Worst casino experience ever. Never again on Carnival.

[ParrothdJH]

I love my BlackJack; if I was up 7 grand; I would REALLY lighten up on play if not stop all together; but the previous poster is obviously in a different $$ league than me.

 

I can't imagine choosing a cruiseline based on the CASINO to begin with; but obviously I am not a serious gambler; still I spend one to two hours a day on the ship casino; mostly killing time between other events.

 

Mitch

obviously

[wookie78]

I actually like the way Carnival and Princess has you use your room card. I don't have to carry around money, cashed out slips that often don't get accepted by the next machine are no longer an issue, in fact all I need now is my room card. It is confusing at first and many people get frustrated and confused and leave. But if you have an employee explain it to you it's very convenient. You even get $10 bonuses added to your account every so often. And you don't have to use up all the money you put in the machine. You can put it back into the account at any time you just have to know how to do it. I put $100 dollars into my account and try to make it last all day. I take that amount from machine to machine without a problem. I like not having to carry around change or cash or cash out slips. All I need is my room card. They give me comps based on my play right then and there like cash added to my account and free drinks. I guess we all see it differently. Some like it some don't. I'm not trying to be disagreeable, I just wanted to let some people know that it's not so bad and if you give it a chance and really understand how it works you might really like it like me. :)

 

 

Which cruise line gives comps and free drinks in the casino?

[AndyTheK]

Which cruise line gives comps and free drinks in the casino?

DW and I were comped a drink on the Coral Princess this past December. BUT... from general postings here, I am led to believe that this is rare, and that generally Princess' comps are few and far between.

 

Also from reading the boards, I think that NCL has the most generous comping policy. However, as a previous poster noted, we don't choose cruise lines based on the Casino; NCL has one "feature" that is a show stopper for us.

 

Shalom from Tel Aviv. Andy.

[golfball475]

My last cruise I played BJ and lost $4000 . I swear they take face cards out of the decks. The shuffle machines really killed me , I play in casinos and one shoe you can make a few grand.We love to gamble on the ship but I dont think theres a chance to really win.Maybe the only way is at the craps table

You are right. The dealer never goes bust. Low cards are always coming. The Indians use them in AZ. You have to be HOG WILD Hot to Beat them. Craps is the only live game to play when they use shufflers in BJ. Good Luck!

[CRUZIN TOM]

NCL will usually comp drinks if you have been playing at the tables for a couple of hours or more. Usually the whole table.:)

[CRUZIN TOM]

But, that's usually only 1 or 2 drinks for the night.:)

[basill1970f]

I had a note in my room on this past sailing with Carnival. Free drink when visiting casino, welcome aboard from the ocean players club... guess it must have been something I signed up for at one time or another reading these boards.

 

My dh works at a casino in Michigan. They have been using deck shufflers.. I can hardly shuffle one deck let alone 8. Never played black jack in my life but it appears a lot of folks have fun at it, i often hear hoots and hollering coming from the tables.. but not from the slots so much which is about all I play. Dh cannot gamble where he works so we allow 10-20 each per day to gamble with while cruising and a little more in port casinos.

 

When gambling go for entertainment and you will come out happy ~~~~

[GeneK]

Which cruise line gives comps and free drinks in the casino?

If you spend enough, they all do. They keep track of your play through your player's card/room key. Get use to the cashless machines, ALL the cruise lines are going to be like that very soon.

[MrCo9]

The OP did not say they were using a CSM, just a SM. And the reason casinos use them is more hands per hour and more standard shuffling.

[liketraveling]

I just got off a 15 night Hawaii cruise on the Zandamn. They are using the room keys. they Kept wanting me to use it. I usually put $20.00 a day in the video poker One Night I got $250.00 transfered the money to my card and cashed it out at the gage. The machines were left open all night if you wanted to play.

 

I play black jack and they didn't have a shuffler. One day someone at the table asked very politely "How often are the cards changed"? a female pit boss reacation to the player was "Damm You"! I couldn't believe it.! The person the pit boss said this to left the table. I played another hand and left.

I spoke with someone else at the table and said everyone left after that. I work in customer service and that behavior by the Casino Staff was not acceptable under any circumstances. If one of the players had been swearing you know they would be asked to leave the table. When I went back to the casino that evening I made it point to ask a male pit boss if he was the boss tonight. He told me he was the boss everynight. He wasn't on duty when the female made the remark.

 

I don't recall everytime them doing a shuffle the cards being face up to verify that everything was there. They were always face down!

[Yo Eleven]

If one of the players had been swearing you know they would be asked to leave the table.

Wow! I must be lucky. I wasn't asked to leave the craps table when I was saying all sorts of swear words in a joyous manner after my payout was over $2000 from one roll of the dice! And that roll being a SEVEN! :D

[liketraveling]

Wow! I must be lucky. I wasn't asked to leave the craps table when I was saying all sorts of swear words in a joyous manner after my payout was over $2000 from one roll of the dice! And that roll being a SEVEN! :D

 

I am sure a joyuos manor they wouldn't ask you to leave!

 

I hope you took the money and ran with it!

