Free Cruise Casino Offer

[VTcruisenut]

Has anyone else received a letter from HAL offering a free cruise and other deals for past casino players?  I got one today, 5 days after we made our final payment - so now there is a cancellation penalty.  My sister got a letter in November, her cruise leaves next Saturday.  We booked in April 2018, and made the final payment December 30th.  There are 7 cruises offered for free ( you pay port fees and taxes) and another 7 or 8 at a severely discounted price.  This leaves quite a sour taste for me, as we are loyal HAL passengers.    

[OVgirl]

I don't understand. You don't want to book the free cruise?

[510picker]

I received an email back in December with a free offer and yesterday received another offer in the mail. Unfortunately we can’t book right now due to my father-in-law dealing with terminal cancer. 

[OVgirl]

Are those actually from HAL or from the casino people?

[DaveOKC]

I understand that those free casino offers go VERY fast, so jump on it if interested.

[msmayor]

37 minutes ago, VTcruisenut said:

Has anyone else received a letter from HAL offering a free cruise and other deals for past casino players?  I got one today, 5 days after we made our final payment - so now there is a cancellation penalty.  My sister got a letter in November, her cruise leaves next Saturday.  We booked in April 2018, and made the final payment December 30th.  There are 7 cruises offered for free ( you pay port fees and taxes) and another 7 or 8 at a severely discounted price.  This leaves quite a sour taste for me, as we are loyal HAL passengers.    

 

The free cruise offers for casino players are almost always last-minute deals, after final payment.  They are not always offered on every itinerary and it's always possible that the cruise you booked wouldn't be available.

 

They are designed for people who can cruise last minute and take whatever rooms are left.  

[VTcruisenut]

23 minutes ago, msmayor said:

 

The free cruise offers for casino players are almost always last-minute deals, after final payment.  They are not always offered on every itinerary and it's always possible that the cruise you booked wouldn't be available.

 

They are designed for people who can cruise last minute and take whatever rooms are left.  

still leaves a sour note in my song!

[OlsSalt]

4 minutes ago, VTcruisenut said:

still leaves a sour note in my song!

 

Sounds like you should be mad at the casino people; not HAL.  But I would also be mad at myself if the casino people thought they could still make money their money back offering me a free cruise. 

Edited January 5, 2019 by OlsSalt

[VTcruisenut]

48 minutes ago, OVgirl said:

I don't understand. You don't want to book the free cruise?

we are already booked for one in March- can't take another week off.  I've been paying for ours for months!

[VTcruisenut]

45 minutes ago, OVgirl said:

Are those actually from HAL or from the casino people?

Everything is marked HAL- no other company.  those that think the casino is run by a different company are misguided I think.  It's all the same.  Unless the casino vendor pays HAL for the marketing ploy.

[VTcruisenut]

2 minutes ago, OlsSalt said:

 

Sounds like you should be mad at the casino people; not HAL. 

not mad, still grateful we can take the cruise we have planned, but it's a bit like buying a car and driving it of the lot and then the next day finding out it is $5,000 less!

[charterchick]

Is the cruise that you booked on the list? If it is then I can see why you would be upset. I booked my first offer in September for a 1/13 sailing, so I'm going to see what it is all about. The list that I was sent was not all last minute but seem to be either cruises with several days at sea or not real popular destinations. I think the marketing is to get people onboard that will spend time in the casinos. 

[VTcruisenut]

17 minutes ago, charterchick said:

Is the cruise that you booked on the list? If it is then I can see why you would be upset. I booked my first offer in September for a 1/13 sailing, so I'm going to see what it is all about. The list that I was sent was not all last minute but seem to be either cruises with several days at sea or not real popular destinations. I think the marketing is to get people onboard that will spend time in the casinos. 

that makes sense!  if we weren't stuck on the date we have, it would't be an issue at all.  and no, our sailing isn't in the offerings.   We are traveling with 2 other couples, so the date is firm.

 

[kazu]

24 minutes ago, VTcruisenut said:

that makes sense!  if we weren't stuck on the date we have, it would't be an issue at all.  and no, our sailing isn't in the offerings.   We are traveling with 2 other couples, so the date is firm.

 

 

If I may, I think you are making a mountain out of a molehill.  I have had those offers and I can't take them between the timing (winter here - who knows if the puddle hopper can connect us) and arrangements for the dogs, etc.

 

They are all last minute deals and if you can grab one, great.  It's nice that you got the offer 😉 don't let that put a bad / sour taste in your mouth. No one knows your plans when these offers come out.

 

Go and enjoy your cruise - whichever one you opt for 😉 😄 

[510picker]

1 hour ago, msmayor said:

 

The free cruise offers for casino players are almost always last-minute deals, after final payment.  They are not always offered on every itinerary and it's always possible that the cruise you booked wouldn't be available.

 

They are designed for people who can cruise last minute and take whatever rooms are left.  

