Cez

yeah - that's what my TA just confirmed 

Finally some answers that make sense. Overall it looks as a positive news for casino players interested in pre-purchasing casino chips. But it seems like there will be three categories of the chips???
Our apologies for the confusion. Please see the answers to your questions below. 

1. if you play a promotional chip in and win, the dealer will take the promotional chip and issue standard chips for the full amount of your win. 

2. The dealer has lower denomination promotional chips and can exchange them for you. 

3. Tier status and cruise certificates are both determined based upon the number of points accumulated. Chips purchased through your Cruise Planner will qualify for these points. The promotional or "Bonus" chips that are issued on top of your original purchase will not be eligible for points. 
 

Finally some answers that make sense. Overall it looks as a positive news for casino players interested in pre-purchasing casino chips. But it seems like there will be three categories of the chips???
Our apologies for the confusion. Please see the answers to your questions below. 

1. if you play a promotional chip in and win, the dealer will take the promotional chip and issue standard chips for the full amount of your win. 

2. The dealer has lower denomination promotional chips and can exchange them for you. 

3. Tier status and cruise certificates are both determined based upon the number of points accumulated. Chips purchased through your Cruise Planner will qualify for these points. The promotional or "Bonus" chips that are issued on top of your original purchase will not be eligible for points. 
 

Finally some answers that make sense. Overall it looks as a positive news for casino players interested in pre-purchasing casino chips. But it seems like there will be three categories of the chips???
Our apologies for the confusion. Please see the answers to your questions below. 

1. if you play a promotional chip in and win, the dealer will take the promotional chip and issue standard chips for the full amount of your win. 

2. The dealer has lower denomination promotional chips and can exchange them for you. 

3. Tier status and cruise certificates are both determined based upon the number of points accumulated. Chips purchased through your Cruise Planner will qualify for these points. The promotional or "Bonus" chips that are issued on top of your original purchase will not be eligible for points. 
 

@WAAAYTOOO @SpeedNoodles yes, I agree with your suspicions however email looks legit and signed with name and title of the CS agent. I guess Royal is flirting with AI ;)
I've politely asked them to re-read my questions and to answer them again  - we'll see

Finally some answers that make sense. Overall it looks as a positive news for casino players interested in pre-purchasing casino chips. But it seems like there will be three categories of the chips???
Our apologies for the confusion. Please see the answers to your questions below. 

1. if you play a promotional chip in and win, the dealer will take the promotional chip and issue standard chips for the full amount of your win. 

2. The dealer has lower denomination promotional chips and can exchange them for you. 

3. Tier status and cruise certificates are both determined based upon the number of points accumulated. Chips purchased through your Cruise Planner will qualify for these points. The promotional or "Bonus" chips that are issued on top of your original purchase will not be eligible for points. 
 

@WAAAYTOOO @SpeedNoodles yes, I agree with your suspicions however email looks legit and signed with name and title of the CS agent. I guess Royal is flirting with AI ;)
I've politely asked them to re-read my questions and to answer them again  - we'll see

Heard cases where you do end up with the extra points. Only requirement was having to call after points posted.

@WAAAYTOOO @SpeedNoodles yes, I agree with your suspicions however email looks legit and signed with name and title of the CS agent. I guess Royal is flirting with AI ;)
I've politely asked them to re-read my questions and to answer them again  - we'll see

This is so weird. Who the heck they employing for customer support. See my email exchange with Casino Royale support. I've asked three questions. I though that they were straightforward, is there a way to simplify them?
Thank you for reaching out to Royal Caribbean’s Club Royale regarding your new casino credit offers available in the cruise planner. 
Q1: If I'm betting $ 100 promotional chip and win, do I:
     a) receive $ 100 in real chip and $ 100 promotional chip or
     b) $ 200 in real chips and promotional chip is taken by dealer
A: You will be able to cash out any winnings with the cashier’s desk onboard. We cannot refund any promotional play not spent at the end of the cruise.
Q2: Is dealer able to change higher denomination promotional chips at the table? Meaning: if I have $ 100 promotional chip and want t change to 4 x 25$ chips, can I do it at the table or do I have to go to cashier ?
A: Our chips will be available in different amounts so you can change your bets as you need.
Q3: Is time spent while playing with promotional chips qualified as play time that counts towards achieving tier level or certificate for future cruises ?
A: Your play will be tracked based on the original amount of promotional chips purchased. You will not earn points from any ‘bonus chips’.

 

Here lately, if you book the BOGO60 you do not get the C&A discount, one or the other, our at least that is what I was told by my TA.