 

Gail

[MrCo9]

I don't recall everytime them doing a shuffle the cards being face up to verify that everything was there. They were always face down!

They never shuffle with the cards facing up, always with them facing down. Where I work the cards are changed twice a shift, about every 4 hours, but it can be as short as after 3 hours or as long as after 5 hours of use. The supervisors have some discretion as to when they are changed. They have to be changed between 11am and noon and then again between 3pm and 4 pm. So, if one supervisor changes then at 11:59 and the next at 3:01 they were used just over 3 hours. If the next day the supervisor changes them at 11:01 and the next supervisor is busy and they don't get done until 3:59 they will have been in use 5 hours.

 

It's quite possible you were not at the table long enough to see them changed. We use paper cards with a shiny coating, but our poker room uses plastic cards. they are used a lot longer, I would imagine they do sort them once a day or so to make sure all cards are there. If the ship's casinos use these cards. it's possible they are sorted at the end of the shift and not changed at all during the day. They may even be shuffled before customers are allowed in the casino.

[AndyTheK]

Before I get to my main point, let me say that whether or not you like the CSM, in many cruise ship casinos, they are the only game in town: my DW is a well-experienced, good blackjack player, but has resisted craps. Though I have taught her the game, and we've practiced here at home, she feels very uncomfortable at a craps table, for her own reasons. So, she plays blackjack despite the CSM.

 

The cruise we were on last December on Princess, used CSM at the blackjack tables. At one point, she noticed that one of the cards had a bent corner - apparently the machines do have lots of glitches. When she pointed it out to the dealer, he was lackadaisical about it. Thinking that was a little unusual, she told him again. Finally, the dealer called the floor person over, who - sort of grudgingly it seemed to DW- examined the card and then replaced it (which you'd think would have been done immediately). I can't imagine what the mind set of the casino staff was that they would allow a bent card to continue in the game. If a player tried to mark a card, security would have him out the door in an instant (with possibly a little rough handling) but the staff seemed content to let a card "marked" by the machine stay in the game!

 

"It's a strange, strange world we live in, Mister Jack"

 

Shalom, Andy.

[MrCo9]

The machines we use for Pai Gow Poker, Let it Ride and Three Card Poker will occassionally put a crease in the cards. Just means the machine needs a slight adjustment. One creased or marked card is a bad thing, a whole bunch that are not the same value is not that big of a deal, you try and guess which one the dealer has at the time.

 

On a full 21 table the chance of the dealer getting the marked card as their hole card is about 8%, I'm guessing the supervisor at the time was willing to go with the odds.

[Silverscreencruiser]

The cruise we were on last December on Princess, used CSM at the blackjack tables. At one point, she noticed that one of the cards had a bent corner - apparently the machines do have lots of glitches.

 

Your wife is a better person than I am. I would have filed that little bit of information away and used it whatever chance I had, not tell the dealer about it.

[garycarla]

Funny how people get so upset over the shuffle machine. Odds stay the same unless you are super duper card counter.

 

Next card is still the next card.

 

Of course, this issue is similar to the fallacy about a bad player at 3rd base screwing up your play. WRONG. He can just as easily take a card to help the dealer, as hurt the dealer. But some people are 100% sure the lack of basic strategy by the dumbass is costing the other players money.

 

Without a doubt, the next card is always just that - the next card.

[Yo Eleven]

Funny how people get so upset over the shuffle machine. Odds stay the same unless you are super duper card counter.

 

Next card is still the next card.

 

Of course, this issue is similar to the fallacy about a bad player at 3rd base screwing up your play. WRONG. He can just as easily take a card to help the dealer, as hurt the dealer. But some people are 100% sure the lack of basic strategy by the dumbass is costing the other players money.

 

Without a doubt, the next card is always just that - the next card.

Funny how people don't get the point that the dummy that is "costing the other players money" is generally a dufus that holds up the game, makes stupid comments, asks stupid questions, among several other aggravating things that just makes playing BJ not fun. Take that to the bank.

[RANTHEMAN]

Maybe Yo...Everyone should take an aptitude test and be issued a BJ photo license before being allowed to sit at a BJ table:eek:.

 

That would make you happy,but I bet the casinos would vehemently object to such a system:mad::mad:.

 

Cheers

[garycarla]

Funny how people don't get the point that the dummy that is "costing the other players money" is generally a dufus that holds up the game, makes stupid comments, asks stupid questions, among several other aggravating things that just makes playing BJ not fun. Take that to the bank.

 

 

The idiot player is different than one not playing basic strategy. At times, those types can make the game less than fun. Understood.

[calibird]

Just came off 14th cruise. Have been cruising RCC last 4 yrs because of good experiences and big wins. I need to know what cruise lines are using shuffle machines at their BJ tables now and also, is RCC or NCL using paper slips in the slot machines or the nightmare that Carnival Miracle is using. (More on this later.) Playing BJ is our biggest enjoyment on the ship. We don't go to shows or bars. Our trip was ruined when we saw shuffle machines at the tables. I refuse to play with a shuffle machine. The machines just show their greed as if playing against 8 decks doesn't give them a good enough advantage. So, I decided to play slots instead of BJ. The steps you now have to go through just to play a slop machine was ridiculous. They don't use coins or paper slips. You have to use your room key every time you want to retrieve your balance on the machine. There are so many steps you have to go through every time you switch to a new machine it took any enjoyment out of playing. I don't mind loosing the money I set aside to gamble with as long as I have a good time playing. I consider it the cost of entertainment. If we win, it's a bonus. We save all of our change all year for our gambling allowance. We allow $100. each per day. We had $1400 left in our gambling allowance when we got off the ship. Not because we won, but because the casino was so dispppointing we didn't play much. Needless to say, I have used my left over money to book a cruise on RCC in Feb.

