Gamblers input needed!

[tseitel]

Hello. We have never sailed with NCL before, so I have some questions. I have been reading many posts now about people not being able to get obc money out for gambling. Forgive my ignorance, but are the casinos cash based ? Meaning I have to put actual cash into the slots, and not just insert my cabin key?

I have pre purchased some obc, ( and was assured by the rep that it could be used in the casino) but am now rethinking my decision.

I am understanding that you get charged 3% to withdraw cash at the casino, but was wondering why I would need to do so if I could just charge to my room, then use my obc to pay it off? We are not big gamblers, but do enjoy some slots

Please walk this NCL newbie through this. Any info and suggestions are greatly appreciated!!!!

[BirdTravels]

Use cash. US Dollars. Don't be fussing with advance purchase OBC.

[NMLady]

Hello. We have never sailed with NCL before, so I have some questions. I have been reading many posts now about people not being able to get obc money out for gambling. Forgive my ignorance, but are the casinos cash based ? Meaning I have to put actual cash into the slots, and not just insert my cabin key?

I have pre purchased some obc, ( and was assured by the rep that it could be used in the casino) but am now rethinking my decision.

I am understanding that you get charged 3% to withdraw cash at the casino, but was wondering why I would need to do so if I could just charge to my room, then use my obc to pay it off? We are not big gamblers, but do enjoy some slots

Please walk this NCL newbie through this. Any info and suggestions are greatly appreciated!!!!

 

All the NCL ships I've been on are cash/ticket based.

You can request cash charged to your account, 3% charge. The obc would be applied to any kind of charge, including casino.

Edited March 30, 2016 by NMLady

[Sizzlechest]

There is another option. Call the NCL Casino department about a month in advance of your cruise date. Let them know how much you want to bring on board for gambling. You will go to your bank and get a bank check made out to YOURSELF. You bring that with you. When the casino opens, you sign the check over to them. You now have a cash account with the casino. They act as your bank. You can deposit and withdraw funds as needed. I tried this last year on the Gem as an experiment. I'll probably do it again, but it's a little time consuming for everyone involved. I withdrew the remaining balance the last day the casino was open. If I didn't, I believe they said NCL would mail me the balance as a check within 30 days. I decided not to find out if that was true. :)

[SPB in da RVA]

People make this out to be a MUCH bigger issue than it is. From the casino stand point they do not care how your on board account is established or settled. Just go to the casino and ask for cash to be charged to your on board account. NCL does not match certain payment methods (OBC, Cash, CC, etc) to any specific charges.

[Socalev]

On my last cruise in February, I eagerly sat down at a slot machine in the casino and realized I had forgotten my cash in the room. So I used my room key and a pin (inquire at the casino desk) to load cash on the first machine I started playing. My onboard account reflected a $100 Casino charge and a $3 Casino convenience fee.

[Carlisle14]

Is blackjack all continuous shuffle machines? Dealing hit or stand in soft 17? Surrender allowed?

[jennas_mum]

Is blackjack all continuous shuffle machines? Dealing hit or stand in soft 17? Surrender allowed?

 

Last week on the Breakaway they did have the continuous shuffle machines. Dealer hit on soft 17 and surrendering was allowed.

 

I had the worst luck I have ever had playing blackjack. Walked away with less money every time! But it was still fun!

 

Donna

[plane2port]

On the Jewel they had only two blackjack tables that didn't use the continuous shuffle machines, but the minimums were $25 and $100. They were using 8-deck shoes.

 

No surrender and dealer hit soft 17.

Edited March 31, 2016 by plane2port

[skeeter195]

On the Gem and Breakaway they hand shuffle $25 and up tables. Also on the $25 and up tables there is no surrender and they stay on soft 17. On the smaller tables the hitting of a soft 17 is big house edge. It is better percentage wise to play less at the $25 tables than to play more at a $10 table with any larger house edge.

[AndyCapn]

On the Gem and Breakaway they hand shuffle $25 and up tables. Also on the $25 and up tables there is no surrender and they stay on soft 17. On the smaller tables the hitting of a soft 17 is big house edge. It is better percentage wise to play less at the $25 tables than to play more at a $10 table with any larger house edge.

 

Both pay 6:5? I thought the higher stakes table paid 3:2 which makes a much bigger difference on house edge than surrender/soft 17?

[Nola26]

First of all expect to have fun in the casino. You can use your room key to charge funds for gambling to your OB account. NCL will charge 3% for that convenience. Cash can also be inserted into the machines.

[Sizzlechest]

I'm confused with some of the responses. As far as I can remember, there are $6 tables which pay 6:5 for a BJ, which is a terrible idea. The next lowest minimum was $15, not $10 and there was no surrendering. I was on the Gem back when they had the video BJ machines with $5 minimum, 3:2 BJ, late surrender, and dealer hit soft 17. I was under the impression the $15 table didn't implement hitting soft 17, but I could be wrong since I didn't do the tables once I found out there was no surrender and not $10 tables that cruise.

[skeeter195]

I was on the Gem 3 weeks ago.

$25 and up tables

-no surrender

-hand shuffle

-stay on soft 17

-3:2 on BJ

 

Under $25 tables, I saw $6, $10 and $15 tables during the day when hardly anyone was in the casino

-no surrender

-shuffle machines

-hit soft 17

6:5 on BJ

 

The video BJ was great in Spinnaker. The options for the player were indeed good. The only problem was that the max bet was only $100. I made a lot of money there one day and if the max was say $1000, I would have made 5 figures easy.

[Sizzlechest]

I was on the Gem 3 weeks ago.

...

Under $25 tables, I saw $6, $10 and $15 tables during the day when hardly anyone was in the casino

-no surrender

-shuffle machines

-hit soft 17

6:5 on BJ

 

Something isn't right. How could a $10 table be 6:5? What's they payout for a BJ on a $10 bet?

[AndyCapn]

Something isn't right. How could a $10 table be 6:5? What's they payout for a BJ on a $10 bet?

 

$12. (12:10 is the same ratio as 6:5)

[marathonrunner123]

Great info. Thanks

[skeeter195]

What is worse is when some one hits a BJ with $6 up. I saw one lady almost flip the table over because the dealer only paid $7(should be $7.20) on a BJ win with a $6 bet. The dealers will usually pay out $7.25 but he did not have any quarters at the time. The floor had to get involved and try to calm down the woman. In the end, which should have happened in the beginning, the lady was paid $8 because there were no $2.50 chips on the table either. It was a horrible situation over .20.