Cruise ship poker (1 Viewer)

[JustinInMN]

Even with the outrageous rake, I think these games can be profitable or at least break even for a good player who is willing to accept the variance. There's always a lot of questionable play and gamble on the table IME.

It's probably close since 1-2 or 1-3 games with a $7 drop are not uncommon landside. So going to 2-5 blinds (roughly a 100% increase) the rake is somewhat "proportional" to $15 a drop. But say you win 8 pots in 4 hours, that costs you $120 instead of $56. I am sure that's enough to tip a lot of otherwise winning sessions to losers. Or that $64 penalty is probably 30-50% of profit instead of more like 10-20% of profit. But yes, bad play can make up for it.

 

[Rooster410]

Yeah I’m def gonna check it out, I’ll report back!

 

[upNdown]

It's probably close since 1-2 or 1-3 games with a $7 drop are not uncommon landside. So going to 2-5 blinds (roughly a 100% increase) the rake is somewhat "proportional" to $15 a drop. But say you win 8 pots in 4 hours, that costs you $120 instead of $56. I am sure that's enough to tip a lot of otherwise winning sessions to losers. Or that $64 penalty is probably 30-50% of profit instead of more like 10-20% of profit. But yes, bad play can make up for it.

Yeah, I was going to add that last time I checked, encore Boston was raking $10+1 or 10+2 off $1/3 games (with big waitlists, btw.) So $15 off of $2/5 doesn’t sound too bad . . .

 

[JustinInMN]

Yeah, I was going to add that last time I checked, encore Boston was raking $10+1 or 10+2 off $1/3 games (with big waitlists, btw.) So $15 off of $2/5 doesn’t sound too bad . . .

Yikes that's nuts. Meanwhile 4+1 or 5+1 is still the norm in Vegas.

 

[Schmendr1ck]

Yeah, I was going to add that last time I checked, encore Boston was raking $10+1 or 10+2 off $1/3 games (with big waitlists, btw.) So $15 off of $2/5 doesn’t sound too bad . . .

And I got mad when my local room went to 6+2.

 

[upNdown]

And I got mad when my local room went to 6+2.

The locals love to pay rake, apparently

 

[Rooster410]

2/5 game had a wait list two nights in a row with 2 tables going! Pretty soft game with some players who seemed to know what they were doing. Up $500 so far on the trip.

 

[Schmendr1ck]

I'm taking my first repositioning cruise next week - starting in Vancouver, ending in Honolulu, spending nine nights on RC's Ovation of the Seas.

I haven't been able to get much info other than "they have at least one poker table," but I definitely plan to play cash if games run.

If they only run tourneys, I'll be at the bar drinking overpriced cocktails.

Either way, I'll report back in this thread.

 

[ekricket]

I'm taking my first repositioning cruise next week - starting in Vancouver, ending in Honolulu, spending nine nights on RC's Ovation of the Seas.

I haven't been able to get much info other than "they have at least one poker table," but I definitely plan to play cash if games run.

If they only run tourneys, I'll be at the bar drinking overpriced cocktails.

Either way, I'll report back in this thread.

We’ve done this one. It seems like the casino was closed about half the days because of one or another jurisdiction. But we love the days at sea, just relaxing and chilling.

We did 41 days on the Ovation that trip. Down to Australia and then around New Zealand. Visited White Island two weeks before it exploded on that trip. Then another 10 days driving in Australia. Long time away from home, but a great trip.

 

[Schmendr1ck]

We’ve done this one. It seems like the casino was closed about half the days because of one or another jurisdiction. But we love the days at sea, just relaxing and chilling.

We did 41 days on the Ovation that trip. Down to Australia and then around New Zealand. Visited White Island two weeks before it exploded on that trip. Then another 10 days driving in Australia. Long time away from home, but a great trip.

We wanted to do the second repositioning leg - Honolulu to Sydney. But that one is 19 nights, plus a few days on each end to enjoy Hawaii and Australia, plus a couple days for travel... There's just no way for me to take that much PTO in one shot, so that trip will have to wait for retirement.

 

[Schmendr1ck]

Ovation of the Seas report: Day 1

Well, they have a poker table. It's 7 max and the dealer has to stand.

Game is as expected, 2-5 NLHE, 100 min 500 max, rake 10% up to $15. However, the first dealer told us that it was match the stack! Not sure if it will be a factor this week, more to follow.

Last night played about three hours, we were 4-6 handed. I had to just sit down and camp the table to get other players to show up. Once we had four we started.

It was a good game but I was card dead for the most part and dug myself a small hole early. One guy outflopped me four times, taking about 200 out of my stack, then gave us the "hey I got to go" line and colored up.

