Sky princess Thanksgiving 2022; as live as it can be.

[KarmaCruisers]

View from the balcony as we pull anchor from Belize 

(that’s the Carnival Pride with us)

[KarmaCruisers]

So here we are in the MDR (for the first time, lol) at 6:10 (originally reserved for 7:30 each night; but for some reason our sail away was supposed to be 5:30; but ended up not being until 6pm). We were going to the casino from 6-7:30…but when we went down to the casino at 6, it was a ghost town (no employees at all; which means another hour before they open the tables)

as we were sailing away, it was the Vista next to us, Not the pride.

this WiFi absolutely BLOWS and I pity fuxers who pay for it (other than getting it “included” in the plus package)

if you depended on it to work at all, you’d be pure SOL.

[Learningtocruise1]

THANK YOU so much for your “as live as it can be” posts. You’ve been making my day every day!! We board Sky this Saturday as you disembark.

 

Your comment on Blanton’s particularly caught my eye.  DH will be happy if he can get it on the ship. 
 

You are a true gem. Very much appreciate you and Kris taking the time to post the fabulous food and other pics!!  Enjoy Thanksgiving and your next few days on Sky! 

[KarmaCruisers]

9 minutes ago, Learningtocruise1 said:

THANK YOU so much for your “as live as it can be” posts. You’ve been making my day every day!! We board Sky this Saturday as you disembark.

 

Your comment on Blanton’s particularly caught my eye.  DH will be happy if he can get it on the ship. 
 

You are a true gem. Very much appreciate you and Kris taking the time to post the fabulous food and other pics!!  Enjoy Thanksgiving and your next few days on Sky! 

My pleasure!

I actually got a picture of the TV to show it to the beverage manager when I get a chance (not that he’ll have a clue why the TV shows it, because the TV is programmed by a kid in a backroom

in India)

dinner pictures also included 

minestrone, Cesar’s salad, Veal Scallopini

dinner service in an hour in exactly 60 minutes! (Including desert)

[Belci]

Thanks for all your hard work. We are on the Sky in January and love the fact your are posting the menus in the MDR. Keep it going please. We are planning our specialty  dinners/MDR/for formal night so this helps huge to plan our week out. 

 

cheers and enjoy. 

[KarmaCruisers]

1 hour ago, Belci said:

Thanks for all your hard work. We are on the Sky in January and love the fact your are posting the menus in the MDR. Keep it going please. We are planning our specialty  dinners/MDR/for formal night so this helps huge to plan our week out. 

 

cheers and enjoy. 

For sure 🙂

Were in Princess Live right now waiting for Liars Club to start.

After that, it’s 5 Skies in the main showroom; then bedtime as we LOSE an hour tonight and it’s an early thanksgiving getting off to go to Maya Chan.

On a side note; I FIGURED the internet would at least let me get to yahoo mail..nope..won’t actually load the site (all the confirmations for our excursions are in our email)

luckily I sort of remember where to go; and that they’ll wait 2 hours after the boat docks. (So I think by 10am)

[nini]

This is such a fun post!  We will be on the Sky in June and looking forward to it! 

I am so impressed that they are actually posting Vegan options! Vegans are considered as very strange people; however, if YOUR body was a cholesterol factory, then you would understand. 

[KarmaCruisers]

So, we’re back in the room now getting the usual midnight snack haha.

found some interesting (I guess not surprising) info in the casino tonight.

TLDR is, don’t play any more than table minimum on cruise line table games, period.

Long story in the next post..

[KarmaCruisers]

the long story is..so we play table max on cruise lines Heads Up Hold Em game. (Link to description:

https://wizardofodds.com/games/heads-up-hold-em/
 

Now, the sign on the table says $5-$25, so this averages out to $150 per hand, with Ante + Blind + Trips + “play bet” (which is either 3x the ante, 2x the ante, or 1x the ante)

HOWEVER, on the pit computer, it shows this game as being $10-$50..and I looked at the other tables and they’re all matching computer-to-signage

Now; when the floor supervisor was entering in a new player to the table, I noticed it said our average was $10…literally the lowest possible (since the computer thought it was a $10 game)..this actually works out not TOO bad for a $5 table minimum player (which is honestly still a $25 average, as it’s $5+$5+$5+$10; but you COULD play it at a $20 minimum average if you left out the trips bet..which no one ever does)

So I asked the floor two questions…

Q:. Why does it show this game as a $10-$50 game in the computer; but the signage on the table clearly shows $5-$25?

