Talk to me about Bingo

[Spotthecat]

Okay, so the last time I played bingo...well, I can't remember even playing bingo except in grade school. And it was with tokens and we each only had one card.

So you buy a card, they call out numbers until someone wins? Is that it? Then they restart? I keep hearing about guaranteed jackpot, etc. Doesn't someone always win??? Do you have to win anything before you can join for the jackpot?

My eldest wants to try this cruise, and it could be fun. But my info is just soooo out of date, it's appalling.

So talk to me about bingo on the cruise ship...

 

[disneymagicgirl]

It is a lot of fun. You can use cards that you punch out or machines...or a combo of both.
They do different games each round. Diagonal line, x, all Bs, etc.
It isn’t super cheap, but it is fun to play a few times.

 

[ahain]

Mom mom said bingo was really expensive....... (subjective, I know...)

 

[WeLoveDisneyAlways]

We just played first game was $30 for a pack of 6 cards and we got a 3 card for $10 with purchase (the wonderful Samantha upgraded our 3 card to a 6 for the same $10), 2nd game was guaranteed jackpot winner and 6 cards were $40 with no extra bonus pack. They have other packages available we went with the least expensive. The 6 cards are stuck together and can not be separated or they are void. In both games we played different positions for first 3 rounds (2 lines, 1 line but no free space etc. then round 4 was blackout card. They have different prizes at each game etc watch the navigator. Our guaranteed jack pot winner walked away with $3800.

 

[tink1970]

I keep hearing about guaranteed jackpot, etc. Doesn't someone always win??? Do you have to win anything before you can join for the jackpot?

You can get the paper push outs machine or both. The games get more expensive as the cruise progresses b/c the payouts are bigger. There are four games (trad bingo, plus 3 others such as T shape, only I and G, etc) and a winner or winners for each game. However, the final game of the session is usually the "big" payout and if someone wins with say, 20 numbers called gets the "big" payout. If, however, someone doesn't the winner of the fourth game still wins something just not the "big" payout and that money is rolled into the final session of bingo on the cruise. Hope that made some sense! On the final day of our Alaskan trip I won $433 dollars in the second game and the last game winner won several thousands of dollars.

 

[swooshbear]

It can get pricey, but it's a fun way to spend an hour on the ship. The crew keeps things fun and try to keep you entertained and engaged. The only thing I've won is one of the random gift bags they raffle off in between games. The gift bag had a backpack, hat, jacket, battery pack but with cheaply printed on DCL logos (some of them were peeling off already).

In order to hit those mega jackpots, you need to clear the bingo card within X number of pulls, after that, the jackpot amount goes down but it's still a few thousand dollars.

 

[mousefan73]

Can kids play this too or is it like gambling, age 18 plus only.

 

[Aby]

Kids can play but they must be with an adult to do so and any cards purchased and snub winnings need to be processed on the adults stateroom card.

Aby

 

[gotomu212]

As others said throughout the cruise there’s a big prize if you get blackout within 40 numbers (it might be 43 or something close to that). If no one gets it within the cutoff you still play until there’s a winner but the prize is much less ($500 instead of $5000). Then the last game of the cruise will play to and award the jackpot without a cap of how many numbers you have to get it in. On our last cruise it was $7000, but was split by 2 winners.

Google electronic bingo cards. It’s a machine that does almost everything for you. It keeps track of your hits, how many more you need, and then tells you when you’re one away. You just have to yell bingo.

 

[Malibustyle23]

Is it super crowded in there with a million players? Can you play just the last jackpot round without playing days before?

 

[Rabb it]

Bingo is always fun on the ships, we normally do the 40 bucks and you get the electronic machine that has a bunch of cards inside it, can't remember how many cards each machine has... 40? 80? and they give you a couple paper cards too.

We never won anything, but people spend a lot of money on bingo on the ships. I saw one lady last time that had THREE MACHINES! Needless to say she won at least one round..

 

[Shanti]

Okay, so the last time I played bingo...well, I can't remember even playing bingo except in grade school. And it was with tokens and we each only had one card.

So you buy a card, they call out numbers until someone wins? Is that it? Then they restart? I keep hearing about guaranteed jackpot, etc. Doesn't someone always win??? Do you have to win anything before you can join for the jackpot?

My eldest wants to try this cruise, and it could be fun. But my info is just soooo out of date, it's appalling.

So talk to me about bingo on the cruise ship...

You play bingo with either an electronic handset that does the work for you, or with paper cards, or both, depending on how much money you want to spend.

Someone wins every game at every session, but ignore the "$5,000 Jackpot" titles you'll see for most Bingos during the cruise. Those jackpots are only given away if someone gets blackout within a certain number of calls, which virtually never happens. During most Bingo sessions, typical winnings are in the double or low triple digits, nothing to get too excited about considering it is fairly expensive to play. If more than one person wins the same game, the prize is split between them, and this is not uncommon.

The final Bingo game of the cruise is the only one where real money (4 digit prizes) are won. That is the snowball jackpot that has built up over the cruise, and someone always wins it.

Anyone can play the final jackpot round- you needn't be a prior player or winner. In fact, that's the session with by far the most people (and therefore, your chances of winning are lowest).

It's very easy to play Bingo on DCL. They go over the rules clearly at the beginning of every session, and they make it fun. Enjoy!

 

[Shanti]

Is it super crowded in there with a million players? Can you play just the last jackpot round without playing days before?

Only the final jackpot session can get crowded, but it's nothing crazy. You are free to play only the last session if you wish. Get there early enough to buy a handset, as they will sell out for the last game.

 

[Shanti]

Can kids play this too or is it like gambling, age 18 plus only.

Kids are welcome and it's a fun, family-friendly atmosphere, just like you'd expect on DCL. My son usually goes with me- we love DCL bingo.

 

[Spotthecat]

Thanks everyone! So if you buy cards, they are only good for one game? Once somebody wins, your cards are toast and you have to plonk down another 40$ for the next game during the same session??

 

[Shanti]

Thanks everyone! So if you buy cards, they are only good for one game? Once somebody wins, your cards are toast and you have to plonk down another 40$ for the next game during the same session??

There are four games per session. The cards you buy are good for all four games in the session.

 

[CM Dad]

There are four games per session. The cards you buy are good for all four games in the session.

Not the same cards for all four games in a session. You get a paper pack with four cards in different colors. Different colors are used for each game.

 

[Shanti]

Not the same cards for all four games in a session. You get a paper pack with four cards in different colors. Different colors are used for each game.

I was referring to the same pack of cards. The poster wanted to know if you have to buy a new set for each game within a session, and I let him know that you don't, without getting into unnecessary, hair-splitting detail.

 

[Spork24]

When I was on the dream last month I don’t think they were even selling paper only packs until they ran out of machines on the last day.

I don’t remember all the prices but the packages options were 1 machine (24cards) & 3 paper cards, 1 machine (48cards) & 3 paper cards, 1 machine (72cards) & 3 paper cards, 2 machines (48 cards each) & 6 paper cards.

I know the two machine package (family pack) was $80 and the best price per card. I think the 72 card machine was $70 but that’s all I remember for sure.

 

[wl1117]

Thanks everyone! So if you buy cards, they are only good for one game? Once somebody wins, your cards are toast and you have to plonk down another 40$ for the next game during the same session??

Paper cards have one sheet for each game played during a session. For example a 3 card has 3 grids per page that you punch the center of each number called. Then the next game you tear off the used page and play the next page. They are usually a different color each game.