perq if you're going to be making casino contributions regardless. Otherwise its an expensive way to get a "free" cruise.

 

Hope this helps

 

you ran really well.

8500 points in slots = 8500 x $5 = $42500 coin-in

 

2500/42500 = 5.9% loss, which is great since im assuming slots on the ship are set to the minimum return of 87%.

that equates to a 13% loss for the player 

Edited November 25, 2018 by fstuff1

[cdnsteelman]

4 hours ago, fstuff1 said:

you ran really well.

Indeed - far better than on previous cruises... one biggish win made the losses more manageable. My preset $2,500 limit would typically get me about ~4,000 points so that aligns with your math. But I think what's most relevant for this thread is that CAS discounts aren't a loophole to cheap cruising unless you enjoy and frequent the casino otherwise, then it's just like any other Vegas-style comp meant to make you feel special to earn your loyalty and keep you coming back. As they say, the house ALWAYS wins!

[K_e_short]

I apologize for jumping into this thread.

I am cruising in July through a CAS offer through a land casino.

Do I get to go in the shorter line? Any other perks? I'm cruising out of Vancouver.

TIA

 

Edited November 25, 2018 by K_e_short

[Nola26]

On 11/25/2018 at 10:35 AM, K_e_short said:

I apologize for jumping into this thread.

I am cruising in July through a CAS offer through a land casino.

Do I get to go in the shorter line? Any other perks? I'm cruising out of Vancouver.

TIA

 

You can check in through the Casinos at Sea line in the terminal. You will have a drink card waiting for you in your cabin. It is good for beverages and bottled water in the casino. 

Edited January 16, 2019 by Nola26

[markf]

Curious , I booked  thru CAS but upgraded to a full suite.

I assume  the  Suite  line is  a better place to check in in NYC--any  thoguhts?

[tokidoki]

Just wondering which land based casinos offer free cruises? Here in nyc, neither casino does? Thx

[goldmom]

1 hour ago, markf said:

Curious , I booked  thru CAS but upgraded to a full suite.

I assume  the  Suite  line is  a better place to check in in NYC--any  thoguhts?

Yes, as long as you're in a full suite then check in at that line.  Tell the person checking people into the line that you're Haven check-in (even if your suite isn't Haven).  The check-in people often don't understand "suite" but do know "Haven".

[MamaLady76]

55 minutes ago, tokidoki said:

Just wondering which land based casinos offer free cruises? Here in nyc, neither casino does? Thx

We received ours through Ocean Resort in AC.  Tropicana there also does cruises.

[deefer]

8 hours ago, tokidoki said:

Just wondering which land based casinos offer free cruises? Here in nyc, neither casino does? Thx

 

We were introduced to NCL/CAS through Foxwoods in CT...about a 2 hr drove from NYC.   

[Sand and Seas]

8 hours ago, tokidoki said:

Just wondering which land based casinos offer free cruises? Here in nyc, neither casino does? Thx

Caesar's casinos (includes Harrah's, Bally's, Rio, Planet Hollywood, etc) in Las Vegas and New Orleans Harrah's offer cruise certificates.  

If you reach SevenStar status with Caesar's group you get one free cruise automatically that you call NCL CAS to book.  

They also send all levels of players offers depending on your play with their casinos.  For those offers you have to be given an invitation to visit the casino to pick up your cruise certificate.

[BirdTravels]

11 hours ago, markf said:

Curious , I booked  thru CAS but upgraded to a full suite.

I assume  the  Suite  line is  a better place to check in in NYC--any  thoguhts?

Go to the Suites check-in. It is toward the back of the terminal (you need to pass the first check-in area, but stop before the second). You will get expedited check in. But more importantly, you will be escorted onto the ship first by the butler staff from the suites waiting area (in and around the check-in room). 

[pinklucky61]

how do you check points? just came back from cruise 2 weeks ago. btw-received cruise through hardrock in biloxi, ms.

i've also gotten cruises from imperial palace, but those were carnival.

[Love my butler]

It's a giant rip off.  The casino on NCL ships are not regulated so the house has a huge edge compared to Vegas or AC.  You can earn comps but they are peanuts compared to what you will lose to the house.  Lots of people come to these boards and claim to win big, but don't believe them for a second.  CAS is just a faster way for NCL to take your money.   For your convenience of course.