Victory II Jacksonville Casino Cruise

I went on the Victory II casino boat out of Mayport (Jacksonville) Saturday night, fully intending to get some info to post a report here, but I ended up not getting as much as I had expected. The fact that there were 4-6 ft seas may have had something to do with it. :P

I had purchased a Groupon, which included boarding, a "meal," 2 drinks, and $10 slot play each for 2 people for $54. All in all, I would say the Groupon was a wash. Boarding would have been $10 each, and drinks were $5 apiece at the bar, but free while you gamble. The "meal" turned out to be one item off their limited menu. To get the free slot play required an accumulation of 5 points on their player's card. The guy at the Player's Club counter (who turned out to be the casino host) said $4 coin-in = 1 point, and that the free play could be used on "most" machines (which did include VP). So, $20 coin-in to get the $10 free play.

The Victory II sails twice daily, Wednesday through Sunday, once at 11AM, and again at 7:30PM. It takes about 1 hour to get out of the river and into "gambling waters" and about 1 hour back to the dock, leaving about 3 1/2 hours that the casino was open. We made reservations that morning for the evening cruise. Their website doesn't say anything about reservations being suggested/required, but our Groupon did. At any rate, I would recommend always making reservations (on the website or over the phone), as it speeds the ticketing/boarding process. You don't need a passport, but you do need a government ID (such as a driver's license) to board. The gambling age is only 18 for Florida gambling boats (drinking age is still 21, though).

On board there are three decks. The lower deck has the table games and slots. The middle deck has slots and the restaurant, and the top deck has an outdoor bar area (with a pretty OK live band doing rock covers) and a "night club" with a dance floor along with a few slots interspersed.

The menu in the restaurant was very limited, featuring mostly sandwiches (hot and cold) and salads. I had a burger and my friend had a cheesesteak. The food was OK, but nothing special. It appears that they are set up for a buffet on board, but I don't know if they ever actually spread one.

The casino featured a couple hundred slot machines from 1c up to $10. I found exactly 10 single-line VP games -- 4 in the back corner of the middle deck slot room, and 6 more up in the "nightclub." They were 25c-50c-$1 Game Kings that featured several games including 8/5 JoB and 1-2-3-4-4-9-12-20-200-800 DW at the 25c level. There were also 2 multi-game multi-line machines that included Ultimate X at the 2c and 5c denomination.

As for table games, there were two craps tables -- a $5 min and a $10 min (forgot to check what the max odds were). There looked to be open spots at one or the other through most of the cruise. They seemed to change from 1 to 2 base dealers, depending on demand (or possibly break scheduling -- I really didn't pay that much attention) There were also 2 roulette tables that were pretty popular throughout the evening. They also spread UTH and 3CP for $5. There was an EZ-Bac table that never got uncovered, let alone staffed.

I counted maybe 8 BJ tables ranging form $5 to $25 minimums. However, I never played BJ, and couldn't report on the conditions. I didn't even look to see how much BJ's paid. I know -- mea culpa -- I hope I don't owe too many push-ups for that gaffe! ;)

There is also a Sports Book up in the "night club." I saw 3 self-service betting machines, and a small window, but I did not check to see if it was staffed during the "gambling" portion of the cruise.

Two items of note on this particular cruise: the first was just a curiosity -- there were 2 bus loads of well dressed college-aged kids on board. I never did ask, but I assumed it was some sort of fraternity/sorority social.

The second item of note was how rough the seas were. I actually checked the marine forecast (4-6 ft) and knew to expect this, but I think it was a surprise to many of the passengers. The ticket agents were actually handing out Dramamine tablets along with the boarding passes, strongly suggesting we take them. I had brought my own and took one immediately after boarding. My buddy who "never gets motion sickness" debated it, but ended up taking one as well.

Once we got out into open water, the boat was really pitching and and occasionally rolling as well. Every now and then, a wave would hit the hull and make the entire boat shudder. By the end of the night, I would say about 20% of the passengers, including my buddy, got sick. For me, it was touch-and-go for a bit early on, but my body seemed to adjust after a while. The crew seemed to think that cruise was rougher than most, and that they usually have a smoother trip.

If you are going to sail the Victory II, I know that you have a better chance for calm seas during the summer months than in the fall or winter off Florida's Atlantic Coast. Either way I would recommend checking the marine forecast before you go, so you know what to expect. For this size boat, I don't know if they would sail in much rougher seas than 4-6 ft.

As for my personal gambling, I lost a little on the craps table and won a little on the 3CP table. I got brutalized at the UTH table to the tune of $250 in short order, but I made up for that by hitting quad wild deuces on 25c VP towards the end of the night. I also found some multipliers left on the UX machines, but there's not too much EV at the 2c and 5c levels. I was able eke a $4 profit out of those 2 machines. In all I was down about $10 for the evening, and, more importantly, managed to keep my dinner down the whole night -- definitely +EV. :)

One other thing about their Player's Club is that when you sign up for a card, they give you a coupon for a "free" boarding for a future cruise. I say "free" (with quotes) because the fine print says there are $3 in fees. So, this is really a $7 value. Also, at the end of the cruise, the casino host paged me, along with maybe 5 others. When I got to the counter, he asked how I was treated and gave me 2 more "free" boarding vouchers. I have to assume this was because it was my first voyage (and maybe the rough trip), and not solely based on my red-chip action!

