Blackjack "Conditions" @ higher limit tables 3:2 (CSM/Shoe)?

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

58 minutes ago, mscdivina2016 said:

Hi Tom,

 

I got off 4 days ago. I was the only one playing a $25 table but it was always available. No smoking at tables just at slot machines.

 

Dealer hits soft 17's   yes.

no surrender   yes 

double any hand   yes but 1 card.

split aces get 1 card each only,   no    split any pair and play full hand including double down and re-splitting. 

 

Gotcha - THANKS (hope you had a little luck)!

 

Tom

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

On 1/17/2023 at 4:33 PM, TampaGambler said:

 

 

MSC usually has a $50 table, if for some reason they don't, just ask and they will change the limits if nobody is at the table. Last time we cruised MSC, they always opened a $100 table for me and allowed me to play 3 hands. Back then, the max bet was $500 per hand. I asked for it to be raised, but they said that approval has to come pre cruise, the casino director/manager does not have the power to increase limits. 

 

 

Just off my first MSC cruise - three nighter on the Seaside.

 

I was happy to see that, yes, surrender is still alive and well. Though I only utilized (remembered!) it on the second of the two nights I played in there. The dealer looked confused when I asked for it - I play two hands, and had a 16 and 17 vs. the dealer A. It turned out to be the right play. Of course, the next time I did that, my 16 would have pulled a 5. No use crying over spilt milk !

 

I will say that most of the players at that (almost always full) $25 table did not play basic strategy - but rather by the seat of their pants, hunches, and gut feelings. It was painful to watch.

 

Early on I did ask if they had a $50 or $100 table, but was told "no". Even though there were two empty tables next to us - that were never used. Probably not enough dealers, if it was anything else like the rest of the ship !!

 

Do they ever break out the purple chips? They had one guy at the table who cleaned out their blacks. He was sitting there with an (occasionally) full tray of black chips in front of him. Many times playing the table limit ($500). 

 

Tom

[TampaGambler]

1 hour ago, Tom-n-Cheryl said:

 

Just off my first MSC cruise - three nighter on the Seaside.

 

I was happy to see that, yes, surrender is still alive and well. Though I only utilized (remembered!) it on the second of the two nights I played in there. The dealer looked confused when I asked for it - I play two hands, and had a 16 and 17 vs. the dealer A. It turned out to be the right play. Of course, the next time I did that, my 16 would have pulled a 5. No use crying over spilt milk !

 

I will say that most of the players at that (almost always full) $25 table did not play basic strategy - but rather by the seat of their pants, hunches, and gut feelings. It was painful to watch.

 

Early on I did ask if they had a $50 or $100 table, but was told "no". Even though there were two empty tables next to us - that were never used. Probably not enough dealers, if it was anything else like the rest of the ship !!

 

Do they ever break out the purple chips? They had one guy at the table who cleaned out their blacks. He was sitting there with an (occasionally) full tray of black chips in front of him. Many times playing the table limit ($500). 

 

Tom

 

MSC is not a big gambling cruise company... When I called MSC casino customer service to ask about sending front money, the lady says, "What is front money"? She then says I have to bring the money with me on the ship. I know this to not be true as I sent front money in March, but even though I wired a very large amount, I could only get the limits at 100-k. They also refused to raise the min to $100. So, even though my limits were raised, if I wanted to play I had to play at the $50 table. 

 

NCL is the way to go if you like to gamble, they will allow you to bet anything you want. 

Edited May 2, 2023 by TampaGambler

[Slyfox16]

Do they use a shoe or a  continuous shuffle machine for blackjack on the Meraviglia?

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

7 hours ago, Slyfox16 said:

Do they use a shoe or a  continuous shuffle machine for blackjack on the Meraviglia?

 

On the Seaside, it was a CSM.

 

Tom