 

This isn’t always the case. The free offer email I received on November 30th had a list of cruises to choose from in January, February and March.

 

[richwmn]

1 hour ago, VTcruisenut said:

Everything is marked HAL- no other company.  those that think the casino is run by a different company are misguided I think.  It's all the same.  Unless the casino vendor pays HAL for the marketing ploy.

The Casinos are run by a separate division of Carnival Corp which runs all the casinos on all the Corp brands and would be able to use the HAL name for marketing.

 

see https://oceanplayersclub.com/

 

Edited January 6, 2019 by richwmn

[VTcruisenut]

7 minutes ago, 510picker said:

 

This isn’t always the case. The free offer email I received on November 30th had a list of cruises to choose from in January, February and March.

 

right same with this offer, and not just Caribbean, those just happened to be what we were interested in.   hubby says he saw somewhere that the cruise companies are really competing for customers this year and that may be why the offers are coming out so frequently.  AGain, we are just grateful we are cruising, and since it is all paid for (finally!)  it's all good.

[CineGraphic]

I never thought that I'd live to see the day when someone would gripe about a free cruise offer.

Edited January 6, 2019 by CineGraphic

[VTcruisenut]

40 minutes ago, CineGraphic said:

I never thought that I'd live to see the day when someone would gripe about a free cruise offer.

you mis understood  my post entirely!  not griping, asking for others experiences, and just wishing we had received the offer 5 days sooner.  It's never a bad thing to save money!  and if you had an opportunity to do so, wouldn't  you take it?   sometimes this site really is nit-picky.  Now I understand why it seems participation is down and people are on Facebook pages instead.  

[OVgirl]

Since you have just received this offer, hopefully it means you might get more offers in the future.

Hope it works out the next time.

 

 

[sebring retiree]

We have received usually 2 letters per year. In our experience, most of the cruises are months in the future, giving plenty of time to plan. I think that is coincidental that you received a letter after your final payment. We have used these offers several times both in suites and verandas for next to nothing. Recently had to cancel a 11 day cuban cruise due to illness. Leaving on 7 day oceanview cabin in February, western carribean (niew Statendam)  for $ 492 total for both of us. Inside was free except for port fees and taxes

($147 each) Our ocean view was $99 pp plus taxes. They are casino offers, so you have to gamble to get on the lists.

Edited January 6, 2019 by sebring retiree

[CineGraphic]

21 minutes ago, VTcruisenut said:

you mis understood  my post entirely!  not griping, asking for others experiences, and just wishing we had received the offer 5 days sooner.  It's never a bad thing to save money!  and if you had an opportunity to do so, wouldn't  you take it?   sometimes this site really is nit-picky.  Now I understand why it seems participation is down and people are on Facebook pages instead.  

All I see you asking is if anyone else has received an offer,  not asking for other's experiences, and then you go on to say that it leaves a sour taste in your mouth. If that's being nit-picky, so be it. Enjoy your cruise.

Edited January 6, 2019 by CineGraphic

[notladjr]

4 hours ago, msmayor said:

 

The free cruise offers for casino players are almost always last-minute deals, after final payment.  They are not always offered on every itinerary and it's always possible that the cruise you booked wouldn't be available.

 

They are designed for people who can cruise last minute and take whatever rooms are left.  

The casino offer emailed to me in December was not for last minute cruises. They started a few weeks away but the one I booked is for April and there were others with dates even further out.

[VTcruisenut]

I apologize if my post has offended anyone, that was not my intent.  But truthfully, is $958 chump change for anyone?   Wouldn't you feel a bit put out if you found out you could have saved $958 only 5 days earlier?  It's a bit like making a major purchase one day and finding out the item is drastically on sale the next!   Again, I'm sorry if you  missed my point.  The thing about free speech is we all have the right to voice our opinions  Yours doesn't have to agree with mine or mine with yours.  I will enjoy the cruise we have booked with our friends, it is a blessing!  I hope all of you can embark on yours soon or in the near future plan one!  Have a great day and above all, be grateful.

[travelnap]

13 hours ago, VTcruisenut said:

you mis understood  my post entirely!  not griping, asking for others experiences, and just wishing we had received the offer 5 days sooner.  It's never a bad thing to save money!  and if you had an opportunity to do so, wouldn't  you take it?   sometimes this site really is nit-picky.  Now I understand why it seems participation is down and people are on Facebook pages instead.  

Through the years I have received multiple casino cruise offers from HAL.  Sometimes they have worked out good and then I took them.  Other times the offers didn't work because I couldn't travel at that time.  The last offer I got last year was a week after I had just booked a cruise with another line, so I was not able to utilize the free or reduced offer from HAL.  As others have stated, maybe in the future it will work out for you to take advantage of the offers.  I usually get three or four of these offers a year so it is kind of hit and miss.  Enjoy your cruise.