Most controversial cruise opinion??

[juju2454]

On 8/8/2022 at 12:29 PM, tetleytea said:

If any gamblers truly have any experience in consistently beating the house, I am certainly willing to defer and am all ears.

 

"Ignore the math" is a piece of advice I'm having a hard time with, since that would include subtracting your previous balance from your current balance in order to calculate your winnings.  That's math.  

So again not a big stakes player, but we bring $400 - $600 to play on mostly slots, last cruise we had $400( shorter cruise)  and we played every night for a few hours just to relax and have fun,  We put aside any winnings,  but when we counted the total again at the end of the cruise we had $799.  including the $400 we started with, so We were $399 ahead,  we neve have lost it all,  and we have never not gotten at least $200 over what we began with.  Some nights we only play for a while as the machines are not generous, other nights we play more and they are.  
 We play because we enjoy it, and yeah you can lose plenty I am sure, trick is to know when to walk away. We walk away if we are not gaining.  We have played on many cruises and never lost what we started with and have always won more.  Is it huge money , nope, but the point it you don't have to lose lots to comp a cruise even with bigger stakes.  🙂 

[Travelling2Some]

1 hour ago, tetleytea said:

I believe the muster stations are tied to how many people can fit in the lifeboats.   In an emergency, though, where it's sinking so fast that you cannot possibly save everybody, then I imagine it's anyone's game.

On our last cruise our muster station was located two decks below where the life boats are.  I remarked to my husband that there is no way I'm going any further down than the life boats on a sinking ship.  I said, we should just go see where the actual lifeboat is.  You never know - I saw that movie too;)

 

We are doing our first transatlantic in November on the ship that hit the iceberg.  (NCL Sun, not the OTHER one).  I've been gleefully telling non-cruising people that all summer at barbecues just to see their faces !!!

[juju2454]

21 hours ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

Well, grasshopper, you've come to the right place.  While there are many machines that suggest they are penny slots, the number of true penny slots are very small.  For example, the Encore has exactly four machines that I can bet a single penny at a time.  While they have four or five of these Buffalo machines, only three will allow single penny bets.  You have to find the ones that don't have buttons suggesting "bet x5, bet x10 etc." and first select (single line), then hit the bet one.  Occasionally I'll screw up and bet a quarter or more on the first spin because I messed up (possibly alcohol related).

 

The other one that allows one penny bets is the lone "Stinkin Rich" machine:

The Buffalo machine will give bonuses more often but the rare Stinkin Rich bonuses are more (I think I once won $5 on a single penny).  Funny thing is, I think I have more fun than the "real" gamblers. 🥳

You alos have to find the machines that let you control the bet not the preset ones 😉

 

[tetleytea]

1 minute ago, juju2454 said:

So again not a big stakes player, but we bring $400 - $600 to play on mostly slots, last cruise we had $400( shorter cruise)  and we played every night for a few hours just to relax and have fun,  We put aside any winnings,  but when we counted the total again at the end of the cruise we had $799.  including the $400 we started with, so We were $399 ahead,  we neve have lost it all,  and we have never not gotten at least $200 over what we began with.  Some nights we only play for a while as the machines are not generous, other nights we play more and they are.  
 We play because we enjoy it, and yeah you can lose plenty I am sure, trick is to know when to walk away. We walk away if we are not gaining.  We have played on many cruises and never lost what we started with and have always won more.  Is it huge money , nope, but the point it you don't have to lose lots to comp a cruise even with bigger stakes.  🙂 

 

Hey, comping a cruise in a few hours without losing money, I am all for.   I just require a lot more convincing when i see so many bright lights and stuff the casino somehow can afford after giving away all those cruises.

[Travelling2Some]

23 hours ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

I have spent many hours gambling in the NCL casinos and I've never lost more than a dollar or two in a single day.

Thanks for pointing out the penny slots.  I have no experience with gambling but I definitely could use another shipboard hobby (besides drinking, of course) that doesn't require sunscreen!

[chengkp75]

22 minutes ago, MrsTocko said:

But if you have reached Gold - you know how to put on the life jacket, the 7 long blasts....because you have been doing the old school muster on other NCL ships.  That part should be the sale across the fleet, and at gold or say 5 NCL cruises, you are good to watch the video and check in, and go on with the cruise. until something changes in HOW NCL does their muster that has an effect on HOW passengers should respond/react, then back to 5 cruises old school again.

By this logic, I should have stopped doing weekly fire and boat drills decades ago (at least 26 a year for 46 years).  If you don't exercise that muscle memory, you lose it.

[tetleytea]

5 minutes ago, Travelling2Some said:

On our last cruise our muster station was located two decks below where the life boats are.  I remarked to my husband that there is no way I'm going any further down than the life boats on a sinking ship.  I said, we should just go see where the actual lifeboat is.  You never know - I saw that movie too;)

 

Poseidon Adventure?   Which way is "further down"?   🙂

[tetleytea]

4 minutes ago, Travelling2Some said:

Thanks for pointing out the penny slots.  I have no experience with gambling but I definitely could use another shipboard hobby (besides drinking, of course) that doesn't require sunscreen!

