bakingbad3

I actually just posted something about this in a different thread! Here are my thoughts: Bottom line up front: You can get there in as little as an hour, but you need to have an appropriately sized bankroll. If you can walk into the casino with $12,500 cash, you will get to Prime. You will likely pay somewhere between $1,000 and $3,000 for your trouble. So how do you do it? Find one of the all-digital slot machines. You are looking for buttons on the bottom part that say "x lines" with "x" being numbers like 1, 15, 25, 50, whatever. The higher the better. You should be able to find one that says 200 or 300 as one of the highest values. You are also looking for a denomination button, or a 2 by 2 grid of a cluster of buttons. They should say "1 c", "5 c", and so on. This is the bet amount. You are looking for at least 25 cents. You should be able to find a machine that has somewhere around 200 lines to play and lets you bet 25 cents a line. Find it? Good, that's your machine. Start feeding it $100 bills. Pick the highest line amount and the highest denomination amount. Hit the "spin" button. You should be betting about $50 a spin. You can just smack the button over and over to skip the animations, though you might end up on a machine with mini-games that force you to interact. There is zero skill involved in these. Just go as quickly as you can. If you can bet once every 5 seconds, you'll hit Prime in 21 minutes after pushing the spin button exactly 250 times. Though chances are you'll play slower, and who knows, you might even get a hand pay (which is when you win an amount on a single spin that exceeds a certain threshold (I believe it is $1200 or something like that) where the attendant has to pay you in person and get your tax info and stuff). So conservatively, let's call it 2 hours. But definitely should be doable in a single sitting. You might burn through a lot of your $100's in a row, but the game should ebb and flow and my guess is that you'll end up down a couple thousand, give or take, when you're through. Though you could be down ten thousand or more. But as long as you start with $12,500, you'll get to Prime guaranteed. And that's it! Congrats on getting to Prime! If you're interested in my logic and math, or how to reduce the risk of this costing a lot more than a couple grand, read on. How do I arrive at my conclusions? A huge part of my math revolves around the "RTP" value, which stands for "return to player". These are values set by the casino and dictate how much money, over a long period of time, each machine will return to the player. In Vegas, slots are usually in the mid to high 90s, meaning that if you spun a $10,000 penny slot machine a million times, you'd leave with $9,600 assuming it had a 96% RTP. I am assuming that Royal has an 85% RTP. I may be over or under estimating that, but I am confident that this is fairly accurate. Here's why. A good video poker machine in Vegas will have an RTP extremely close to 100%, like 99.5% or higher. Some even have a hair over 100% RTP, believe it or not. But the general consensus is that on Royal, video poker RTP is terrible. So I assume that means it is somewhere the 90-95% range. Call it 92.5%. Royal gives you 1 point for every $10 you put through a video poker machine. But they give you 1 point for every $5 you put through a slot machine. This isn't out of the kindness of their hearts. Logically this must be because slots have an RTP that is around twice as bad as video poker. So that's how I get to 85% RTP for slots. If you brought in 1,250,00 pennies and you played a single penny machine 1,250,00 times, you would walk away with Prime status and be almost statistically guaranteed to have roughly 1,062,500 pennies left over. But it would take you over 72 days of playing 24/7 to do this. Obviously we can't play a penny at a time. So we trade statistical certainty of the outcome for time spent playing. Playing $50 hands as in my instructions above, this could take less than a half an hour. But the chances that you end the session down 6, 8, 10 thousand dollars are not insignificant (you could also end the session up several thousand dollars too!). You have to trade your comfort level with knowing the final result (which if you remember will ALWAYS converge to you losing $1,875) with the amount of time you are willing to sit and play. There is a lot of math that goes into figuring out the odds, and it depends on the standard deviation of the pay table (which is impossible to know and varies greatly by game). But for our purposes we can just double the amount of time it takes to get to Prime for every time you cut the bet size in half. My conservative guess for the $50 bet size was 2 hours, so $25 bets would take you 4 hours, $10 bets would take you 10 hours, and $2 bets would take you 50 hours (though with $2 bets you should never have a hand pay and could always play fast, so this may actually be closer to 10 hours at a consistent 5 seconds a spin). If you had groups of people doing each different strategy, the group making $50 bets would have some people leaving the casino with Prime status and $1,000 left over, while others would be leaving with Prime status plus $20,000 in their pocket. The group playing the $2 hands would all leave with Prime and with cash amounts somewhere between $9,000 and $12,000. But they traded more time at the machine for that tighter window of likely outcomes. Hope this helped! The most important thing to remember is this: Royal does not lose money on the casino program. Statically, they are charging each person who makes it to Prime $1,875 to get there. Some pay more, some pay less, but the house always wins.

