Testing casino points for a cruise offer on my last cruise

[asalligo]

Many people ask how may points it takes to get a casino offer and often on this board people have claimed that it does not take much play to get one so I tested it on my cruise in April. I played 30 minutes each day on my seven day cruise making sure to spend no less than $20 each day and spend at least 30 minutes playing every day.

 

This resulted in 407 points at the casino and so far after a little over two weeks home, no offers at all. It appears to me that points accumulated at about 1 point for every $2.50 wagered. I will update if an offer comes in at a later date, but I suspect the points have to be much higher than what I achieved which would mean more time in the casino than I am personally willing to spend on a cruise. 

Edited May 2, 2023 by asalligo

[mz-s]

For slots I think you have to at least qualify for DOU on your cruise, so what is that 1500 points, to start to get offers.

 

The threshold for table games is probably more.

 

Obviously this is not public information on Carnival like it is with other lines.

[mz-s]

You need a little bit of a bankroll to get started, because you will lose a few times in a roll in between wins often. If you're only playing with enough money for a dozen spins or so, you're not giving yourself enough time to win. But I understand too that you're gambling with what you are comfortable losing, and that threshold is different for everyone.

[1kaper]

1 hour ago, mz-s said:

For slots I think you have to at least qualify for DOU on your cruise, so what is that 1500 points, to start to get offers.

 

The threshold for table games is probably more.

 

Obviously this is not public information on Carnival like it is with other lines.

 

I play between slots and tables (Blackjack).  I did not qualify for DOU the last two cruises I did and have been getting offers.  

[dallasdan]

all of my casino offers expired yesterday.  I am thinking a new round of offers will come out any day now.

[cmack9076]

I know when playing tables, time playing is also taken into account. I would assume it would also be tracked at a slot machine as well. 

 

I may play a couple hours a day in the casino while on a cruise but only lose a few hundred bucks. I set a limit to how much I will lose in the casino for a given cruise. 

 

I get casino offers all the time. I dont get the best ones, free balconys and drinks everywhere. But i will get free interior with free drinks in the casino while playing. 

[Gamecock_Cruiser]

Pre covid, offers seemed to come in two forms in my opinion. 

 

1. Casino marketing offers. They see that you are a new player and you gave just enough money to get their attention, so they want to bribe you to hopefully get more of your money in the future.

2. I feel that each cruise probably has so many offers to give out. If you are the "top players" for that cruise, you may get great deals. These types of things change from cruise to cruise depending on the casino guest. Some cruises, my points were roughly the same. Sometime I got great offers and sometimes not so great offers.

 

During covid and during the cruises returning, the players club was throwing me all kind of offers left and right about everyday for about a year and a half or so.

 

Now, I feel it is back to supply and demand, cruises are filling themselves, offers don't mean as much, and they are trying to recoup some cash. Expect to see casino offers similar to pre-covid offers or worse than before covid.

 

I gamble as a hobby. I set my budget, go in, and gamble and cruise. If I get deals, that is great. If not, I am going to cruise anyways. But that just means less money for the casino next cruise.

 

If you want offers, then slots will be your best best as it has the better advantage for the house. If playing tables, you better be wagering enough and playing long enough for a host to notice who you are, or you will leave disappointed. 

[1kaper]

11 minutes ago, cmack9076 said:

I know when playing tables, time playing is also taken into account. I would assume it would also be tracked at a slot machine as well. 

 

I may play a couple hours a day in the casino while on a cruise but only lose a few hundred bucks. I set a limit to how much I will lose in the casino for a given cruise. 

 

I get casino offers all the time. I dont get the best ones, free balconys and drinks everywhere. But i will get free interior with free drinks in the casino while playing. 

I believe that the slot machines are based purely on money in. 
I suspect with tables that the amount you buy in matters and they likely track average bet.  The guy playing $50 a hand is probably getting more credit than I am at $6 a hand even if we play the same amount of time. 

 

I also get the inside offers.  My husband was getting the balconies but is now down to oceanview.  We've never gotten Drinks everywhere but do get DOU in the casino for both in the room 

[dallasdan]

on table games they only track the main bet not any of the bonus bets.   

[audcc77]

41 minutes ago, dallasdan said:

all of my casino offers expired yesterday.  I am thinking a new round of offers will come out any day now.

Mine too. 
 

All they did was extend the deadline from May 1 to July 1 for mine.   Same offers.  
 

I noticed my offers are for cruises way out in the future.  It’s easier for me to book last minute but there are none.  
 

 

[cmack9076]

I know they also track if you bring chips from one table to another or if you buy-in with cash. 

 

I have watched them input that into the keypad at the table when they swipe your card. 

[dallasdan]

They track when you cash out or buy in, with chips or with cash.  

[def0715]

I earned 25,000 points on my last cruise and lost big. No meaningful difference in the new offers that dropped today from previous ones. Disappointed loser. Ha. Not sure what matters. 

[WhiteOptima]

Just did B2B on Celebration.  First week 200 points, second week 10.  First time ever getting free room but have to cruise in next 2 weeks so not an option for me.

[asalligo]

My test was mainly because so many people on the boards have been saying that offers would be coming in without much money or time spent in the casino without quantifying the amount of time or money.

 

Unfortunately, I think that many people who gamble often think that they spent only a short time and amount in the casino and people asking the question would consider the time and money spent to get an offer to be rather high and unreasonable. 

 

I hope that I am in the next round of offers, we shall see. 

 

 

[BrotherCraig]

How do you know how many points?  I have been on many cruises gambling and never once kept track of points.  I usually only budget $1K for gambling - never slots.  I never have received any deals.  Thanks.

