Blue chip email? Is it a scam?

[Sunset329]

5 minutes ago, mahdnc said:

 

A free 10 night cruise on Edge is a pretty good thing.

 

We are certainly not complaining. A complimentary verandah on a 10 night Edge cruise is unbelievable. We have never been on an Edge class ship, and are looking forward to exploring the Edge. We did talk to a Blue Chip agent today, and he said there were no available upgrades. We are very happy with our verandah. 

[def0715]

When would those tier points expire? Does Celebrity use a 12-month calendar year? Do points expire Dec. 31? I’m in a weird place because I get no mailers or emails and feel very unofficial and not like a BCC member. Recently completed my second five-day sailing. The casino host onboard said she thought I would qualify for a free sailing. I called when I got home and was told I could book a veranda. The BCC rep today, when I called to inquire about an upgrade, said something about calling two weeks after each sailing to see about offers.

[NutsAboutGolf]

1 hour ago, def0715 said:

When would those tier points expire? Does Celebrity use a 12-month calendar year? Do points expire Dec. 31? I’m in a weird place because I get no mailers or emails and feel very unofficial and not like a BCC member. Recently completed my second five-day sailing. The casino host onboard said she thought I would qualify for a free sailing. I called when I got home and was told I could book a veranda. The BCC rep today, when I called to inquire about an upgrade, said something about calling two weeks after each sailing to see about offers.

 

Based on this, the earning period would start Jan 1st 2023 and you'd have to imagine it would end Dec 31st 2023.

 

[def0715]

Thanks. Just wasn’t sure if the people who got that bonus 5,000 tier points offer would have the points for 2022 or 2023. Maybe it would depend on sail date. Maybe I’m cruising a few too many lines to keep up! Appreciate everyone’s help. 

[Gadovski]

So I received yet another BCC offer today for a complimentary veranda room.

 

i already booked two before and they sent me yet again the same offer code.

 

Last two times I was able to put both my wife and baby boy on the promo costing us 167$ per guest (duties and taxes only).

 

Now this is again the same offer and they were going to book me but the lady started to tell me i could only bring one guest and that for my baby it would be 2000 USD$.

 

Im confused because this is the same offer I used last two times yet this time she says it’s only good for one of the two guests.

 

Have you guys been able to book the free cruise for more than two people ? All in the same room… 
 

also why would they include these rooms for guest in the Blue Chip Club Form they include in their emails ? 

Edited November 30, 2022 by Gadovski

[retird]

2 hours ago, Gadovski said:

So I received yet another BCC offer today for a complimentary veranda room.

 

i already booked two before and they sent me yet again the same offer code.

 

Last two times I was able to put both my wife and baby boy on the promo costing us 167$ per guest (duties and taxes only).

 

Now this is again the same offer and they were going to book me but the lady started to tell me i could only bring one guest and that for my baby it would be 2000 USD$.

 

Im confused because this is the same offer I used last two times yet this time she says it’s only good for one of the two guests.

 

Have you guys been able to book the free cruise for more than two people ? All in the same room… 
 

also why would they include these rooms for guest in the Blue Chip Club Form they include in their emails ? 

It was my understanding that you could book two people in the cabin offer but a third would have to pay the going rate for a third person opin that cabin 

[brennanavery]

My husband and I both received Blue Chip offers. We decided to take our whole family on a cruise over the Christmas holiday. We booked one room with me and my daughter and then the other with my husband and two sons. We did not have to pay an additional amount for the third person in the cabin. The cabin for 3 is costing us $164.94 per person which is port charges and taxes ($495.82 total). We still have to pay gratuities. So for $825.70 (plus gratuities), we have two infinite verandas booked on the Apex for a holiday cruise. Definitely can’t touch that price if I would have done a normal booking. It has been my experience that each time you call, you can get a different answer. When I first called, they said that both my husband and myself had blue chip offers. After discussing it and deciding we were going to do it, I called back, got a different person and they told me that only my husband had an offer and nothing u dear my name. Called back again, got another person and had no problem proceeding with the booking. 

[SHIP TRAVELER]

16 hours ago, def0715 said:

When would those tier points expire? Does Celebrity use a 12-month calendar year? Do points expire Dec. 31? I’m in a weird place because I get no mailers or emails and feel very unofficial and not like a BCC member. Recently completed my second five-day sailing. The casino host onboard said she thought I would qualify for a free sailing. I called when I got home and was told I could book a veranda. The BCC rep today, when I called to inquire about an upgrade, said something about calling two weeks after each sailing to see about offers.

