Casino Help

[huskerc]

Our first Princess cruise is coming up and I'd love a few answers to some casino questions. Can anyone who is familiar confirm my understanding?

 

1. We can purchase casino credits in advance--these are really just vouchers for cash, and there are no other fees. So I can purchase $100 casino credit and the charge to my card is $100. There will be a voucher in our cabin that can be exchanged for $100 cash.

 

2. There's not really any reason to do that because Princess does not charge a fee for casino "withdrawals". I can take $100 in cash out of my on-board account in the casino and there is no addition charge--my card is charged $100.

 

I don't care when it is charged...I just want to avoid any fees. I'll bring cash before I pay fees. But if there are no fees then I'll use my card for the rewards points.

 

3. Blackjack rules. Can anyone tell me these? Dealer stands on soft 17, etc.

[pablo222]

1. We can purchase casino credits in advance--these are really just vouchers for cash, and there are no other fees. So I can purchase $100 casino credit and the charge to my card is $100. There will be a voucher in our cabin that can be exchanged for $100 cash.

 

You need to call princess before your cruise, and purchase casino credits.

They are available in $100 increments.

 

You pay with a credit card on the phone, and your card is charged at

that time.

 

When you come onboard, there is a voucher in your cabin for the credit(s).

One voucher for each $100.

 

Take the voucher to the casino cage, and exchange for cash.

 

There is no fee on your credit card for this, as it is treated simply

as a purchase.

 

Obviously, Princess hopes that once you are standing in the casino

with cash -- that some of it will become theirs.

[JF - retired RRT]

2. There's not really any reason to do that because Princess does not charge a fee for casino "withdrawals". I can take $100 in cash out of my on-board account in the casino and there is no addition charge--my card is charged $100.

 

I don't care when it is charged...I just want to avoid any fees. I'll bring cash before I pay fees. But if there are no fees then I'll use my card for the rewards points.

 

3. Blackjack rules. Can anyone tell me these? Dealer stands on soft 17, etc.Can't help with this one.

Correct, no fee to charge to your on board account.

 

 

[john watson]

Our first Princess cruise is coming up and I'd love a few answers to some casino questions. Can anyone who is familiar confirm my understanding?

 

 

 

3. Blackjack rules. Can anyone tell me these? Dealer stands on soft 17, etc.

 

The dealer has to draw more cards until he/she has at least 17. They do not stop at 16, if they had that they will draw themselves another card. I am not sure about "soft 17", if they had an ace and six combination whether they stand or draw another card it's going to be rare. Having said this I should be wary of playing alone against a dealer as it seems illogical if you stood on fifteen and they then got sixteen, the rules written on the table say they will draw another card.

 

If you want to double because you have eleven with your two cards then clearly if the dealer has a six you are onto a good chance of a win.

 

I did see a special table that also had a "lucky pairs" situation, where you had a side bet on whether your first two cards will be a pair (this was not a Princess Ship) the payouts were up to 50:1 for identical suited Kings. There mixed feelings whether this was good or bad in itself but you could ignore it. However it did affect the Blackjack because they had removed all the Queens thus reducing your chance or getting a ten.

 

Regards John

Edited April 20, 2015 by john watson

[magicnelly]

I've always just added it to my card while playing on a machine - simple and easy and no charge and it's all settled up at the end of the cruise.....well, unless I win a LOT and then I would probably go down to the Purser's desk and apply some of the winnings to my onboard account....

 

NAH....I'd just keep gambling :P

[drgrinch]

You can charge a ridiculous amount, something like $3,000 a day, to your room account for the casino. Settling up for something like this could prove traumatic to say the least.

[M4dC0w]

Dealer hits on soft 17

[Thrak]

Just remember that the soft 17 rule favors the house - not the player.

[Colo Cruiser]

I've always just added it to my card while playing on a machine - simple and easy and no charge and it's all settled up at the end of the cruise.....well, unless I win a LOT and then I would probably go down to the Purser's desk and apply some of the winnings to my onboard account....

 

NAH....I'd just keep gambling :P

 

 

I agree, no need to purchase ahead of time. :)

[huskerc]

Dealer hits on soft 17

 

Boo! Thanks for the info though.

[rbt001]

I did see a special table that also had a "lucky pairs" situation, where you had a side bet on whether your first two cards will be a pair (this was not a Princess Ship) the payouts were up to 50:1 for identical suited Kings. There mixed feelings whether this was good or bad in itself but you could ignore it. However it did affect the Blackjack because they had removed all the Queens thus reducing your chance or getting a ten.

