Slot Machine Changes on HAL Ships......

[fann1sh]

Part of the fun when we would go down to Halifax was deciding whether to toss twenty dollars into the harbour or to go into the casino and throw it away on the slots.

 

LOL!

 

Thanks for my laugh of the day, Sapper.

 

My mom (who now has Alzheimer's type symptoms) has always enjoyed video terminal blackjack or poker. With the new system, I know she won't be able to handle it. She loved the "jingle jangle". Ah, well....

[sail7seas]

How many guesses do we get, Sea King? :D

 

 

Harry....... You won't believe this but similar thing happened to us.

 

 

Last night of our cruise, DH went to Casino to cash out what was left on my room card. They refused to give him the cash. They insisted I had to personally come. I debated whether to swear a written Power of Attorney giving him permission to collect the huge sum on my card. ;) It's all more trouble than it is worth.

 

 

Sapper, Very sorry you had to miss your cruise but hope your DH is feeling better. Hopefully, you'll be able to book a 'make up cruise'.

[jtl513]

I may be completely wrong on this but I think I saw a sign that the slots were open 24 hours because of the cashless system. Someone correct me I'm wrong.

Maybe while at sea they can be open all night, but there are many ports where they must closed while docked (ie, during the day).

[wander]

I really have a hard time understanding how going several decks up or down one time to collect one's winnings is so big a deal. It must really be nice to have so much money, that even $23 is not worth it.

[sapper1]

How many guesses do we get, Sea King? :D

 

 

Harry....... You won't believe this but similar thing happened to us.

 

 

Last night of our cruise, DH went to Casino to cash out what was left on my room card. They refused to give him the cash. They insisted I had to personally come. I debated whether to swear a written Power of Attorney giving him permission to collect the huge sum on my card. ;) It's all more trouble than it is worth.

 

 

Sapper, Very sorry you had to miss your cruise but hope your DH is feeling better. Hopefully, you'll be able to book a 'make up cruise'.

Ahh---make up cruise!!! I am already thinking it would be nice not to have to cook Christmas Dinner;) Thank goodness we had insurance for the trip. We haven't received anything yet but it will come at some point.

My husband is making great progress now but it was a grueling month from mid Feb to mid March.

[Harry1954]

Harry....... You won't believe this but similar thing happened to us.

Last night of our cruise, DH went to Casino to cash out what was left on my room card. They refused to give him the cash. They insisted I had to personally come. I debated whether to swear a written Power of Attorney giving him permission to collect the huge sum on my card. ;) It's all more trouble than it is worth.

It is indeed .. but the worst part for us was we were continuing on the next segment. Our room charges and our room keys were the same, BUT the winnings on my wife's room key would not go forward. That makes a lot of sense. That is why we let them keep the dang money and we did not bother to even complain on the survey as I figured it as a systemic problem. Funny thing is that a check came in the mail to DW a couple months later reimbursing her for the vast dollars she had eschewed.

harry

[sail7seas]

. Must admit I'm impressed they mailed the funds.

 

[Harry1954]

. Must admit I'm impressed they mailed the funds.

After the classless approach to maintaining the funds, this showed what HAL is really made of .. we were as well - and relieved to see some sanity return to the company. We really splurged with the check ...

harry

[gracecarmo]

may be a deal breaker for us!

 

Help me to understand the procedure...

 

You put your room key into a slot on the machine.

Then, do you put in an amount of money to be charged on your account?

(like putting in $20, normally)? Then this is recorded on your shipboard account?

 

If this is the case, I really do not want ANYONE in my cabin to know my gambling habits! (DH).

 

DH likes to go from machine to machine, just putting in a quarter...would this work with the new cashless system?

 

:confused::confused::confused:

[Boytjie]

may be a deal breaker for us!

 

Help me to understand the procedure...

 

You put your room key into a slot on the machine.

Then, do you put in an amount of money to be charged on your account?

(like putting in $20, normally)? Then this is recorded on your shipboard account?

 

If this is the case, I really do not want ANYONE in my cabin to know my gambling habits! (DH).

 

DH likes to go from machine to machine, just putting in a quarter...would this work with the new cashless system?

 

:confused::confused::confused:

 

If I remember correctly, I put cash in the slot machine and when I wanted to cash out I was prompted to insert my card and choose a password. After that when I wanted to play I had to insert that card and then select to move credits from the card to the slot machine.

 

Nothing about your gamling activity appears on your account statement. I think there were lost of notices about cashing out your winnings by the end of the cruise. You can also cash out the crdits on your card every night when you leave the casino, you'll just have to insert cash again the next time.

 

I think it makes sense that HAL wil only cash it out to the person whose picture is on the card.

