Blue Chip Club bookings - No service charge on room charge of chips?

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

It's been several years since I sailed on a Blue Chip Club offer. Can anyone chime in as to if people booked through them are subjected to the service charge when buying chips at the table? (What is it now... 3%... 5% otherwise?)

 

THANKS,

 

Tom

[CalTexCruiser]

I was told in the casino that you will not be charged if EITHER of the following 2 conditions is true:

 

1) you are Onyx tier or higher; OR

 

2) you are staying in a suite.

 

You should confirm before purchasing though--they are pretty upfront about it.

 

I don't recall the percentage charge as I wasn't charged.  Worked out great since I get 3% back in points on my Chase Sapphire Reserve. 

 

I should have purchased the chips and then cashed out immediately and would have been up 3% guaranteed.  But then what's the fun in that?

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

3 minutes ago, CalTexCruiser said:

I was told in the casino that you will not be charged if EITHER of the following 2 conditions is true:

 

1) you are Onyx tier or higher; OR

 

2) you are staying in a suite.

 

You should confirm before purchasing though--they are pretty upfront about it.

 

I don't recall the percentage charge as I wasn't charged.  Worked out great since I get 3% back in points on my Chase Sapphire Reserve. 

 

I should have purchased the chips and then cashed out immediately and would have been up 3% guaranteed.  But then what's the fun in that?

 

Does that 3% in points equate to 3% cash back? I have two different cards at 2% cash (Citi Double Cash and Cap One Spark Business). 3% would be great!

 

We're in a suite, so if they waive it - great. But, I'll ask. 🙂

 

Tom

[CalTexCruiser]

Yes, 3% cash back if I elected to cash out the points.

 

But I never do, because if I use CSR for travel such as to book hotels, flights, etc., I get a 1.5x kicker so it becomes a 4.5% money back value.  

 

 

[omeinv]

The fee to charge chips (or slot credit) to your onboard account is 5%.  If you're onyx or above they waive it, which is nice.  I think the waiving the fee for other's, including suite guests, is on a case-by-case basis.  I've been able to see the pit boss's screen from time to time, and on some cruises there are standing instructions for no fee waiving, while on other's I've seen them grant the request when asked. 

 

Harris

Denver, CO

[JFontaine]

I think the waiving the fee for suite guests is for high-end suites.  The casino cashier has a list.  Previously you could not do this if you still had unused OBC. P

 

I emailed Blue Chip twice in the last month to inquire if this is still the case for Sapphire and above. No response. 

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

58 minutes ago, JFontaine said:

I think the waiving the fee for suite guests is for high-end suites.  The casino cashier has a list.  Previously you could not do this if you still had unused OBC. P

 

I emailed Blue Chip twice in the last month to inquire if this is still the case for Sapphire and above. No response. 

 

Funny - I've emailed them twice as well over the last few weeks regarding this question, and - crickets...

 

We're in a RS, I know that kicks in the other perks over the SS and CS levels - so not sure if that will do the trick.

 

It's rather funny -  but in the past, on sailings where fees were assessed, I was told something along the lines of "you are aware, there is a x% fee for this?", and I tell them "that's ok, I was planning on losing 100% anyway, so what's 103%? !!!"

 

Tom

[JFontaine]

22 minutes ago, Tom-n-Cheryl said:

 

Funny - I've emailed them twice as well over the last few weeks regarding this question, and - crickets...

 

We're in a RS, I know that kicks in the other perks over the SS and CS levels - so not sure if that will do the trick.

 

It's rather funny -  but in the past, on sailings where fees were assessed, I was told something along the lines of "you are aware, there is a x% fee for this?", and I tell them "that's ok, I was planning on losing 100% anyway, so what's 103%? !!!"

 

Tom

Tom - Historically it has been RS and above. 

[kwokpot]

Celebrity now has the Ability to charge your shipboard account for casino cash right at the slot machine and there's no fee to do this since it's just being processed as an onboard charge. The great thing about this is if you use a credit card which gives bonus credit to travel related charges ( Chase Sapphire Reserve gives 3x points for Travel related charges) you can make out like a bandit. For example if you're a larger gambler and charge $3,000 for casino play to your onboard account you'll earn 9,000 points for that. Table games you should be able to buy chips by handing them your room card and they'll charge your onboard account for the chips.

Edited February 16, 2022 by kwokpot

[kwokpot]

This is how your room bill will look like with the casino advances from the slot machines.

 

[NutsAboutGolf]

3 hours ago, CalTexCruiser said:

Yes, 3% cash back if I elected to cash out the points.

 

But I never do, because if I use CSR for travel such as to book hotels, flights, etc., I get a 1.5x kicker so it becomes a 4.5% money back value.  

 

 

 Can I just ask how you got the “kicker”?

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

14 minutes ago, kwokpot said:

This is how your room bill will look like with the casino advances from the slot machines.

 

 

You managed to keep it in the 4-digit range, that's always a good sign !!  🙂

 

Tom

[kwokpot]

8 minutes ago, Tom-n-Cheryl said:

 

You managed to keep it in the 4-digit range, that's always a good sign !!  🙂

 

Tom

As I've explained in other threads and as the bill clearly shows, my husband is the gambler. I reap the benefits. While he's in the casino I'm on the pool deck,or at the gym and/or spa.

[JFontaine]

1 hour ago, kwokpot said:

As I've explained in other threads and as the bill clearly shows, my husband is the gambler. I reap the benefits. While he's in the casino I'm on the pool deck,or at the gym and/or spa.

With that level of play, specialty restaurants/spa/some on board shopping should be coming your way, based on our experience.   

