Charging to cabin for cash?

[P.A.]

So instead of having to travel with a lot of cash, was thinking about just getting cash in the casino and charging it to our shipboard account but was told by RCL there would be a 5% charge for this.

 

What's your experience with this and wondering if there are ways to go around this charge? 

 

Thanks in advance. 🙂

[seasidemama]

On 9/11/2019 at 2:09 PM, P.A. said:

So instead of having to travel with a lot of cash, was thinking about just getting cash in the casino and charging it to our shipboard account but was told by RCL there would be a 5% charge for this.

 

What's your experience with this and wondering if there are ways to go around this charge? 

 

Thanks in advance. 🙂

 

If you play in the casino, once you hit 2500 points/prime tier the fee is waived.

[tompeter]

We always buy casino credits in advance of boarding and use/collect cash on the ship. My guess would be RC does this. Look at the offers listed with your check in info....

[msmayor]

We're sailing on HAL next month and thru Casino at Sea have applied for casino credit - which I believe is just like a marker on a land-based casino.

 

We had to provide bank account information (just like our marker application for Mandalay Bay) as part of the application.  We should be able to go to the tables or cashier and pull funds against our line, and then settle up at the end of the cruise with either a check from the account(s) or cash.  I suspect though that the signature on the marker whenever we pull cash out will be just like in Vegas where we are signing a 'check' that the casino can automatically cash if we do not pay the line back before disembarking.

[soflalaw]

On 9/13/2019 at 11:52 PM, seasidemama said:

 

If you play in the casino, once you hit 2500 points/prime tier the fee is waived.

Hello seasidemama!

 

I am curious about getting cash against my Seapass. I have been procurring casino credit for each of the cruises I have booked thus far this year, including the Navigator this weekend.

 

Amongst my credit cards, I have AMEX Platinum, Chase Visa (no foreign transaction fees) and Bank of America MasterCards. They all provide points for transactions, but I know that the BofA MasterCard allowed me to elect a grouping of transactions for which I earn triple points.

 

If I use my BofA MC for charges against our cabin, and get cash against it, will those charges likely show up on my RCCL charges on my monthly statement as Travelling? If so, I can get triple points for those charges, including cash advances in the casino to the Seapass card.

 

I eagerly await your response (hoping you know), or anyone else with knowledge of the interaction of RCCL cash advances in the casino and BofA MC points accrual programs.

[seasidemama]

3 hours ago, soflalaw said:

Hello seasidemama!

 

I am curious about getting cash against my Seapass. I have been procurring casino credit for each of the cruises I have booked thus far this year, including the Navigator this weekend.

 

Amongst my credit cards, I have AMEX Platinum, Chase Visa (no foreign transaction fees) and Bank of America MasterCards. They all provide points for transactions, but I know that the BofA MasterCard allowed me to elect a grouping of transactions for which I earn triple points.

 

If I use my BofA MC for charges against our cabin, and get cash against it, will those charges likely show up on my RCCL charges on my monthly statement as Travelling? If so, I can get triple points for those charges, including cash advances in the casino to the Seapass card.

 

I eagerly await your response (hoping you know), or anyone else with knowledge of the interaction of RCCL cash advances in the casino and BofA MC points accrual programs.

Hi Soflalaw, from what I understand, charges appear as a regular sale from rccl. They are not designated as cash advances. Credit card points are accrued based on your account agreement on straight purchases from rccl.

[SoFlaAtty]

Apologies, but my account was affected, so had to create this one. Same South Florida Attorney. Just a name change.

[BirdTravels]

On 9/20/2019 at 7:09 AM, SoFlaAtty said:

Apologies, but my account was affected, so had to create this one. Same South Florida Attorney. Just a name change.

So, you can earn triple points, but unless you are an upper tier casino player, you pay a 5% service charge to advance against your sea pass. So, if you advance $1000, you pay $50 for your 3000 points.  