I'm not the OP but I'll share what I've learned. The single best thing you can do for yourself is Google "risk of ruin" or "bankroll size". In a nutshell, this is a way of figuring out how large your bankroll needs to be to ensure you have a decent chance of not blowing through it in a single session. My biggest mistake for my first several years of gambling was coming into a casino with a bankroll far too small for the bets I was making. I thought bringing $300 for $15 Blackjack was a "smart and responsible" limit, but I was basically guaranteeing I'd lose it all (to clarify: lose it quickly - you WILL lose your entire bankroll over a long enough time period no matter how large it is). For Blackjack, they suggest 100 times your bet size for a bankroll. For slots, they suggest 250 times. So if you're playing $15 hands, bring $1500. If you're playing $2 slot pulls, bring $500. Once you overcome the swings of probability and can avoid going broke, you can plan on losing about $50 an hour playing Blackjack (at 70 hands an hour), or about $30 per 100 spins of the slots. This will earn you 40 points per 100 spins on slots, and who knows what for Blackjack (maybe 20-40 point an hour?). My advice, assume slots have an 85% RTP rate. This would make economic sense for Royal. If someone put $12,500 through the machine, the casino would keep $1,875, and the player would earn 2,500 points. If you just want to sprint to that level, play huge slot bets with a big bankroll. $50 spins with a $12,500 bankroll (enough to lose 250 times in a row) should give you a decent shot of hitting the free cruise level while avoiding the chance of going bankrupt. Assuming you want to play quickly, you could do this in under an hour, and you *should* walk away having lost somewhere in the $1000-$3000 range. That's obviously a huge bankroll. But $1,875 is what what you're going to statistically be losing in order to earn your 2,500 points no matter how you slice it. Some people will do better than that. But by definition, others will do worse, because the house always wins. The only way to "guarantee" your outcome (which is always going to be to lose some money) is to spread your play over a large number of bets.

I'll kick things off on this one at T minus 53 days to go! I'll be on this sailing. First on any Quantum class, and only second overall on Royal. Going solo once again after a fantastic solo cruise on Oasis exactly a year ago. A little nervous about going from 35% capacity to probably close to 100%, but happy to see that all the COVID restrictions are lifted and a lot more of the activities are back on the schedule per recent Cruise Compasses (Compasi?). Looks like I'll actually get to do the sushi making class this time!

Thank you for the great review! I love reading these kinds of in depth summaries - especially when they are so well written and sprinkle some humor in! I’m cruising on Odyssey for the first time on the Feb 5th sailing, so this was a great and much appreciated preview. Question for you about Labadee: did Royal make any mention of the unrest on the island? Haiti has been popping up in the news here and there with some crazy stories about how gangs have basically taken over chunks of the capital. Curious if that impacts the cruise port at all, or if security is beefed up or a concern.

