Royal Caribbean (RCL) offers casinos on all the ships sailing under its namesake brand. Anyone who sails on any of those cruise ships who is 18 and over can play table games, slot machines, and video poker in the onboard casino.
The cruise line has a loyalty program that's similar to the ones offered by land-based casinos, with one major difference -- you don't actually have to sign up. Instead, your membership is tracked by your "SeaPass" card (room key). When you sit at a machine you begin to accrue points either by tapping your card or inserting it (newer ships have the tap system while older ones require insertion). At a table game, you hand your card to the dealer/person running the game, who hands it to a pit boss to track your play.
If you tap/insert your card in a slot machine, you earn 1 point for every $5 cycled through. On a video poker machine, it's $10 per point while table games vary based on your perceived level of play. It's not how much you win or lose in either case. Points are earned based on money cycled through the game or machine.
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How Does Royal Caribbean's Club Royale Work?
Casino Royale members earn rewards in two ways. The first relates to the current cruise you are on. Points earned can be redeemed for freeplay before the end of that cruise and they count toward earning an "Instant Reward" certificate, which can be for anything from a discount on a future cruise to a free cruise.
Exactly how this works varies based on ship and sailing. On every ship, there's a flyer at the casino host desk and at the cashier that shows the points required to earn discounts and free cruises.
On a typical cruise recently, 800 points might earn you a free cruise on a very limited selection of cruises while 1,500 will get you access to a much longer list. At higher levels of points earned, the list may stay the same, but you may get a higher level of room and freeplay.
The numbers vary for earning an "Instant Reward," with some sailings requiring 2,500 points to earn a free cruise.
Redeeming your points for freeplay does not mean you lost those points. Instead, while they won't show in your onboard account, they're still there for the purpose of earning an Instant Reward and building toward your annual tier level.
How Do Royal Caribbean Casino Royale Tiers Work?
In addition to cruise-based rewards, Casino Royale also offers tier-based rewards that tie to the total amount of points you earn in the casino calendar year. That year runs from April 1 through March 31 (and which year points fall in are based on the first day of the cruise).
Every player who plays any casino game with an inserted or pit boss tracked card is "Choice," level which comes with limited benefits. Earn 2,500 points in the cruise year, however, and you earn Prime Status which comes with some very real benefits.
"Once you hit 2,500 points, you've reached Prime status which unlocks new perks like a waived casino convenience fee, drinks on us at Casino Royale, discounts on Voom high speed internet packages, exclusive rates for family and friends, and a complimentary interior stateroom on one cruise each year," the cruise line shared on its website.
So, once you hit 2,500 points for the casino year, you can ask the casino host for a "Prime" sticker for your SeaPass card. That will give you immediate access to free drinks at the casino bar, whenever the casino is open. That's not free drinks while you are playing, it's drinks you can order even if you intend to leave the casino.
The big perk, aside from free drinks in the casino, is your annual tier benefit cruise. If you hit 2,500 points before the casino year closes in April you will get a certificate at the Casino Royale offers site good for a free interior on pretty much any sailing seven nights or less that's not on a major holiday or a ship that's under one year old. What counts as a holiday is sometimes debatable and you might be able to book Christmas or New Year's on an older ship.
If you earn 25,000 points in a year, you hit Signature level which bumps your free annual cruise to a balcony while also giving you free WiFi for one device each trip.
Earn 100,000 points and you're Masters level, That gives you a special welcome lunch, access to Coastal Kitchen, onboard credit to use at any way you choose, and a complimentary Grand Suite on one cruise each year.
In any given casino year, you earn points toward your tier level. When you hit a level you hold it for the rest of that year and all of the next one.
