d9704011 Posted July 27, 2022 #101 Share Posted July 27, 2022 2 minutes ago, KBC73 said: Is it possible to book two cruises that are back to back? I am looking at the Zaandam on Sep 10 and Sep 17. We just did it in June but the deal is great and we have the time. Sure, just offer money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveOKC Posted July 27, 2022 Author #102 Share Posted July 27, 2022 13 hours ago, IamHungry said: I am new to Casino offer and got an email just like you guys. Got some questions...... 1.If I don't book any of these cruise will casino offer stop? 2. If I book one or more of these cruises and not playing at Casino, will casino offer stop as well? 3. Also do we know how much $$$ we have to spend for HAL to send out casino offer? Thanks! 1. You will still get offers - no one can take every offer HAL sends out. SOmetimes they even overlap. 2. Yes they will stop, but no one knows the requirements for this. 3. No one can answer this - it depends on how bad HAL wants to fill the ship I expect, so once demand catches up for them I think we will be getting fewer and fewer offers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kangforpres Posted July 27, 2022 #103 Share Posted July 27, 2022 (edited) 15 hours ago, IamHungry said: I am new to Casino offer and got an email just like you guys. Got some questions...... 1.If I don't book any of these cruise will casino offer stop? 2. If I book one or more of these cruises and not playing at Casino, will casino offer stop as well? 3. Also do we know how much $$$ we have to spend for HAL to send out casino offer? Thanks! The Club 21 algorithm is a mystery to all of us. Some people get great offers after just one cruise, some sail multiple times and never get offers. Logically it would seem you should play some on a casino offer cruise so the offers keep coming. Just think of it as a roll of the dice. Edited July 27, 2022 by kangforpres Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveOKC Posted July 27, 2022 Author #104 Share Posted July 27, 2022 1 hour ago, kangforpres said: The Club 21 algorithm is a mystery to all of us. Some people get great offers after just one cruise, some sail multiple times and never get offers. Logically it would seem you should play some on a casino offer cruise so the offers keep coming. Just think of it as a roll of the dice. I agree - give them some play or offers will disappear. I used to get discounted offers but after I reduced my play they stopped. My DW has played a moderate amount and gets free cabins now. The casino deals have saved us thousands on each cruise while she has never lost more than $300 on any cruise and sometimes even comes home ahead. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alabaster Cruiser Posted July 27, 2022 #105 Share Posted July 27, 2022 Thank you OP. I just booked a cruise that was not on my "list" of free oceanviews. It's on it now! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IamHungry Posted July 27, 2022 #106 Share Posted July 27, 2022 8 hours ago, kangforpres said: The Club 21 algorithm is a mystery to all of us. Some people get great offers after just one cruise, some sail multiple times and never get offers. Logically it would seem you should play some on a casino offer cruise so the offers keep coming. Just think of it as a roll of the dice. We got free ocean view room offer after our first cruise. For sure we will be playing more on our next cruise which we already booked using casino offer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Euby Posted July 28, 2022 #107 Share Posted July 28, 2022 I got my free cruise offer after my cruise in December. Never played anything in the Casino, but I played Bingo every time it was offered at the highest costing option. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IamHungry Posted July 28, 2022 #108 Share Posted July 28, 2022 1 hour ago, Euby said: I got my free cruise offer after my cruise in December. Never played anything in the Casino, but I played Bingo every time it was offered at the highest costing option. Oh wow! Good to know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveOKC Posted July 28, 2022 Author #109 Share Posted July 28, 2022 (edited) 13 hours ago, Alabaster Cruiser said: Thank you OP. I just booked a cruise that was not on my "list" of free oceanviews. It's on it now! Talked to my HAL PCC yesterday and told her that we saw the $200 fares on the website last Friday but did not get the email until 4 days later and she was quite surprised at that. Normally we get the email first and a day or two later it shows up on the website. Edited July 28, 2022 by DaveOKC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alabaster Cruiser Posted July 28, 2022 #110 Share Posted July 28, 2022 I told our PCC that the ones posted did not really work for us but that we had found one that did for the $200. He seemed surprised also. He said it "might be a glitch" but "if it works we will go with it". It worked. Thanks again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KBC73 Posted July 28, 2022 #111 Share Posted July 28, 2022 I have another question. Do you receive mariner points for casino cruises? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveOKC Posted July 28, 2022 Author #112 Share Posted July 28, 2022 1 minute ago, KBC73 said: I have another question. Do you receive mariner points for casino cruises? yes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KBC73 Posted July 28, 2022 #113 Share Posted July 28, 2022 Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigMattT Posted July 28, 2022 #114 Share Posted July 28, 2022 40 minutes ago, DaveOKC said: yes Hmm... I have not received Mariner points for "free cabin" casino cruises. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveOKC Posted July 28, 2022 Author #115 Share Posted July 28, 2022 26 minutes ago, BigMattT said: Hmm... I have not received Mariner points for "free cabin" casino cruises. I got 14 points for a "free" cruise in Dec. 7 day cruise booked a suite. