Slot payback % on cruise ships?
Quote: 100xOddsif there such a listing?
Sure there is, it would be the manufacturer's spec on how low it can be set !
Quote: DrMehCruise ship casinos are the worst. I use to work as a bartender on a ship and can tell you that they really are the tightest machine you'll ever play. The reason being not jusf because they can get away with it but because there is no competition at sea and very little to do on a ship that's as exciting as the casino. Don't play at cruise casinos.
Yeah, I'll go you one better, I used to run those very self same casinos. They are set at about 84% payback with VP at about 95%.
Daylight robbery!!!
Quote: onenickelmiracleEven worse each cruise all the progressives are reset to the base, as I'm told.
That is absolutely not the case on RCCL, Celebrity and Casinos Austria Maritime......not sure about other cruise copmanies as I never worked for them.
I find it highly unlikely as many big players will do back to back to back cruises and if their progressives are reset they would know mighty quick!
Luckily found the testimony with a quick search. He said cruise ships have signs posted they can reset progressives between cruises, but noticed they never actually do. Misread and remembered the same.Quote: TomspurThat is absolutely not the case on RCCL, Celebrity and Casinos Austria Maritime......not sure about other cruise copmanies as I never worked for them.
I find it highly unlikely as many big players will do back to back to back cruises and if their progressives are reset they would know mighty quick!
Quote: onenickelmiracleLuckily found the testimony with a quick search. He said cruise ships have signs posted they can reset progressives between cruises, but noticed they never actually do. Misread and remembered the same.
I would assume that would be cruise lines like Carnival that don't entertain cruisers who cruise for long periods of time, especially if they enjoy a little flutter in the casino. Once those progressives get reset ocne after them playing all cruise long, they will be marching down to the hotel directors offcie quicker than you can say "feed em to the pigs" :)
However, they can't create their own chips they simply take the machine as it is or buy the lowest payback chip and insert it. The machines are manufactured for certain markets. In the USA everything complies with Nevada laws because that is the major "market" for chips.Quote: tringlomaneNot to my knowledge. Ships don't need to report anything.
A cruise ship casino is similar to the Las Vegas airport concession. Small space, no competition, no concern over whether you come back or not, willing to back you off in you sneeze suspiciously.
However, a cruise ship is supposed to be food, sunshine, port o' call, shore trips, deck chairs, attentive bartenders, mixers, concerts, etc. One ship offered a two week voyage including a canal transit if I recall correctly and a return to Fort Liquouradale. The highlight was a noted botanist would lecture each afternoon on the botany of liquor and liquours and various cocktails.... and there would be ample tastings all afternoon and evening throughout the voyage. Different brands would be available in the duty free shop and a variety of plants would be available for purchase during the voyage but await your pick-up back in Fort Liquordale. Now that would be one heck of an interesting cruise! I don't think I'd care if the casino offered the latest slots or well-trained dealers.
I haven't been on many cruise's the ones I have been on had some good IGT VP, even a nice VP progressive, including a bunch of bonus banking slots. I can't know if chips had been tampered with or not but I won.Quote: DrMehCruise ship casinos are the worst. I use to work as a bartender on a ship and can tell you that they really are the tightest machine you'll ever play. The reason being not jusf because they can get away with it but because there is no competition at sea and very little to do on a ship that's as exciting as the casino. Don't play at cruise casinos.
Quote: AxelWolfI haven't been on many cruise's the ones I have been on had some good IGT VP, even a nice VP progressive, including a bunch of bonus banking slots. I can't know if chips had been tampered with or not but I won.
Consider yourself lucky. It would be wise to quit while ahead and not tempt cruise casino fate.
Having said that due to the relatively unschooled and inexperienced pit staff on cruise ships, I don't hesitate to believe that you can get away with moving your money while playing blackjack. The rules are not too horrible either if memory serves. No surrender, stand on S17, 6 decks, DAS, Split Aces once only. If I remember accurately, the games I ran was running at about a about 0.42%. The problem is that the minimums are quite often low but you can still have aa very decent spread on $5 to $500 tables. If you play at the $25-$1000 tables you will attract more attention.
I wonder if people have tried to count or hole card on cruise ships before?
Anybody care to share some stories?
I know I never backed anybody off because I was told not to. The customer is always right?!?!?!?!?
Quote: TomspurI know I never backed anybody off because I was told not to. The customer is always right?!?!?!?!?
That's what I like to hear!!!! Where do I find these cruises that don't back people off?
Quote: Tomspur
I wonder if people have tried to count or hole card on cruise ships before?
Someone on the forums told me that he and his wife hole carded on their honeymoon and there was no heat. I won't say who, but hopefully there are some more stories.
I'm going on a Princess cruise next month, so I'll definitely check out the blackjack and at least look at the VP.
Quote: ahiromuI wish that there was a cruise that had like a legitimate casino. Something over 90% payback on slots and craps with 3,4,5x. Honestly, that might actually make me take a cruise.
