Nieuw Statendam Casino

[The-Inside-Cabin]

When  we last sailed on the Nieuw Statendam in 2019 they did not have a texas holdem table.

 

This was the inventory in the Casino.   

 

Does anyone know if they added a table since March 2019?

 

(1) World Poker Tournament Texas holdem heads up

(1) Three Card Prime

(5) Blackjack.

(1) Mini Baccarat

 

Crap table ( double odds)

 

Roulette Wheel

 

No “Let it Ride”

 

No Texas Hold’em table.

 

6/5 on blackjack. Except at $25 min table

$6 min on blackjack which requires a $10 bet if you even want to get 6/5 true payout

 

They added a third Zero square to the roulette wheel...

Edited April 20, 2021 by The-Inside-Cabin

[kangforpres]

Do you mean a regular poker table? For tournament play? Over the years HAL replaced the one tradition poker table on each ship with an automated poker table. I don't know of anyone who likes those and never saw anyone playing a cash game at them in the casino at night. 

 

Maybe they have decided on just getting rid of poker tables all together. For the non-gamblers  "World Poker Tournament Texas holdem heads up" is a branded and trademarked table game where players play against the house, at a  traditional poker table players play against each other and the house provides a dealer and collects a fee per hand.

Edited April 20, 2021 by kangforpres

[AV8rix]

Slightly (but not really) off-topic question for Pete @The-Inside-Cabin:

 

I'm a blackjack tournament player in real life, but not the silly ones they have on cruise ships.  As a "pro", under NO circumstances will I ever play at a 6/5 table, either on land or at sea.  Since I've almost always sailed on the S-class and R-class ships this has not been a problem for me.  There's only one pit on the little ships and I usually get in very early on sea days so the hosts have always graciously opened the 3/2 table for me when I have asked.

 

However, I've sailed only twice on an enormodam – specifically Eurodam -- where there are two pits.  In daytime hours they only have adequate personnel to staff one pit, the one where the 6/5 table is located.  Understandably, they will refuse to staff a second pit (location of the 3/2 table) just for me.  They only open that second pit later in the evening, generally not until after the first main-stage show.  Well, it's not a good idea to play $25-min blackjack when sleepy, so on E'dam I've never gotten in more than an hour or two of play per day...if that much.

 

I now have two cruises booked on a humungoudam, the new Rotterdam VII.  These will be my first time(s) on that class. Since you have obviously been in the casino on that class, perhaps you might answer a question for me:  Since there are more pax on the Pinnacle-class ships than on the Signature Sisters, perhaps they have enough action to open both pits during the day? Have you noticed if they are open? One of my bookings includes a TA so I'll be eager to play on all of those sea days. 

 

Thanks in advance for any help you may offer.  Your posts and your blogs are always a treasure trove of good info for all of us here.

 

 

Edited April 20, 2021 by Av8rix

[The-Inside-Cabin]

13 minutes ago, Av8rix said:

Slightly (but not really) off-topic question for Pete @The-Inside-Cabin:

 

I'm a blackjack tournament player in real life, but not the silly ones they have on cruise ships.  As a "pro", under NO circumstances will I ever play at a 6/5 table, either on land or at sea.  Since I've almost always sailed on the S-class and R-class ships this has not been a problem for me.  There's only one pit on the little ships and I usually get in very early on sea days so the hosts have always graciously opened the 3/2 table for me when I have asked.

 

However, I've sailed only twice on an enormodam – specifically Eurodam -- where there are two pits.  In daytime hours they only have adequate personnel to staff one pit, the one where the 6/5 table is located.  Understandably, they will refuse to staff a second pit (location of the 3/2 table) just for me.  They only open that second pit later in the evening, generally not until after the first main-stage show.  Well, it's not a good idea to play $25-min blackjack when sleepy, so on E'dam I've never gotten in more than an hour or two of play per day...if that much.

 

I now have two cruises booked on a humungoudam, the new Rotterdam VII.  These will be my first time(s) on that class. Since you have obviously been in the casino on that class, perhaps you might answer a question for me:  Since there are more pax on the Pinnacle-class ships than on the Signature Sisters, perhaps they have enough action to open both pits during the day? Have you noticed if they are open? One of my bookings includes a TA so I'll be eager to play on all of those sea days. 

 

Thanks in advance for any help you may offer.  Your posts and your blogs are always a treasure trove of good info for all of us here.

