Casinos gone?

[Alpacalady1]

Very possibly,  we are so ready to cruise again , watching reviews carefully 

[poke the bear]

1 hour ago, Alpacalady1 said:

Very possibly,  we are so ready to cruise again , watching reviews carefully 

 

Me too, about the reviews.

 

I did a deep dive into my albums and found the culprit!

 

 

I'm pretty sure you warned me, so no worries. -Michael

[Stickman1990]

I have no idea how accurate this is but someone currently onboard Crystal Serenity has just posted on Facebook that casinos will return in 2024 in time for the World Cruise - they have said the Crystal CEO announced it last night and that it is likely slots will be in Pulse or Gaming Tables in card room on Deck 7

Edited July 30, 2023 by Stickman1990

[KenzSailing]

46 minutes ago, Stickman1990 said:

I have no idea how accurate this is but someone currently onboard Crystal Serenity has just posted on Facebook that casinos will return in 2024 in time for the World Cruise - they have said the Crystal CEO announced it last night and that it is likely slots will be in Pulse or Gaming Tables in card room on Deck 7

 

Tried to tell ya.

 

He who laughs last...

[Keith1010]

I did more checking.  They will have a casino but no definitive dates as this decision was just made.

 

Keith

[May B]

6 hours ago, Stickman1990 said:

I have no idea how accurate this is but someone currently onboard Crystal Serenity has just posted on Facebook that casinos will return in 2024 in time for the World Cruise - they have said the Crystal CEO announced it last night and that it is likely slots will be in Pulse or Gaming Tables in card room on Deck 7

Thise two choices seem so different from each other.

 

I saw the same Facebook post and was hoping to see better info on Vruise Critic!

 

Are we allowed to say Facebook?

[CwazeAndCwaze]

[Leejnd4]

6 minutes ago, CwazeAndCwaze said:

I knew, after your prior comments expressing your disappointment with the disappeared casinos, that this news would make you happy. That's an infectious smile ya got there! 😁

[KenzSailing]

Bin-joe!

 

Apparently it was announced by the CEO, so sounds pretty solid.

[Keith1010]

It wasn't what I would call a ship-wide announcement as many people on the ship didn't know.  Just call it a decision was made to have a casino. Date has to be determined since it was only decided. 

 

Keith

[Keith1010]

There will be a casino on each ship but again details and timing have to be worked out.

 

Keith

[Cruiseswithfamilyornot]

Thank you, Keith.  Very happy to hear this and would appreciate any updates/insights you get as you are on board now.  Hope you continue to have a great cruise.

[CwazeAndCwaze]

[KenzSailing]

42 minutes ago, CwazeAndCwaze said:

 

Vitameatavegamin! 

[Critically Cruising]

1 hour ago, CwazeAndCwaze said:

 

El Rancho Vegas.  First hotel to be built on what would become "The Strip".  Burned down in 1960.

 

 

[LNugent]

hmmm….I knew they would. Glad to hear. I am on Seabourn at the moment and their. small casino has been packed most nights. Will be on Crystal in a few months. So ready!

[PaulMCO]

Considering the way Resorts and Genting tore out the the existing casino equipment likely will not be a very easy task to reinstall the machines plus all of the security system and its control room.

 

And yes those Seabourn casinos are more like a closet.

[Keith1010]

3 hours ago, PaulMCO said:

Considering the way Resorts and Genting tore out the the existing casino equipment likely will not be a very easy task to reinstall the machines plus all of the security system and its control room.

 

And yes those Seabourn casinos are more like a closet.

Yes.  It will take time including converting space that is selected for the casino, ordering, taking delivery and installing equipment, building whatever systems, if any, are required to run a casino and hiring people. 

 

What people might not realize is all of the systems are new which are ones used by those on land and on the ship.

 

Keith

[CwazeAndCwaze]

[Rmrands]

The casino space would make a great card room. No one needs a view while they are playing cards.

[Keith1010]

Rmrands, I agree that is one of several potential uses for the Lounge.

 

All we know is that the new casinos will happen in 2024. A specific date/location has to be firmed up. While they have ideas on placement they need to understand the logistics of all of this. Sometimes one things something will work but a ship has challenges just like an existing building thing has.

 

It will not go back in the former locations.

 

As noted on another site, they took up a huge amount of space, often were not used much, required a lot of electricity and that high end cruise lines do not make money with a casino. Rather the concessionaires do.

 

In time you will see the lounge utilized quite a bit as they finalize plans for their use.  On Serenity while we were on board they placed games in the lounge and it was also used to check in guests when the gangway is located on Deck 6 for embarkation. I suspect it won't be very long until you see them being used quite a bit. In the meantime, Anne Marie and I enjoyed the seating sometimes going there before dinner rather than a lounge.  

 

Keith

[BWIVince]

I agree about the size…. The concessionaire charges (in a few different pricing models) for every machine and table leased, on top of the staff.   Every machine that sits there unused is costing Crystal — hence the reason the casinos were cut in the first place.  If they’re coming back at all, they HAVE to be smaller and at a scale closer to the actual utilization.

 

Vince

[ChatKat in Ca.]

I sailed on Regent  - and specifically the Navigator - a few times in the past.  The casino had very small tables - like 2 blackjack and one poker table, a half crap table and maybe a roulette wheel with a small number of slots.  Room was smaller that the Bridge Room.  There are a couple of small rooms that could be equally used on Crystal.  The casino needs no windows.. 

[BWIVince]

22 minutes ago, ChatKat in Ca. said:

I sailed on Regent  - and specifically the Navigator - a few times in the past.  The casino had very small tables - like 2 blackjack and one poker table, a half crap table and maybe a roulette wheel with a small number of slots.  Room was smaller that the Bridge Room.  There are a couple of small rooms that could be equally used on Crystal.  The casino needs no windows.. 

 

I suspect this is what’s being studied, but ironically on Serenity, this might end up working in reverse, if I had to guess (unfortunately).  Because the casino doesn’t need windows, the original casino was located in one of the interior spaces, but in order to get a smaller venue, it may have to go from the windowless space to one of the precious windowed ones.  They could split up the old casino space and use part of that, repurposing the remainder, but that limits some of the options for the remaining space, as some concepts require more room.  
 

I shouldn’t be as down on that as I am, because Serenity’s entertainment hub aft on deck 6 is not exactly a place people see a lot of daylight right now or go to window-gaze, normally, but relative to Symphony, Serenity’s windows overall are pretty precious.

 

TBD…. 🙂

 

Vince

[KenzSailing]

BTW, the A&K CEO is posting to the Crystal group page on FB.  She's made some comments about their reasoning behind the casino decision. Interesting stuff.