When I worked on Celebrity they most assuredly had 3,4,5 x odds no doubt, in fact I was the one who suggested they change from double odds to shore up more high limit action.
It promtly worked with the next cruise having two guys with $50k front money come on board.
I very much doubt casino dealers or floor people care about counters or hole carders......they are there to have fun. You are more likely to get caught by a fellow guest who wants to be a whistleblower than a sharp employee.......
Sad but true :)
I never say never when it comes to gambling and AP. People say certain table games can't be beaten, they just have no clue. I take things on a case by case basis. I also don't believe half the people that claim they can beat certain games with betting systems, I know dam well they are full of crap. IE Varmenti, Gplayer, Tounement king to name a fewQuote: TomspurI wouldn't get into playing the slots on cruise ships....NEVER, not even for a little fun and entertainment.
What you said about cruises, I hear this often about reel slot machines and even from so called experts(especially in the past). You should never say NEVER. You could miss a great opportunity.
IE online. Many people including AP's blasted others for playing online casinos and they stayed away. Me Being Leary and actually believing to a few casino Blacklist sites, cost me enough as it is. Luckily I took the leap of faith on a few blacklisted sites and was generously rewarded. A few others made in the mid hundreds of thousands without much risk. Sure they got stiffed or slow paid a few times, It was worth the risk for them.
A Few guys did do well on some cruise ships and it had nothing to do with positive variance.
Quote: AxelWolfI never say never when it comes to gambling and AP. People say certain table games can't be beaten, they just have no clue. I take things on a case by case basis. I also don't believe half the people that claim they can beat certain games with betting systems, I know dam well they are full of crap. IE Varmenti, Gplayer, Tounement king to name a few
What you said about cruises, I hear this often about reel slot machines and even from so called experts(especially in the past). You should never say NEVER. You could miss a great opportunity.
IE online. Many people including AP's blasted others for playing online casinos and they stayed away. Me Being Leary and actually believing to a few casino Blacklist sites, cost me enough as it is. Luckily I took the leap of faith on a few blacklisted sites and was generously rewarded. A few others made in the mid hundreds of thousands without much risk. Sure they got stiffed or slow paid a few times, It was worth the risk for them.
A Few guys did do well on some cruise ships and it had nothing to do with positive variance.
You could be correct in saying that there could very well be opportunities especially since you are only on the ship for a very short period of time. This will however force you to experience positive variance because time is simply not on your side AND I know for sure those reels are set very low (84-87%). You may get lucky once or twice or perhaps catch a bonus in the right place but if you keep playing through those bonusses you will lose.
On ships, imo, stick to the table games, low spread, have a few drinks, chat up the Romanian dealers.....you'll have a great time!
Close minded IC. I wont try to convince you anymore, certainly this means more for people who believe.Quote: TomspurYou could be correct in saying that there could very well be opportunities especially since you are only on the ship for a very short period of time. This will however force you to experience positive variance because time is simply not on your side AND I know for sure those reels are set very low (84-87%). You may get lucky once or twice or perhaps catch a bonus in the right place but if you keep playing through those bonusses you will lose.
On ships, imo, stick to the table games, low spread, have a few drinks, chat up the Romanian dealers.....you'll have a great time!
Obiously in most cases if you play any slot str8 through after a bonus opportunity you will lose.
Quote: AxelWolfClose minded IC. I wont try to convince you anymore, certainly this means more for people who believe.
Obiously in most cases if you play any slot str8 through after a bonus opportunity you will lose.
I don't think its fair of you to call em close minded. I'm simply stating hard facts. I was the one putting the EPROM into the machine, I was the one setting the machines to 84-87%. I was there, I lived it I breathed it. You CANNOT beat a machine that is set that low. The only way to do so is to get silly lucky, cash out and walk away. I also set the VP games at between 95-96%. Depending on the strategy, you could do ok there.
Things may have changed since last I worked on a cruise ship but I cannot account for the variance inbetween then and now, I can only tell you what I have experienced.
I hope you make a killing and have the time of your life! I'm not adverse to any money making opportunities and if a good one comes up, let me know, we get the wives/girlfriends and we go have a whale of a time......
All I'm saying is that in my humble opinion it is very tough to beat the slots on a cruise ship.
I don't disagree with that statement. I too would proceed with extreme caution.Quote: Tomspur
All I'm saying is that in my humble opinion it is very tough to beat the slots on a cruise ship.
Quote: beachbumbabsI will say that NCL's casinos are excellent, IMO, and offer Vegas odds on most of the table games. I am less sure about the slots/VP payoffs, but they do have good numbers of both. Their dealers and pit crew are pretty good at their jobs and very pleasant. I am not an AP, so I'm not going to speculate about opportunities; I could be wrong in either direction.
And now the opposing viewpoint ( we loved the Alaska cruise overall, and the casino gave us something to do, but I think NCL was sweating the money too much EVERYWHERE we looked on the ship. The staff showed telltale signs of stress ):
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Yes I think you are right that the Blackjack seemed to have decent rules, and if I recall correctly it was sometimes a $ 10 table limit.