 

I just find penny slots a little brainless, and how do you comp free cruises with it?   After all, besides that you're not wagering much, how can you beat the house by pulling a slot on a computerized machine, which the casino controls the random seed?   Granted, sometimes on vacation you just want to turn off your brain for awhile, but....

Edited August 9, 2022 by tetleytea

[chengkp75]

6 minutes ago, Travelling2Some said:

On our last cruise our muster station was located two decks below where the life boats are.  I remarked to my husband that there is no way I'm going any further down than the life boats on a sinking ship.  I said, we should just go see where the actual lifeboat is.  You never know - I saw that movie too;)

 

We are doing our first transatlantic in November on the ship that hit the iceberg.  (NCL Sun, not the OTHER one).  I've been gleefully telling non-cruising people that all summer at barbecues just to see their faces !!!

Again, you will be called to muster long before the ship is sinking, or the Captain is thinking of putting you in boats.  Its good to know where the boats are, but in an actual emergency, please do not go anywhere other than your assigned muster station.  As I've said, it will only mean that personnel will have to be taken from other duties in the emergency, to go looking for you.

[chengkp75]

2 minutes ago, tetleytea said:

 

Poseidon Adventure?   Which way is "further down"?   🙂

Oh, please.  That movie is so full of crap.  In fact, the place where the shaft goes through the hull is the strongest part of the hull.  It is typically a casting, not plate steel like the rest of the hull.

[tetleytea]

1 minute ago, chengkp75 said:

Oh, please.  That movie is so full of crap.  In fact, the place where the shaft goes through the hull is the strongest part of the hull.  It is typically a casting, not plate steel like the rest of the hull.

 

Nope.  Poseidon Adventure is realistic.   And the Incredible Hulk could have righted that ship any day.    That's my story and I'm stickin to it.

Edited August 9, 2022 by tetleytea

[juju2454]

19 hours ago, Travelling2Some said:

Me too.  I'm fair skinned, blue eyed and blonde.  I've always found sitting in the hot sun uncomfortable and I've already had skin cancer three times (not the most serious kind).  Sunscreen irritates my skin to top it off.  I only go up to the pool area to communicate with my non-Irish sun loving spouse!

I just don't like cooking on a chair lol.  Not a hot weather lover but sadly like to go to Caribbean( oxymoron no?)  to do things.  We are currently looking at a TA in cooler weather in Europe, DH said "it will be in the 30' in Iceland..."   I replied. "oh good!"  😛  He wears 100spf and applies religiously, still has had at least 30 pre cancerous removed and had 4 cancerous removed, the last one was a doozey.  He was a marathon runner,  it made it's mark on him.... healthy to run but not in the sun..

[Travelling2Some]

7 minutes ago, tetleytea said:

 

Poseidon Adventure?   Which way is "further down"?   🙂

Ha Ha.  Knowing me I'll be muttering, "But I did get a great deal on this cruise . . ." 

[juju2454]

8 hours ago, NauticalOtter said:

random question: but have you tried zinc oxide sunscreens?  They sit on top of the skin rather than absorbing into it.

 

Downsides: kind of a pain to apply (you have to like *really* rub them in and they wear off more quickly.  

 

Benefits: don’t absorb into the skin and don’t make you hot(ter) like chemical sunscreens which work by converting the UV radiation to heat.

 

For Caribbean cruises I tend to take Thinksport’s zinc oxide.  It’s pretty gentle on the skin* and is actually reef safe (unlike a lot of brands that advertise as such but aren’t really).  Which is helpful in certain locales that have laws about what type of sunscreen you can use (never actually seen it enforced, but I’d rather just not be part of the problem).

 

*edit: I have pretty sever psoriasis which doesn’t tolerate many sunscreens and lotions without flaring up more than normal…never had issues with the brand i mentioned.

 

I definitely don’t use it in my day to day though:  a. I’m a Midwest boy and don’t have any reefs to worry about destroying. B.  It takes quite a bit of rubbing in over other zinc oxide lotions I prefer instead (because it’s got larger zinc particles which is why is actually reef safe)…and I don’t have time to be spending 5-10 minutes putting on sunscreen when I’m not half drunk on vacation 😂

 

 

 

 

For Caribbean cruises I tend to take Thinksport’s zinc oxide.
 

I am always looking for good sunscreen sadly think sport like many others love aloe and I am so allergic( goes with latex and adhesives lol)  dammit. 😉 

[rugerdog]

1 hour ago, juju2454 said:

I would love to spend  an hour or two watching you play.  I would learn so much.

100% agree!  Maybe someday Mr/Ms Pcakes will hold a training session for us.  

 

What I don't enjoy that others seem to:  spending hours upon hours at dining/coffee venues playing cards, crafting, etc. whilst others search for a place to sit to enjoy their meal.

 

What I do enjoy that others don't:  Arriving to my departure port the day of sailing.  😱

 

 

[MrsTocko]

2 minutes ago, rugerdog said:

What I don't enjoy that others seem to:  spending hours upon hours at dining/coffee venues playing cards, crafting, etc. whilst others search for a place to sit to enjoy their meal.