[CalTexCruiser]

1 hour ago, NutsAboutGolf said:

 Can I just ask how you got the “kicker”?

If you use the Ultimate Rewards portal of the Chase Sapphire Reserve account to book travel, whatever points you use the book is multiplied by 1.5.

 

 

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

I decided that the Chase card being discussed here would be a win for me (certainly for travel/dining expenses). I have a long track record with Chase and one of my mortgages is through them. I applied last night and was greeted with "this will take a little longer ... someone will contact you". I then realized that I didn't get a credit bureau inquiry alert as is normally the case from Experian. I THEN realized that's because I have my file frozen at the big 3, so the automated process was halted. Now I've gone and done it - probably won't have that card for our 2/26 sailing, and I was already counting that extra 1% as $ in the bank, LOL.

 

Tom

[NutsAboutGolf]

10 hours ago, CalTexCruiser said:

If you use the Ultimate Rewards portal of the Chase Sapphire Reserve account to book travel, whatever points you use the book is multiplied by 1.5.

 

 

 

Thanks, haven't used the portal as I always transfer my points to partners when there are favorable redemptions.  If one has flexibility, they can score some fantastic long haul airfare redemptions.  Yet an fairly easy way to get double the value out of UR points, if you can find a Hyatt hotel charging a disproportionately low amount of points compared to the cash price then you transfer UR points to Hyatt points.

 

Here's one Hyatt hotel example you can save around $338 as you won't need to pay for taxes or fees including resort fees.  If we value UR points at 2 cents a piece.  So you'd transfer 18000 UR points to Hyatt points which at 2 cents per UR point is $360 in UR points value to pay for $688 room.

 

 

 

 

 

[mfs2k]

Anyone know if Blue Chip Club tier matches?  I'm MGM Rewards Gold which gives me Hyatt Explorist and Caesars Diamond. Is there a benefit to Blue Chip Club?  I've gotten emails from them so I may already be a member from prior cruises, but I undoubtedly are at their lowest tier because I dont cruise every year. 

[mfs2k]

6 minutes ago, mfs2k said:

Anyone know if Blue Chip Club tier matches?  I'm MGM Rewards Gold which gives me Hyatt Explorist and Caesars Diamond. Is there a benefit to Blue Chip Club?  I've gotten emails from them so I may already be a member from prior cruises, but I undoubtedly are at their lowest tier because I dont cruise every year. 

Actually, I just found this.  I booked my upcoming cruise via the MGM Rewards Celebrity booking number, and got a sizable discount and the OBC.  Now I see I also will have the SeaPass Cash Advance Fee waived which is a good benefit.  I assume this means I don't have to bring cash with me to gamble with and I can earn points by charging the room folio balance at the end of the cruise. 

[NutsAboutGolf]

7 minutes ago, mfs2k said:

Anyone know if Blue Chip Club tier matches?  I'm MGM Rewards Gold which gives me Hyatt Explorist and Caesars Diamond. Is there a benefit to Blue Chip Club?  I've gotten emails from them so I may already be a member from prior cruises, but I undoubtedly are at their lowest tier because I dont cruise every year. 

 

No.  MGM Rewards will match to the Capts Club.  Furthermore once one links their MGM to Celebrity, their MGM quarterly play may translate to free quarterly cruise offers

[NutsAboutGolf]

2 minutes ago, mfs2k said:

Actually, I just found this.  I booked my upcoming cruise via the MGM Rewards Celebrity booking number, and got a sizable discount and the OBC.  Now I see I also will have the SeaPass Cash Advance Fee waived which is a good benefit.  I assume this means I don't have to bring cash with me to gamble with and I can earn points by charging the room folio balance at the end of the cruise. 

 

This exists however there used to be a loophole where you could double dip with MGM benefits and BCC benefits, now you have to pick one or the other.  

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

I used to enjoy the "automatic" MGM Platinum status from my Elite/Plus CC tier. If nothing else, it was handy for skipping some long taxi lines - and the easy 20% off when I decided we needed an Aria mattress at home! Now I think it just gets you a Gold MGM card.

 

Tom

[josh1324342]

2 hours ago, NutsAboutGolf said:

 

No.  MGM Rewards will match to the Capts Club.  Furthermore once one links their MGM to Celebrity, their MGM quarterly play may translate to free quarterly cruise offers

How do you go about linking your MGM to Celebrity?

[NutsAboutGolf]

1 minute ago, josh1324342 said:

How do you go about linking your MGM to Celebrity?

 

Have your MGM number ready and call below, note, I just got off the phone with them, took 90mins to get someone yet most likely that was because people took the day off due to the holiday.

 

[kwokpot]

3 hours ago, NutsAboutGolf said:

 

Thanks, haven't used the portal as I always transfer my points to partners when there are favorable redemptions.  If one has flexibility, they can score some fantastic long haul airfare redemptions.  Yet an fairly easy way to get double the value out of UR points, if you can find a Hyatt hotel charging a disproportionately low amount of points compared to the cash price then you transfer UR points to Hyatt points.

 

Here's one Hyatt hotel example you can save around $338 as you won't need to pay for taxes or fees including resort fees.  If we value UR points at 2 cents a piece.  So you'd transfer 18000 UR points to Hyatt points which at 2 cents per UR point is $360 in UR points value to pay for $688 room.

 

 

 

 

 

I've stayed at that hotel many a time using Hyatt points, especially pre-cruise. It was a steal. Unfortunately starting the end of next  month The Confidante is being revalued as a Tier 5 property,the same as the Hyatt Centric South Beach,which I also stay often on points  if I specifically want to be in South Beach.