 

Regards John

 

Royal Pairs is a side bet (max $10) that pays off if player is dealt a pair with these pay out odds:

 

50:1 Suited Kings (Two identical kings)

25:1 Two Identical Cards that are not Kings

10:1 A pair that is the same color

5:1 Any pair

 

If you plan to sit at a table for awhile and want to play this, then be consistant by playing EVERY HAND. I sat next to someone who put up $5 on his first hand and won $125. He lost the next three hands, so he stopped. Two hands later he was dealt two king of clubs and lost out on $250.

 

Queens are not part of the deck only for "Fun 21" whereas they are for traditional Blackjack. Both games are offered on the ship. The Royal Pairs side bet is also available for both.

 

 

Prepaid Casino Vouchers vs. Onboard Charges to Account.

 

 

I like the prepaid vouchers because it's a handy way to set a limit. The vouchers are in the room before sailing, and I place them in the safe. As I redeem some the first time each cruise, I let the cashier know I'm will be redeeming a portion each day, as they have the stack waiting. It's nice each evening to place (any) cash winnings in a stack in the safe, next to the remaining vouchers.

 

I use the onboard charging for slots, hoping to see my slot bank grow...cashing out the last evening.

[beg3yrs]

The dealer has to draw more cards until he/she has at least 17. They do not stop at 16, if they had that they will draw themselves another card. I am not sure about "soft 17", if they had an ace and six combination whether they stand or draw another card it's going to be rare. Having said this I should be wary of playing alone against a dealer as it seems illogical if you stood on fifteen and they then got sixteen, the rules written on the table say they will draw another card.

 

If you want to double because you have eleven with your two cards then clearly if the dealer has a six you are onto a good chance of a win.

 

I did see a special table that also had a "lucky pairs" situation, where you had a side bet on whether your first two cards will be a pair (this was not a Princess Ship) the payouts were up to 50:1 for identical suited Kings. There mixed feelings whether this was good or bad in itself but you could ignore it. However it did affect the Blackjack because they had removed all the Queens thus reducing your chance or getting a ten.

 

Regards John

 

A bit of clarification here.

 

Dealers must hit on soft seventeen.

 

Insurance is offered with dealer showing an Ace.

 

Blackjack tables play with eight standard decks but the cards are continuously shuffled by machine.

 

The side bet is called Royal Pairs and does pay 50 to 1 for suited Kings with various payouts for other combinations down to 4 to 1.

 

There is a variation of Blackjack called Fun 21 Blackjack. That's the table where the Queens are removed from the deck. There are eight decks in this game as well but they are manually shuffled and dealt from a shoe. Fun 21 is similar to a game called Spanish 21 but some of Spanish 21's advantages are removed. Look up Spanish 21 on "wizardofodds.com" if you are curious.

 

I've never seen more than one Fun 21 table on a ship.

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Yes, you can get chips at the table charged to your on-board account. There are no fees for this "service".

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I personally try to avoid offering advice on strategy unless directly asked. Even then I caveat it with "this is what I do in an attempt to lose more slowly".

Edited April 22, 2015 by beg3yrs

[huskerc]

A bit of clarification here.

 

Dealers must hit on soft seventeen.

 

Insurance is offered with dealer showing an Ace.

 

Blackjack tables play with eight standard decks but the cards are continuously shuffled by machine.

 

The side bet is called Royal Pairs and does pay 50 to 1 for suited Kings with various payouts for other combinations down to 4 to 1.

 

There is a variation of Blackjack called Fun 21 Blackjack. That's the table where the Queens are removed from the deck. There are eight decks in this game as well but they are manually shuffled and dealt from a shoe. Fun 21 is similar to a game called Spanish 21 but some of Spanish 21's advantages are removed. Look up Spanish 21 on "wizardofodds.com" if you are curious.

 

I've never seen more than one Fun 21 table on a ship.

-----------

Yes, you can get chips at the table charged to your on-board account. There are no fees for this "service".

-----------

I personally try to avoid offering advice on strategy unless directly asked. Even then I caveat it with "this is what I do in an attempt to lose more slowly".

 

Thanks beg3yrs. This is exactly the info I was looking for. For the record I follow basic strategy as outlined on WoO and other sites. :)

[pablo222]

If you plan to sit at a table for awhile and want to play this, then be consistant by playing EVERY HAND.

 

The fewer times you play a negative-expectation game, the better.

 

Statistics 101

[beg3yrs]

The fewer times you play a negative-expectation game, the better.

 

Statistics 101

 

Absolutely! I have to look at cards as a social event. Fun folk at the table with low expectations for winning who cheer for each other.