 

 

One my two cruises on Pinnacle class ships there was usually only enough business to open one table.  I won't play 6/5 either so I don't pay much attention to blackjack.  Even at night it was hard to get more than 1 or 2 people at the higher limit 3/2 table.    They will open the table for one player in my experience, but not as much fun.  

[The-Inside-Cabin]

1 hour ago, kangforpres said:

Do you mean a regular poker table? For tournament play? Over the years HAL replaced the one tradition poker table on each ship with an automated poker table. I don't know of anyone who likes those and never saw anyone playing a cash game at them in the casino at night. 

 

Maybe they have decided on just getting rid of poker tables all together. For the non-gamblers  "World Poker Tournament Texas holdem heads up" is a branded and trademarked table game where players play against the house, at a  traditional poker table players play against each other and the house provides a dealer and collects a fee per hand.

I was on the Amsterdam on 2018 which was the last ship to have a live dealer poker table.    Now all the ships have a "poker pro" or similar table.     However the NS didn't have ANY poker table - automatic or manual.  

[AV8rix]

11 minutes ago, The-Inside-Cabin said:

One my two cruises on Pinnacle class ships there was usually only enough business to open one table.  I won't play 6/5 either so I don't pay much attention to blackjack.  Even at night it was hard to get more than 1 or 2 people at the higher limit 3/2 table.    They will open the table for one player in my experience, but not as much fun.  

Thank you so much!  This -- like everything that you and Judy post-- was good and useful information, although not what I wanted to hear 😒.

[The-Inside-Cabin]

1 minute ago, Av8rix said:

Thank you so much!  This -- like everything that you and Judy post-- was good and useful information, although not what I wanted to hear 😒.

Lots depends on when and where you go.   Carribean cruises usually have more action than scandinavian and alaska in my experience.  

[Brentt_M]

I was on the last sailing of the NS before the pause and there was no poker table at that time 😞

[Laminator]

35 minutes ago, Av8rix said:

Slightly (but not really) off-topic question for Pete @The-Inside-Cabin:

 

I'm a blackjack tournament player in real life, but not the silly ones they have on cruise ships.  As a "pro", under NO circumstances will I ever play at a 6/5 table, either on land or at sea.  Since I've almost always sailed on the S-class and R-class ships this has not been a problem for me.  There's only one pit on the little ships and I usually get in very early on sea days so the hosts have always graciously opened the 3/2 table for me when I have asked.

 

However, I've sailed only twice on an enormodam – specifically Eurodam -- where there are two pits.  In daytime hours they only have adequate personnel to staff one pit, the one where the 6/5 table is located.  Understandably, they will refuse to staff a second pit (location of the 3/2 table) just for me.  They only open that second pit later in the evening, generally not until after the first main-stage show.  Well, it's not a good idea to play $25-min blackjack when sleepy, so on E'dam I've never gotten in more than an hour or two of play per day...if that much.

 

I now have two cruises booked on a humungoudam, the new Rotterdam VII.  These will be my first time(s) on that class. Since you have obviously been in the casino on that class, perhaps you might answer a question for me:  Since there are more pax on the Pinnacle-class ships than on the Signature Sisters, perhaps they have enough action to open both pits during the day? Have you noticed if they are open? One of my bookings includes a TA so I'll be eager to play on all of those sea days. 

 

Thanks in advance for any help you may offer.  Your posts and your blogs are always a treasure trove of good info for all of us here.

 

 

We were on the NS out of FLL which the new Rotterdam will be similar to. The $25 table was pretty much open all day and had at least 3 players at it consistently. I have to be honest they have always opened the $25 for me when I have sat down. It may take then 30 minutes but they do get it open. But I am not a "pro" so I probably lose much more...LOL!!! I will be on the Rotterdam Nov 10th.

[AV8rix]

7 minutes ago, Laminator said:

We were on the NS out of FLL which the new Rotterdam will be similar to. The $25 table was pretty much open all day and had at least 3 players at it consistently. I have to be honest they have always opened the $25 for me when I have sat down. It may take then 30 minutes but they do get it open. But I am not a "pro" so I probably lose much more...LOL!!! I will be on the Rotterdam Nov 10th.

Thank you!  That gives me some hope.  I'm booked on the Rotterdam VII inaugural, which is port-intensive so the casino won't even be open most days.  But then I'm on the 150th anniversary cruise, so if I can't play blackjack on all of those sea days I don't know what I'll do.  Thanks again!

