Casino Blackjack Conditions

[harrd0517]

Could anyone tell me what the current conditions are in the ship casinos on higher limit games?

 

# decks

Blackjack payout (3-2 or 6-5)

Double after split

Surrender

Hit soft 17 or stand on soft 17

Continuous, automatic, or hand shuffled

 

Thanks in advance!

[Jamman54]

Could anyone tell me what the current conditions are in the ship casinos on higher limit games?

 

# decks 6 or 8

Blackjack payout (3-2 or 6-5) 3-2 on all but the $6. tables

Double after split Yes, except Aces of course

Surrender No

Hit soft 17 or stand on soft 17 Dealer HITS soft 17.

Continuous, automatic, or hand shuffled Continuous :(:(:(

 

Thanks in advance!

 

No problem!!

Edited April 29, 2015 by Jamman54

[stobe1]

Could anyone tell me what the current conditions are in the ship casinos on higher limit games?

 

# decks

Blackjack payout (3-2 or 6-5)

Double after split

Surrender

Hit soft 17 or stand on soft 17

Continuous, automatic, or hand shuffled

 

Thanks in advance!

 

The payout on the $6 tables are 6:5. $10 tables and up are 3:2. You can double down after a split. House hits on soft 17. Unfortunately, it is a continuous shuffle. I'm not sure how many decks are in each shoe, but I'm sure it's probably a 6 deck stack, but that is rendered meaningless since it is a continuous shuffle anyway. I'm not sure about surrendering.

 

If you play basic strategy like I do, you should do ok. If other novice people at the table don't play right, it really messes with the game, but that is true anywhere.

Edited April 29, 2015 by stobe1

[Bo59rt]

I happened to notice on the cruise i just came off of last weekend that the faceup blackjack (ugh) was the only hand shuffled blackjack table I saw.

[Jamman54]

I happened to notice on the cruise i just came off of last weekend that the faceup blackjack (ugh) was the only hand shuffled blackjack table I saw.

 

And I know, as you know, that any knowledgeable blackjack player would never sit down at that table. :)

[stevefrisco]

No truly "knowledgable" player would play on an automatic shuffler. They don't have higher limit games without the autoshuffler? Last may they had 6 deck for $25 a hand as well as funship 21 and faceup without autoshuffler.

[harrd0517]

Can one split to 4 hands including aces?

[Tutontow]

No truly "knowledgable" player would play on an automatic shuffler. They don't have higher limit games without the autoshuffler? Last may they had 6 deck for $25 a hand as well as funship 21 and faceup without autoshuffler.

 

Unless you are a counter the continuous shuffler makes no difference. Actually according to the wizard of Odds the continuous shuffler gives you a slight edge over a shoe unless you are counting.

 

Off course if you are counting you would be on a DD game playing at least $25.00 a hand.

Edited April 29, 2015 by Tutontow

[Jdfireman]

Fun 21 does not have auto shoot.

We were on a trip last year and requested a $50 table and they did it with out a auto shoot.

 

You can split aces 4 way only on fun 21,

 

From my experience most cruise players don't use basic strangely

 

With the auto shoot basics really don't matter. Seems the dealer gets more 20's than anything

[harrd0517]

No truly "knowledgable" player would play on an automatic shuffler. They don't have higher limit games without the autoshuffler? Last may they had 6 deck for $25 a hand as well as funship 21 and faceup without autoshuffler.

 

I assume you're referring to continuous shufflers. The automatic shufflers only speed up the process over a hand shuffle. I certainly prefer a good single or double deck game, but even with a continuous shuffled 8 deck game the casino vig is only 0.69% which is almost certainly the best game in the ship casino assuming they only allow single odds on the craps table. Of course it's a major problem for a card counter which I'm not.

[Tutontow]

I assume you're referring to continuous shufflers. The automatic shufflers only speed up the process over a hand shuffle. I certainly prefer a good single or double deck game, but even with a continuous shuffled 8 deck game the casino vig is only 0.69% which is almost certainly the best game in the ship casino assuming they only allow single odds on the craps table. Of course it's a major problem for a card counter which I'm not.

 

 

I agree with everything you said.

 

Let's face it if we were going to be playing seriously we would be in a DD game for $50.00 or more in a land based casino. Call me crazy but I just love the more relaxed, fun atmosphere of a cruise ship casino. Hell I even find myself playing the side bet.

 

Don't get me wrong I hate losing and love winning as much as the next guy but I gave up serious gambling years ago. It was just to much work and lead to too many arguments with my better half. Now we sail Carnival, get some free cruises and win some and lose some and get some other nice comps along the way.

