FREE CASH ADVANCE

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Conniemc

Guest
This is a little known luxury only Celebrity offers (at least as of 6 months ago)...you can go into the casino at any time and tell them to give you cash and put it on your account. It charges to your account, just like any other on board purchase. They don't force you to use it in the casino. I have taken over $1K this way, although I never thought much about it.

I just found out Princess charges 3% on all casino credits...and realized how fortunate I was to not incur that charge on Celebrity. Most people would never use a credit card for a cash advance, because of the high interest they charge, but on Celebrity, just hit the casino, get as much cash as you want, and pay it off the same as a regular purchase.

Good to know!!
 
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rbrighin

Guest
Unfortunately this practice ended as of April, 2008.

I was on a sailing in mid-April and attempted to do just this (drawing from a credit onboard balance resulting from shareholder credit and Worldpoints OBC). They refused to allow a cash advance without imposing a 3% service fee. There was absolutely no way around it. The casino manager explained that the 3% charge had been implemented as a result of cruisers who were abusing the perk of obtaining cash in this fashion ... just another example of what happens when people try to take advantage of a good thing.
 
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Conniemc

Guest
Funny, because I REALLY don't think people knew about it....and frankly, I don't buy it. It's just another way the lines are downgrading and nickle and diming you. Pathetic. So not only are you going to pay THEM 3%, (for high rollers, that adds up), but you pay your credit card company ANOTHER 3%, plus huge interest. Just watch - the casino revenues will drop off, like all the other revenues. STUPID STUPID STUPID.:(:X
Just got off the phone with Princess to find out if it is put on your normal onboard account like Celeb does, or if they run it through as a separate cash advance (with the huge interest rate). They checked with their parent company CARNIVAL...(barf), and yes, they run it as a cash advance....AND you have no idea what your on board account balance is. No sitting in bed at the end of the day, checking your TV to see what you spent....OH NO....you wait in line at customer service for a full printout to get an answer.

It just makes me equally sad and pissed off to see the lines going downhill like this. Again, I don't believe for ONE MINUTE people were abusing the system, most of the cash I took went directly to the roulette table, and when I would win, I would walk it down to customer service (who wants to carry a bunch of cash on board) and tell to apply it to my on board account.

Honest to God, if it wasn't too late to cancel, I would be DONE with crusing and cancel the December sailing. It's all just too low class for me now. There's hardly anymore "good things" to "take advantage" of. The airlines are just as bad...but as an avid cruise LOVER for many decades, it breaks my heart and infuriates me at the same time. My only consolation is knowing these bad practices across the board will only result in their own demise.
=twocents
ps - weekend newspaper cruise section just dropped Celebrity to 8th place and Princess to 9th in the Large Ship category. DISNEY rated number 5! Cunard and Oceanic were in the top three, HAL I think was 4. And Carnival didn't even make the list...obviously, the mass cruise demographic has changed....BIG TIME.
 
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BSeabob

Guest
Well I for one knew about the "Advance" and I must admit that I never put any of it back into the Casino...so I guess it's my fault. :D
Used it to pay tips at end of cruise so I didn't have to carry much cash with me or look for atm's etc. Course I don't need cash for tips anymore so as I use their "Auto" tipping :) (downfall there is that no one gets extra anymore) Last cruise I had no need for extra cash so didn't know about the "Penalty"

thks for the info.
 
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Conniemc

Guest
I do the pre-tip and then extra cash tips, but won't be doing that anymore. And I'll get my roulette play in Atlantic City, where they appreciate my patronage. I'm surprised you knew about it Bob, but I'm sure less than 5% of passengers knew about it overall. And since it's been a practice on board other lines for some time, I think Celeb's new ownership is just jumping on the bandwagon. What's next - $5 for an extra roll? $10 to change your sheets? Princess actually charges you for ice cream...
:girly
 
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randy

Guest
I had a lodge brother who would do just this tactic, taking $3K out in the casino, taking it home to pay off the (non-cash advance) bill, and accumulating 3K frequent flyer miles. Glad to be waived off before I did this!
 
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Conniemc

Guest
Wow, I never looked at it as a ploy, just a convenience. I guess a lot of people did abuse it. Sad.
 
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