Edited April 21, 2021 by Av8rix

[The-Inside-Cabin]

1 hour ago, Brentt_M said:

I was on the last sailing of the NS before the pause and there was no poker table at that time 😞

Well I doubt they put in a poker table since then - but i can hope.  

[kangforpres]

I've been on several "light" gambling cruises on HAL all over the globe and since I'm a regular in the Casino the Manager will usually open a table if I ask and they have a dealer to work it. Often there will be 4 tables open but only players at one of them and so they will just shut a table nobody is at and open one for you.

 

-Paul

[MTAK]

On 4/20/2021 at 4:27 PM, kangforpres said:

Do you mean a regular poker table? For tournament play? Over the years HAL replaced the one tradition poker table on each ship with an automated poker table. I don't know of anyone who likes those and never saw anyone playing a cash game at them in the casino at night. 

 

Maybe they have decided on just getting rid of poker tables all together. For the non-gamblers  "World Poker Tournament Texas holdem heads up" is a branded and trademarked table game where players play against the house, at a  traditional poker table players play against each other and the house provides a dealer and collects a fee per hand.

Can you explain more how the WPT game works? I can't seem to find any more info on it.  Is it electronic?

[The-Inside-Cabin]

12 hours ago, MTAK said:

Can you explain more how the WPT game works? I can't seem to find any more info on it.  Is it electronic?

Here is some more info along with a picture of the table on the NS

https://www.choctawcasinos.com/global-table-games/wpt-heads-up-hold-em/

 

 

Edited April 23, 2021 by The-Inside-Cabin

[The-Inside-Cabin]

Never play this roulette table.  HAL not satisfied with 0 and 00 - they sneak in a green image of the ship which is acutally a third 000

 

 All my casino pics attached

 

 

[MTAK]

9 hours ago, The-Inside-Cabin said:

Here is some more info along with a picture of the table on the NS

https://www.choctawcasinos.com/global-table-games/wpt-heads-up-hold-em/

 

Thanks, that is helpful.  Seems overly complicated but I'll have to study it some more. I'm anticipating this would be on the Rotterdam.

[AV8rix]

On 4/20/2021 at 5:13 PM, The-Inside-Cabin said:

One my two cruises on Pinnacle class ships there was usually only enough business to open one table.  I won't play 6/5 either so I don't pay much attention to blackjack.  Even at night it was hard to get more than 1 or 2 people at the higher limit 3/2 table.    They will open the table for one player in my experience, but not as much fun.  

Bump!

When I was first on this thread I had only two Pinnacle-class cruises scheduled, the Rotterdam VII inaugural (since cancelled) and the Rotterdam VII 150th Anniversary.  So I was querying you about their willingness to open the pit with the 3/2 blackjack table on the Pinnacle-class ships, since I didn't have much luck getting them to open it for me alone on Eurodam.

 

But now I see that you and I are on the same two little Pacific coastals B2B on Koningsdam Oct 31- Nov 14.  So I hope that we can "gang up" on the casino host and get him/her to open the 3/2 table for us.

[Calnev1]

On 4/20/2021 at 5:37 PM, Laminator said:

We were on the NS out of FLL which the new Rotterdam will be similar to. The $25 table was pretty much open all day and had at least 3 players at it consistently. I have to be honest they have always opened the $25 for me when I have sat down. It may take then 30 minutes but they do get it open. But I am not a "pro" so I probably lose much more...LOL!!! I will be on the Rotterdam Nov 10th.

Is the $25 table dealt from a continuous shuffle machine (CSM?).  If hand dealt, do you know how many decks are used? I have some other questions about the rules (e.g., DAS allowed?  RSA allowed? Late Surrender allowed?), but, really, if the table uses a CSM, I won't play it no matter what the other rules are.

[AV8rix]

5 hours ago, Calnev1 said:

Is the $25 table dealt from a continuous shuffle machine (CSM?).  If hand dealt, do you know how many decks are used? I have some other questions about the rules (e.g., DAS allowed?  RSA allowed? Late Surrender allowed?), but, really, if the table uses a CSM, I won't play it no matter what the other rules are.

Disclaimer:  I have not cruised since 10/19, will resume on Oct 31.