[harrd0517]

Now we sail Carnival, get some free cruises and win some and lose some and get some other nice comps along the way.

 

That brings up a good question. Can I get a player's card in the ship casino? Is it possible to get a comp for something on the ship? I'm accustomed to being well treated in land casinos, but I don't cruise very often.

[amber381]

Fun 21 on the Paradise was played without the auto shuffler. The other $6 tables did have an auto-shuffler. I didn't notice the higher limit tables.

[Tutontow]

That brings up a good question. Can I get a player's card in the ship casino? Is it possible to get a comp for something on the ship? I'm accustomed to being well treated in land casinos, but I don't cruise very often.

 

Your Sail and Sign card is your players card and ID while on the ship. Carnival is a cashless ship. You use your S&S card which is usually tied to a charge card for all of your expenses once you get on the ship.

 

While playing slots you put it in the machine. While playing table games they swipe it and the dealer will enter your buy in and seat number.

 

I really prefer the way Carnival rates table players. There has been times at land based casinos it has taken forever to get checked in with a pit boss.

 

And yes you can get comps. My wife and I usually play a spread of $10.00 to $100.00 at the tables and we have been comped four free cruises in the past year. We have also been given free drinks in the casino as well as steakhouse dinners. On one trip in addition to free drinks and steakhouse dinner we were comped $1000.00 in cash when we walked into the casino.

 

Keep in mind your mileage may vary. My advice is tip the dealers and be pleasant and make small talk with the pit critters. On my last trip my wife had free drinks from the get go. I had not played enough to qualify for drinks yet. When I asked the floor supervisor why I wasn't getting drinks she said just ask me when you want a drink and I will get it for you free of charge. she then proceeded to get drinks for the whole table. For small fish like me Carnival, at least right now, is the best thing going.

 

You can also charge chips and slot play to your S&S card but be aware they charge 3% for doing the casino chips. I do not know about slot play.

Edited April 29, 2015 by Tutontow

[GaNavy]

The payout on the $6 tables are 6:5. $10 tables and up are 3:2. You can double down after a split. House hits on soft 17. Unfortunately, it is a continuous shuffle. I'm not sure how many decks are in each shoe, but I'm sure it's probably a 6 deck stack, but that is rendered meaningless since it is a continuous shuffle anyway. I'm not sure about surrendering.

 

If you play basic strategy like I do, you should do ok. If other novice people at the table don't play right, it really messes with the game, but that is true anywhere.

 

Really? On Breeze in March, the $6 tables were paying 3:2 like everywhere else, except for the faceup game.

 

Cruise ships aren't for "serious" gamblers, but in my experience the synonym for "serious" blackjack players is "broke," at least for those who actually think they can make real money at it without being on a high-rolling team and risking losing a limb or two when the team gets busted. In 30 years of playing, I have probably won more than I've lost, but that's only because I don't play enough to hit the long run, where the casino edge eventually grinds everyone to dust. I do know how to count cards, but I stopped bothering long ago, too much work for no demonstrable payoff. I play for fun.

[Tutontow]

Really? On Breeze in March, the $6 tables were paying 3:2 like everywhere else, except for the faceup game.

 

Cruise ships aren't for "serious" gamblers, but in my experience the synonym for "serious" blackjack players is "broke," at least for those who actually think they can make real money at it without being on a high-rolling team and risking losing a limb or two when the team gets busted. In 30 years of playing, I have probably won more than I've lost, but that's only because I don't play enough to hit the long run, where the casino edge eventually grinds everyone to dust. I do know how to count cards, but I stopped bothering long ago, too much work for no demonstrable payoff. I play for fun.

 

I only gamble while on vacation. Playing serious was ruining my vacations. It is safe to say I have lost more than I have won but I really don't care, it is entertainment for us and fortunately we have the money to do it.

 

The "free" cruises are a nice perk that takes the sting out of the losses. On our last cruise my wife was given a cruise for two and I was given the same. That being said although we lost a little we wound up ahead.

[theriac]

I only gamble while on vacation. Playing serious was ruining my vacations. It is safe to say I have lost more than I have won but I really don't care, it is entertainment for us and fortunately we have the money to do it.

 

The "free" cruises are a nice perk that takes the sting out of the losses. On our last cruise my wife was given a cruise for two and I was given the same. That being said although we lost a little we wound up ahead.

 

That's why I just play roulette or craps now on a cruise because those are fun games with a chance to win big. Plus I don't have to worry about strategy and someone messing everyone up.