I am a tech nerd through and through, so in addition to following cruise news, I follow the world of tech. There was a huge development this week in the world of artificial intelligence when OpenAI released its latest iteration of its chatbot to the general public. ChatGPT is, in my opinion, incredibly impressive. It leaps past what is possible with Siri or Alexa and makes Google search results look outdated. Sometimes it feels like pure magic, but mostly, it's just a lot of fun to play with. So we had a little chat about cruising, and I thought I'd share for anyone who is interested. First off, to give a sense of what this can do, I asked it to describe the differences between Royal, MSC, Carnival, and NCL. Pretty impressive, I thought, but also fairly basic and not much farther than a Google search result. So I got more specific and asked it to tell me more about the kinds of people each cruise line was best for. Cool stuff. Then I tried to get a little more philosophical, so I asked it why there are so many ridiculous and absurd negative reviews on cruise critic. Now that's rather profound! I wanted to stretch the limits of what the tool can do in terms of predicting future developments. You kind of have to trick the tool into making predictions, so I set up a query to ask it to fill in the rest of the names of the Icon-class ships. Here is what it proposed: Then I asked it to come up with a new class of ship for what comes after Icon. This is where we can see the limitations of the tool and where it starts to break down: Journey and Quest though... those are new! I shifted to Perfect Day and Coco Cay and asked it what the next few additions on the island should be: And then I completely broke it when I asked it to suggest some "new and innovative features which have never been on a cruise ship before" to add to future cruise ships: A casino on a cruise ship!? Can you even imagine!? This is when things kind of clicked for me and some of the "magic" of the tool disappeared. Don't get me wrong, this chatbot is amazing and I could never build one myself that even came close to what this could do. But really all it is doing is rearranging existing knowledge into new patterns. It can appear to be creative, but it is not truly innovative. But it was a lot of fun to play with! To close, I asked it to write a limerick, a haiku, and a poem about cruising.

I'm definitely hooked! Just about ready to pull the trigger on the 5 Feb 2023 sailing on Odyssey out of Fort Lauderdale. Unfortunately I'm pretty much limited to one cruise a year for the time being.

I took my first solo cruise and my first Royal Caribbean cruise on the Feb 6 sailing out of Miami on Oasis of the Seas. What follows is a stream of consciousness list of thoughts, reflections, and recommendations. Reading other posts like these helped me prepare for my cruise, so I hope I can pay that forward. I apologize in advance for the novel! First some background about me. I am divorced, in my mid-30s, and have two young children at home. I am an outgoing introvert. I enjoy a little gambling, a little drinking, a little physical activity, and trivia and games. I am not a huge fan of shows or live music. I enjoy exploring on my own. Cruising solo was one of the most amazing experiences of my life. I would highly recommend it to anybody, but particularly to people who can enjoy their own company. That being said, I was shocked at how easy it was to meet people on the boat. I exchanged numbers with at least 5 different people, and learned more names in a week that I did all year. The easiest way to meet people for me at least was during trivia games (ask to be on someone’s team), or just striking up a conversation at dinner (the tables are close together) or at the bar. I feel like everyone has their guard down and is much more willing to talk on a cruise, and it was easy to connect with people. I was invited to meals and to join people in their activities just about every day. I originally booked an interior cabin, but was lucky enough to get upgraded to a spacious oceanview balcony. I would not pay for the upgrade in the future, but that’s just me. I barely spent any time on the balcony. I would probably turn down an upgrade to a boardwalk or central park balcony, simply because of the lack of privacy. I don’t think the deck you’re on would make too much of a difference, but I loved being smack dab in the middle of the ship. Less foot traffic in front of my door, and I could get to both sets of elevators easily. I had a list of everything I wanted to do during the cruise before I even got on the plane. I didn’t plan out each day in detail, but the night before I would look at the Cruise Compass to see what was open and what was happening the following day. I made it a goal to do at least one of my “must do” things each day, and by day 6 I had done everything I set out to do. 1) Trivia: I missed the first day or two in my rush to see everything, and I wish I had been more willing to slow down on those early days and attend these. They were a ton of fun and a great way to meet people. Good variety of topics, with about half of the sessions being general trivia and the other half specialized, like name that Disney tune, Star Wars trivia, or TV theme songs. 