[jtl513]

DH likes to go from machine to machine, just putting in a quarter...would this work with the new cashless system?

They won't actually take quarters ... he'd need tokens ... which may not be around very much longer, if there are still any around now. Maybe he could change habits, and put $1 in each machine. If he stayed until he lost that, he wouldn't have to use the card to cash-out.

[Boytjie]

They won't actually take quarters ... he'd need tokens ... which may not be around very much longer, if there are still any now. Maybe he could change habits, and put $1 in each machine. If he stayed until he lost that, he wouldn't have to use the card to cash-out.

 

I don't recall seeing any tokens on the Eurodam.

[jbhcw]

We used paper money in the slots on the Westerdam in February, then like others said you have to set up the account with your sail and sign card to get it off a machine, then you can take it to another machine, keep it on there, or go to the cashier to cash it out.

[sail7seas]

We never saw or heard any token in the casino on Eurodam..... they are gone.

 

We saved a few 25 cent tokens from previous cruises as 'souvenirs' and I'm happy we did.

We also each have a $1 value token from Maasdam we call good luck pieces and now we know they aren't replaceable if we should lose it. :(

 

 

[jtl513]

I don't recall seeing any tokens on the Eurodam.

 

We never saw or heard any token in the casino on Eurodam..... they are gone.

I don't remember on our last ship (Noordam) if they still had those machines with the 4 paddles that push quarters/tokens and prizes (like rolls of $1 bills) forward until they fall out the front. If they're still around there could still be a use for some tokens! :)

[navybankerteacher]

You have to put cash in -- not apply charges to your room card. The annoying thing is that if you want to "cruise" from machine to machine, you have to input your code on the machine you are leraving to get the credit put on your card, tghen put your card in the next machine and enter the code to get the credit entered on the second machine.

 

Yes, it is a pain in the neck - not only are you deprived of the clanging of dropping coins/tokens, you have to spend more time on each machine (entering and then exiting) with your code -- than you would in making a cash draw from an ATM.

[Boytjie]

I don't remember on our last ship (Noordam) if they still had those machines with the 4 paddles that push quarters/tokens and prizes (like rolls of $1 bills) forward until they fall out the front. If they're still around there could still be a use for some tokens! :)

 

I don't recall seeing it on the Eurodam but it could have been there. But doesn't it use actual coins anyway?

[Boytjie]

Yes, it is a pain in the neck - not only are you deprived of the clanging of dropping coins/tokens, you have to spend more time on each machine (entering and then exiting) with your code -- than you would in making a cash draw from an ATM.

 

Well, I think typing in the codes are quicker than finding a container, scooping up your coins/tokens and reloading them in another machin. :D

[mszula]

I enjoyed the new system last month on the Maasdam. I hated schlepping around with dirty coins in a dirty bucket..... that was IF you could find a bucket.

I remember similiar complaints from people when the casinos went from pulling the handle on the slot machine to just pushing a button.

Everything is always evolving.. nothing stays the same.

[jtl513]

I don't recall seeing it on the Eurodam but it could have been there. But doesn't it use actual coins anyway?

Either tokens or quarters. The change machine next to it dispensed quarters, so it was most full of quarters whenever we've seen (and played) them.

[sail7seas]

I know for sure Maasdam had two of those machines when we were aboard just before Christmas but I don't recall seeing them on Eurodam.

 

Those machines cannot be played without tokens/coins.

[sail7seas]

I enjoyed the new system last month on the Maasdam. I hated schlepping around with dirty coins in a dirty bucket..... that was IF you could find a bucket.

 

I remember similiar complaints from people when the casinos went from pulling the handle on the slot machine to just pushing a button.

 

Everything is always evolving.. nothing stays the same.

 

Perhaps I am wrong but it seems to me you could still pull the handle when inserting a coin/token. You did not have to use the buttons.

 

Until one experiences the changes, it may be hard for you to visualize the difference in makes in the 'fun factor'. If you have played the new system and like it, great. Happy for you. :)

 

The dirty coin issue is totally aside from them tracking with computer memory exactly how much you play, how long, which machines, how often etc

[ANSalberg]

I wonder how much this system change will help in the quest to NOT have to "Code Red" as people use each other's machines within the Casino. It certainly should SEEM "cleaner" . Colorado Casinos are "cash in- ticket out" machines now- but HAL systems sound very different. Oh well; We'll see the end of this month.........:)

[jtl513]

... NOT have to "Code Red" as people use each other's machines within the Casino. It certainly should SEEM "cleaner".

You're still sharing buttons! :)

[ViolaSwamp]

I know I will gamble a LOT less with this new system.

 

Thanks for saving me $, HAL! :p