There is not, in my experience, any direct ratio. Depending on the number of points you have, they will apply credits to your bill. I don't remember precise numbers I've had credited or heard others credited with, but it seemed that each additional 2500 points incremented the amount of your credit disproportionally. We didn't spend much on our last cruise, but everything on our bill ~$200 got wiped out with about 5000 points. The host said she would have done more, but that's the only charges we had except for the gratuities.
As for the randomness of the machines, or more precisely, that they might be gaffed, that would imply that they would obviously have fewer jackpots, such as RF's and W2G bonus quads than normal. Else, why would they gaff the machines? But my experience has been exactly the opposite. If I were writing the trip report, I would have to say that there are MORE big wins than I would normally expect. I've been on 5 cruises, 2 on Carnival, the last 3 on NCL. On every cruise, I have won, and my wins have in each case more than paid for the costs of the cruise. On the last cruise, last day, a $1 RF. The cruise before, a $1 RF and a $2 quad A's with a kicker. The one before that $1RF's on back-to-back days.
Yes, the paytables are terrible, but the right button press at the right nano-second will still get the desired result. I obviously can't swear that the machines are honest - I've never looked inside, or examined the RNG. (Not that I'd know what I was looking at, or for, anyway) I didn't notice any fewer quads than might be expected in a 7 day visit to any casino anywhere. I don't think that the infrequency of quads on the Epic is anything more than an unlucky, but normal visit to the trailing tail of the distribution.
Certainly the game is rigged. Don't let that stop you; if you don't bet, you can't win. -Lazarus Long
In theory, there is no difference between theory and practice. But, in practice, there is. -Yogi Berra
There is no such thing as luck. There is only adequate or inadequate preparation to cope with a statistical universe. -Robert Heinlein
>________________________________
> From: kelso 1600 <kelso1600@hotmail.com>
>To: vpfree@yahoogroups.com
>Sent: Saturday, January 28, 2012 7:25 PM
>Subject: RE: [vpFREE] Epic failure....NCL Epic-- notes on gambling
>
>
>
>
>I am a bit confused. How does 9300 points convert to $323 in comps using your conversion rate?
>
>> To: harrahscasinos@yahoogroups.com; vpFREE@yahoogroups.com
>> From: misscraps@aol.com
>> Date: Sat, 28 Jan 2012 12:22:18 -0500
>> Subject: [vpFREE] Epic failure....NCL Epic-- notes on gambling
>>
>>
>>
>> Coming soon, my epically long report on NCL largest, and in my opinion, worst ship. The major problem is design of the public rooms, but the individual rooms have problems too.
>>
>> But first a word of warning on gambling. I play a lot of VP. On board the pay tables were poor, as I knew they would be, such as 7/5 quarter and 8/5 $1 DDB and 6/5 JB (5$ for best JB 8/5 schedule)...but worse yet, I am convinced machines were gaffed/not random. I would get the same hands on a number of machines, such as holding a 4567 straight, only to pull a Q diamond, all too frequently in right hand empty spot. Hours of play, more than 15 I would say, and way too few quads. Went to Atlantis casino in Bahamas and in one hour on equally bad pay table got more quads than in 7 days of play on Epic.
>>
>> Also BJ seemed strangely poor, in shoe with riffling shuffle, though good rules. Can't say if it was gaffed, but in my opinion VP was.
>>
>> Also u get $10 in free play for every 1000 points, but if u play more than 2500 points and talk to casino services/host, they will basically triple that amount in comps. VP is $10 per point, slots $5, blackjack very much less. I had 9300 points, most from VP quarter, fifty cent, and $1, maybe 1000 of that from slits, which though bad, didn't seem as gaffy as VP.
>>
>> Warning here too though, host night before checkout told me I would get $323 comps, but in morning it wasn't taken off bill. It took over 1 hr with me the first person in line at customer service/purser desk to get it taken care of.
>>
>> Comps will NOT cover ships $12 per person per day service charge, and any ship credit u get in advance for cabin might not cover those either.
>>
>> For Epic DO book shows via Internet before u go, as soon as edocs available. Otherwise very long lines and maybe no seat on day/time u want to go.
>>
>> Do not book specialty meals in advance. Not needed.
>>
>> To be continued in a day or two as to the many bad things and a few good on the Epic.
>>
>> ------------------------------------
>>
>> vpFREE Links: http://www.west-point.org/users/usma1955/20228/V/Links.htm
>>
>> Yahoo! Groups Links
>>
>>
>>
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