2) Games: there were only a few games onboard, and I hope they increase the number as Covid restrictions roll back. We had Scattegories, Who Wants to Feel Like a Millionaire, and the Blankety Blank game (like Quiplash if you do Jackbox), and all were a lot of fun, even as a spectator. 3) Rock wall: I did this a few times throughout the cruise. The hours were fairly limited, and only one side of the ship was ever open. They will also close it for wind or rain. 4) Casino tournaments: I did both the slots and the blackjack tournament. They are a fun way to stretch $25 into a good amount of time if you spectate all the rounds. I don’t like the fact that Royal won’t increase the payout (or add 2nd and 3rd place wins) for a higher number of players. The re-buy, especially on slots, also adds to the feeling that it’s a money grab. But still fun. 5) Main Dining Room: I didn’t eat here until day 3, but once I did I was hooked. It’s basically like a free meal at Applebees or Outback Steakhouse every night. Service was excellent, food was on par with casual restaurants in the USA, selection was impressive. Don’t be afraid to go solo. I enjoyed eating here more than the Windjammer as a solo cruiser. I brought a book to read and it was very relaxing and enjoyable. I also don’t think I ever spent more than an hour at my table. 6) Escape Room: I lucked into doing this, as I hadn’t originally planned on it. I was invited to fill in a cancellation from one of the new friends I met on board. This was probably the most fun in a single hour I had all cruise. I’ve done a few escape rooms in the USA, and the one on Oasis blew them all away. The production values in the room are incredible, the puzzles were satisfying, and the way it is structured really prevents one or two people from monopolizing the entire room and running the show. Highly recommended for anyone who enjoys a puzzle or brainteaser from time to time and has a little bit of a competitive edge. The host also did a great job of dropping a few hints when we were getting close on time. Seriously, such a fun time. Book the escape room! 7) Flowrider: this was way harder than I thought it would be, but maybe that’s just because I’m a klutz. One thing to note – you should dedicate a decent chunk of time to this activity. You need to sign up at the kiosk by the Wipeout Bar, sign a waiver, and watch the safety video. Then you get in line. Each person gets a few minutes, so if there are 10 people in front of you (not uncommon) you might have a 30 minute wait. I only went once and then checked it off the list. 8) Water slides: these are actually a lot of fun! I thought they would be “token” slides for kids especially compared to what’s on Coco Cay, but I enjoyed them. Did each of them twice and then checked them off the list. 9) Magic show: this was decent, our magician was very theatrical and used a lot of humor, but he also had some of those “big props” tricks to go along with the standard card and rope tricks. 10) Stand-up comedy: I’m a huge fan any time, so I had to make sure I saw the shows. Both performers were solid, one better than the other, but I definitely enjoyed it! The adult show is *extremely* adult, so if you’re not a fan of raunchy bedroom humor, maybe stick to the family show. 11) Coco Cay waterpark: definitely worth what I paid ($45) especially considering the number of people in the park (virtually none). We were the only ship there, and with only ~3300 pax the island and the park felt downright empty. I was able to ride every slide with minimal waits. Not sure I would pay $90 to do it on a day with two full ships in port. The slides are great, so if you are a huge fan of water parks, factor that in. I missed having a lazy river. Maybe a future upgrade to the island. 12) Coco Cay floating bar: this is just too cool. I spent a few hours drinking here, and it is definitely worth the hike to South Beach and the swim out to the bar. Tuck some cash under your hat for tips and you might get treated to some mystery drinks as the bartenders empty out some bottles towards the end of the day. 13) Volleyball: this is my favorite sport to play, and I was able to do it on Coco Cay and on the boat. Pay attention to the Cruise Compass for the hours, because they don’t come around often. Good blend of casual and serious players, and we had a decent 5v5 and 4v4 going. Maybe don’t give 100% and dive for anything – on Coco Cay the sand is really rough with sharp shells and I am still dealing with a gnarly scab as I type this a week later. 