Cruise Discussion Forum?

[dioxide45]

What's a slot pull?

Generally they will also bet max and max lines so any potential payout is higher. It can get messy if there is a big payout because someone needs to get the IRS slip but everyone gets to share....

 

[silentg]

I like the idea of a cruise page, tug used to have a group that went on cruises. Haven’t seen any new ones?

 

[Passepartout]

(T)ug used to have a group that went on cruises. Haven’t seen any new ones?

The TUGger who organized those was a travel agent. She passed on and no one took up the challenge. I went on one or 2 of them They were fun. I could see that organizing them was a bit like herding cats.

 

[Timeshare Von]

I am for it. Cruise Critic is too complex and overwhelming. Too many cruise cheerleaders and jargon for a new cruiser like me.

Perhaps start with a cruise thread and see how much interest? We are new to cruising so looking for a Tuggers eye on the travel option

And I've found that sometimes, threads are overtaken by what I can only describe as "cruise snobs" . . . I'd rather get and share info here on TUG with people I "know" (at least sorta think I know LOL).

 

[Timeshare Von]

It seems that individual Facebook Groups for each cruise have replaced the Cruise Critic Roll Calls. I seem to recall these roll calls dropping off even before the cruise shut down. Cruise Critic uses the worst forum software. I don't find the site easy to use. A subforum under "Vacation Travel Information" on TUG is a good idea.

Yes and we joined the FB group for our cruise, which was helpful and nice . . . especially since we were able to connect with a couple of people before boarding/sailing.

 

[Timeshare Von]

easy enough.... https://tugbbs.com/forums/forums/cruise-vacation-discussion.71/

Thanks Brian!

 

[Timeshare Von]

Collective gambling on a single slot machine. It’s primarily a social event where everyone contributes the same amount of money (~$20 or so, usually) and then it all goes in one slot and everyone spins. At the end of one full round a decision is made to continue or cash out, though sometimes that’s determined in advance. Whatever amount is left is evenly split.


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But be careful if you join in. How they handle the "residual" can be slippery as most pay out in whole/even dollars which may leave a fair about of money left over (i.e., "residual"). On some cruises, the person who amassed the highest amount in their turn, gets the residual. On our cruise the organizer kept it so as to take care of "the taxes, etc" and for the hassle of running the slot pull. My sister and BIL had run many slot pulls on cruises before, and said the points on the cruise line for the gambling is significant enough to make running the slot pull worthwhile. She told me that for the organizer to ALSO take the residual was a farce and rip-off, so we didn't participate.

 

[zentraveler]

For other sources of information about cruising: Tips For Travellers - Making It Fun & Easy To Discover, Plan & Enjoy Incredible Cruise Vacations. He is English and has just gone on his 103rd (?) cruise. He has a YouTube channel and puts up concise (usually ~15 minutes), very well-done videos on different topics related to cruising and covers all the major (and smaller) cruise lines. He also posts on Instagram while he is on a cruise. He left today for Japan and has already started posting about that. (He pays for all of his own cruises and does not accept freebies.)

 

[Ken555]

But be careful if you join in. How they handle the "residual" can be slippery as most pay out in whole/even dollars which may leave a fair about of money left over (i.e., "residual"). On some cruises, the person who amassed the highest amount in their turn, gets the residual. On our cruise the organizer kept it so as to take care of "the taxes, etc" and for the hassle of running the slot pull. My sister and BIL had run many slot pulls on cruises before, and said the points on the cruise line for the gambling is significant enough to make running the slot pull worthwhile. She told me that for the organizer to ALSO take the residual was a farce and rip-off, so we didn't participate.

I haven’t participated in one of these in years. But, when I did we each put our own card in the machine when each of us used it - not sure why the organizer would leave their own in it unless they make that part of their “fee” for running the event. In years past it did take more than a few seconds for the machine to recognize a new card and I could see a large group not wanting to delay for it, but these days they’re much faster.

I certainly didn’t and don’t care about the residual, and if there’s a real win then the taxes become a real issue for someone that can’t be ignored. And again, it’s mostly a social event.

FWIW, on a cruise I was on just two weeks ago there were slot pulls for each sea day (and we had six of them). I didn’t particulate in any but it seems like they had a number of people who showed up every day based on what I heard.


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[silentg]

The TUGger who organized those was a travel agent. She passed on and no one took up the challenge. I went on one or 2 of them They were fun. I could see that organizing them was a bit like herding cats.

Not true, we have a cruise agent and she is a tug member too!

 

[Passepartout]

Not true, we have a cruise agent and she is a tug member too!

Well, it IS true. Kathy Querolo was the TA that wrangled the TUGger cruises, and subsequently passed. I also have no doubt that other TUGger TAs exist.

 

[joestein]

Generally they will also bet max and max lines so any potential payout is higher. It can get messy if there is a big payout because someone needs to get the IRS slip but everyone gets to share....

I guess that is true.. but it is a lot of fun. Especially when I run them! I am loud and out there. I make jokes and cracks and lead the cheering when there is a bonus round. Plus you meet a bunch of people who you see around the rest of the cruise.

It is why I run them - The one I didn't run this year was a like a corporate meeting - no fun at all. Why bother.

 

[Passepartout]

I guess that is true.. but it is a lot of fun. Especially when I run them! I am loud and out there. I make jokes and cracks and lead the cheering when there is a bonus round. Plus you meet a bunch of people who you see around the rest of the cruise.

It is why I run them - The one I didn't run this year was a like a corporate meeting - no fun at all. Why bother.

We have participated in a few slot pulls, when there has been an active Roll Call. It takes a bit of an extrovert to get participants into the enthusiasm. (something bubbly helps too) Seems like Roll Calls lately have been pretty lame. I haven't tried the fb groups.