[SoFlaAtty]

3 hours ago, BirdTravels said:

So, you can earn triple points, but unless you are an upper tier casino player, you pay a 5% service charge to advance against your sea pass. So, if you advance $1000, you pay $50 for your 3000 points.  

BirdTravels, both my wife and I have Prime status, so no charge from Club Royale nor RCCL for cash charges in slot machines to the room. Simply have to remain aware that there were charges which will come due when credit card bill arrives.

 

Beyond that, getting triple points on those charges help defray some of the costs incurred playing and using the credit card for source of funds for playing in the casino.

[cb at sea]

We simply bring the cash we want to gamble with.  Large bills are not hard to carry...no sense in paying to get gambling money....that's a loss right off the bat!

[SoFlaAtty]

44 minutes ago, cb at sea said:

We simply bring the cash we want to gamble with.  Large bills are not hard to carry...no sense in paying to get gambling money....that's a loss right off the bat!

Yes. However, if you use your linked credit card, and can get cash by charging to your room, with NO fee, and get triple points on your credit card, that’s a 3% win before you make any bet.

[OHCruisinDad]

On 9/30/2019 at 8:31 AM, cb at sea said:

We simply bring the cash we want to gamble with.  Large bills are not hard to carry...no sense in paying to get gambling money....that's a loss right off the bat!

 

As long as you are prime or higher the SeaPass cash advance in the casino is waived.  Give the table dealer your card and the amount you want and the pit boss will run it and you sign a charge slip just like for everything else on the ship.  If you want slot money, go to the cage and they will issue you play vouchers in the value of the advance you requested.  I let those charges go to my my SeaPass account and it is then automatically billed at the end of the cruise to my Bank of America Royal Caribbean Visa where I get double pints that I redeem for OBC. (Usually $250 to $500 per redemption).

[SoFlaAtty]

OHCruisinDad,

 

Using your BofA Visa Card, do you get charged a balance transfer fee when converting points to OBC? Other purchases or cash-outs?

 

i have BofA rewards cards for business, and interested in maximizing my points/rewards.

 

Being Prime with RCCL’s Club Royale program, I can charge money for slot machines or chips for table games, without RCCL’s 5% fee, as a room charge. I believe that will earn credit card points as a travel purchase, but just getting off Symphony OTS, so will not know definitively until my next statement issued.

 

Appreciate your feedback, as I want to maximize my opportunities with my BofA accounts.

[OHCruisinDad]

17 hours ago, SoFlaAtty said:

OHCruisinDad,

 

Using your BofA Visa Card, do you get charged a balance transfer fee when converting points to OBC? Other purchases or cash-outs?

 

i have BofA rewards cards for business, and interested in maximizing my points/rewards.

 

Being Prime with RCCL’s Club Royale program, I can charge money for slot machines or chips for table games, without RCCL’s 5% fee, as a room charge. I believe that will earn credit card points as a travel purchase, but just getting off Symphony OTS, so will not know definitively until my next statement issued.

 

Appreciate your feedback, as I want to maximize my opportunities with my BofA accounts.

 

There is no charge to redeem the points from my BofA Royal Caribbean Visa card.  There is a redemption process where you select the OBC amounts along with the cruise details where you want the credit. Start by logging into your BofA online account and click on "View MyCruise Points".  This takes you to a page where there is a tab to click to redeem points.  I pasted a screen shot of that page below.  If you decide to get the card, be sure you get a good sign-up point bonus (at least 40,000 points).

 

[SoFlaAtty]

OHCruisinDad,

 

Thank you. Did you sign up for your BofA RCCL Visa (and perhaps MC) credit card in person or online, at a BofA branch office, or onboard a RCCL cruise ship?

 

Any recollection as to when you saw BoFA and/or RCCL during the course of a year offer the best sign up bonus points?