I totally agree that the Carnival method is ridiculous. It was so confusing, even needed a "password". It did take the enjoyment out of it. They want you to play the same machine until you lose because it's easier than cashing out. I was on the Carnival Triumph almost a year ago. Going on Pricess in Oct and hope it's different.

[CheeseheadMAM]

Just returned from Carnival Liberty. What a joke it is earning points at a table game! Each time, I was badgered for my room card (used as a player's card) by the dealers & pit boss to earn my "points." Gave it each time, played every night for 1-2 hrs at blackjack table. NEVER played table mininum (always 2-5 times minimum). When asked if I'd earned a free drink was scolded "NO!" One pit boss even updated the other to not comp me a drink.

 

Same pit boss scolded me because my husband and son (also at table) had not turned their card in (after I asked if I earned a comped drink, not them). I was told like a child "maybe tomorrow." Suprise.....I suddenly won a bunch of chips and a drink was miraculously granted! And presented like a huge favor was done.

 

Granted, I can buy my own damn drink, but it's the stingy principle of it all! The casino was never that busy. Maybe offering 1 free drink to each table player would increase table play and revenues? It's called "marketing."

[mikel24m]

Just returned from Carnival Liberty. What a joke it is earning points at a table game! Each time, I was badgered for my room card (used as a player's card) by the dealers & pit boss to earn my "points." Gave it each time, played every night for 1-2 hrs at blackjack table. NEVER played table mininum (always 2-5 times minimum). When asked if I'd earned a free drink was scolded "NO!" One pit boss even updated the other to not comp me a drink.

 

Same pit boss scolded me because my husband and son (also at table) had not turned their card in (after I asked if I earned a comped drink, not them). I was told like a child "maybe tomorrow." Suprise.....I suddenly won a bunch of chips and a drink was miraculously granted! And presented like a huge favor was done.

 

Granted, I can buy my own damn drink, but it's the stingy principle of it all! The casino was never that busy. Maybe offering 1 free drink to each table player would increase table play and revenues? It's called "marketing."

 

Welcome to cruise critic!!

 

Check out NCL if your a gambler ;)

[bulldog on water]

One of the advantages of using your shipyard is that you can basically get money from credit card ( one you use to pay your bill when you leave) with no fee. You could put up to $1500 a day on your slot account and $1500 on your poker account, and not play anything. End of cruise cash out and go home. If you have a card that earns points you just got them without buying anything.

So you know this will also stop soon!

[krzi]

Just returned from Carnival Liberty. What a joke it is earning points at a table game! Each time, I was badgered for my room card (used as a player's card) by the dealers & pit boss to earn my "points." Gave it each time, played every night for 1-2 hrs at blackjack table. NEVER played table mininum (always 2-5 times minimum). When asked if I'd earned a free drink was scolded "NO!" One pit boss even updated the other to not comp me a drink.

 

Same pit boss scolded me because my husband and son (also at table) had not turned their card in (after I asked if I earned a comped drink, not them). I was told like a child "maybe tomorrow." Suprise.....I suddenly won a bunch of chips and a drink was miraculously granted! And presented like a huge favor was done.

 

Granted, I can buy my own damn drink, but it's the stingy principle of it all! The casino was never that busy. Maybe offering 1 free drink to each table player would increase table play and revenues? It's called "marketing."

 

I used to be a casino dealer and I gamble as well. The odds are always against us, however the comps are used to help get people into casinos on land based casinos because there are so many casinos. On the ship you kind of have no choice.

 

If you do not gamble - they win because you go to the bar and buy a drink or go shopping and the whole ship is an upsell.

 

If you go gamble - they win because your odds of winning is <40%

 

However if you are a low wager gambler (anything under $50 per hand) would not net you much of anything on a cruise ship. Players who bet under $50 a hand are dime a dozen. However they want to keep the high rollers coming back and those are who get the comps.

 

You said you bet 2-3x table minimum, if the table minimum was $5 as it is in most cruise casinos then you are not playing high enough. Most land base casinos on weekends have table minimums $15-20.

 

I personally dislike carnival, however their casino was the best part of their ship in my opinion. I was playing $100 minimum per hand w/ average bet at approximately $250. I walked into the casino everyone greeted me by name, I asked for a drink and servers came for me (comped by the casino). I also tipped the dealers and floor person (pit boss to some) as they are on a tipped salary. The consensus I have heard so far is $10/day + tips. As a casino dealer I used to make $4/hour in Atlantic City.

 

Hope this helps you and maybe shine a light in why you are expecting too much and giving to little.