I do enjoy sitting and playing cards or what not...but NOT while others are trying to find a place to sit down and eat.  That is just rude, and there are other places that you can go to play your games. Now if you have a small plate of snacks, I have no problem.  I will usually try to go sit near a bar anyway to play my cards, or read my book.

[juju2454]

1 hour ago, MrsTocko said:

Alaska is one place that I strongly recommend a balcony especially for cruising bay, or hubbard or tracy arm.  Put the chair inside the room, leave the door open (for the breeze and fresh air as well as clarity of view), and watch it go by. Front porch sitting.  Listen to the ranger on the TV.  or turn the sofa.  ALMOST what you would get on deck, or in an observation lounge. Without the crowds of people jostling for a view, enjoying your favorite beverage (hot or cold).

If we make it to cruise together, you can come take a gander from inside our balcony, while we are not moving.

It will never happen,  I wouldn't leave the door open either ( I know many say the do it at night*shivers in fear*) I would consider an ocean view if it wasn't on the bottom floors like 5,6 or 7, lowest I've been is 8.    Thank you for the offer,  I have seen them from across the room we're in when they are cleaning and even then my legs as you say *tingle*  I don't do the room crawls for that very reason ... 😉 

[juju2454]

1 hour ago, tetleytea said:

 

I just find penny slots a little brainless, and how do you comp free cruises with it?   After all, besides that you're not wagering much, how can you beat the house by pulling a slot on a computerized machine, which the casino controls the random seed?   Granted, sometimes on vacation you just want to turn off your brain for awhile, but....

Actually if you look up things about the slots they are more random than you think. ;).  and maybe it's brainless to you, but so is fishing, walking, and computer time many times at home.  Not to mention TV and movies/shows. JS.

[MrsTocko]

16 minutes ago, juju2454 said:

It will never happen,  I wouldn't leave the door open either ( I know many say the do it at night*shivers in fear*) I would consider an ocean view if it wasn't on the bottom floors like 5,6 or 7, lowest I've been is 8.    Thank you for the offer,  I have seen them from across the room we're in when they are cleaning and even then my legs as you say *tingle*  I don't do the room crawls for that very reason ... 😉 

Well shoot then.  I get that.  I can look at someone on the edge of something on TV and my legs tingle.

[wil e coyote]

6 minutes ago, juju2454 said:

Actually if you look up things about the slots they are more random than you think. ;).  and maybe it's brainless to you, but so is fishing, walking, and computer time many times at home.  Not to mention TV and movies/shows. JS.

And also, often, CC...🤪

[cruiseny4life]

2 minutes ago, wil e coyote said:

And also, often, CC...🤪

Hahahaha I keep telling myself to stop posting so often, then I brainlessly begin typing another post....oh wait, here I go again.

 

Also - if we had shared the same office, D'Angelo's, and pho place, I think we'd have enjoyed each other's company! 

[wil e coyote]

2 minutes ago, cruiseny4life said:

Also - if we had shared the same office, D'Angelo's, and pho place, I think we'd have enjoyed each other's company! 

Quite possibly! I see you also spent some time in Yellowstone which is probably my favorite place (so far) in the US!

[chengkp75]

2 hours ago, MrsTocko said:

Put the chair inside the room, leave the door open (for the breeze and fresh air as well as clarity of view), and watch it go by.

And, you would be the one causing every cabin around you to call guest services and complain that their cabin is hot.  Yes, opening the balcony door does shut off one AC system, the one that merely recirculates your cabin air (like a window AC at home).  However, you have just unbalanced the fresh air supply AC system, that is not shut off when the door is open, and your cabin gets more fresh, cool air, as the system tries to rebuild the overpressure in your cabin (it can't overcome the huge opening that is the balcony door)(the overpressure is to keep smoke from entering your cabin from the passageway), and everyone else in the block of cabins (typically everyone on your deck between the fire doors, so 40-50 cabins) gets less cool air.

[tetleytea]

51 minutes ago, juju2454 said:

Actually if you look up things about the slots they are more random than you think. ;).  and maybe it's brainless to you, but so is fishing, walking, and computer time many times at home.  Not to mention TV and movies/shows. JS.

It's a pseudo-random number generator.  Unless you get down to the quantum physics level, there is no way for the slots to be truly random.  And I doubt casino operators have much incentive to create quantum slot machines.  The RNG has to be some algorithm proprietary to the manufacturer; who may in turn give some degree of control to their customer, the casino.

[UKstages]

i started to post a reply to the fourteen different posts in here with misinformation and misunderstandings about gambling and comps and i've given up. at some point, it becomes obvious that some people like to poke bears. the thing is, when the bear pokes back, you might want to actually read what the bear says.

 

you might learn something about honey and hibernation.

 

i will say that the distinguished cruise critic member from raleigh is right on the money, so to speak, about the pseudo random number generator. but, like dr. pepper, the PRNG is so misunderstood.

 

suffice it to say, that for the average bear (whether being poked or not), a PRNG is just as good as an RNG and makes no discernible difference in a particular game's outcome. a pseudo RNG is indeed random, or as close as you are going to get in casino gaming.

Edited August 9, 2022 by UKstages