Would you buy this Comp, No gamble.

M

Mr. T

Well-Known Member
#1
#1
In the casino ship where I frequent the Roulette game has 1 zero. So at times where I have to make up the points on my players card I would bet $350 on red and black and $20 on the zero. I would lose the $20 each hand but I get in return 0.72 points on my players card. So it works out to be $27.80 per point.
Now with 30 points I can get a 3N/4D cruise ( one free room) which would have cost me $1600 (for 2 person) through a travel agent. This works out to be equavalent to a Comp of $53.30 per point.
Looks like none gamblers should go for this casino deal instead of paying cash.
 
M

Mr. T

Well-Known Member
#3
#3
I am giving a straight comparision.

These are the figures here.
Whether it is stateside or here, there are specials not only for cash purchase but for casino comps also. I follow the cruising scene very closely in the US.
Just to side track I notice Ken is going on a BJ tournament cruise and is paying about $2000 for a triple share room for, if I remember correctly 4N/5D cruise.
 
K

Kasi

Well-Known Member
#4
#4
Mr. T said:
In the casino ship where I frequent the Roulette game has 1 zero. So at times where I have to make up the points on my players card I would bet $350 on red and black and $20 on the zero. I would lose the $20 each hand but I get in return 0.72 points on my players card. So it works out to be $27.80 per point.
Now with 30 points I can get a 3N/4D cruise ( one free room) which would have cost me $1600 (for 2 person) through a travel agent. This works out to be equavalent to a Comp of $53.30 per point.
Looks like none gamblers should go for this casino deal instead of paying cash.
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Here's another one I can't understand. Doesn't take much lol.
You bet simultaneously on red and black? You mean you play $20 for 42 hands that might cost $23 in losses and you get a cruise for $1600?

You mean u get a comp of $53 on a spin that has an expected value of 54 cents?

Obviously I'm missing something.
 
M

Mr. T

Well-Known Member
#5
#5
I assume you know the game of Roulette.
The American version has 2 zero. the Eurpoean version has 1 zero.
So in this European Roulette I would bet simultaneously $350 on red, $350 on black and $20 on the zero. If the red or black shows up then I would lose the $20 on the bet on zero. If the zero shows up then I lose nothing because I will be paid $700. It is equivalent to a free ride except I will still get my 0.72 points on my players card.
I will lose the $20 bet on zero if red or black shows up but I will get 0.72 points on my players card. This is equivalent to buying 1 point of Comp for $27.80.
I can use 30 points on my players card to pay for the 3N/4D cruise or I can buy the same cruise from a travel agent for $1600. That mean the 30 points would be equivalent to $1600 or 1 point of Comp is now equivalent to $53.30.
Do you think this is a good proposition?
 
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S

shadroch

Well-Known Member
#6
#6
No.

You are losing $800 to get a cruise.Would you pay $800 to take the same cruise? You may disagree,but I don't see any great deal here. If you do,great.
Do you have a job? If so,will you lose pay by taking off for the cruise? How about the cost of getting to and from the cruise? Tips? It adds up pretty quickly.
Just because something has a brochure rate of $1600 does not mean its worth $1600.Have you tried a internet search to see what the cruise really goes for? I have a 5day/4 nite cruise booked for September. The brochure rate was $799 a person. I got it for $329 a person.
 
M

Mr. T

Well-Known Member
#7
#7
shadroch said:
No.

You are losing $800 to get a cruise.Would you pay $800 to take the same cruise? You may disagree,but I don't see any great deal here. If you do,great.
Do you have a job? If so,will you lose pay by taking off for the cruise? How about the cost of getting to and from the cruise? Tips? It adds up pretty quickly.
Just because something has a brochure rate of $1600 does not mean its worth $1600.Have you tried a internet search to see what the cruise really goes for? I have a 5day/4 nite cruise booked for September. The brochure rate was $799 a person. I got it for $329 a person.
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Hey Shadroch
What are you doing arguing with some people at 3 am in the morning where you are. Go get some sleep and I will reason with you in the morning.
I don't know what you mean "losing $800 to get a cruise." You can pay $800 for the cruise through the casino or $1600 through a travel agent.
As for the other stuff you are saying let us not get too weird about it.
Ken can confirm what he paid for his cruise.
 
S

shadroch

Well-Known Member
#8
#8
Print the name of the ship,and give me some random dates.
I'll get you some prices on what the cruise will cost a couple paying cash.
Fair enough? Perhaps it is a bargin but lets see.
 
K

Kasi

Well-Known Member
#9
#9
Mr. T said:
I assume you know the game of Roulette.
The American version has 2 zero. the Eurpoean version has 1 zero.
So in this European Roulette I would bet simultaneously $350 on red, $350 on black and $20 on the zero. If the red or black shows up then I would lose the $20 on the bet on zero. If the zero shows up then I lose nothing because I will be paid $700. It is equivalent to a free ride except I will still get my 0.72 points on my players card.
I will lose the $20 bet on zero if red or black shows up but I will get 0.72 points on my players card. This is equivalent to buying 1 point of Comp for $27.80.
I can use 30 points on my players card to pay for the 3N/4D cruise or I can buy the same cruise from a travel agent for $1600. That mean the 30 points would be equivalent to $1600 or 1 point of Comp is now equivalent to $53.30.
Do you think this is a good proposition?
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Now I get it! Thanks. Still seems weird in that u might as well save yourself an hour or 2 and just write them a check for the $833 or whatever.

All I can say is read the fine print to see what you're getting into. After all there's a wide range of prices for the good rooms versus the bad rooms. Maybe search around as to what the $833 can buy u without going thru a casino middleman like Shadroch suggests before u blow the money. Just a matter of consumer shopping!
 
