FLcruiser2011 Posted February 1 #1 Share Posted February 1 Any recent news on when we might expect to see a casino -- even a teensy casino -- on Serenity? Keith? Anyone? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Critically Cruising Posted February 1 #2 Share Posted February 1 For those chomping at the bit for a place to dump their spare cash -- bet they are hoping for it to be installed during the "dash around Africa" with no passengers aboard. My wager -- The Lounge stays. Most under-utilized space on the ship will be converted - thus, Pulse will be no more. Inside info - no. Logical thought - perhaps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Keith1010 Posted February 1 #3 Share Posted February 1 2 hours ago, FLcruiser2011 said: Any recent news on when we might expect to see a casino -- even a teensy casino -- on Serenity? Keith? Anyone? No new updates. Keith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Treasure Hunter Posted February 1 #4 Share Posted February 1 That’s too bad. I was hoping Symphony would have one on our cruise in September. It’s a disappointment. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marycruz Posted March 9 #5 Share Posted March 9 Thought I'd resurface this. Anyone heard whether casinos are forthcoming? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Keith1010 Posted March 9 #6 Share Posted March 9 No update. Keith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoveBora Posted March 9 #7 Share Posted March 9 Yes, they are. This was confirmed by Fernando on the WC, but no timeframe out yet. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marycruz Posted March 9 #8 Share Posted March 9 Thanks. I hope they can bring it back to both ships. The casino on Symphony was always fun. I've never been on Serenity but hope to go later this year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare PaulMCO Posted March 18 #9 Share Posted March 18 (edited) Casino or no casino. Just received this survey. My impression is that Crystal is still undecided as whether they will install casinos. specific to this are questions Does having a casino influence your desire to cruise Crystal. If a casino was available would you cruise Crystal. How much would you use a casino look for this in your email. Edited March 18 by PaulMCO 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cancun01 Posted March 19 #10 Share Posted March 19 Yes we received this survey yesterday. Looks to me like a decision has not been made. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare FlyerTalker Posted March 19 #11 Share Posted March 19 2 hours ago, Cancun01 said: Yes we received this survey yesterday. Looks to me like a decision has not been made. The sticking point, IMO, is a question of real estate. It starts with a question about "The Lounge". Is that space to be returned to casino use, yes or no? If yes, that ends the issue. But I highly suspect that The Lounge is here to stay. Especially on Serenity, it provides an area for folks to relax, read, play games, do puzzles and more. Now, if The Lounge is not going back to being a casino, just where are you going to put a casino? Tear out the Bistro? The Hollywood? Elsewhere? Whatever the choice, it's going to have negative blowback. IMO, Crystal is trying to determine if reintroducing a casino is worth the corresponding downside. Because there will be some. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Stickman1990 Posted March 19 #12 Share Posted March 19 2 hours ago, FlyerTalker said: .Now, if The Lounge is not going back to being a casino, just where are you going to put a casino? Tear out the Bistro? The Hollywood? Elsewhere? Whatever the choice, it's going to have negative blowback. Way to look for a reaction throwing out the Bistro and the Hollywood theatre!m as possible locations! I suspect the Pulse nightclub would be a better alternative on Serenity - although a bit out of the way (not much more than the Hollywood I guess). Haven’t thought about on Symphony but I’m sure there’s a smaller location that could be used Right now as much as I like the objective of the Lounge for activities like games and puzzles I think it’s too big and the temperature settings need some work as it’s very cold in there - or at least it was for the last 3 weeks. Seeing people rugged up with clothes and with blankets on playing poker as we cruise across the Pacific was very unfortunate and I know they raised it with those responsible but it never got resolved Interestingly I didn’t get the survey today - so maybe it’s targeted We've cruised on a few different lines over the last year and aside from Regent who had a larger casino area the others, Silversea and Explora have very small casinos with a coupe of tables and slot machines - I wonder if that were the scale adopted by Crystal if it was acceptable. Interestingly on those other lines the casinos have never been busy when I’ve checked them out including on the evenings Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CabinBoy2020 Posted March 19 #13 Share Posted March 19 I got the survey also. My personal experience regarding the lounge on Serenity is that it is overly large, has no windows, is rarely used (at least for the three weeks I was onboard), and very cold (as Stickman reported). I hope they bring a casino back. Bill 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare May B Posted March 19 #14 Share Posted March 19 22 minutes ago, CabinBoy2020 said: I got the survey also. My personal experience regarding the lounge on Serenity is that it is overly large, has no windows, is rarely used (at least for the three weeks I was onboard), and very cold (as Stickman reported). I hope they bring a casino back. Bill I agree the lounge was frustratingly cold, but on my cruise in November, it was used by guests watching t.v. (sporting events), playing Scrabble, doing jigsaw puzzles. It’s a great place to stop before or after a show in Galaxy, as long as you’re not looking for bar service. Actually, it worked extremely well as the check-in area, on embarkation day. