Poker Rake Rate!

[0utpost]

Last time I cruised with princess they had put in the computerized poker table. I really enjoyed playing, and won some money, but it is only because I quit after just a few hands. I found out that the rake (the houses take on each pot) is 10%!!!!! So if the pot gets to $150 the house takes $15. Once you've played 20 hands like that there goes $300 right off the table and into the casino's black hole never to be seen or won again. Even the Casino host who came over to get games going and watch said that it was ridiculous, but of course that "there was nothing he could do". So really games only lasted until everyone’s money was sucked up by the casino, so an hour or so. Then everyone would leave and the table would be empty the rest of the night because of the rake. Does anyone know if this is still the case? Thanks -outpost

[cb at sea]

I thought ALL poker games "gave" a percentage to the house...is that higher than normal?

[0utpost]

Yes MUCH!

[cb at sea]

Ouch! That's why, if I want to gamble, I go to Vegas.....I don't play poker, but even the other table games have better odds...and they're more fun, too. My last cruise, you couldn't even push on BJ with a 20....never.

[writer100]

There is actually more skill demanded by poker than any other game. It is also the one with the best odds, though that varies directly according to the house rake. Then worst two games for the players are first, keno--not much of a game, really, followed by roulette. In these case, the house rake isn't an actual fee that is charged, but a reduction in the payout for winning hands. So, even if you win you are getting less than you deserve. That's the house's "edge." The only other game that can--I emphasize CAN--be a fair playing field is blackjack. But it takes nerves, big cash reserves, patience, and a real knowledge of the odds. But the temptation in blackjack is to play it as social entertainment. That promotes carelessness, or risk taking. Which means, generally, you lose. Many years ago I spent 3 weeks in LV writing an article on casino gambling for Playboy. Highly educational.Bottom line, the casinos aren't there becasue gambling is easy.

[bankerlkd]

My experience last year at poker on princess was there were very few actual poker players on the boat- I think there were about 5 of us - The real problem was the poker pro tables can be intimidating to a newbie player and harder to make an impulse decision to join the game- you need to get a seperate poker credit / money card to put in the machine-

 

Rake was higher but not unlimited 10% - I believe it was 10% capped at $5 per hand - this is still high - most times you'll see a $3 a hand cap.

 

The higher rake would not have been a problem if the table could attract new faces and bankrolls.

 

I really think a live dealer table would allow this and provide newbie players to learn the game while they donated their chips to the pots.

 

There is nothing better than a person sitting down to a table and a dealer having to explain to them how the game works.

[0utpost]

My experience last year at poker on princess was there were very few actual poker players on the boat- I think there were about 5 of us - The real problem was the poker pro tables can be intimidating to a newbie player and harder to make an impulse decision to join the game- you need to get a separate poker credit / money card to put in the machine-

I agree all the way. This setup is certainly not ideal. That is one reason the casino host was hanging around the poker table on my last trip, he was there for instruction. If you could use your room card I'm sure a lot more people would participate. I bet for the price of the table they could pay a dealer for 20 years.

Rake was higher but not unlimited 10% - I believe it was 10% capped at $5 per hand - this is still high - most times you'll see a $3 a hand cap.

This is a good point, I totally forgot about that, or it wasn't on my cruise, and it gives me some hope. However since only poker aficionados dare to overcome the strange table and the separate poker card, the games tend to be tight and fall under the rake limit.

The higher rake would not have been a problem if the table could attract new faces and bankrolls.

See above on why that isn't happening.

I really think a live dealer table would allow this and provide newbie players to learn the game while they donated their chips to the pots.

Absolutely!!!

There is nothing better than a person sitting down to a table and a dealer having to explain to them how the game works.

I hope they read this, all good points/ideas -Outpost

[Jeffffffs]

On the NCL Pearl last December they had a live dealer...rake was 10% capped at $25!!!! And they took it every hand, even if there was no flop. Made the game unplayable in my opinion, but they had a reasonably full table almost every night.

[0utpost]

On the NCL Pearl last December they had a live dealer...rake was 10% capped at $25!!!! And they took it every hand, even if there was no flop. Made the game unplayable in my opinion, but they had a reasonably full table almost every night.