A: Ohh it’s the computer and it’s something else (he really had no idea, I could tell, so I didn’t push that one any farther)

Q: Why does my average say $10; when this entire cruise I have never bet less than green chips everywhere?

A: (Hurriedly) Ohh I just changed it to $25

My response: But the problem is, you’ve been here the whole night with me; so why was it $10 all? I mean I honestly know it’s no sweat off my ass because table games don’t give any real “comps” anyway; but the least you could do is rate me correctly..I mean don’t you treat people as you wanted to be treated? Maybe even better?

His retort: it’s all in the computers calculation. Don’t worry about it

 

 

the problem is; these poor “peon” employees (and I’ll call them that, because they have ZERO authority other than to do EXACTLY what they’re told WITHOUT question) have been told by SOMEONE to only rate table players for the absolute minimum possible (ie: to give out the least amount of “comps” or cost the company as least as possible)

 

So, the only way if you want to gamble at all on a cruise ship; is play machines (where they can’t **** up your rating because the machines can’t lie) or play stone cold table minimum and don’t think you’ll get even a nickle worth of “comps” (like a normal US based casino would give to any gambler)

IE: the best way to do it; is play $5 in a slot machine (to earn exactly ONE point) then for your next cruise, call the casino department directly and ask for “Casino Rate” (they’ll give it to you, as you’re a “player”)

 

Not holding anything back, I’m down $10,200 to gambling this cruise..when I told my table mates that they’re like “HOLY FUXK! They must give you all sort of free cruises and perks!”

Nope! It’s because we play this table game and the casino employees have an “Us” vs. “Them” attitude programmed into them.

Ultimately I feel sorry for them; as like I said before..Do unto others…that’s what has gotten me into the position to BE ABLE TO SAY I’m down $10,200 and not be upset (too much) about it.

[FlorenceItaly]

4 hours ago, KarmaCruisers said:

 

 

 

So, the only way if you want to gamble at all on a cruise ship; is play machines (where they can’t **** up your rating because the machines can’t lie) or play stone cold table minimum and don’t think you’ll get even a nickle worth of “comps” (like a normal US based casino would give to any gambler)

IE: the best way to do it; is play $5 in a slot machine (to earn exactly ONE point) then for your next cruise, call the casino department directly and ask for “Casino Rate” (they’ll give it to you, as you’re a “player”)

 

Not holding anything back, I’m down $10,200 to gambling this cruise..when I told my table mates that they’re like “HOLY FUXK! They must give you all sort of free cruises and perks!”

Nope! It’s because we play this table game and the casino employees have an “Us” vs. “Them” attitude programmed into them.

Ultimately I feel sorry for them; as like I said before..Do unto others…that’s what has gotten me into the position to BE ABLE TO SAY I’m down $10,200 and not be upset (too much) about it.

I would be exploring other cruise lines.  This is a lot of money to not be receiving a complimentary suite at minimum.  On the HAL board I am aware of a poster "Laminator" that is in your league of play and he is comped suites and more.  I believe the same for Celebrity and NCL.

[KarmaCruisers]

Hello from Maya Chan, in Sunny Costa Maya Mexico!

just off the top; for us; I’ll say Paradise Beach Club was HANDS DOWN better than here 

(clearer ocean water, a full service menu for whenever you want, and a pool in case you don’t want the ocean)

Here at Maya Chan; it’s a taco buffet when they have it ready; and there’s nothing else to eat until then. Also; if you come before noon, expect to be in DIRECT sun until the sun goes high in the sky (this beach and all the chairs/loungers face the morning sun)

but on the good part; solid 5Mbps WiFi..so; at least there’s that.