[stobe1]

Really? On Breeze in March, the $6 tables were paying 3:2 like everywhere else, except for the faceup game.

 

I cruise at least twice a year on Carnival and that has always been my experience in recent years. It is possible that it has changed since my last cruise in February on the Magic or perhaps it is something unique to the Breeze.

 

I'll update this in two weeks after my sailing on the Dream and let you know.

Edited April 29, 2015 by stobe1

[GranthamMommy]

I just got off the Dream.....

All tables had the continuous shuffle

Tables were either $10 or $6

$10 paid 3:2

$6 paid 6:5

There was one Fun21 table but I never sat there.

 

Pit bosses varied, but most bought my husband and I drinks, but we tip.

Not huge gamblers, typically $10-$20 per hand and play in the afternoon and the evening.

 

You could not split aces again.

 

Beware of young drunk cruisers that are clueless about blackjack.

 

You hardly earn any "points" at the tables. They rack up on the slot machines. After 1500 points you get free drinks for the rest of the week. After a week, I only had 1000 points.

 

You may get offered a free cruise in the future. Once we received the offer for a $100 cruise, with a $100 obc.

 

Have fun.

[stobe1]

Someone please correct me if I am mistaken, but I believe there are two sets of points. A certain set for tables and another for slots. While it appears on the surface that you accumulate points on slots faster, the points earned at the tables are "weighted" more. Meaning, if you have 100 slot points and 100 table points, the casino looks more favorably at the table points earned and sees that as the higher amount.

 

I think this is the case because on our last cruise, you needed a minimum of 1500 slot points or 25 table points to be eligible for the entry in the free cruise giveaway they were having on the last night.

 

Hopefully I explained that well.

[stevefrisco]

I'd also like to comment that a learned player knows that another player's actions do not have much effect on the game. If a person wants to double on a hard 12 against a dealer 6, don't complain. The next card could be a 10 or it could be an 4 which would save the table if the dealer had the elusive "10 under there". Nothing is worse than playing at a table of experts who berate the other players directly or indirectly because they don't play according to their losing strategy card. Yeah it sucks when the noob take the dealer's bust card but despite what you all may believe, blackjack is not a team game and we all leave with the money in front of us, not some table pool.

[theriac]

I'd also like to comment that a learned player knows that another player's actions do not have much effect on the game. If a person wants to double on a hard 12 against a dealer 6, don't complain. The next card could be a 10 or it could be an 4 which would save the table if the dealer had the elusive "10 under there". Nothing is worse than playing at a table of experts who berate the other players directly or indirectly because they don't play according to their losing strategy card. Yeah it sucks when the noob take the dealer's bust card but despite what you all may believe, blackjack is not a team game and we all leave with the money in front of us, not some table pool.

 

I'm guessing you were berated at table, or you never played with the drunk guy who hit on a hard 18 taking away the dealers bust card?

[jakesnana]

I'd also like to comment that a learned player knows that another player's actions do not have much effect on the game. If a person wants to double on a hard 12 against a dealer 6, don't complain. The next card could be a 10 or it could be an 4 which would save the table if the dealer had the elusive "10 under there". Nothing is worse than playing at a table of experts who berate the other players directly or indirectly because they don't play according to their losing strategy card. Yeah it sucks when the noob take the dealer's bust card but despite what you all may believe, blackjack is not a team game and we all leave with the money in front of us, not some table pool.

 

I'm guessing you were berated at table, or you never played with the drunk guy who hit on a hard 18 taking away the dealers bust card?

 

While I have seen it happen where someone "saved" the table by playing against strategy, it more often than not happens the other way around. I don't begrudge people that want to play by their own set of rules, I just wish the casino would have enough tables open so that I didn't have to play with them.

[theriac]

While I have seen it happen where someone "saved" the table by playing against strategy, it more often than not happens the other way around. I don't begrudge people that want to play by their own set of rules, I just wish the casino would have enough tables open so that I didn't have to play with them.

 

Agreed, like I posted earlier that's exactly why I just play roulette and craps now. No strategy needed, everyone has fun and is usually happy for others winning.

[jakesnana]

Agreed, like I posted earlier that's exactly why I just play roulette and craps now. No strategy needed, everyone has fun and is usually happy for others winning.

 

Yeah, I just can't get into the roulette mind set. Like everyone, I hope to win when I gamble and the house edge is so much less on BJ than other games in the casino. I DO like to play craps, but I'm not very good or quick at it yet AND I have had my payouts taken by other people when the table was crowded. When I tried to explain that the money was mine, it resulted in a HUGE argument. I have found that the people at the craps table are VERY passionate about everything :)