Just curious... I will be missing the BJ tournament cruise but I am going on a family cruise this weekend. What are people's experience with heat at the BJ tables? Just about how much of a spread can you get away with? Any recent experiences appreciated. I realing heat may be heavier on a BJ tournament cruise than a normal cruise.
toonces, my experience with playing blackjack on cruise ships is this: Usually, if not always, the deck is stacked so high against the player, that the casino personnel could care less about your spread. Between the continuous shuffling machines (which make card counting impossible), the absence of surrender, and even worse rules, it's hard to justify putting too much money on the casino tables on a cruise. Using basic strategy is all I can ask for on a cruise. Be careful, though. On my first cruise after playing on bet21 for five months, I was very tempted to split 10s. Regular bj was boring compared to ebj. I usually play as a diversion from all the other fun activities, especially if there's just a little time to fill before or after a show or a meal, or if the girlfriend wants a little more sun than I do. However, if you are going to bet big, be sure to get rated. Wouldn't it be nice to have your next cruise comped by the cruise line's casino? I've met a few people aboard ships who have told me their cruise was free. The only caveat is they have to continue to give the casino a lot of action -- and I mean a lot, both in time and size of wager.
The only BJ I play on the cruise ships was at the Fun21 game - it was the only 6 deck shoe - all the other BJ games were CSM. The limits are $5 min with $200 max. Fun21 is basically Spanish 21 with the Queens removed instead of the 10's. Put some green on the table and they'll ask for your players card (room key card). After 2 hours of play a day by day 3 they'll comp your drinks in the casino. On my last cruise there were 3 of us who were betting green and black at the craps tables 5 of 7 nights - they game us nice players club "bags" with shirts, bottle of wine, hat, cards, etc., It's amazing with some red chips tokes for the dealers will do! Most players are clueless and the dealers tokes are terrible so they do take care of the players who take care of them. Spread? I went from 5 to 200 (not based on the count but there was a reason) and the game me NO heat. Have a blast!
I say stick with craps I really don't care much for the BJ play on cruise ships. I generaly prefer to throw the dice on the ship. Also I say you should stay away from the BJ tournament they have on the ships. At lease Royal & Carnival. Didn't care for those at all.
RCL, CCL & Princess all have BJT on them - all the same. For $20 you get 7 hands - start with 1,000 in chips 100 min, no limit max, DAS, no surrender Top 6 & 1 wild card go to a "real" BJT I've done 5 of them Wound up at 2 final tables and 1 first place and 2nd place First place pays 500 casino chips - real not promo - which I promptly cashed. All final table players get shirts. 1 & 2 get a "bag" of goodies Entry fee $20 with unlimited rebuys. Prize pool remains the same. If you get $6,000 you will likely make it to the final table where you are at a DEFINITE advantage because no one there really knows what they are doing. Definately a -EV tourney
I hadn't thought about CSM. That kinda ruins my thoughts of BJ. I guess my best hope is a poker table for the easy money.
On the CCL, RCL & Princess ships all had the electronic Texas Hold Em tables. You get a card from the cage, download cash to it and play at the table. Kinda like online playing - use the card to "tap" the screen. The games were LOW stakes but they did have tourney's 2 or 3 nights with 100 buy-in.
I think Carnival is all CSM now On our first Blackjack Cruise I had some of the oringal MIT members dealing for me. Yet the only player given any heat was Ken. He was limited to $25 flat bets if he wanted to play. However one of the MIT players was jumping from $25 minimum up to max. $300 and from one to 3-4 hands every night of the 7 day cruise and nothing was ever said the entire week. This was before the CSM were installed. But toonces I think your correct in planning on poker, most games on the ships are easy pickings. Seems like most players will play every hand hoping to draw out.