M

Mr. T

Well-Known Member
#10
#10
Kasi said:
Now I get it! Thanks. Still seems weird in that u might as well save yourself an hour or 2 and just write them a check for the $833 or whatever.

All I can say is read the fine print to see what you're getting into. After all there's a wide range of prices for the good rooms versus the bad rooms. Maybe search around as to what the $833 can buy u without going thru a casino middleman like Shadroch suggests before u blow the money. Just a matter of consumer shopping!
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You cannot just write a check for $833 to the casino. You have to go through the process of chalking up the 30 points on your players card.

Shadroch,
I will give you the complete picture later as it would take me sometime to do it.
 
W

Walt

Member
#11
#11
Advantage play

Mr. T, if you are planning to go on the cruise anyway and can get a nice discount with your roulette play, then it is a good deal for you. Advantage players do similar things all the time. That being said, there are probably other means to receive the discount with a much smaller expected loss.
 
S

shadroch

Well-Known Member
#12
#12
Thats my problem as well. You should be able to play BJ at $25-50 a hand for several hours,get the same amount of comp points and have losses of perhaps a quarter of that.What MR T is doing gives him zero chance of coming out ahead. He is basically paying for a discounted cruise,not getting a free one.
As most cruise ships heavily discount their trips,it may not be much of a bargin.
 
EasyRhino

EasyRhino

Well-Known Member
#13
#13
Mr. T, you seem to like cruises, so this could quite possibly be a great deal for you. It's a move straight out of Comp City, except you've got your roulette betting covered so there's no variance. (By the way, could the casino take exception to your obvious manner of playing?)

Personally, I'm kind of "meh" about them, so mine would have to be closer to free.

... which makes me wonder if blackjack is a compable game on this cruise. With perfect BS play your average losses might be lower. With some very modest card counting, you're talking break-even (and a free cruise!).
 
M

Mr. T

Well-Known Member
#14
#14
O.K. shadroch here it is

​
The ship name is Star Cruises Virgo homeport here in Singapore. You wont find the information you want on the Internet.
If you are a Comp hunter you would find their ship Gemini a better deal as you can get a 8 day cruise for the same 30 points. The Gemini is sailing at about 30% occupancies year round compared to the 100% occupancies stateside.
Like I said it is a direct comparison. The $1600 is the published rate, so is the 30 points Comp rate. There are a few times in the year when the Virgo has the 1/2 price sale so has their casino. It drops down to 20 and even 15 points. So what I am saying is the relative value and not the absolute figures. If you have to pay $300 but the casino only require you to pay 3 points then the casino offer is still better. It has happen here once before when the casino charges a token 2 points.
I hope my message to this forum is not missed. That is the level of Comp here is quite unprecedented.
You can imagine that this Roulette play cannot be done on the traditional Roulette table. It is the computerised Touch Bet gadget with about 40 betting stations where you bet by touching the computer screen. In the traditional table the pit boss will probanly find some reason to disbar me from the casino.
Having said that there have been a couple of times where I had to get on the cruise and have found the 1/2 price offer better than the casino offer.
In the recent past I found that I have to get on this cruise and have discovered this Roulette phenomena. You would notice that I said in my previous positng that I have to make up the points.
It is a 2N/3D cruise and with the port call the operating hours of the casino is too short to get 50 points. If I have chalk up 50 points the casino will refund my top booking of 60 points for a Balcony room. So I was playing $25 BJ through when my comfort level is $10 BJ. I managed to chalk up 34 points but found on the last day that I had 3 hours of playing time left whereas I would need another 4 hours of $25 BJ.
So I went over to the Roulette terminal and in 1/2 hour chalk up another 16 points by playing 22 hands and costing me $440 . I find that my actual and theoretical cost of playing BJ is about $3 per point. So this Roulette play is for a special occasion only as I calculate my actual cost is $440 for 16+ 60 points which works out to be about $5 per point. Not bad I think.
I would not play Roulette for 50 or 30 points for about $800 because I dont have to. Does this make sense to you now.
 
S

shadroch

Well-Known Member
#15
#15
No,it doesn't.
I realize English is most likely not your native language but your last post is most confusing.
Why do you have to get on a cruise? Are you paying up front and need to earn points to get a rebate? If the cruise is so short that you need to spend all your time in the casino,why bother even going?
Frankly,either way,I'm not running to Asia for a free three nite cruise so the point is moot.
Perhaps its a good deal for our Asian members but not for Americans.
I've emailed one of my attorneys who now lives in Hong Kong about this. i'll let you know his take.He loves to gamble and to cruise so it might be up his alley.
 
M

Mr. T

Well-Known Member
#16
#16
shadroch said:
No,it doesn't.
I realize English is most likely not your native language but your last post is most confusing.
Why do you have to get on a cruise? Are you paying up front and need to earn points to get a rebate? If the cruise is so short that you need to spend all your time in the casino,why bother even going?
Frankly,either way,I'm not running to Asia for a free three nite cruise so the point is moot.
Perhaps its a good deal for our Asian members but not for Americans.
I've emailed one of my attorneys who now lives in Hong Kong about this. i'll let you know his take.He loves to gamble and to cruise so it might be up his alley.
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Shadroch, why do I have to get on the cruise.

I have an office in the other port city and I need to look in every so often
 
EasyRhino

EasyRhino

Well-Known Member
#19
#19
Well, at the most basic level, comp-counting is all about getting the comp for less than what you "spend" by gambling. In Mr. T's case, the formula is:

- the $833 spent on the roulette table
+ the cost it would take to travel for business anyway (plane/ferry whatever)
+ the subjective value of the cruise (priceless?)
= net gain/loss
 
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