BlackJack Question

[bacruising]

Are all of the Carnival ships using automatic shufflers? Do they offer any single deck tables?

 

Sailing on the Sensation in November.

[big_schots]

Just off the Conquest, and they pretty much use the continuous shuffling machines for most blackjack tables. The only dealer shuffling tables were either 6 or 8 decks. After the cut, they left at least 2-3 full decks behind the "red" reshuffle card. Pretty tough to count cards with those situations. They have regular blackjack, Fun21 (screwy version with no queens) and face up blackjack tables.

[ava_girl_123]

IMHO Fun 21 had better odds as the dealer shuffled and you can surrender if you didn't like your cards.. Other then no Queens in the deck game is played the same..Oh and you could double down at any point.. Wish I played that from the beginning..:(

[Handsome58]

like on the Pride they should have had more BlackJack tables..it looked like the funny games of Poker tables stayed empty all week. And I noticed no craps table on the Pride.

[gogetter]

IMHO Fun 21 had better odds as the dealer shuffled and you can surrender if you didn't like your cards.. Other then no Queens in the deck game is played the same..Oh and you could double down at any point.. Wish I played that from the beginning..:(

 

 

WOW, thanks for reminding me of this. I too like this game and seems easier/friendlier for the gambler. Only thing they dont offer is 2:1 on the BJ if you hit it, if i remember correctly. The double down at any point is awesome also.

[woodey]

IMHO Fun 21 had better odds as the dealer shuffled and you can surrender if you didn't like your cards.. Other then no Queens in the deck game is played the same..Oh and you could double down at any point.. Wish I played that from the beginning..:(

Wow Fun 21 offers the worst odds...it may seem funner to play but the house holds a very high percetage ....

[bacruising]

Wow Fun 21 offers the worst odds...it may seem funner to play but the house holds a very high percetage ....

 

Fun 21 is fun... for the casino. You are giving the casino a big advantage. I don't want to play the automatic shufflers because it changes the odds.

 

Guess I will check Atlantis to get my blackjack fix. When I sailed on RCL in 2008, they had a single deck table that more than paid for me and the wifey's entire vacation.

 

Oh well... Thanks for all of the replies.

[sc_wildman]

Just back from the Fantasy and In addition to letting you double down at anytime on the "Ultimate Fun 21" table they also paid all 21's immediatly, eliminating the "push" if the dealer also hit 21. I did like this feature and managed to lose less money on this table than i did on the other tables.:D I actually made a few hundred on the Texas Hold'em table. Back in Oct. for a rematch!!

[woodey]

Fun 21 is fun... for the casino. You are giving the casino a big advantage. I don't want to play the automatic shufflers because it changes the odds.

 

Guess I will check Atlantis to get my blackjack fix. When I sailed on RCL in 2008, they had a single deck table that more than paid for me and the wifey's entire vacation.

 

Oh well... Thanks for all of the replies.

single deck or shoe .... it really does not change the odds....it is hands out per hour less shuffles equal less down time which means more hands in play ...which means more hold for the house.. what changes odds is different ways to play...double down rules split rules surrender etc.

[nashscan]

Having single deck vs shoe or continuous shuffle does affect the odds somewhat. One must be very careful because often a single deck game will pay 6:5 for blackjack which drastically changes the odds.

 

And yes, fun 21, super 21, whatever they are calling it these days is very fun for the casino only in the long run, regardless of how the game made you feel or the fact that you had a lucky streak one night.

 

(edited to say that this conversation is meaningless unless you are playing correct basic strategy)

[KevinKing]

One must be very careful because often a single deck game will pay 6:5 for blackjack which drastically changes the odds.

 

 

Bingo! Once that BJ payoff is reduced, the odds swing well back into the casino's hands.

[blondeonboard]

How much are the blackjack tables. I enjoy playing. But I like to keep my bets small. Its not fun when you lose $20 bucks a hand.

[Rosefloater]

Having single deck vs shoe or continuous shuffle does affect the odds somewhat. One must be very careful because often a single deck game will pay 6:5 for blackjack which drastically changes the odds.

 

And yes, fun 21, super 21, whatever they are calling it these days is very fun for the casino only in the long run, regardless of how the game made you feel or the fact that you had a lucky streak one night.

 

When playing with 6-8 deck shoe, the cards tend to "clump" together (low # cards or high # cards). Unlike "counting cards" with a single or double deck, use the clumping strategy to do a little better at guessing what the next card might be.

 

Fun 21 might or might not be fun for the player (depending on whether you are winning or losing), but that is also true for any game at the casino, even with the games that offer the best odds at winning. The 1st time I played at the Fun 21 table on a cruise I won about $100. The 2nd time I played on another cruise, I left after losing 4 hands in a row (but the cards were against me at all of the tables on that cruise).

 

How much are the blackjack tables. I enjoy playing. But I like to keep my bets small. Its not fun when you lose $20 bucks a hand.

 

$5 and up. Sometimes there will be 1 table that is $3 on the 1st night.

[Relayer]

On our last couple of cruises there has usually been one night when they were dealing single deck blackjack at one table and the spots filled up quickly.

 

I tend to like Fun 21 and have usually done equally as well, or poorly, as the regular game. It may just be me but it seems if you can catch a new dealer, freshly out of training, that the game can swing in your favor. I know that odds remain the same with the house edge but some of my best nights have been spent with a newbie.

 

Last October only one $5 table was available each evening. Most were $10 with a few $25. I wonder how that set up upped the house take for the cruise?:eek:

[gacruiser]

On our last couple of cruises there has usually been one night when they were dealing single deck blackjack at one table and the spots filled up quickly.

 

I tend to like Fun 21 and have usually done equally as well, or poorly, as the regular game. It may just be me but it seems if you can catch a new dealer, freshly out of training, that the game can swing in your favor. I know that odds remain the same with the house edge but some of my best nights have been spent with a newbie.

 

Last October only one $5 table was available each evening. Most were $10 with a few $25. I wonder how that set up upped the house take for the cruise?:eek:

 

I know I have quit playing BJ on Carnival cruises, due to the shuffler and the lack of $5 tables. It is almost impossible to get a sit at the $5 table. Hopefully Carnival will make changes, but I seriously doubt it, due to the odds being in their favor. Oh well... gives me more money to spend on other things. :)

[ava_girl_123]

Wow Fun 21 offers the worst odds...it may seem funner to play but the house holds a very high percetage ....

 

 

All I know is that dealers were hitting 21 on 4's, 5's and 6's all week..I never seen dealers hit a straight 21 so many times during a game.. It was insane.. That was on the regular BJ tables..

 

Winning streak one night on Fun 21, whatever.. I was sitting there with people that were playing it all week and did not lose their shirts.. I go to AC monthly and have never lost as bad as I did on the ship..