 

Ah the cruise ship casino experience, going from ok to kind of bad.

[grod19]

explorer of the seas 2 weeks ago 10% capped at $10

[jetwet1]

Yep, the rake on the poker pro tables sucks, to the point where neither of us will play live games, we now only play in the tournaments.

 

In Vegas the majority of the tables have a $4 cap, with some of the strip hotels having a $5 cap and the smaller locals places having a $3 cap.

[GrumpaTom]

My solutin to this problem is to bring my own chips and cards, let a few players know that I am willing to start a game up on the Lido deck and I always get a few games going. No rake and everyone enjoys themselves. We have never had anyone from the ship say anything and have even had bar servers make regular visits to our table, even when we play late into the night.

[Colorado Beach Bum]

On Carnival Spirit last week it was 10% with a $7 cap.

[felixdrylock]

My solutin to this problem is to bring my own chips and cards, let a few players know that I am willing to start a game up on the Lido deck and I always get a few games going. No rake and everyone enjoys themselves. We have never had anyone from the ship say anything and have even had bar servers make regular visits to our table, even when we play late into the night.

 

That is a really cool idea, I haven't thought about that. So you brought chips with you? And you just handled the money on the down low, right? I would love to try this on my cruise in 6 weeks on the NCL Jewel, I'm just afraid of the look my girlfriend will give me when I tell her I'm packing poker chips because I want to try to organize a poker game. LOL she'll probably think I'm nuts.

[GrumpaTom]

That is a really cool idea, I haven't thought about that. So you brought chips with you? And you just handled the money on the down low, right? I would love to try this on my cruise in 6 weeks on the NCL Jewel, I'm just afraid of the look my girlfriend will give me when I tell her I'm packing poker chips because I want to try to organize a poker game. LOL she'll probably think I'm nuts.

 

If your girlfriend is anything like my wife she will give you a knowing smile, laugh to herself, and figure out where to put it to balance out the weight.

 

My cruising poker set is smaller then my regular one those, lighter (but not plastic) chips, in a smaller box that is packed tight with one deck of cards, a timer, and dealer chip.

 

Just got off the Norwegian Star and this is still your best bet as they are still taking a 10% to $25 max rake at the table. I sat down at the table for the final night of the cruise and left about 30 minutes later. In that time over $200 had been taken off the table with 6 players. So, obviously it was an aggressive game and was a game killer because when I left one other player left at the same time and a third was moaning and groaning that they were leaving too. Fortunately I limited my losses to $100, which most likely ended up in the rake by the end of the night.

[wjasond]

Yeah, the computer poker games are often black holes and always have a really high rake. That's why I only play on the usual tables with loose poker players and try to avoid slots and other computer games. For me it's more fun to play poker againgst real opponents and not against a software that is programmed to suck up all my money in the long run.

[ComeSailAwayWitMe]

I recently sailed on the Norwegian Pearl. Every night, around 10pm, a small crowd would decend upon the HoldEm' table. Soon we would have our 10 and start playing well into the early morning hours. The rake per hand was 10% max $25. My casino also is 10% but has a very reasonable cap. The ship does take a rake if you blind steal or worse chop pot. So you can quite easily loose money even if you win a large hand and chop it. Still this did not deter us from playing on a captive ship sailing from port to port in the midle of the Caribbean Sea during the dark of night. Some players really sucked. After watching them play you can see their predictability. Make them the ones who pay your rake and you will be alright. I presume if you come here to read you know how to play HoldEm. I also presume that you are 'experienced'. Just go into the game with the attitude of 1)killing some time while your wife and buddy's wife go to watch them 3rd rate shows 2)making some extra spending cash at the expense of several minnows willing to give you a Franklin. But back to the emphasis of this thread. Rake are high on cruises but so what. Play tight cards and win the pots. Don't bet into a hand then get cold feet and check the turn only to give up a pot you built. Play and pay the rake but make some dough for yourself along the way.