Edited October 6, 2019 by SoFlaAtty

[OHCruisinDad]

On 10/6/2019 at 2:35 AM, SoFlaAtty said:

OHCruisinDad,

 

Thank you. Did you sign up for your BofA RCCL Visa (and perhaps MC) credit card in person or online, at a BofA branch office, or onboard a RCCL cruise ship?

 

Any recollection as to when you saw BoFA and/or RCCL during the course of a year offer the best sign up bonus points?

 

If I recall correctly, I signed up at Next Cruise while onboard as I was booking and they had a 40,000 point bonus if I recall correctly.  

[msmayor]

On 9/14/2019 at 12:58 PM, msmayor said:

We're sailing on HAL next month and thru Casino at Sea have applied for casino credit - which I believe is just like a marker on a land-based casino.

 

We had to provide bank account information (just like our marker application for Mandalay Bay) as part of the application.  We should be able to go to the tables or cashier and pull funds against our line, and then settle up at the end of the cruise with either a check from the account(s) or cash.  I suspect though that the signature on the marker whenever we pull cash out will be just like in Vegas where we are signing a 'check' that the casino can automatically cash if we do not pay the line back before disembarking.

 

Well, like clockwork our approval for our casino credit line was received.  All we need to do is go to the cashier cage to arrange for the marker set up, and the Casino Host can answer any questions we might have.

 

Will be nice not to have to bring a lot of cash with us or pay any advance fees.

[P.A.]

Requesting a charge directly to the slot machine on our RCCL worked perfectly. No fees and it was quick and then you can just cash out. 👍

[Luke gs Daddy]

On 10/10/2019 at 1:13 PM, P.A. said:

Requesting a charge directly to the slot machine on our RCCL worked perfectly. No fees and it was quick and then you can just cash out. 👍

This was just recently? We leave Sunday. Is there anymore to it?

 

Thanks

[Luke gs Daddy]

See above 

[P.A.]

59 minutes ago, Luke gs Daddy said:

This was just recently? We leave Sunday. Is there anymore to it?

 

Thanks

 

Yes we just got off Anthem of the Seas Oct 5th. So easy

[SoFlaAtty]

1 hour ago, Luke gs Daddy said:

This was just recently? We leave Sunday. Is there anymore to it?

 

Thanks

LgsD, if you are looking for an explanation as to how it works, or how to do it, just ask the ship's casino host for help.

 

It is really very simple once you have seem it, and done it once.

[bulldog on water]

On RCL if you are NOT Prime, or have not accrued 2500 points yet and need to get money, do not bill to your room! Use the ATM, the fees are much less than the 5% you will be charged by RCL ( unless you are taking a small amount amount, then 5% will be less!

  

[SoFlaAtty]

Just reached Signature status on RCCL's casino program this past weekend, so I have not had to pay cash transaction fees at casino for a long time (since I became Prime in April 2019).

1.   Initially, I was applying for casino credit in advance of each cruise, and was "graciously" afforded a line of credit on each sailing.

2.   Then, I discovered that I could get cash from the room at no additional charge being Prime.

3.   Later, I discovered that I could charge cash against the room, having a BofA Preferred Rewards credit card, and earn 3% on each transaction, as I designated TRAVEL as my preferred bonus category.

4.   Finally, I have charged cash to the room, knowing the AP play of getting 3% on the back end through my credit card.

 

However, that all being said, I cannot bring myself to allow money to be left on my cruise statement, and find myself going to Guest Services on the cruise ships, paying off whatever has been charged to the room. But, I first have to ensure that I win sufficient funds at blackjack to be able to do that. I guess that's not a bad thing. Just not making 3%, but having piece of mind, probably worth a lot more. Paraphrasing the MasterCard "priceless" campaign commercials:

 

Being Prime, and having $0 casino transaction fees;

Earning 3% credit card reward fees on every casino room charge;

Not having any charges on your cruise statement, priceless.

There's some things you [don't want to] charge, and for that, [you get peace of mind)!!!