Rake on Cruise Ship Casino Games
February 18th, 2015 at 9:43:03 AM
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I went on a Carnival Cruise recently, out of Tampa Bay. The ship's casino had an all electronic Hold'em poker table -10 video screens around a table each receiving an image of the initial two cards dealt and subsequently the face up cards in the middle. Each player bet from a poker account created from his/her cruise ship account.
On the second night I started paying attention to the amount of money that actually went into the pot and realized that the electronic poker table was raking 15% of every bet that was made. 15% !!!!! I alerted the other players - it sure put a chill on the action.
I used to enjoy playing poker in cruise ship casinos - sometimes there was fairly easy money to be had. No more.
On the second night I started paying attention to the amount of money that actually went into the pot and realized that the electronic poker table was raking 15% of every bet that was made. 15% !!!!! I alerted the other players - it sure put a chill on the action.
I used to enjoy playing poker in cruise ship casinos - sometimes there was fairly easy money to be had. No more.
So many better men, a few of them friends, are dead. And a thousand thousand slimy things live on, and so do I.
February 18th, 2015 at 10:28:12 AM
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Wow. And I thought Royal Caribbean was high at 10% with a $15 max and 50 cent chips so they don't have to round down too much.
Straight 15%??? Holy crap!!!
Straight 15%??? Holy crap!!!
I invented a few casino games. Info:
http://www.DaveMillerGaming.com/ —————————————————————————————————————
Superstitions are silly, childish, irrational rituals, born out of fear of the unknown. But how much does it cost to knock on wood? 😁
February 18th, 2015 at 11:43:19 AM
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Cruise ships are unregulated. They can do whatever they want to a degree. I was on a Carnival once with a BJ dealer from LV. He couldn't believe how liberal the rules were for BJ. After a few hours he figured out that they removed all of the Q's from the decks.
February 18th, 2015 at 11:45:50 AM
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NCL rakes 10% up to $25. As mentioned, RC is 10% up to $15.
What was the rake capped at? 15% up to $10 or so wouldn't be too bad for a cruise ship NL game.
What was the rake capped at? 15% up to $10 or so wouldn't be too bad for a cruise ship NL game.
February 18th, 2015 at 11:54:12 AM
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Just bring your own chips and cards and play with cash
February 19th, 2015 at 8:36:50 AM
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I didn't observe any cap on the rake, but did not specifically look for one. Since the size of the rake was unannounced, the benefits to the casino of capping the rake may have been regarded as small. IMO, cruise ships seem to have a very cynical attitude towards their "fat, elderly, touristy" customers who are rarely repeat clients (on the same ship) -and they work very hard to separate their customers from their money.
So many better men, a few of them friends, are dead. And a thousand thousand slimy things live on, and so do I.
February 19th, 2015 at 8:40:28 AM
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I had thought of doing this for my next cruise. However, I would then become the banker and would be vulnerable to someone who slips their own chips into the game. After all, most of us own the same commercial chip set.
So many better men, a few of them friends, are dead. And a thousand thousand slimy things live on, and so do I.
February 19th, 2015 at 9:06:37 AM
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I was on a Princess cruise last summer and played a tournament on the e-table. Most of the other players were horrible but the super fast structure meant it was pretty much a crapshoot. I think the cash game rake was also 15% uncapped but I am not completely sure because there was never a cash game running any time I passed the casino during the entire 2 week cruise.
About 8 years ago I did an Alaska cruise and there was a 2-4 limit poker game. I think the rake was uncapped 10% but even so I was able to play for many hours and leave a winner at a fun, social game full of horrible players. At that time the poker boom was in full swing and there was a lot of interest from random players. I think a limit game is better for drawing in the casual players anyway.
About 8 years ago I did an Alaska cruise and there was a 2-4 limit poker game. I think the rake was uncapped 10% but even so I was able to play for many hours and leave a winner at a fun, social game full of horrible players. At that time the poker boom was in full swing and there was a lot of interest from random players. I think a limit game is better for drawing in the casual players anyway.