Well, after 3 cabin moves and who knows how many phone calls by our TA, we are back in the original cabin we booked a year and a half ago! 
@Matt is 100% correct when he says use a travel agent, John Ames at MEI really came through on this!
Scott
 

In July of 2017 we were on Oasis with some friends and decided to book Symphony for December 8 (just over a week away).  We did at Next Cruise, both parties booked a balcony, rooms next to each other but different reservation.  In the last few months we have done the typical reservations for entertainment etc., all was good.  A few days ago we had to drop my wife from reservation due to a new job, but my self, and son(7) were still going as well as 2 other cabins of friends on different reservations.  After they dropped my wife, I verified all our reservations, excursions, and all was good.  I did online checkin with me and my son, and printed tags and passes.
This morning I log on to reserve hibachi for the 6 of us, but my cruise doesn't show up.  I wasn't worried, figured it was a glitch, but shot my TA an email anyway.  He responds that Royal canceled our entire reservation some time late yesterday or early this morning!  Thankfully John at MEI travel has been working on it hard today, but the original room is gone.  They had us on deck 3 from a while, and now deck 14, but the rest of our group is on 9.  It is so frustrating because with my wife not joining us, I was counting on our friends helping with our son a little bit so I could go on a morning run etc.  Plus just the logistics of us being spread across the ship and keeping in touch.  Is much easier when you are next door and a couple doors down.  
I just don't see how this can happen, especially since I was checked in, and everything was set to go.  I received notification when my wife was dropped from reservation, but not that it was later canceled.  Anyone have any connections with management that I can complain to?  I am just thankful we have a TA to deal with this, but doubt anyone at RC really cares how this changes the logistics for our party on this cruise.  
Thanks guys, just needed to vent to people who will understand my frustration.
Scott

Agreed.  Just because it may not be something everyone is interested in, doesn't make it a scam.  
Royal is a business.  This is about taking a manual upgrade process that only typically benefited Pinnacles (for the most part) and automating it.  Automation is more efficient and can process through the ripple effect of a suite becoming available much better than humans can deal with it.  
As a D+ I've never been visited by the upgrade fairy.  Probably never will.  With RoyalUP I can choose to play the game and have a chance at a paid upgrade.  Before RoyalUP I might have been lucky enough to see a suite pop into inventory before anyone else but then I'd have to pay full price which for a full suite that can be three or four thousand more.  That's just not worth it.  I'll book another cruise for that.  So I'm not losing out on anything with RoyalUP in place.
I have a cruise coming up with a step-daughter.  We could use a bigger cabin, free room service, get her into the concierge lounge, etc.  That isn't worth a massive amount to me, but it's worth something.  I've thrown a low bid in that probably wouldn't be accepted if such a suite becomes available.  Who knows?  I'm not counting on it.  
If double C&A points were on the table that would be worth something more to me that would cause be to offer a higher bid.  Absent of double C&A points I'd rather sink $2,000 or more into another cruise.  If Royal dramatically updates the C&A program double C&A might be worthless if the goal posts are moving.  
With automation of a manual process presumably bringing in new revenue Royal can keep base fares low to remain competitive.  That's a side effect we all can benefit from.  

IMHO Junior suite without perks of doubling C&A points it not worth even $500 extra. I would rather take that cash and put it as a deposit towards next cruise, but it's just me...

You can add refundable as an option at the end of booking process. It cost me a total of ~ 100 US for balcony on Anthem (Nov '19)
 

IMHO Junior suite without perks of doubling C&A points it not worth even $500 extra. I would rather take that cash and put it as a deposit towards next cruise, but it's just me...

IMHO Junior suite without perks of doubling C&A points it not worth even $500 extra. I would rather take that cash and put it as a deposit towards next cruise, but it's just me...

Fourth vote for using the port parking. Used it in October, super convenient and the staff were all friendly and helpful. Plus, it's got full security / cameras / etc. so you've got peace of mind your car won't have been vandalized while you were away.

FWIW, I always park at the port. Convenience factor outweighs the slight savings from parking offsite IMO.

I used the Port Parking last month. It was very convenient for me. Dropped off my luggage - drove one minute to the lot - walked back to check in. The only issue was that the machines to pay were down and they only took cash until the machines were back online.

Stay with the port parking @ $20. It is safe in the parking garage. Just a few steps you are at cruise check-in line. We arrived at the port around 10:15 am then dropped off our luggage, short drive to the port parking garage then walked a few minutes to the security line to check our carry on bags. Checked in with RC. We were onboard Anthem OTS around 11 am and sipping our first drink. 

or just let her go on the zipline towards the end of the cruise. Additional pounds are always sticking to me by day 5 ?  
 

These casino cruises can be booked on any cruise 8 days or less.  The holiday blackouts are somewhat ambiguous.  I expect that there are strictly prohibited for the obvious "big" holidays - Christmas, New Years, 4th of July etc. but we were able to book one of ours over President's Day of 2019.  I have read of others who were not permitted to book over ANY federal holiday so I don't know if we just got lucky or if it - like most other things - depends on who you get on the phone.
The best part of the "free" casino cruises (whether they are status-based complimentary cruises or casino-awarded certificate cruises) is that they are very easily and affordably (IMO) upgradable.  Dan and I were able to upgrade our annual "free" Prime cruises (which start out as the lowest category inside cabins) all the way to Star Class on Anthem for next Feb.  Thanks to Michelle Cunningham for making these happen !  We have also upgraded 2 award certificate complimentary cruises to Owner's Suites on Navigator and Freedom.  So free is GREAT but upgrades for very little money (relative, of course) are even better.
BTW, in case you do not have it, there is a special phone number for Prime members.  866-213-3116.  I was never given this number by Club Royale.  I only stumbled upon it when I received a snail mail flyer which had it on the bottom of the flyer in tiny print.  Not sure how they ever expected Prime members to get this information !  Such a poorly advertised and executed program in some ways !

@alamode123 If you planning to consume four drinks plus some wine, maybe some specialty coffee, OJ or bottled water (per day) even at that price you are ahead of the game ?
It all depends on your capacity and liver status ?