Casino Luck?

[G&PT]

Anyone ever lucky on board at the Casino? We sail this Saturday on the Serenade of the Seas and just thought I would ask.

[stevekc]

Luck is not really a factor with casino games.

All games favor the casino, over time the house always wins in the end.

Your best game to play (considering the odds) is craps followed by blackjack.

Pretty much goes downhill for the player from there.

Having said all that I had one decent trip at the craps table and the last cruise wasn't so good. So what's that...about 50 / 50?

If you enjoy playing, budget the money you can afford to spend (lose) on your gambling entertainment and have fun!

[G&PT]

I am not a huge gambler. I am a Construction Manager and build casinos in Vegas and Atlantic City. So the "excitement" per say is not a factor for me, since I am presently working in Vegas.

 

I favor Black Jack and some slots. When we cruise we sometimes just enjoy sitting next to each other and playing the slots.

 

This is our first RCL trip so I thought I would ask if anyone had been very luck.

[Garyorient]

I enjoy a gamble and I have been wondering this very same thing, however, I am flying after my cruise to Las Vegas, and have made a concious decision not to gamble one cent on the Mariner.

 

My rationale is that I am on a cruise for 7 days to enjoy myself, relax, eat and have fun, and any money that I potentially lose in the casino on the Mariner, will simply reduce my spending money (well teechnically my gambling money) available for my 5 days in Vegas.

 

Thus I will steer well clear of the casino.

The problem is that there are two of us on this cruise and one is addicted to slots, so I have to maintain the self control for both of us.:)

[klingoncruiser]

As a rule of thumb, I have found that the first two days pay O.K. on the slots. By the end of the week, it is a fools task. Build the excitement and then take the money back at the end of the week.

[HoneyDad]

We were on Jewel last year and played in the casino some. On the last night we stayed up until the casino closed (around 1:00 AM) and 15 minutes before close my wife won $1,100 on a slot. Needless to say the timing was perfect.:D They paid us we bought a couple of beers and then headed to bed. Great trip great ending.

 

Good Luck!

 

HD

[Shekim]

On the Freedom last month, mid week, a lady playing 2 different penny machines won on both! One was over $1300 and the other was over $1000. :eek: Wish it had been me!!!!!!

[TEXASMUNK]

Yes!

 

Several times now have had the good fortune of bringing home more cash than the cruise cost and our onboard/shore spending.

 

Blackjack, Texes Hold Em and the real "luck" game roulette.

[Shekirk]

Just got off the Jewel on Sunday after a 13 day transatlantic cruise. We went to the casino every night with a limited budget and played 3 card poker. When it was gone, we left. If we got low and got it back after being down, we left. We had some good nights, better nights and some not so good nights. All in all we were "up" for the cruise after hours of entertainment in the casino. We looked at it as the same as going out to dinner and a movie. The last night we didn't get to the casino until 10 PM. We made $200 in 20 minutes at the 3 card poker table, playing with the lowest bet each hand. It was the best we've ever done! It was only 10:20 but we gathered up our chips and walked away VERY happy. All in all a great way to end the cruise.

BTW my brother-in-law played $6 black jack each night (with a $50 budget) and he came in third in a tournament, ( by conservative play). After playing about an hour to an hour and a half each night he came ahead $700. It paid for his cruise!

These are just two examples. As others have said we've had some good casino cruises and some where we haven't been up. If you look at it as entertainment and stick to a budget you'll have fun. Try it! You might enjoy it.

[macd4]

All games favor the casino, over time the house always wins in the end.

Your best game to play (considering the odds) is craps followed by blackjack.

For anyone used to gambling in Las Vegas, I thought I'd point out a couple differences in the cruise ship games that tilt the odds more to the house.

For craps, the ship casino only offers Single Odds Bets. Most Vegas casinos offer Double Odds. (My last cruise, they offered Double Odds on one night.)

For blackjack, the dealer hits on soft seventeen. In Vegas casinos, the delaer stands on all seventeens.

[Judi2112]

It was my 40th birthday onboard the Jewel of the Seas so I decided that I would go to the casino and have $40 on 21 (my birthday is 21st December).

 

I chickened out and decided to spread my bet over my birth date. I played 21, 12, 6 and 7 for 2 hours with my $40 and walked away with approximately $300.

 

I've never won since ;)

[xeriod]

Anyone ever lucky on board at the Casino? We sail this Saturday on the Serenade of the Seas and just thought I would ask.

I seldom gamble, but last year on the Legend of the Seas on a Med cruise my wife hit a big jackpot as you can tell by her smile.

[dixieva]

A couple of years ago I was playing a 9 line dime machine (playing one per line) and won $1,200!! This was on the Empress and we were on our way home at the end of the cruise. Only time I've won big and I play a lot.

[cruisin4kicks]

I was on the same cruise as Shekirk. The only game I play is craps. Unfortunately (or fortunately as it turns out), the table was never crowded. In fact, it was pretty much empty the entire cruise. I bought $300 worth of chips at the table with my SeaPass card (yes, I paid the 3% fee). I played at the table maybe 5 or 6 nights the entire 13 night cruise for at the most, one half hour each session since I was usually by myself or with one or two others tops. The gambling gods were very kind to me... I made a total profit of $700 by the end of the cruise. I know if there was a big crowd and lots of action, I would have stayed much longer and probably lost not only the original $300 but probably more than that.

