hollywoodtoledo
hollywoodtoledo
  • Threads: 8
  • Posts: 16
Joined: Apr 4, 2015
April 6th, 2015 at 4:43:30 AM permalink
Anyone played poker, blackjack, or roulette on a cruise? Any inside information as far as hours the dealers work, if there's gambling while the cruise is ported, and if the dealers seem to have a positive experience during their work?
CrystalMath
CrystalMath
  • Threads: 8
  • Posts: 1911
Joined: May 10, 2011
April 6th, 2015 at 6:24:49 AM permalink
I have played on Princess cruises. The dealers do not work in port and one of the dealers told me that other employees dislike dealers because of that. On one cruise, I was stuck in the port of Houston for 3 days because of an oil spill and the dealers didn't work, although some of the new dealers did use that time for training. I also think that the table games open around noon and probably go to midnight or 1am. I don't remember any disgruntled dealers or pit bosses.
I heart Crystal Math.
beachbumbabs
beachbumbabs
  • Threads: 101
  • Posts: 14268
Joined: May 21, 2013
April 6th, 2015 at 7:25:08 AM permalink
On the NCL Epic (Norwegian), the dealers do not work in port. The casino closes around 1-2am (they will keep a table open late if it has action, but will call "last hand" eventually), reopens around 7am with a few tables, most are open by about 9am. Slots available 24/7 except in port. I think this applies pretty much across NCL ships. There are 2 shifts, and dealers sometimes work as many as 10 hours/day, especially those designated as "closers", though that assignment seems to rotate. Possibly a dealer/floor will be scheduled for a double on rare occasions.

The dealers have a few duties during embarkation/disembarkation, sometimes train while in port, otherwise have free time. They seem to love their jobs.
If the House lost every hand, they wouldn't deal the game.
Zcore13
Zcore13
  • Threads: 41
  • Posts: 3838
Joined: Nov 30, 2009
April 6th, 2015 at 7:47:13 AM permalink
Quote: beachbumbabs

On the NCL Epic (Norwegian), the dealers do not work in port. The casino closes around 1-2am (they will keep a table open late if it has action, but will call "last hand" eventually), reopens around 7am with a few tables, most are open by about 9am. Slots available 24/7 except in port. I think this applies pretty much across NCL ships. There are 2 shifts, and dealers sometimes work as many as 10 hours/day, especially those designated as "closers", though that assignment seems to rotate. Possibly a dealer/floor will be scheduled for a double on rare occasions.

The dealers have a few duties during embarkation/disembarkation, sometimes train while in port, otherwise have free time. They seem to love their jobs.



I've been on about 5 or 6 cruises. While it does seem like the dealers do like dealing, 95% of them are not from North America which tells me something. To me that means the pay is not that good. Yes, people from Czechoslovakia, Russia, Hungary, Bulgaria are happy dealing, but why no U.S. dealers?


ZCore13
I am an employee of a Casino. Former Table Games Director,, current Pit Supervisor. All the personal opinions I post are my own and do not represent the opinions of the Casino or Tribe that I work for.
beachbumbabs
beachbumbabs
  • Threads: 101
  • Posts: 14268
Joined: May 21, 2013
April 6th, 2015 at 8:10:46 AM permalink
Quote: Zcore13

I've been on about 5 or 6 cruises. While it does seem like the dealers do like dealing, 95% of them are not from North America which tells me something. To me that means the pay is not that good. Yes, people from Czechoslovakia, Russia, Hungary, Bulgaria are happy dealing, but why no U.S. dealers?


ZCore13



My impression is that the pay is ok but not great, but the hours are not what US labor force is used to; they deal 6 days a week, sometimes 7, for an 8 month contract. It's pretty easy to save up money on board, though, because your contract includes food and room, and some amenities like laundry and employee pricing on luxury items. They often get moved from ship to ship, usually with each contract, but sometimes in mid-contract. They live 4 to a cabin, which is too crowded for US standards for that long a period. The NCL crew was about 1/2 Eastern European, 1/2 Philippino. The company recruits those places, and tends to only recruit US personnel for entertainment staff. Beyond that, I don't know much, but there are several books written by ex-employees about their time on board.
If the House lost every hand, they wouldn't deal the game.
DJTeddyBear
DJTeddyBear
  • Threads: 210
  • Posts: 11062
Joined: Nov 2, 2009
April 6th, 2015 at 8:27:17 AM permalink
Quote: beachbumbabs

On the NCL Epic (Norwegian), the dealers do not work in port.


That's got nothing to do with the cruise line or country of registry, but the laws where the port is. Most (all?) countries do not allow gambling in port. Got to go out to international waters to open the casino.

And since the cruise lines make money off the shore excursions, they dont really mind the rule.