[c-boy]

18 hours ago, KarmaCruisers said:

We’ll definitely be doing the buffet tommorow night, as my wife likes the (what I call it) “gospel mission” thanksgiving dinner (the plain jane American home cooked staples of basic turkey, stuffing, mashed taters and cranberry sauce)

casino gave me a free Sur Mer at 5:30pm for tommorow (thanksgiving)..nice thought (after I’m down $7500, lol) but Kris HATES seafood…and I myself really don’t want a seafood meal on thanksgiving. (But I’m a slob and I don’t ever refuse a free hot meal)

So after looking at just how far away we are from Belize (easily a 20 minute tender ride) we decided to skip it.

came back to the room to relax until dinner

Here’s my ridiculously large calzone from Alfredo’s (ie: if you’re not a certified fat guy like me, this is a meal for two)

your almost at our limit 😉 how many days left onboard.   aw what the hell your on vaca ... YOLO...

                                                    

[KarmaCruisers]

27 minutes ago, c-boy said:

your almost at our limit 😉 how many days left onboard.   aw what the hell your on vaca ... YOLO...

                                                    

Haha you’re behind posts

[c-boy]

1 minute ago, KarmaCruisers said:

Haha you’re behind posts

late night... just woke up  ...😆

[KarmaCruisers]

So we just had lunch here at Maya Chan..extremely “meh” (taco buffet with choice or tortillas and meats; but that’s it.)

It seems everyone is here for the booze..but what they don’t realize is they’re getting rotgut and/or watered down rotgut. (For $60 believe me; it sure ain’t brand name)

[KarmaCruisers]

Holy *****! Haha

so the weather flipped on a dime!

huge rain cloud just came over and it’s dumping rain!

[jackyfromwyk]

I love the live report from the Sky Princess.  
Thank you for taking the time out of your vacation to post your experiences.

 

We will be embarking on the Sky in the near future and were wondering if you noticed speed Soduku being offered.  
 

[KarmaCruisers]

7 minutes ago, jackyfromwyk said:

I love the live report from the Sky Princess.  
Thank you for taking the time out of your vacation to post your experiences.

 

We will be embarking on the Sky in the near future and were wondering if you noticed speed Soduku being offered.  
 

My pleasure.

I actually have no idea what “Speed” Soduku is…(I barely know what Soduku is, haha)

Where would I find out? The Patter?

[KarmaCruisers]

So we’re back onboard now..time for a well deserved nap!

see y’all at dinner

[jackyfromwyk]

Speed Soduku should be posted in the patter.  On our past cruises it was usually in the morning around 9am.  
Basically it is a group of people solving the same numbers puzzle and the 1,2 or 3 fastest to solve the puzzle correctly get a small prize.

I have been checking the journey section on the app, but it seems that it is incomplete (probably because our cruise is still a bit away)

[Sunny Pearl]

Happy Thanksgiving. I'm on enchanted for New Year's Eve cruise.

Thank you so much for posting.

Do they still allow smoking in the casino? Celebrity had paused it during Covid, but this will be my 1st time back to Princesses in a while.

 

-Sunny

[KarmaCruisers]

3 hours ago, Sunny Pearl said:

Happy Thanksgiving. I'm on enchanted for New Year's Eve cruise.

Thank you so much for posting.

Do they still allow smoking in the casino? Celebrity had paused it during Covid, but this will be my 1st time back to Princesses in a while.

 

-Sunny

They absolutely do allow smoking; and some people that sound like they SHOULDNT smoke..do

[KarmaCruisers]

Just sitting down to buffet (for Kris)

they did not have the whole-bird; just turkey breast. (And Kris said it’s dry)

I grabbed a shrimp cocktail, as that’s what I’d of got as an appetizer in the MDR next anyway.

will get the pic from her in a few

My observation of Costa Maya is..unfortunately it’s the worlds garbage dump..the beach shores are COVERED in garbage that has washed up. (Sadly)

Here’s kris’s first turkey dinner (she said the turkey wasn’t good so we may stop in the other MDR that has the thanksgiving dinner menu vs. lobster)

[canadarocks]

Sorry about the dry turkey.... but good to know about Costa Maya, thanks. 

[KarmaCruisers]

So this is a first!

we went to MDR and were denied entry because I had on shorts (nice pair of golf

shorts)

so we ran back up to the room and I put on the single pair of pants I brought (it was cold AF in SFO when we flew out)