Edited February 6, 2011 by ComeSailAwayWitMe

[PokerTek]

Hello,

 

The PokerPro tables aboard all Princess cruise ships have a standard poker rake that CAPS at $6 per hand (reduced from $7 in 2010). The casino host was mistaken when he said that there was no maximum rake. This rate is competitive with most poker rooms and highly competitive when compared to poker tables on some other cruiselines. Also, Princess does not rake the pot at all if there are only 2 or 3 players at the table or if there is no flop seen on the table no matter how players are in the game. These are just two beneficial features to help get cash games going at the tables that don’t impact the players except in a positive way .

 

- PokerPro Account Manager

[aaronk56]

Hello,

 

The PokerPro tables aboard all Princess cruise ships have a standard poker rake that CAPS at $6 per hand (reduced from $7 in 2010). The casino host was mistaken when he said that there was no maximum rake. This rate is competitive with most poker rooms and highly competitive when compared to poker tables on some other cruiselines. Also, Princess does not rake the pot at all if there are only 2 or 3 players at the table or if there is no flop seen on the table no matter how players are in the game. These are just two beneficial features to help get cash games going at the tables that don’t impact the players except in a positive way .

 

- PokerPro Account Manager

 

Thank you PokerPro and Princess.

 

This is quite competitive with land-based casinos. The poker room where I usually play has a $4 max rake plus $1 for the jackpot plus a tip for the dealer, so typically $6 or more is coming off the table per hand.

 

No rake for 2 or 3 players is a real plus in getting games started too.

 

I'm looking forward to my first cruise on Princess even more now.

[Smithinc49]

Is Carnival's poker pro rake the same set up as Princess?

[cruzwinnr]

I was on the Carnival Pokerpro Challenge Final Event on the Destiny a couple of weeks ago and the rakes were the same as quoted for Princess. Btw Chris Moneymaker entered the tournament and got knocked out in the first round. He was great to play against and said he was going to come back on the next one on the Carnival Dream in December.

[BeachyBrowns]

Can anyone tell me, from recent experience, what the rake is on the Carnival Dream? My wife and I sailed on RCI Freedom of Seas last year, and the rake was 10% up to $15. On the Carnival Sensation, it was capped at $7, which made a huge difference. Someone tell me it's more like the Sensation and less like the Freedom of the Seas!

[cruzwinnr]

Can anyone tell me, from recent experience, what the rake is on the Carnival Dream? My wife and I sailed on RCI Freedom of Seas last year, and the rake was 10% up to $15. On the Carnival Sensation, it was capped at $7, which made a huge difference. Someone tell me it's more like the Sensation and less like the Freedom of the Seas!

 

On Carnival Dream there is a PokerPro table so the rake will be the same as the PokerPro Manager quoted earlier in this thread, ie capped at $6, ( reduced from $7 last year) no rake if less than 4 players and no rake if there is no flop.

[BeachyBrowns]

On Carnival Dream there is a PokerPro table so the rake will be the same as the PokerPro Manager quoted earlier in this thread, ie capped at $6, ( reduced from $7 last year) no rake if less than 4 players and no rake if there is no flop.

 

The PokerPro manager's comment was germane to Princess cruises:

 

 

February 8th, 2011, 01:09 PM

PokerTek

Cool Cruiser

 

Join Date: Feb 2011

Posts: 1

Response to PokerPro Rake Questions

Hello,

 

The PokerPro tables aboard all Princess cruise ships have a standard poker rake that CAPS at $6 per hand (reduced from $7 in 2010). ...

 

- PokerPro Account Manager

 

 

The Freedom of the Seas had a PokerPro table, and it was capped at $15, so not all ships are capped at $6. I want to know about the Carnival Dream, specifically. Mr. PokerPro Man, do you have any information on this?

[BeachyBrowns]

Went straight to the oracle:

 

From: "Greg Martin" <greg.martin@pokertek.com>

Date: Mar 24, 2011 11:25 AM

 

The rake aboard the Carnival Dream is capped at $6. We also offer no-flop, no-drop and we do not rake the players until there are 4 at the table.

 

Thanks,

Greg Martin