14) Snorkeling: I was ambivalent about this, but when I saw the number of lifeguards stationed at floating platforms way out in the bay, I had the confidence to go ahead and rent some gear. Some interesting things to see, as well as a decent amount of marine life. Coco Cay blew me away, and I can’t wait to come back. Such a well-executed island. I love the resort/amusement park feel. If you are looking for a natural beach experience, you might be disappointed, though there are quiet spots. I rented a car in Roatan and hired a guide to ride shotgun. Really fun way for me personally to spend the day. I didn’t care to do any of the activities on the island, I just wanted to see the entire thing and explore a bit, and that is exactly what we did. I had a Toyota Land Cruiser which cost me $80 for the day. Plus the tip to the guide (plan on at least $100, double if you feel they earned it) and $10 worth of gas. Really cool experience driving around the entire island, which should only take a couple hours to do. I would highly recommend the guide I hired – fluent English speaker and has been at it for 13 years. Marcus Brooks from BIPTGA is his name. We also had plenty of time to fit in the zip lines or the chocolate factory or whatever, had I wanted to stop. I have always wanted to sail an Oasis-class ship since they were first launched, and I was not disappointed. The ship itself was incredible. It did not feel like it was as old as it is. Royal takes great care of their ships, and I struggled to find any flaws or signs of age. The entire ship was spotless and the crew kept is sparkling clean the entire week. I love the variety of free food offered onboard and did not feel like I was missing out on specialty dining. I did book Izumi Hibachi but feel conflicted about recommending it. The food was fantastic, but the show was mostly just a bunch of jokes and puns with a few very tame tricks. No fire, no incredible creations on the grill, and no food thrown into your mouth. I don’t feel it was worth the extra money. I spent most of my drinking time at the Globe and Atlas and at Vintages, depending on my mood. For a louder and more typical bar experience, Globe and Atlas can’t be beat. But I kept finding myself back in Vintages to recharge. There is never any live music in there, and what they do play on the speakers is quiet. The bar is a relaxed place that never got very busy, so I would drift back there often to read or just recharge (closet introvert here, remember). I purchased the Deluxe Beverage Package and while I do feel like I came out ahead, I certainly didn’t blow their margins out of the water. 7 days of heavy drinking was pretty exhausting, and I found myself holding off on that first drink until 3 or 4 in the afternoon. I would definitely recommend the Refreshment Package, as I drank a ton of club soda and could grab a can of Coke or water whenever I felt like it. I also got a few non-alcoholic drinks, including juice from Vitality Spa and a smoothie and hot chocolate. Having the drink package also made me less inclined to drink in port, which I suppose is part of the cruise experience. I paid $58/day and would not pay more than this for the package for a 7 night cruise. I was able to try several new drinks on board, but at the end of the day booze is booze and I always fell back to my favorites. If you’re a tequila drinker, ask for Patron. The bottom shelf tequila is horrible. I suppose I would get it again at this price if I cruised solo in the future or with a drinking buddy, but certainly not with family. I made a decent donation to the casino, mostly on slots and blackjack. Stick to the $15 dollar tables as they pay 3 to 2 for blackjack. Splitting aces only allows one card, which is frustrating when you end up with a 13 and a 14. It was difficult to find a slot machine that offered the max payout for less than $2 a pull. They are there though, and I managed to hit a $625 jackpot on a 50 cent pull. Gave it all back, of course! I am a hiker and backpacker and there is a saying in that community of “Hike Your Own Hike.” The idea being that there is no right or wrong way to enjoy yourself in the woods. Skip a difficult part, go slow, take whatever heavy gear makes you happy, etc. I feel like this attitude should apply to cruising as well, so Cruise Your Own Cruise! What I mean by that is don’t be afraid to skip the things that you’re not really excited about. I know it’s probably shocking to some, but I never saw the Aqua 80 show, Cats, the ice show, or the headliner. I never sat and listened to any live music. I never got in a pool or a hot tub, and I never ate at a few of the free venues or ordered room service. These things just didn’t interest me, and there was always something else going on that I preferred doing. I have no regrets for missing these things, so don’t feel like there is anything you *must* do. Just follow your sense of adventure and go towards what interests you most. I can’t wait for my next cruise!