Besides, rules were made to be broken: I was on a cruise that returned to port for a medical emergency. The casino stayed open even though we were in New Jersey.


Quote: Zcore13

... but why no U.S. dealers?


Maybe for the same reason that there's a lot of foreign dealers in US casinos.
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? 😁
Deck007
Deck007
  • Threads: 21
  • Posts: 344
Joined: Mar 3, 2014
April 6th, 2015 at 9:41:40 AM permalink
Quote: Zcore13

I've been on about 5 or 6 cruises. While it does seem like the dealers do like dealing, 95% of them are not from North America which tells me something. To me that means the pay is not that good. Yes, people from Czechoslovakia, Russia, Hungary, Bulgaria are happy dealing, but why no U.S. dealers?


ZCore13



They are paid based on the GDP of their home country and work 70 to 80 hours a week. Average pay is about US$300 per month. Oh, if it is not a casino ship they get them to do other work like check in guest, fire drill, etc.
CrystalMath
CrystalMath
  • Threads: 8
  • Posts: 1911
Joined: May 10, 2011
April 6th, 2015 at 9:48:42 AM permalink
On Princess, almost all of the dealers were eastern European, but there was one from England on one cruise and one from South America who I saw on 2 cruises on the same ship. She was the only dealer I recognized on two occasions, which were 9 months apart. The rest could have taken assignments on other ships, I suppose. I doubt the pay is great, but it is something you might do once as an American if you can be away for an extended time. Plus, you can have virtually no expenses, which would permit you to save more money than many jobs.
I heart Crystal Math.
RaleighCraps
RaleighCraps
  • Threads: 79
  • Posts: 2501
Joined: Feb 20, 2010
April 6th, 2015 at 9:55:25 AM permalink
Quote: DJTeddyBear

That's got nothing to do with the cruise line or country of registry, but the laws where the port is. Most (all?) countries do not allow gambling in port. Got to go out to international waters to open the casino.

And since the cruise lines make money off the shore excursions, they dont really mind the rule.

Besides, rules were made to be broken: I was on a cruise that returned to port for a medical emergency. The casino stayed open even though we were in New Jersey.



Maybe for the same reason that there's a lot of foreign dealers in US casinos.




You are correct about the casino being closed in port. International waters is required for casino operation. So does that mean any winnings should be declared as foreign income?

I took the phrase working in port, to mean the dealer does not have a secondary job that requires them to work in other areas of the ship, while the ship is in port.
The NCL dealers told me they did nothing but casino work. I think it was RC (but may have been Carnival) where the dealers also had secondary jobs on the ship.
And I remember someone telling me that everyone had a job to do when the offboard and onboard of a new cruise took place. No one got shore leave on the turn around days. That may have been the NCL crew that told me that.
Always borrow money from a pessimist; They don't expect to get paid back ! Be yourself and speak your thoughts. Those who matter won't mind, and those that mind, don't matter!
SOOPOO
SOOPOO
  • Threads: 123
  • Posts: 11495
Joined: Aug 8, 2010
April 6th, 2015 at 1:33:50 PM permalink
I once inadvertently went through the door which separated the living quarters of the crew from the rest of the ship. I was stunned how small their cabins were. 4 people crunched into a room that 4 people couldn't stand in at the same time.
sabre
sabre
  • Threads: 3
  • Posts: 1172
Joined: Aug 16, 2010
April 6th, 2015 at 6:54:24 PM permalink
Quote: RaleighCraps

You are correct about the casino being closed in port. International waters is required for casino operation.



No. See Bermuda as a counter example.
OneAngryDwarf
OneAngryDwarf
  • Threads: 44
  • Posts: 254
Joined: Dec 17, 2009
April 6th, 2015 at 9:45:08 PM permalink
As I mentioned in the other thread, the casino staff on most ships works much longer hours than those on land, and for lower pay. In addition to the other duties mentioned here, they must also do the hard and soft counts themselves, since there is no dedicated count room/team like in a land casino.

Most American dealers would find such a schedule intolerable, which is why you don't see too many of them. The only exception was a small luxury cruise line I worked for, whose casinos were managed by an old-time Vegas guy--who basically just hired all his old buddies to come out and work onboard (and they in turn would recommend their friends, etc.). The casino had a hard close time of 2AM every night, usually even earlier (it was mostly older retired folks who didn't gamble, so they were never very busy) so the hours weren't as bad, though still more than on land. The pay was still pretty lousy, but that wasn't really that point, the main goal was traveling and seeing the world...
"I believe I've passed the age/of consciousness and righteous rage/I've found that just surviving was a noble fight... I once believed in causes too/I had my pointless point of view/And life went on no matter who was wrong or right..." --Billy Joel
  • Jump to: