3% fee in casinos - read & contribute if you JUST got back from a cruise

[Addictedtwo]

Gotcha! NCL did this when I cruised in April and I'm surprised that it's not an industry-wide practice. Looks like it's headed that way.

 

 

I've been on NCL and taken money out at the casino and never been charged 3%. And besides I know on NCL whatever you put on your cabin acct (casino money or purchases) it goes through to your charge card on the last day, so the charge card company see's it as 1 transaction.

 

I don't know how the casino/cruise line can get away with that BS it's bad enough most people loss in the casino anyway.

 

I will watch closely when I'm on NCL next month. Thanks for the heads up!

[Fun@C]

I just got off the mariner and they charged 3%.

[aqhacruiser]

I'll be onboard the Explorer in a few weeks and we do not take cash out on Seapass but I'll see what they say about the policy. Several people have reported the 3 % before on other RCCL ships so I would not be surprised to learn it's fleetwide now. I agree that people have abused it and we always bring cash to play and a little for port and the rest goes on credit card but I've seen plenty of people in the casino take cash out and walk right out the door with it so looks like everyone will get charged for that now even if they are playing in the casino.:o

[Host Kewlguy]

I've been on NCL and taken money out at the casino and never been charged 3%. And besides I know on NCL whatever you put on your cabin acct (casino money or purchases) it goes through to your charge card on the last day, so the charge card company see's it as 1 transaction.

 

I don't know how the casino/cruise line can get away with that BS it's bad enough most people loss in the casino anyway.

 

I will watch closely when I'm on NCL next month. Thanks for the heads up!

 

We were on NCL Gem in early May and they DID NOT charge a 3% surcharge in the casino. Personally I think it's ridiculous for any cruise line to charge this fee since the overwhelming majority of the people (90+%) in the casino are going to be losing anyway. I think this is a case of the cruise lines cutting off their nose to spite their face.

[ghstudio]

It's amazing that people forget that old traveler's must....traveler's checks. If you are worried about taking cash, take travellr's checks which are free these days at most banks. There is no fee to change traveler's checks to dollars...they take them right in the casino (at the cashier, not the table). If you don't use them, cash them back in the day you get home.

 

Why is everyone so credit card centric...other then getting those perks which you seem to expect for free.

[Tranquil Waters]

It will definitely decrease the amount of $$ I lose in the casino to have this 3% "surcharge". Whoever posted that people will lose hundreds gambling but will balk at $5-10 for this fee certainly had my number! :D Well, maybe I don't lose hundreds. But I will typically offer $50 or so to the casino gods (per cruise). But knowing that RCI will now just take 3% off the top - not being satisfied with my usual loses. Well, that ticks me off. And may well keep me out of the casino.

 

Only time will tell. Either there will be lots of people like me and RCI will find that they lose more than they make with this new fee. And it will be rescinded. Or more people will say they don't care, and RCI will make out big on the extra revenue. And it will stay in effect.

[BillfromWV]

I am just off of Freedom's 8/17 sailing. I was in the casino every night and took advances at times, there was NO service charge applied. Bill

[flowergirl22]

So, if a give someone a RCCl gift cert., which is credited to their Seapass, and they choose to use some of it to gamble, they will be charged 3%?

Well that' s not fair!

[Joyce From Yardley]

Hi,

 

Although we take enough cash with us. We take out our OBC to use/gamble with at the casino. I'll see what happens on our upcoming Grandeur cruise.

 

Enjoy your upcoming cruises. Labor Day is next Monday, enjoy the upcoming holiday.

 

If You are still in Fays path, stay safe.

 

Joyce & Of Course Harvey

[Mikew0805]

I do think you are wrong.

 

The money at the casino is for gambling. Many pax were using it for anything but.

 

RCI is not a bank and should not be treated as such.

 

What other purposes would you need cash for on a ship? Doesn't the Seapass still work for all purchases on board?

