Cruise Ship Video Poker

[FloridaPhil]

The wife and I are going on a two week trip to Alaska next week.  Half the trip is on a cruise ship with a casino.  Wonder what the odds will be like?  I'm assuming they will be similar to the stinky odds we are used to playing.

[BOOPSAHOY]

They paytables will be worse! Especially at the lower deominations. My last cruise I think i saw 6/5 for quarter play. We played dollars becasue we found some 8/5 games.Enjoy your cruise!

[ko king]

I've been on 3 cruises and each one had a casino, terrible vp 6/5 was the norm. I played just because I was part of the bored captive audience but I didn't hit squat on the first 2 cruises, 1 quad on those two boat trips. I'll give you the same advice I was given, don't play until the last day of the cruise, they've had a chance to examine the overall profit margin from the cruise and tend to let a little bit go before you depart. On the last cruise I strolled the casino and did nothing but watch on the first 6 days, the casino was tight as all get out and the slots were dead to the world. I waited until the last day and had a good time until I hit a dealt $1 royal flush, had my $5 bet per hand like I always do at every casino I play but it only paid $1,500, as you well know a royal flush at any other casino would pay $4K. While I was glad to see the $1,500 I wasn't a happy camper because I felt like I had been cheated out of $2,500. All the cruises I have been on were Carnival and they don't have the best reputation.

[marie meijer]

Bad pay tables, antiquated machines and no gaming regulations in international waters has been my experience on cruise ships. I think it's written in the fine print, only one .25 royal per couple per cruise or less! One royal was hit right after going through bank roll and hitting an ATM on deck. The casinos opened once the ships were 3 miles out from port.While here: Today, at Windsor Caesars, a guy playing VP next to me was elated. He accidentally dropped a $20 in Artist Cafe at breakfast. Casino personnel tracked him down through his players card # and returned the bill to him! Kudos to an honest wait staff employee who probably does not make much money!

[BillyJoe]

Phil, all of my recent cruises have been on NCL ships (freebies from Caesars). I have taken the NCL Pearl to Alaska twice out of Seattle, in addition to all of the Caribbean trips. Great trips - especially Alaska.


My experience in the ship's casinos has been mixed. They had All-Star multi-denom, multi-line machines, so there was plenty of variety to play. On my first cruise I did well - not so well on the others. Forget slots, though. If the VP got stale, I went over to table games.

[onemoretry]

but it only paid $1,500, as you well know a royal flush at any other casino would pay $4K. While I was glad to see the $1,500 I wasn't a happy camper because I felt like I had been cheated out of $2,500.
How were you cheated? Isn't that what the paytable said you'd get?

[ko king]

Maybe you missed the part where I said "I FELT like I had been cheated", you do see the difference right?  I've played DDB for over 20 years in casinos all over the place and have never seen a $1 royal flush at max coins play anything other than $4K or Aces w/kicker pay less than $2K. I did like I always do when I play at a casino I'm not familiar with I look to see if they have DDB and then I look at the paytable for full house, flush and the straight. Do you know of any land based casino that pays less than $4K for a royal flush hit on single line $1 denomination at max coins?

[OTABILL]

What cruise line?

[FloridaPhil]

Looks like I'll be playing one coin quarters again.  Bring on those $62.50 Royals...

[onemoretry]

Maybe you missed the part where I said "I FELT like I had been cheated", you do see the difference right?

My apologies. My question should have been: "Why did you feel like you had been cheated?"

I doubt there is a video poker player anywhere who has not, at some time through inattention, played the wrong game, wrong denomination, wrong pay table, etc. I know for sure I have - many times.

But, when that happens, I don't feel cheated. Rather, I feel embarrassed that I've done it again.