[mz-s]

1 hour ago, asalligo said:

Unfortunately, I think that many people who gamble often think that they spent only a short time and amount in the casino and people asking the question would consider the time and money spent to get an offer to be rather high and unreasonable. 

 

I think you're probably right in that.

 

33 minutes ago, BrotherCraig said:

How do you know how many points?  I have been on many cruises gambling and never once kept track of points.  I usually only budget $1K for gambling - never slots.  I never have received any deals.  Thanks.

 

Slot machines give you a readout of your points, for table games you have to ask a host.

 

Supposedly the Hub app now gives you your points in the app when onboard, but I haven't cruised since they started doing this so I don't know what that looks like.

[4hunters]

Folks, here's my unsolicited advice.  Gamble because you enjoy it, using only money you can afford to lose.  Most importantly, NEVER chase comps!

 

Now back to our regularly scheduled program.  😁

[evandbob]

We generally play slots and amass between 1500 and 3,000 points on a 7 day cruise. Most of our Carnival offers were for a "free" inside cabin, but post pandemic we are now offered a free ocean view cabin.

 

We play the same amount on Celebrity and have accepted at least 10 free week long mid deck mid ship balcony cabins on their latest ships like Edge and Apex.  Sadly, those offers have now disappeared, but we were quite happy when they were available !!

[1kaper]

1 hour ago, asalligo said:

My test was mainly because so many people on the boards have been saying that offers would be coming in without much money or time spent in the casino without quantifying the amount of time or money.

 

Unfortunately, I think that many people who gamble often think that they spent only a short time and amount in the casino and people asking the question would consider the time and money spent to get an offer to be rather high and unreasonable. 

 

I hope that I am in the next round of offers, we shall see. 

 

 

 

 

I certainly don't say I don't spend much time. I do end up spending quite a bit of time there. I budget $50 a night.  But I spend what I win so it's hard to track what I actually spend (I haven't hit huge jackpots).  Sometimes my husband is up and he gives me a bit more.  Occasionally I'll go over my $50 budget but never by more than another $50.  

 

14 minutes ago, mz-s said:

Slot machines give you a readout of your points, for table games you have to ask a host.

 

Hmm.  I assumed it went on your account.  I know that I've looked at my points leaving a machine, then played tables for a bit.  When I went back to the machine I checked just to see how many points I got and the number was higher but not by a lot.  I didn't realize at that time that tables aren't as good for accruing points.  Specifically because I play the lower bet with low buy ins. But I had spend a bunch of time there so thought it would be higher.  Maybe it was just a lag in updating machine points though. 

 

15 minutes ago, 4hunters said:

Folks, here's my unsolicited advice.  Gamble because you enjoy it, using only money you can afford to lose

 

I only gamble on cruises and I do it because I enjoy it.  
It's weird.  I went to the casino once when I was home but did not enjoy it.  It was not nearly as much fun losing money.  I guess it's like calories - vacation calories don't count.  Vacation money doesn't count. 

 

[Gamecock_Cruiser]

1 hour ago, BrotherCraig said:

How do you know how many points?  I have been on many cruises gambling and never once kept track of points.  I usually only budget $1K for gambling - never slots.  I never have received any deals.  Thanks.

It takes a lot to get noticed on tables for comps. You probably need to bet $25+ a hand for hours to get the the pit bosses attention since you have more advantage at slots than tables. My suggestion is go set your budget and gamble and have fun. Don't chase comps or points. 

Edited May 2, 2023 by Gamecock_Cruiser

[BlerkOne]

3 hours ago, audcc77 said:

Mine too. 
 

All they did was extend the deadline from May 1 to July 1 for mine.   Same offers.  
 

I noticed my offers are for cruises way out in the future.  It’s easier for me to book last minute but there are none.  
 

 

It seems like I get emails almost daily.

 

A month or so ago, there were cabins available for many sailings this year, but have been booked. Now next year is booking up. As with any marketing gimmick, everything is capacity controlled and limited.

[mz-s]

Many of my offers will show in the booking system, but when I actually try to book the cruise there are no rooms available at that rate. You have to be quick with them.

[BrotherCraig]

25 minutes ago, Gamecock_Cruiser said:

It takes a lot to get noticed on tables for comps. You probably need to bet $25+ a hand for hours to get the the pit bosses attention since you have more advantage at slots than tables. My suggestion is go set your budget and gamble and have fun. Don't chase comps or points. 

 

Thank you.

[Calnev1]

5 hours ago, mz-s said:

For slots I think you have to at least qualify for DOU on your cruise, so what is that 1500 points, to start to get offers.

 

The threshold for table games is probably more.

 

Obviously this is not public information on Carnival like it is with other lines.

I play table games (blackjack), and my wife plays slots (when she plays).  We both track closely what we win/lose on a daily basis.  

 

My wife plays quite infrequently, and has never even come close to 1500 points on any given cruise.  The most money she has lost on any of our ten previous cruises is about $150 for the entire cruise.  Yet she still gets casino offers.  Not free room offers, but offers with discounted room rates that include DOU and sometimes funplay or OBC.  I get free oceanview offers, but I play a lot more than she does.   BTW, you don't have to bet $25 a hand at BJ to get noticed.  For the longest time, I played only the minimum bet ($6) and still got offers.  Of course, I tipped the dealers.  I think that actually helps you get noticed more.  🙂

 

My advice to the OP is to wait a few more days.  I think you will start getting something in the way of casino offers.