HAL Casino Questions

[edgee]

Considering a return to HAL after a seven year hiatus. We are looking at back to back on Noordam in Australia. Since Noordam permits smoking in casinos, I would appreciate an opinion on how smokey it gets at the blackjack tables. Also wondering whether shuffle machines are used at blackjack tables or whether games are hand shuffle. Thanks for any input.

 

Ed

[DisneyDatknee]

"Noordam Casino is completely non-smoking, with the exception of two nights per cruise".

I can't answer the rest of your question, but just play on the non-smoking days!

Edited March 28, 2017 by DisneyDatknee

[AV8rix]

Considering a return to HAL after a seven year hiatus. We are looking at back to back on Noordam in Australia. Since Noordam permits smoking in casinos, I would appreciate an opinion on how smokey it gets at the blackjack tables. Also wondering whether shuffle machines are used at blackjack tables or whether games are hand shuffle. Thanks for any input.

 

Ed

 

I play blackjack every sea day (am a tournament player on land). Smoking is not permitted at the tables. It is only permitted at some (not all) slots. So I play each morning when the tables first open and stay until the atmosphere becomes unpleasant because of the smoke. I can usually play until lunchtime.

Shuffle is by hand. I've never seen a continuous-shuffle machine on a HAL ship. There is one 6-5 table with a lower minimum (not sure how much since I never play 6-5). There is a normal 3-2 table with a $10 minimum, which sometimes is $25 at night if the table sees a lot of action. However, for me at least, it is usually too smoky in there in the evening.

 

Now -- having said all that -- in the last few years HAL has been a magnet for the smokers because it was the only line that permitted smoking on the verandahs. I'm hoping that now there will be fewer smokers (as a percentage of total pax) so the casino may be tolerable for longer hours. In one month I'll be on my first cruise since the change in smoking regs and am eager to see if there will be any change in the casino atmosphere.

Hope this helps.

[edgee]

Thank you Susan for this info. Good to hear that they still use hand shuffle on HAL. The smoking issue is main reason we cruise mostly Oceania or Celebrity where casinos are smoke free. If Noordam casino is smoke free most of the time I may consider it or start getting reacquainted with HAL on Eurodam or Oosterdam where I understand casinos are smoke free.

[AV8rix]

Thank you Susan for this info. Good to hear that they still use hand shuffle on HAL. The smoking issue is main reason we cruise mostly Oceania or Celebrity where casinos are smoke free. If Noordam casino is smoke free most of the time I may consider it or start getting reacquainted with HAL on Eurodam or Oosterdam where I understand casinos are smoke free.

 

Oops, sorry for the verbose answer. I missed "Noordam" in your OP. I'm always on the S-class and R-class ships where, unfortunately, the casino smoking rules are opposite the Vista and Signature classes. On the little ships they permit smoking every day except for (usually) one day a week, so it's a bigger issue for me. You're lucky. It will have a much smaller impact on you.

Have a great cruise and welcome back to HAL.