Turned up the aggression after he left, caught a couple decent hands, then cracked aces with suited trash that turned a combo draw and rivered the ace of my suit for top set vs flush. Stacked the guy and he was not happy. He left and the game broke.

In for 400, down to 145 at my worst, out for 595.

 

[JustinInMN]

Ovation of the Seas report: Day 1

Well, they have a poker table. It's 7 max and the dealer has to stand.

View attachment 1206751

Game is as expected, 2-5 NLHE, 100 min 500 max, rake 10% up to $15. However, the first dealer told us that it was match the stack! Not sure if it will be a factor this week, more to follow.

Last night played about three hours, we were 4-6 handed. I had to just sit down and camp the table to get other players to show up. Once we had four we started.

It was a good game but I was card dead for the most part and dug myself a small hole early. One guy outflopped me four times, taking about 200 out of my stack, then gave us the "hey I got to go" line and colored up.

Turned up the aggression after he left, caught a couple decent hands, then cracked aces with suited trash that turned a combo draw and rivered the ace of my suit for top set vs flush. Stacked the guy and he was not happy. He left and the game broke.

In for 400, down to 145 at my worst, out for 595.

Dealer has to stand?

So it's like a blackjack table?

That's weird.

 

[pltrgyst]

I'm taking my first repositioning cruise next week - starting in Vancouver, ending in Honolulu,...

Hope you're enjoying it -- we love repositioning cruises -- but I have yet to find decent poker on a cruise ship unless I bring along my own chips and cards.

We're doing Lauderdale to Southhampton in March, wandering around France and Spain for a month, and then coming home on another ship from Barcelona to Miami in May.

Then in September doing LA to Sydney, 35+ days with four stops in Hawaii, the islands including Papeete, and two stops in New Zealand on the way to Aussieland. Might be biting off more than we can chew on that one, and haven't figured out how we're going to get home yet...

 

[Schmendr1ck]

Hope you're enjoying it -- we love repositioning cruises -- but I have yet to find decent poker on a cruise ship unless I bring along my own chips and cards.

We're doing Lauderdale to Southhampton in March, wandering around France and Spain for a month, and then coming home on another ship from Barcelona to Miami in May.

Then in September doing LA to Sydney, 35+ days with four stops in Hawaii, the islands including Papeete, and two stops in New Zealand on the way to Aussieland. Might be biting off more than we can chew on that one, and haven't figured out how we're going to get home yet...

Nice! Mrs S and I plan to do a lot of the same once I retire. I love cruising, but a day in a port isn't enough time to do anything. Repositioning gives you two stops where you can visit as long as you'd like.

 

[Schmendr1ck]

Day 2 poker report:

I spent much of the evening with Mrs S and my youngest, including a little penny slot run good where Mrs S and I turned $100 into $500.

After she called it quits for the night, it was almost 11pm. The game had been running 4-5 handed, so I went back down to claim my seat. There were six players and one open seat, and another guy grabbed it literally seconds before I got there. Sigh, first on the list.

I watched for a while, dorked around on the slots again for a massive 40 cent win, and then went back to the table. A player who had been nursing a $50ish stack for a while had just busted and left, so I grabbed my seat.

What I didn't realize is that the casino was closing at midnight, and there were only two hands left before they shut down the table. I could buy into the big blind, or I could do the sensible thing and call it a night.

No one ever accused me of being smart. I bought in for two hands, lost ten bucks, but won a bunch of degen points that I plan to cash in later.

Day 2: -10
Total so far (poker): +185

 

[JDPoker]

I've taken several NCL cruises, and as others have said the rake is outrageous (10%, $25 cap, even if no flop). I avoided the game for years but a few years ago started playing and, despite the rake, the games are beatable. It's hit or miss, depending on the cruise, but there are often 6-7 regulars, and lots of players jumping in, losing their roll, and jumping out. The hardest part is getting the game started, but once it goes there are lots of fish looking to jump in.

The turbo satellites are crazy. You start with 10BB, and they take out $25 out of each $100 buy in. Lots of rebuys and add-ons, and lots on weak players. If the prize pool does not reach $2300 (after the rake), its winner take all in cash. If it does reach $2300, the prize is a cruise package and entry into their "Poker Challenge" (an $1100 buy in tournament with the winners of all the satellites from all their cruises during the year, as well as those who buy in for $1100).

I recently played in the 2023 Poker Challenge and it was a blast. The created a poker room in the ships observation lounge with over 40 tables. There were over 700 poker players. The main event went for 3 days, but they also had other nightly tournaments ranging from $250 to a $2500 high roller, twice daily super satellites to next years event, SNG satellites to the high roller, and TONS of cash games. ($15 cap). I had a great trip, and won a seat to next year's Challenge.