I think the status is a "what have you done lately" system based on our action on your most recent cruises.  I am talking about Blue Chip offers and discounts, not the marketing balcony give away to non gamblers that is currently going.

[def0715]

I think that’s a good assessment, though I think some gamblers are getting offers as well. I was a big loser last time and am happy to take advantage of the “free” cabin BCC rep said I could get.

[NutsAboutGolf]

20 minutes ago, SHIP TRAVELER said:

I think the status is a "what have you done lately" system based on our action on your most recent cruises.  I am talking about Blue Chip offers and discounts, not the marketing balcony give away to non gamblers that is currently going.

 

7 minutes ago, def0715 said:

I think that’s a good assessment, though I think some gamblers are getting offers as well. I was a big loser last time and am happy to take advantage of the “free” cabin BCC rep said I could get.

According to the Solstice host, they only look at your play on your previous sailing.  They’ll make case by case exceptions if you play most of your previous sailings but skipped your most recent.

 

Like most casinos it’s all about “theo”, mainly betting amount, duration and game played; if you won or lost it doesn’t matter 

[NutsAboutGolf]

Also from the solstice host, they said the tier points required are an average of 150-200 tier points per night.  They don’t take the itinerary/casino hours into consideration.  If the casino is closed all day, you’ll need to play for more time on another day

[mahdnc]

12 minutes ago, NutsAboutGolf said:

 

Like most casinos it’s all about “theo”, mainly betting amount, duration and game played; if you won or lost it doesn’t matter 

 

....because the house eventually wins.  That's Rule #2.  Rule #1 is "don't argue with your wife because the wife always wins".

[def0715]

I had 2,500 points on a five-day sailing. And I know the losing doesn’t matter so much, but it’s a bummer. Ha. 

[Xyla]

16 hours ago, Gadovski said:

 

 

Have you guys been able to book the free cruise for more than two people ? All in the same room… 

 

I have two Blue Chip free cruises booked currently, one in Mexico next month and one on the Edge in February. For the mexico cruise, I had no problem booking more than two people in the cabin, at taxes and port charges only.

They are telling me for the Edge cruise, I would have to pay full price, almost the cost of a inside cabin for 2, for the 3rd person. I might call them again and see if I get the same answer.

 

[Gadovski]

6 minutes ago, Xyla said:

 

I have two Blue Chip free cruises booked currently, one in Mexico next month and one on the Edge in February. For the mexico cruise, I had no problem booking more than two people in the cabin, at taxes and port charges only.

They are telling me for the Edge cruise, I would have to pay full price, almost the cost of a inside cabin for 2, for the 3rd person. I might call them again and see if I get the same answer.

 

Thanks for the reply

 

Yep, tried that, I just called for the second time and they are saying the same thing, charging me a really expensive price for the 3rd guest.

 

I know it’s ridiculous to be bothered by the fact that we don’t get a free cruise but it feels like a scam when they’re sending out the exact same email and form than the last couple offers where you could be more than two people in your « free » stateroom. The emails have absolutely no details and then they tell you on the phone about the extra costs. 
 

Let me know how it goes if you call back. 

[Pinboy]

( I have not read much on this-- perhaps it has already been addressed )

I'm a bit confused re this Blue Chip offer ( promotion ).

We were never offered a free cruise or a free verandah since we don't spend much time ( $$ ) in the casino, yet it appears as if several CCers are being either mailed, emailed or called regarding it even though they say they are not big gamblers.

Are some being offered a free cruise ( pay for taxes, gratuities, etc ) and some only offered a free verandah ( pay for a lower category and upgrade to a verandah ) ?

Also, I assume the offer ( promotion ) is only available at off-times when lots of cabins are open.

From a recent post ----" because the house eventually wins "--- 

Casinos weren't built on winners-- 

Casinos love slot players who build up their credits and don't cash out because they want more-- Pretty soon they are at zero credits and "feeding" the machine.

Casinos love blackjack players, like one of our CCers who splits Kings because he has a " feeling".