 

Tim

[temple1]

Luck?? :confused: Is that what they call it. I thought it was my annual contribution to the retirement fund of the Casino staff.

[jeffreytg]

My wife hit $1200 on Wheel of Fortune dollar machine. It is possible to win, but like everywhere on slots, it is all a matter of being at the right place at the right time. Craps for me was the same. I did not enjoy 21 in that in my opinion there are many people who play on a ship that rarely or never play at home. These people make very porr decisions that are way off from basic strategy. It made the game less enjoyable for me for people to spit 10s and take dealer bust cards.

 

Having a casino available, people can just drop in and give it a whirl. There is nothiong wrong with that- it just ruined it for me personaly and ended up making hands quite drawn out. Craps was somewhat the same, but people tend to be intemidated by craps so there is not as much new action there.

 

To sum it up, for me blackjack on a cruise ship is recreation not serious gambling. As long as you are willing to sit at a table with that mind set, you will be OK.

 

 

Lastly, on my recent Celebrity cruise- the craps table played strip odds of 3X4X5.

[tomko2]

We set a budget for the cruise based on a certain amount each evening and go and enjoy ourselves. My DH plays Blackjack and I play video poker. Overall we have done well. On three cruises in a row I hit the Progressive Royal Flush playing quarters (average win was $1450.00).

Prior to cruising we would go to Las Vegas a couple of times of year; now we get the enjoyment of a cruise combined with our gambling.:D

On our last cruise I entered the $20.00 Slot Tournament and came in second winning $384.00.

IMHO, the selection of machines is good and the casino staff tend to be friendly.

Kathy:)

[djhuff]

My wife hit $1200 on Wheel of Fortune dollar machine. It is possible to win, but like everywhere on slots, it is all a matter of being at the right place at the right time. Craps for me was the same. I did not enjoy 21 in that in my opinion there are many people who play on a ship that rarely or never play at home. These people make very porr decisions that are way off from basic strategy. It made the game less enjoyable for me for people to spit 10s and take dealer bust cards.

 

Having a casino available, people can just drop in and give it a whirl. There is nothiong wrong with that- it just ruined it for me personaly and ended up making hands quite drawn out. Craps was somewhat the same, but people tend to be intemidated by craps so there is not as much new action there.

 

To sum it up, for me blackjack on a cruise ship is recreation not serious gambling. As long as you are willing to sit at a table with that mind set, you will be OK.

 

 

Lastly, on my recent Celebrity cruise- the craps table played strip odds of 3X4X5.

 

Yes, I have seen this on the 21 tables constantly. Dealer is showing a 6, the guy in the last seat has 15 and hits, busts with a 10 and the dealer gets the 5 and everyone at the table loses.

[Spurs Fans]

For blackjack, the dealer hits on soft seventeen. In Vegas casinos, the delaer stands on all seventeens.

 

Not exactly true. In Vegas you are lucky if you find a game where dealers will stand on soft seventeens. Definitely no where on the strip. Some places downtown will you find this. At least this is my experience.

[ziggypup]

Luck is not really a factor with casino games.

All games favor the casino, over time the house always wins in the end.

Your best game to play (considering the odds) is craps followed by blackjack.

Pretty much goes downhill for the player from there.

Having said all that I had one decent trip at the craps table and the last cruise wasn't so good. So what's that...about 50 / 50?

If you enjoy playing, budget the money you can afford to spend (lose) on your gambling entertainment and have fun!

 

 

So true. If you play the machines, then I guess luck might have something to do with it. They all follow a computer program, so it all depends at what point in the loop the program is in when you sit down. So they are able to program how much they are going to pay out on a specific cruise.

 

Back in 2006 I won the Blackjack tournament while sailing on the Serenade. That was a lot of fun.

[KuffMUp]

Last August on the Rhapsody, DH won $250 on the slot machines putting in only $25. I played craps. Started with $100, left with $300. However, we aren't big gamblers. Neither of us will play more than $100 each and one day only.

[sailingawaysoon]

I am not a huge gambler. I am a Construction Manager and build casinos in Vegas and Atlantic City. So the "excitement" per say is not a factor for me, since I am presently working in Vegas.

 

I favor Black Jack and some slots. When we cruise we sometimes just enjoy sitting next to each other and playing the slots.

 

This is our first RCL trip so I thought I would ask if anyone had been very luck.

Just off Freedom and won $1,200 playing 50 cent spins on a slot machine. Good luck!

[NavigatorBride]

I was on the NCL Star in November and a man won $150,000 max betting on a $1 slot machine. Rumor was that he put $30,000 into the machine to win all that. I was in the casino at the time because my husband was playingin the texas tourney. He wasn't even happy. I kid you not! He wasn't even smiling in the "Wall of Fame" picture. :eek:

[cruzincurt]

We have won many times, craps, blackjack and Let it Ride. How others play their blackjack hands has no measurable effect in the long run, you just remember that one event especially when they are at third base. Their "mis-play" may have set you up for a blackjack in the next hand.

 

I just smile when someone "mis-plays" their hand and loses because of it. Doesn't bother me at all.:)

[yogimax]

WOW - Reading the comments, it sure looks like NO ONE ever loses!