ADT. Theo. RTP. Coin-in. DOU. DOUE. Premier. Ultra. Elite. ECHO. If you have ever wandered into a cruise casino group and wondered why everyone suddenly started speaking in letters, this is for you.
I JUST WANTED A COMP CRUISE. WHAT LANGUAGE ARE Y’ALL SPEAKING? 😂
This is the plain-English version of the casino-comp language you will see over and over.
Coin-In
Coin-in is the total amount of wagers cycled through a machine. It is NOT the same thing as the amount of cash you brought to the casino, and it is NOT the same thing as what you lost.
Example: you start with $100, win some, lose some and keep replaying the credits. That same money can create hundreds or even thousands of dollars in coin-in as it cycles through the machine.
Theo or Theoretical Loss
Theo is the casino’s mathematical estimate of what it expects to earn from your play over time. It is based on the game, amount wagered and amount of play. It is not a statement of what you actually lost on one trip.
ADT: Average Daily Theoretical
ADT means Average Daily Theoretical. Casino players use the term when talking about the average theoretical value of their play per gaming day.
You will often hear ADT discussed when people compare targeted casino offers. Cruise lines do not necessarily publish the exact formula used to create future marketing offers, so do not treat someone’s ADT theory as a guaranteed recipe for getting a particular comp.
RTP: Return to Player
RTP means Return to Player. It is the theoretical percentage a game is designed to return to players over a very large amount of play.
An RTP of 90% does not mean you personally will get $90 back from every $100 you play tonight. Short sessions can be wildly different from the long-term mathematical average.
House Edge
House edge is the casino’s mathematical advantage over time. RTP and house edge are related concepts, but neither predicts what will happen to one person during one session.
Casino Points
Casino points are credits earned from tracked gaming activity under a casino rewards program. The earning formula depends on the cruise line and type of game. Always use your casino/room card correctly so your play is tracked.
Comp
Comp is short for complimentary. In casino language, it can mean a complimentary or discounted cruise, room, drinks, FreePlay or another benefit tied to casino play or marketing eligibility.
A “comp cruise” does not necessarily mean a completely free vacation. Taxes, fees, deposits, additional guests, upgrades and optional purchases can still apply depending on the offer.
Cruise loyalty vs. casino loyalty
These are separate programs, even when they appear together in the same cruise-line app.
Royal Caribbean example: you can be Gold in Crown & Anchor while also being Prime in Club Royale at the exact same time. Crown & Anchor cruise points track regular cruise loyalty. Club Royale tier credits track casino status. Two programs, two point systems and two different statuses.
Royal tiers vs. Carnival offers: NOT the same thing
Royal Caribbean has published Club Royale casino tiers. You can accurately say, “I AM Prime.”
Carnival’s casino marketing is different. Names such as Premier, Ultra, Elite and ECHO are better understood as casino offer/invitation types rather than permanent Carnival Rewards tiers.
Royal: “I AM Prime.”
Carnival: “I HAVE an Elite offer.”
You can have more than one Carnival casino offer type at the same time. I have personally had Premier, Ultra and Elite offers available simultaneously. I just have not received an ECHO offer.
The offers can change from one marketing cycle to another. Receiving an Elite offer does not mean you permanently “became Elite,” and receiving a different offer later does not necessarily mean you were downgraded. Read the actual offer attached to your account.
Premier, Ultra, Elite & ECHO
These are names you will hear constantly in Carnival casino groups. They refer to casino offers, invitations or casino-focused sailing experiences and can come with different cruise rates, cabin offers, casino benefits, events, FreePlay or other perks depending on the specific offer.
ECHO is commonly described by Carnival casino players as Executive Casino Host On Call and as the highest-level/high-value invitation language they encounter. Carnival does not publish a simple permanent public tier ladder using Premier, Ultra, Elite and ECHO, so always rely on the actual offer terms in your account for what is included.
Carnival Rewards vs. casino offers
Carnival Rewards is Carnival’s cruise loyalty program. Casino offers are a separate system.
Your Carnival Rewards status does not automatically determine your casino offers, and receiving Premier, Ultra, Elite or ECHO casino offers does not make those Carnival Rewards tiers.
FreePlay
FreePlay is promotional casino play loaded to your account or otherwise provided by the casino. It is not the same thing as the casino handing you that amount in cash. The rules for playing and cashing out winnings can vary by program.
DOU: Drinks On Us
DOU means Drinks On Us, Carnival’s casino drink benefit. Qualifying players can receive eligible drinks while playing in the casino under the applicable program terms.
DOUE: Drinks On Us Everywhere
DOUE is shorthand casino cruisers commonly use for Drinks On Us Everywhere, a broader Carnival casino-offer drink benefit that may be included in certain targeted offers. Read the actual offer because who is covered, where the benefit applies and other terms can vary.
Instant Reward / Instant Cruise Reward
An Instant Reward is a reward earned from casino play during the current sailing. On Royal Caribbean, Instant Cruise Reward levels are point-based and can include discounts or complimentary cruise offers depending on the level earned.
Targeted Casino Offer
A targeted offer is a casino marketing offer sent to a particular player. It may arrive after a sailing and can have its own eligible ships, dates, cabin categories, guest count, FreePlay, upgrade value and redemption deadline.
Handpay
A handpay generally means a machine win that requires casino staff to complete the payout or reporting process instead of the machine simply adding the entire amount to your playable credits. Tax-reporting rules are separate from the casual slang, and thresholds can change.
W-2G
W-2G is the U.S. tax form used to report certain gambling winnings when federal reporting requirements are met. The rules depend on the type of gambling and the applicable reporting threshold. Use current IRS guidance rather than relying on an old threshold repeated in a social-media group.
Win/Loss Statement
A win/loss statement is a casino’s record or estimate of your tracked gambling activity for a period. It is useful documentation, but it is not the same thing as saying, “This is exactly how much cash left my bank account.”
The one phrase worth remembering
Coin-in is not money lost.
You can generate substantial coin-in by cycling the same bankroll through a machine while winning and losing along the way. Casino rewards are based on tracked play, not simply on somebody watching how many hundred-dollar bills you brought onboard.
Related cruise casino guides
Already have Royal Caribbean or Celebrity casino offers?
Club Royale & Celebrity Casino Offers Guide
Trying to match a casino offer or loyalty status?
Casino Offer Match vs. Cruise Loyalty Status Match
This guide translates common cruise-casino terminology into plain English. Casino programs, point formulas, drink benefits, targeted offers and tax-reporting rules can change. Always check the current terms from the cruise line, casino program or IRS when the exact rule matters.