 

 

 

 

 

  

[Gadovski]

On 11/30/2022 at 1:43 PM, Xyla said:

 

I have two Blue Chip free cruises booked currently, one in Mexico next month and one on the Edge in February. For the mexico cruise, I had no problem booking more than two people in the cabin, at taxes and port charges only.

They are telling me for the Edge cruise, I would have to pay full price, almost the cost of a inside cabin for 2, for the 3rd person. I might call them again and see if I get the same answer.

 

Called back for 3rd time today. I explained to them it made no sense that they were charging me full price for 3rd person and that it wound’s be cheaper to simply book the cheapest interior cabin for my wife (3rd person).

 

After some back and forth, I told them I was going to simply book for me and my son and that my wife would not be joining us because it was too expensive, they were charging me 2K for the 3rd person.

 

They put me on hold and then told me they were going to book us all 3 only taxes and fees because they agreed it did not make sense that we got a better price paying for two cabins, one interior that we would not use.

 

So as it turns out I was able to book all three of us under the promotion 🙂 

 

 

[NutsAboutGolf]

On 11/30/2022 at 1:46 PM, Pinboy said:

Are some being offered a free cruise ( pay for taxes, gratuities, etc ) and some only offered a free verandah ( pay for a lower category and upgrade to a verandah ) ?

Also, I assume the offer ( promotion ) is only available at off-times when lots of cabins are open.

 

The general offer is for a free Verandah stateroom, passengers just pays fees/taxes and you do not receive any perks.  Some are able to upgrade to CC for $10/night or AQ for $20/night.

[NutsAboutGolf]

On 11/30/2022 at 1:46 PM, Pinboy said:

Casinos love blackjack players, like one of our CCers who splits Kings because he has a " feeling".

 

Not really, generally if you're betting $50+ a hand, you most likely know what you're doing and most likely aren't splitting face-cards/10s.  However, all casinos LOVE slot players...

[NutsAboutGolf]

1 hour ago, Gadovski said:

So as it turns out I was able to book all three of us under the promotion 🙂

 

Congrats!  I wonder what the 3rd person policy is, often the BCC do not know the rules

[Pinboy]

3 hours ago, NutsAboutGolf said:

 

Not really, generally if you're betting $50+ a hand, you most likely know what you're doing and most likely aren't splitting face-cards/10s.  However, all casinos LOVE slot players...

Exactly--

Perhaps I wasn't clear about " Casinos love blackjack players, like one of our CCers who splits Kings because he has a " feeling".

I meant that players who split Kings ( 10's ) and /or bet on a " feeling " are bound to lose.

LOL-- Reminds me-- On every cruise by the 2nd night the " word " spreads ( probably by the casino staff ) that someone won the jackpot on the slots.  

 

[NMTraveller]

7 hours ago, NutsAboutGolf said:

 

Not really, generally if you're betting $50+ a hand, you most likely know what you're doing and most likely aren't splitting face-cards/10s.  However, all casinos LOVE slot players...

We watched a lady who won a mini jackpot at Caesars on the slots.  She did not look happy when she won.  She was spending a large amount of money per minute and was likely to lose her mini jackpot soon.  She was not betting 50 per hand but $2.50 per spin and pressing the button as fast as the machine would let her.  ????

Edited December 3, 2022 by NMTraveller

[Xyla]

On 12/2/2022 at 1:06 PM, Gadovski said:

 

 

So as it turns out I was able to book all three of us under the promotion 🙂 

 

 

So far they are refusing to budge in letting us add the 3rd person without paying $1900. We tried telling them we know the exception has been made for others, then they wanted your name. 🙄

[mahdnc]

New email and offer received today.  30 sailings to choose from.  All are 9-11 nights on either Constellation, Edge, Equinox, or Silhouette.  All sailings are in Jan-Mar 2023.

 

 

[Cruising Cindy Lou]

2 hours ago, mahdnc said:

New email and offer received today.  30 sailings to choose from.  All are 9-11 nights on either Constellation, Edge, Equinox, or Silhouette.  All sailings are in Jan-Mar 2023.

 

 

Interesting.  Wonder if any of the Edge really available during this time.  We were on the phone for an hour last week trying to get one of the cruises on the Edge.  They couldn't find anything open for the BCC offers.  We ended up booking a 7 day on Reflection, but was a struggle for her to find one on it available for us.