[smeyer418]

So, if a give someone a RCCl gift cert., which is credited to their Seapass, and they choose to use some of it to gamble, they will be charged 3%?

Well that' s not fair!

No probably not as this is already paid for its only when it new from the CC...its like you had a cash deposit on the account and were withdrawing it to use in the Casino but it would be better to ask this on the RC board.....

[honeywell]

I suppose the economy and having another way to make money has absolutely nothing at all to do with it. :rolleyes: Frankly, they should've been charging all along. You can't walk into a casino and take a cash advance without being charged for it. Why should you be able to on a cruise ship? RCI is not a bank and should not be treated as such. Bring it with you before you board.

 

However, you can walk into any land-based casino and cash a personal check with no fee.

[grandsix]

Carol, I think we all saw this coming due to some folks who just flat out abused the privilege :mad: :mad: :mad:

 

###

 

Not only did they abuse the program, they bragged about it on Cruise Critic

[Tranquil Waters]

Not only did they abuse the program, they bragged about it on Cruise Critic

 

Please! Of all the thousands and thousands that cruise on RCI ships day after day 365 days a year, the handful of people (who posted here on CC that they got cash that they did not gamble with from the casino) could have had only the most minimal of effect on RCI bottom line profits.

 

It is just another area where RCI saw the chance to charge another fee and make more money. I said before and say again that RCI will continue to make changes that are better for them and worse for the cruiser - as long as the market will bear it. It is the way of business.

[SherriZ366]

We had it on Mariner -- think it was cheaper than the ATM fee.

[Foffie232]

How is the 3% being charged? I don't understand...

 

We were on the 8/18 sailing of Monarch of the Seas - 4 nights out of L.A.

 

They are indeed charging the 3%. We asked to charge $100 on our Sea Pass card, and they said they would run the slip for $103.00. We walked away from the table.

 

It's awful. Now we just have to remember to tap the ATM machine for more money than before, before we board.

[Andrew9999]

Just off Independence (9-23 August). I took cash 3 times on my seapass card, twice from the casino cashier and once at the blackjack table. There was no surcharge.

 

Although I did use all the cash in the Casino they did not ask me what I was going to use it for (although it was fairly obvious for the one time I was sitting at the table :)). I observed several other people taking cash from the casino cashier whilst I was waiting in line at other times. They were also not asked what the cash was for.

 

I am surprised at the lack of consistency across the RCI fleet. I would have expected it be a standard corporate policy one way or the other.

 

Andrew.

[Keioki]

I played in a couple of Texas Hold'em tournaments on the Radiance and they didn't charge the fee for them when I used my Sea Pass. Didn't try to use my Sea Pass for the other games as I just bought my chips with cash.

[SingBill]

Just off the Monarch today and there is a sign by the cashier's cage that says there is a 4% transaction fee.

[6MonthsHere6MonthsThere]

Just off the Monarch today and there is a sign by the cashier's cage that says there is a 4% transaction fee.

 

 

 

 

 

Oh NO, it gets even more confusing now:rolleyes: ;) :D :eek: , LOL

[alschmid]

Just got off the Vision yesterday, and the 3% fee was in effect, the dealers said it just started last week.

[Host Kewlguy]

It seems to me the ships which still haven't instituted the casino surcharge will be doing so very shortly.

[MERLOTCHAMPAGNE]

Not to get off topic and barge in but.... since you just got off Vision and we're going to be on the Vision beginning Sept 14, how was it??? Food, shows, captain and CD, ship in general??? Thanks

[Momof3bobos]

Just off the 8/16 sailing of Liberty.

Yes, I was also charged the 3% "convenience fee" as the cashier put it.

[wanderingjew]

If you get $100 cash off your seapass they will actually charge you $103 for it. hey were losing money on people who would take advances from the casino for the points and not actually gamble with it.

i just got back from Carnival Triumph I got a 201 OBC i cashed out 200 on the Slots no fee