Poker Cruise

I'm thinking about going on a Poker Cruise. The one I'm interested in is 4/25/10 - 5/2/10 out of Port Canaveral, on Royal Caribbean Freedom Of The Seas. Info about this cruise. Probably combine it with a couple days at Disney. Hi Mickey!

The company has done cruises in the past, as well as poker tournaments in land casinos.

I've never done a cruise before. But my research and feelings are telling me a couple things:

A - A typical cruise ship casino does not have a poker room. At best it has the poker machine (not to be confused with video poker). A cruise may, or may not, run a poker tournament.

B - Because this is an outside company running the tournament and promoting the cruise, this particular cruise will (or should) attract more poker players, have a real poker roon for the tournaments, and even a real poker room for side games.

Is my research/assumptions accurate?

I worry a little about the phrase 'promoting the cruise'. I found this company because it was one of the first to pop up when I did a Google search for "Poker Cruise". I never saw any advertising for it (that I can remember).

Has anyone here gone on this or any poker cruise? If so, what are your feelings?

Thanks.

I have never done a poker cruise, but have done three regular one-week cruises. Speaking only for the Norwegian Star, you can expect one poker table with a live dealer on a regular cruise. You can also expect a very high rake. My last cruise most of the players were much too loose, staying in at least to the flop on most hands. However, where there are fish there will be sharks, and there were a few strong players who camped out at the table almost the entire cruise. With all things related to cruising, remember that they have a captive audience, and can charge whatever they want for the extras. Unless you really want to buy something, "just say no." That goes especially for the overpriced excursions.

Regarding Disney, don't miss the World Showcase at Epcot Center. Having worked at two amusement parks in my younger years, I'm rather jaded, but the WS was truly unique and impressive.

Some cruise ships do have poker tables now. Others deal poker on a blackjack style table (which I find extremely annoying)

The rake is out of control but I have found many fish (I'm no shark mind you) to fleece and poker is my evening entertainment so i still dabble at the cruise ship tables. On a 10-day voyage aboard NCL Spirit (which had an actual poker room of sorts) a few years back we had the same bunch of 8-9 guys playing 5/10 every night and over the course of the week I paid for my cruise :)

Note that "Poker Cruises" may be different, particuarly if they are set up thru an agency like Card Player Cruises, etc.

RANT:
After every cruise I take quite a bit of time to fill out the comment card and explain how the casino could improve the poker game offering (and thus the rake total) but I doubt any of these suggestions are considered.
ex: I sailed on RCL 5-day Mexico cruise a couple years ago and their only offering was 2/5 NL with 5% (no cap) rake. Most of the time the maximum number of players at the table was 5. One night we dropped to 4 players and I asked for a rake reduction and they said no so i picked up my chips and they were left with 3 players. I reco'd that they switch to 1/2 NL and cap the rake, which would allow more of the less experienced players to play longer, thus raising overall rake. I never heard back.
/RANT