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocksteady27 Posted July 28, 2022 #116 Share Posted July 28, 2022 1 hour ago, DaveOKC said: I got 14 points for a "free" cruise in Dec. 7 day cruise booked a suite. same here and I also got onboard spending points from my casino play so 21 total points for my last cruise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IamHungry Posted July 28, 2022 #117 Share Posted July 28, 2022 41 minutes ago, rocksteady27 said: same here and I also got onboard spending points from my casino play so 21 total points for my last cruise. Points from casino play? How does that work? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kangforpres Posted July 28, 2022 #118 Share Posted July 28, 2022 Bingo is run by the Casino Staff and prize money is handled by the Casino department. So if you play every session and get the $59 tablet, that comes with the bonus 3 card and bonus scratcher it might be enough gambling to get a casino cruise offer. I use to play the 6 card for $29 but casino staff convinced of better results with the tablet (36 cards) and I've been winning more at bingo. Also you should get a mariner point for every night spent in a HAL cabin on a HAL cruise regardless of how the cabin is payed for. Maybe they didn't have your mariner #? I would investigate. And you don't get mariner credits for money played in the casino. If that was the case I would be 5 stars by now, instead of 4. -Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocksteady27 Posted July 28, 2022 #119 Share Posted July 28, 2022 3 hours ago, IamHungry said: Points from casino play? How does that work? I just got off the Zaandam on July 9. I was in a suite and earned 21 credits (7 sailing, 7 bonus for suite, and 7 for onboard spend). I didn’t buy anything on board as I had the beverage package and my only charges were for gratuities. I did independent excursions. I did play every night in casino - I would win, play it back and win again ending up a little on top. It’s all tracked on the card. However I did charge to my room account for casino cash and paid it off every night with winnings. There’s no fee associated with it and I prefer to do so versus bringing cash with me. HAL’s website isn’t clear - it says “eligible spend” but doesn’t define it. https://www.hollandamerica.com/en_US/mariner-society.html As a member, you’ll earn Cruise Day credits for every day you cruise and for each purchase you make onboard. Earn bonus credits when you pay a published fare for a suite or penthouse and for each $300 in eligible onboard purchases. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigMattT Posted July 28, 2022 #120 Share Posted July 28, 2022 1 hour ago, kangforpres said: Also you should get a mariner point for every night spent in a HAL cabin on a HAL cruise regardless of how the cabin is payed for. Maybe they didn't have your mariner #? I would investigate. Thank you— resolved. Amazing what happens when one logs in to the correct account. I did receive Mariner points! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suncoastsailors Posted July 30, 2022 #121 Share Posted July 30, 2022 On 7/27/2022 at 10:43 AM, kangforpres said: The Club 21 algorithm is a mystery to all of us. Some people get great offers after just one cruise, some sail multiple times and never get offers. Logically it would seem you should play some on a casino offer cruise so the offers keep coming. Just think of it as a roll of the dice. I have been told by some frequent players who get free balcony or better cruises, that it is time spent gambling not points. Since I don't gamble, while my wife does, I walk around the last day of the cruise and look at total points displayed on the slots for each player. Many of them are well above 20,000 for a 7 day cruise. If you gamble this much you should qualify by points or time spent at the machine. My wife is a small time gambler with usually less than 1500 points. We got free cruises after Covid until just recently. Now they seem to have dried up. Was fun while it lasted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kangforpres Posted July 30, 2022 #122 Share Posted July 30, 2022 Yes, I've been told time spent is more important then money spent by land based casino staff too, Most recently, the Atlantis Reno, NV. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DONNACRUZ Posted July 31, 2022 #123 Share Posted July 31, 2022 A question about free drinks in the casino. Can you get a free drink at the casino bar or do you have to wait for bar service at the machine or table? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveOKC Posted July 31, 2022 Author #124 Share Posted July 31, 2022 22 hours ago, Suncoastsailors said: I have been told by some frequent players who get free balcony or better cruises, that it is time spent gambling not points. Since I don't gamble, while my wife does, I walk around the last day of the cruise and look at total points displayed on the slots for each player. Many of them are well above 20,000 for a 7 day cruise. If you gamble this much you should qualify by points or time spent at the machine. My wife is a small time gambler with usually less than 1500 points. We got free cruises after Covid until just recently. Now they seem to have dried up. Was fun while it lasted. I would be surprised if this is the case (only time matters). First of all, the casino tracks points on the machines which are based upon "coin in", not time played - just like land based casinos do. So, why not use that measurement as they already have the data in hand PLUS it is too easy to manipulate time played (IMO). Second, my wife and her sister both played on a recent cruise (sister's first) about the same amount of time, but sister plays more $ per spin, so thus had much higher coin in points. Result, the sister got SIX TIMES as much free play as my wife on last week's free cabin offer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kangforpres Posted July 31, 2022 #125 Share Posted July 31, 2022 But with $5 table limits you can buy in for $200 and if you just break even you can spend an hour or more gambling. Your card is swiped when you sit down at a table too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Please sign in to comment
You will be able to leave a comment after signing in
Sign In Now