BONUS QUESTION: Does anyone know the facts about when boats can legally open their casinos?

I have often heard that these boats must travel into "international waters" to legally open their casino. I have also heard that they must only go beyond "state controlled waters" at 3 miles off shore, but can stay within the 12-mile "US controlled waters" perimeter. I would tend to believe the latter since gambling is state-regulated; that, and the fact that I could see shore lights form on deck during the cruise. However, I could not find anything definitive in my Google search.

I don't know the answer to your question but I was confused as well on a cruise. This year we did a cruise out of NOLA. The casino was opened shortly after we departed but we were still clearly on the river/bay and not on international waters.

Phenomenal report on the river boat action Joeman. Sorry you had to deal with the choppy waters. The last one I was on (years ago) was the same way! Sounds like not much has changed in the river boat casino cruises. I too (back then) found the "meal" to be something small from a short menu, but none the less it wasn't too bad if you're looking for a different experience on a vacation or something. Definitely a good way to kill 5 hours if you have time to burn.

Did they have any actual poker tables running? These things were shooting fish in a barrel when I last went on one and ended up playing Poker.

Thanks for the report!

Quote: Romes

Did they have any actual poker tables running?

No, since FL allowed no limit poker at its parimutuel venues (circa 2006?) the poker tables have disappeared from the gambling boats.

Ironically, the nearest poker room is about a 10 min drive from my house. I actually have to drive right by it in my 30 minute drive to the boat. I just had an itch to play some Craps, UTH, and VP. And a soon-to-expire Groupon.

Isn't there plenty of gambling in FL? Or are there no tables and just slots?

Quote: GWAE

Isn't there plenty of gambling in FL? Or are there no tables and just slots?

Limited, just tribal, just a couple, and the boats that go out. More later.

There are a few Seminole Indian casinos, but they are only in the southern part of the state (Tampa, Hollywood, Brighton, & Immakolee are the ones I know of). The closest one to me in Tampa is a 4+ hour drive, depending on traffic. Plus, the last time I was there they did not have dice games (except bubble craps). The Seminole casinos used to only have Class II slots, but I think they have Class III now.

Parimutuel gaming outlets (horse tracks, dog tracks, and jai-alai frontons) were allowed limited poker games in the early 2000's, but the regulations on them have incrementally relaxed to the point that they are essentially the same as any other card room. In fact, in the past year, some have started spreading poker carnival games (UTH, 3CP, etc.).

The boat is still the only place to play craps, and the closest to me for BJ and/or slots/VP.

Oh, there's also the ubiquitous "Internet Cafes." I have never been in one; I think they are essentially slot parlors. The ones around here seem a bit sketchy, and it seems they are riding the razor's edge of legality. I know that were all shut down by the state at least once, but they have crept back into existence.

Like I said, I've never been in one. They might be fine establishments, for all I know.

Quote: Joeman

...Like I said, I've never been in one. They might be fine establishments, for all I know.

They're not. At least the one's I've known about, etc. I dated a girl for a while who's ex ran one of these places. They're "video game" slots where you pay for "time" to play them. When you win you win credits or something and somehow you get cash back. It's a convoluted way around the law, and they're constantly getting shut down because not only are they constantly closing the loopholes and thus these places are illegal, but they're also NOT REGULATED. Their "slots" pay back like 60% or whatever the owners set them too. Apparently her ex's were set pretty low, because in just a couple years running a couple small joints like this the 2 owners made millions.

"It's immoral to let a sucker keep his money" - Canada Bill Jones

Thanks for the report, Joeman!

The BJ is 3:2 on both Victory boats. They specifically deal both boats the same, so if it's important to someone, I will find out exactly what they're dealing. I do know they switched from hand shuffle to CSM's in the last few months; I think Shfl paid them a visit. lol...

Sorry to hear the food was just ok; it's better than that on the Victory I (the bar food, I mean; the buffet is nothing special).

Gambling waters in Florida start at the 3 mile limit from the shoreline. It's state-controlled, so I think the boat out of NO was able to take advantage of the riverboat laws there and open the casino once underway. The Florida East Coast boats go just outside that line, then sail as parallel to the shore as the seas permit.

BTW, Victory I is much larger and more stable on the seas. I've been out often in 4-6' and, while you feel it, it's not debilitating like it is on the smaller boat. I think you might like it better; it also has at least 50 VP and about 800 slots on board. Better positioned, too, so it only takes about 35 minutes to get to Int'l waters, and about 45 min back in.

A note on the FL cardrooms dealing carnival games; they are still player-banked, with a rake to the house, so they have different paytables than most of us are used to. A specific irritation on that to me is, on the sidebets, you must beat the dealer to get paid, not just have a qualifying hand (Trips bet on UTH; Pairs Plus on 3CP). When you DO get paid, the odds are better (ie on Trips, FH=10:1, FL =7:1, etc.). The bank is a third-party syndicate with its own representative at the table, who plays the house cards. They drop a lammer or some kind of toke per hand to count for the rake, and the synd rep pays the house as the house pays the players. I don't yet have all the info on how this works, so please excuse any errors.

Seminoles are not allowed to deal dice craps or real roulette. They have electronic versions of both. They claimed when I was down there last month (Hollywood) that all their machines are now Class III, so that's an improvement. Not completely sure about the Tampa Hard Rock taking out all their Class II, as they had them interspersed in banks of II and III, but I hope they have as well.