 

So here were the pre-COVID blackjack conditions:  There have never been CSMs on HAL blackjack tables in the 10 years that I have been cruising on HAL. Like you, I will never play at any casino where there are CSMs.  I honestly forget whether it is 6 or 8 decks, seem to remember 8.  DAS is allowed.  I believe RSA is allowed up to 3 (that is, 4 hands total).  Late surrender is not allowed...although there is sometimes what they call a "Crazy Blackjack" table (what I would call Spanish or Caribbean blackjack), where I have seen late surrender.  All of the above pertains to the 3/2 table only, as I have never played on the 6/5 table or the "Crazy Blackjack".  One thing that I didn't like was sometimes very unfavorable penetration but that seemed to vary with dealers and ships.  Sometimes appeared to be almost half the shoe, other times not so much.

 

Any other blackjack player is welcome to correct what I have said, as my memory may be faulty in my old age...but I still can count😉😉.

[Laminator]

6 hours ago, Calnev1 said:

Is the $25 table dealt from a continuous shuffle machine (CSM?).  If hand dealt, do you know how many decks are used? I have some other questions about the rules (e.g., DAS allowed?  RSA allowed? Late Surrender allowed?), but, really, if the table uses a CSM, I won't play it no matter what the other rules are.

I have someone I know joining the Rotterdam tomorrow. I will see what I can find out. It's possible, with the Rotterdam being new, there will be CSM's on it. I believe Av8rix is correct but it has been a while so I am not 100% sure. I only pay on the 3/2 table so I have no clue about the other blackjack tables. 

Edited October 14, 2021 by Laminator

[Calnev1]

54 minutes ago, Av8rix said:

Disclaimer:  I have not cruised since 10/19, will resume on Oct 31.

 

So here were the pre-COVID blackjack conditions:  There have never been CSMs on HAL blackjack tables in the 10 years that I have been cruising on HAL. Like you, I will never play at any casino where there are CSMs.  I honestly forget whether it is 6 or 8 decks, seem to remember 8.  DAS is allowed.  I believe RSA is allowed up to 3 (that is, 4 hands total).  Late surrender is not allowed...although there is sometimes what they call a "Crazy Blackjack" table (what I would call Spanish or Caribbean blackjack), where I have seen late surrender.  All of the above pertains to the 3/2 table only, as I have never played on the 6/5 table or the "Crazy Blackjack".  One thing that I didn't like was sometimes very unfavorable penetration but that seemed to vary with dealers and ships.  Sometimes appeared to be almost half the shoe, other times not so much.

 

Any other blackjack player is welcome to correct what I have said, as my memory may be faulty in my old age...but I still can count😉😉.

This is very valuable info!  Thanks!

 

I am hoping that the ship also has that "crazy blackjack", AKA "Fun21" which, as you note, is similar to Spanish 21.  Fun21 has been on every Carnival and Princess cruise I have been on pre-COVID.   And, shhh, never ever use the "c" word . . . .

[Calnev1]

26 minutes ago, Laminator said:

I have someone I know joining the Rotterdam tomorrow. I will see what I can find out. It's possible, with the Rotterdam being new, there will be CSM's on it. I believe Av8rix is correct but it has been a while so I am not 100% sure. I only pay on the 3/2 table so I have no clue about the other blackjack tables. 

Yes, please, feed us as much info you can about CSMs, table rules, BJ variants, etc.  Thanks in advance!!

[golfbagger]

Hey, I like this casino discussion!  Going on NS, Feb.13,  and wondered if Black Jack rules and play will be as bad as on Eurodam in 2020?---  Only a 6/5 table open most of the time, but with an 8deck shoe, and not that busy!  In 2018, on the "old" Rotterdam they had a 3/2 w/$15 min.--very busy and a great time😛  I wonder if the casino operator really wants table play?---maybe, because free drinks are now coming back?

 

[AV8rix]

59 minutes ago, golfbagger said:

Hey, I like this casino discussion!  Going on NS, Feb.13,  and wondered if Black Jack rules and play will be as bad as on Eurodam in 2020?---  Only a 6/5 table open most of the time, but with an 8deck shoe, and not that busy!  In 2018, on the "old" Rotterdam they had a 3/2 w/$15 min.--very busy and a great time😛  I wonder if the casino operator really wants table play?---maybe, because free drinks are now coming back?

 

I have had exactly the same problem on Eurodam -- TWICE!!  The problem is, the 3/2 table is in a separate pit from the nasty stupid 6/5 table.  The host told me that they didn't have enough personnel to staff the second pit  EVER during the daytime.  They only opened it late in the evening, and only sometimes.  I agree about the dearly departed little S-class and R-class ships.  There is only one pit on those ships and they have ALWAYS graciously opened the 3/2 table for me when I asked.