February 19th, 2015 at 12:20:23 PM
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You should bring a deck of cards and play with cash, no rake that way.
February 19th, 2015 at 12:40:59 PM
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Quote: gordonm888I had thought of doing this for my next cruise. However, I would then become the banker and would be vulnerable to someone who slips their own chips into the game. After all, most of us own the same commercial chip set.
Have your players use chips from the ship's casino......go buy in at the BJ table play a few hands and don't color up when you leave indicating you are just switching tables or use some other excuse.
February 19th, 2015 at 2:34:45 PM
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Quote: thlfCruise ships are unregulated. They can do whatever they want to a degree. I was on a Carnival once with a BJ dealer from LV. He couldn't believe how liberal the rules were for BJ. After a few hours he figured out that they removed all of the Q's from the decks.
This is "Fun 21"; their version of Spanish 21. The fact that they offer that game has nothing to do with their casinos being unregulated. In fact their rules are pretty good. The rules clearly state the Queens are removed, exactly like every land casino that offers Spanish 21. If he was a LV BJ dealer and he didn't realize he was dealing Spanish 21 for several hours, then I guess that's why he had to leave Vegas for a Cruise Ship! Maybe there's a Job for him not noticing the lack of shuffle at Bac in AC! http://bj21.com/boards/free/free_board/index.cgi?noframes;read=155964
February 19th, 2015 at 3:18:10 PM
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I never said the guy was dealing. I said he was a LV dealer. If it was fun 21 neither of us new it and we had been playing for hours. But continue sleuthing and I think you will find that casino's at sea are not regulated by anyone.
February 19th, 2015 at 3:28:00 PM
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Quote: thlfI never said the guy was dealing. I said he was a LV dealer. If it was fun 21 neither of us new it and we had been playing for hours. But continue sleuthing and I think you will find that casino's at sea are not regulated by anyone.
Nope, they aren't. But the players are usually less experienced, so they don't have to cheat. For example, people play 21 without realizing it's Spanish for hours!
I cruise often, and play a lot. I'm about even lifetime and have received many free cruises, and many more I couldn't take.
February 19th, 2015 at 3:28:52 PM
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Quote: thlfAfter a few hours he figured out that they removed all of the Q's from the decks.
Holy carp. That's not even subtle.
Psalm 25:16
Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted.
Proverbs 18:2
A fool finds no satisfaction in trying to understand, for he would rather express his own opinion.
February 19th, 2015 at 4:12:05 PM
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Quote: OnceDearHoly carp. That's not even subtle.
Uh, they TELL you that. This is not an attempt at cheating. This is the same game that's in almost every casino in America!
https://wizardofodds.com/games/spanish-21/
February 19th, 2015 at 5:41:19 PM
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So in Fun 21, they take the queens out instead of the tens, like Spanish 21?
Casinos are not your friends, they want your money. But so does Disneyland.
And there is no chance in hell that you will go to Disneyland and come back with more money than you went with.
- AxelWolf and Mickeycrimm
February 19th, 2015 at 7:19:51 PM
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Quote: thlfIf it was fun 21 neither of us new it and we had been playing for hours.
Then you guys must have been drinking very heavily. The casino makes no attempt whatsoever to hide the fact that it isn't BJ. Did you not wonder why there were so many bonus payouts?
February 20th, 2015 at 2:05:38 PM
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In fact, in my experience, the dealers are nicer on the cruise ship and MORE willing to help, because 1. It's a much smaller set of people that you are going to see all week. 2. There are a lot of people that would never go into a casino but because they are trapped on a ship they check it out. When I was playing Double Exposure, the dealer made a point to explain the game quickly to every single person who sat down. "Just so you know, this isn't exactly blackjack, it's both of my cards face up and the dealer wins ties, okay?" "Wait, whhhhaa?" "This game is a little different, here are the rules. We have regular blackjack right over there if that's what you are looking for..."
