Princess Mexican Riviera Cruise

Hi there everyone. I'm going on a 7-day cruise and wanted some suggestions about playing in the onboard casino. I've never been on a cruise. Also I may want to play poker and I heard that it's all computerized and there's no dealer. That sucks cause I've always wanted to play poker in a casino.

I'm planning on using the Wizar'd Video Poker Wizard app and I want to use the blackjack house edge calculator (I'm assuming I can only use this online??)

And how do potential comps work?

Any suggestions are welcome.

If you didn't book it already and you plan on playing I can prolly get it free for you on celebrity if you want to pm me

Comps are 6-12 percent of your losses onboard-
Casino open when at sea-
Most have player rating cards
They comp off against all charges but not against casino chips charged to the room

Do not touch the slots, they will be set as tight as the Vegas airport. You will be able to see the video poker pay tables are very stingy too.

My experience playing poker is some players are very soft and some are quite strong. The strong ones play ALL day long and seem to know each other. I suspect they may making a living at it. The rake is very high.

It wouldn't surprise me if cruise ship blackjack is 6-5 now. My last cruise was about seven years ago.

This was on Nova earlier in the week about building the NCL Seven Seas Explorer. Pretty interesting.

https://youtu.be/Me2lCaMeuj4

Quote: Wizard

My last cruise was about seven years ago.

As I recall, you were backed off for card counting on that cruise. They had Google then too :)

Quote: Wizard

It wouldn't surprise me if cruise ship blackjack is 6-5 now.

On the Celebrity Cruise Line ship I was on in December, they did have a 6-5 single-deck game that no one played, but the shoe games were all 3-2.

All the games have horrible payouts. The last Princess cruise I was on, the only poker was an e-table. They had really bad sit-n-go's every day that took about 45 min (super fast blind increases.) They theoretically would run a cash game but it never got going. The rake was 10% with NO MAX which is highway robbery.

The last cruise I was on was on Holland America. They had a human dealt poker table, 1-2 no limit. I forget the rake but I seem to remember it wasn't horrible. There was only one other player who wanted to play every night besides me. He was a decent player and thought he was great. Everyone else who played was beyond horrible but most bought in for $40 and busted quickly. The game never ran for more than an hour.

I didn't play Blackjack but it was 6:5. They also had 3CP, roulette, and maybe a few other carnival games but no UTH which is the only one I play. No craps. I did play some VP and all the pay tables sucked. It might be worth it for comps if you play a lot. I lost a few hundred dollars and am getting offers for highly discounted cruises from the casino.

Quote: teliot

As I recall, you were backed off for card counting on that cruise. They had Google then too :)

Yep, but it was two cruises ago. Good memory. They indeed got me by Googling my name after they were suspicious I was card counting.

They good news is a host got me the cruise for free with an expectation of a certain level of play. NCL kindly didn't ask that I pay for my room, just that I not play blackjack any more.

I don't know if they will let you keep your electronic device on the table as it could be used as an unfair aid if you are inputting wbile playing. Paper print outs are usually okay.

What's to keep a group of players from playing poker on a table by the pool or in a lounge? Why get the "house" involved at all?

I am currently on a cruise as we speak
They have black jack at 3-2 for the shoe game and 6-5 for the single deck
It's a celebrity line cruise
The have craps 3-4-5 odds
Baccarat at 300-20k limits
Max bet on craps is 500
Max on blackjack is 2000

About 200 slots machines
And a lottery at around 980k for the jackpot

They also have live poker
2-5 buy in 200-500 with a rake of ten percent up to 15

Quote: Wizardofnothing

...with a rake of ten percent up to 15

Ouch!