Should I play Bingo on the cruise?

[larainec]

How much does it cost? What are the prizes? How long is it? How often is it offered?

I'm not a real bingo fan, but it would be different. Aren't cruises about relaxing and maybe trying something new?:confused:

[okbowler]

I'll try to answer some of your questions. Don't know if all cruiselines operate bingo the same , so I will give you what has been my expierence. It will cost about $20 a session.More than likely you will get at least cards for four bingo games. You will have 3 cards for each game. Bingo is usually played once each day, at various times, except on sea days then it will be played twice. Prizes will be cash and depend on the number of cards sold. The last bingo of the cruise will be a coverall and will be for the jackpot, the amount will be determined what is left after previous winnings. You should know that like everything else the cruiseline keeps a percentage of the money collected in bingo. It is not unusual for the jackpot to be worth several thousand dollars. Each bingo session will last about 30 to 45 minutes. I hope this helps, any mistakes I might have made are probably due to old age. :) Bill

[PhoenixCruiser]

The cost is $35 per session on Royal Caribbean :) You get cards for five games per session, six different cards on each sheet.

 

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[paul929207]

As stated above, it is a money maker for the cruise line. They sell hundreds of cards at $20 or so per person and usually pay out less than $500 per sessions.

[Krazy Kruizers]

I can remember when bingo cost only $1 per card.

 

Don 't play it anymore as I feel they are too expensive and the ship is making a lot of money from them. JMO

 

Have noticed on some cruises that the number of people playing has dropped considerably the last couple of years.

[fitters]

I will only play on the last day and then I will only buy one card. I have won $2500 and also a free cruise just by playing this way. Remember, it only takes one card to win... :p

[Rick-cruiser]

We used to play bingo all the time on our cruises, winning quite a lot and enjoying it immensely. It can be very entertaining, as well as another venue of meeting/interacting with your fellow passengers. However we do not, or should I say WILL not, play bingo any longer on cruises.

 

The reason for this is that we noticed the dollar amounts for the prizes getting smaller and smaller. On our last cruise in which we played bingo, the prizes given away to the winners were: $63, $85, $110 (it's mathematically nearly impossible to win the coverall, the 4th game, until the last day - when there's no limit on the number of balls called). So the TOTAL money given out for that session was $258. How much did the cruiseline take in for that session? I went up to the person who sold the cards and jokingly said I was wondering what my chances were of winning and asked her how many cards were sold. She said 163 (there were about 100 people playing - some buy more than one packet of cards). At $20 per packet that's $3,260!! And they gave away $258. Is that pathetic, or what?

 

I then talked with the cruise director and he told us that, about 5-10 years ago, the cruiselines kept about 20% of the profits for Bingo - the rest going back to the passengers. Now, the cruiselines keep 80%!!

 

Like everything else, cruiselines think they're fooling people by now charging extra for every little thing, as well as keeping almost all the profits from passenger activities such as bingo. As a man of principal I can't allow myself to be roped into things like that. I enjoy the basic ammenities of cruising, and stay away from the profit-making tactics so prevalent now in the cruiseline industry.

[Kurbanfan]

I say go for it. It's fun and you can sit and relax with a cocktail. My opinion it's only $20 and you will spend that on pictures, drinks or what not. This way you might win something. I won $250.00 last time we played. Not bad for $20.00;)

[Kurbanfan]

I have won $2500 and also a free cruise just by playing this way. Remember, it only takes one card to win... :p

 

Another reason to play LOL!

[larainec]

Playiing bingo on the last day of the cruise, with a cocktail in my hand, sounds like a definite plan for me. Your ideas are terrific! Thanks.:D

[dd's mom]

I enjoy playing Bingo now and then. On our Carnival cruises, a single card is $10 or 3 for $20. I won $600 on the Destiny out of San Juan less than 2 years ago.

 

dd's mom

[fishmaniac]

Do you have to actually pay to watch your SO play? Can I sit next to her w/o having cards infront of me? Can I help her? :D

 

Sorry for the lame questions. Never officially played a bingo game. :o

[PhoenixCruiser]

Do you have to actually pay to watch your SO play? Can I sit next to her w/o having cards infront of me? Can I help her? :D

 

Sorry for the lame questions. Never officially played a bingo game. :o

 

No, you don't have to play, and your question wasn't lame :D Just don't rip apart the cards :eek:

 

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[larainec]

Come to think of it-I lose more in the casino in a lot less time. Bingo might be a money saver for me.:D

[mamaofami]

I play bingo on the last day of a cruise since the prize is a free cruise and I won it once. Since then, I'm hooked, but only one card on the last day.