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fisherboe Posted March 19 #15 Share Posted March 19 Sharing my response to another casino thread, and a suggestion that they're reconsidering: I didn't get that impression at all - the opposite actually. The first question was (paraphrasing here) "Crystal has announced that it will bring back casinos by the end of 2024..." which is a direct acknowledgement of their public commitment. But the two other questions are an attempt to quantify the impact of casinos - as in, will bookings increase in the near term? Will people spend and how much? Those are questions you ask if you're trying to make the case to accelerate the timeline - not push it back. If they really wanted to slow-roll it, they aren't going to say anything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texas Tillie Posted March 19 #16 Share Posted March 19 2 hours ago, CabinBoy2020 said: I got the survey also. My personal experience regarding the lounge on Serenity is that it is overly large, has no windows, is rarely used (at least for the three weeks I was onboard), and very cold (as Stickman reported). I hope they bring a casino back. Bill They have already said that a new casino will be smaller than the old casino and not in the location of the old casino. Patty 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare ryndam Posted March 19 #17 Share Posted March 19 Pure speculation on my part. No insider or advance knowledge. Just an intuition of fastest/least expensive opportunities requiring minimal investment: Serenity: 1. Sundry/gift shop - deck 7 (former "high roller" room under Genting ownership) 2. The Studio - deck 7 3. Pulse - deck 6 4. Waves/Fantasia - deck 12 (children's & teen's rooms) 5. Lounge - deck 7 (former casino; all or part) Symphony: 1. Jade - deck 6 (former "high roller" room under Genting ownership) 2. Waves/Fantasia - deck 11 (children's & teen's rooms) 3. Lounge - deck 6 (former casino; all or part) Time will tell. No flame-throwing, please. 😉😊 Rob 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Treasure Hunter Posted March 19 #18 Share Posted March 19 This September will be our first Crystal cruise. If we love it ( which we expect to be the case) we will cruise again, but maybe not as often if there is no casino. A casino adds to my enjoyment of my vacation. So we will cruise NCL Haven and Celebrity retreat and Oceania. Princess ( 35 cruises) is now finally adding a suite restaurant and sundeck ( part of the Sanctuary) which will make their suites more attractive. We are booked but did not receive a survey. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
parallax Posted March 19 #19 Share Posted March 19 We were on the Explora in December and there was a big group (friends and family) that traditionally sail on Crystal. I asked why they weren't on Crystal for this trip and they said it was due to a lack of casino. A few of them had sailed on NC and they did not like the fact there wasn't a casino. They wanted that option, especially on cruises with multiple at sea days. We agree with that sentiment and have not booked an cruises on NC. We are sticking with Explora and trying Regent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Stickman1990 Posted March 19 #20 Share Posted March 19 Crystal have now opened up the survey on Casinos to anyone who wants to respond You can access the survey at this link https://survey.aktravelgroup.com/token/6ACBB11A-41AF-4755-9665-EAF3E3A7155B? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stereojeff Posted March 20 #21 Share Posted March 20 The following was posted on the Crystal Society Family Facebook page Crystal Cruises Admin · eoSdtprsonug12u5i4m01hgg4ua291h1i5thmgl938ichflhciit1886i42g · Hello Crystal Society Family! As we announced Casinos will be back on board this year, a survey has been sent out for your feedback. If you did not receive the email, please follow the link below to partake in the survey. We sincerely appreciate your input and look forward to your response. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare PaulMCO Posted March 20 #22 Share Posted March 20 Another issue is of course finding a company to run a Casino operation. I have not seen anything in the trades that announces an award. Plus it is not so simple to plop a table and slot machines on the floor. There is the space, electrical, cooling, and most important surveillance and a small room for monitoring the gaming. This was ripped out when Genting (or their creditors) cleaned out the old casinos. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texas Tillie Posted March 20 #23 Share Posted March 20 7 hours ago, PaulMCO said: Another issue is of course finding a company to run a Casino operation. I have not seen anything in the trades that announces an award. Plus it is not so simple to plop a table and slot machines on the floor. There is the space, electrical, cooling, and most important surveillance and a small room for monitoring the gaming. This was ripped out when Genting (or their creditors) cleaned out the old casinos. I posted the same thought (with fewer details) on the Crystal Society Facebook page and had a response from Cristina Levis (or an underling posting under her name) that those points aren't the case, but nothing about what is the case!! Patty Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare PaulMCO Posted March 21 #24 Share Posted March 21 21 hours ago, Texas Tillie said: I posted the same thought (with fewer details) on the Crystal Society Facebook page and had a response from Cristina Levis (or an underling posting under her name) that those points aren't the case, but nothing about what is the case!! Patty That may be the current HQ response, but that was the exact excuse that Crystal made for not restoring the old area as a casino by the former leader Mr. Jack. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Keith1010 Posted March 21 #25 Share Posted March 21 On 3/19/2024 at 11:03 PM, PaulMCO said: Another issue is of course finding a company to run a Casino operation. I have not seen anything in the trades that announces an award. Plus it is not so simple to plop a table and slot machines on the floor. There is the space, electrical, cooling, and most important surveillance and a small room for monitoring the gaming. This was ripped out when Genting (or their creditors) cleaned out the old casinos. They said from almost the beginning that this would take time and they are far better not to provide a date for the casino to be completed before everything is resolved. They obviously had ideas as to where it will go before they said they would put casino's on both ships but in smaller footprints. I also think the survey does one other things which is to get a sense of what people think given they have two new ocean vessels to design. JMO. Keith 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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