Mardi Gras table games $15 minimum now.

[mz-s]

1 hour ago, KarmaCruisers said:

I see you’re a roulette player..roulette is literally the only table game with odd rules like that.

every other game, if you make a bet anywhere it’s gotta be the table minimum (sans “bonus” bets, those usually are only $1)

 

Not really true. On Blackjack/fun21, you can bet a smaller amount+side bets as long as it adds up to the table minimum.

 

For example with the $6 tables, a lot of people will bet $5 for the hand and $1 on lucky ladies to equal $6 table minimum.

[SwordBlazer Cruising]

11 hours ago, shof515 said:

almost everything onboard the ship is contracted out. shops, spa, art gallery, etc, etc 

No, Carnival owns and operates its own casinos. The spa, gift shops, and art auction are concessions 

[shibby sails]

I just got off a 4 day cruise on the Sunshine. It was a madhouse in the casino. Most people were talking about the "free" room and free play but with $5 minimums you couldn't get on a table. Madi Gras in January had $10 minimum at the roulette. Sunshine had $5 and it was impossible to get near the table, so I see them upping the ante on most tables when they have a lot of giveaway rooms. Also, whoever ordered the new chairs on the Sunshine is probably fired by now. Thery are so large and bulky you cannot fit 7 around a BJ table. They are comfortable and nice (the Mardi Gras chairs were already ripping) but they are not functional for a cruise ship. Hope they did not order these fleetwide. With the people and the chairs, you couldn't move around easily. I felt sorry for the drink workers.

[knagl]

As a data point, I observed the following table minimums on the Carnival Spirit in December of 2022:

 

$5: 3 Card Poker, 3 Card Prime, WPT Heads-Up Hold'em, Let It Ride, Craps, Roulette (double zero)

 

$6: Blackjack (6:5 payout), Ultimate Fun 21

 

$25: Blackjack (3:2 payout)

[happy cruzer]

12 hours ago, SwordBlazer Cruising said:

No, Carnival owns and operates its own casinos. The spa, gift shops, and art auction are concessions 

This would matter because people have been saying Carnival is greedy when the table limits go up.  But if they contract out the casino and get nothing extra of the profits, then it would be contractor maximizing profits?  Which is it?

[4hunters]

I enjoy playing craps exclusively and have for many years. I knew this day was coming for Carnival (increasing the min bet, just like the Vegas strip properties did a while back).  My bankroll and I are just not comfortable playing at the $15 level.  In Vegas I can still Uber to off-strip properties and find $5-10 tables.  Not so onboard.

 

On a positive note - at least I won't be risking any money in the ship casinos. 👍

 

Thanks for the info, OP.

[dallasdan]

9 hours ago, knagl said:

As a data point, I observed the following table minimums on the Carnival Spirit in December of 2022:

 

$5: 3 Card Poker, 3 Card Prime, WPT Heads-Up Hold'em, Let It Ride, Craps, Roulette (double zero)

 

$6: Blackjack (6:5 payout), Ultimate Fun 21

 

$25: Blackjack (3:2 payout)

On the Miracle last month these were the same limits.

[Saint Greg]

Magic in Feb definitely had $6 blackjack. But when the casino is packed and all the seats are full they should absolutely raise the minimum bet to meet the demand. And I feel like the tables were always packed on Celebration. I didn't even try to get on a table there.

 

Edited April 11, 2023 by Saint Greg

[nascartim]

There were a lot of times the craps table was empty when I would've expected people to be there. Even when I did play in the evenings, it wasn't super packed, I wasn't crowded up to the guy next to me. And I believe this was a premier cruise?(not really sure what that means actually).

[hard_eight]

41 minutes ago, nascartim said:

There were a lot of times the craps table was empty when I would've expected people to be there. Even when I did play in the evenings, it wasn't super packed, I wasn't crowded up to the guy next to me. And I believe this was a premier cruise?(not really sure what that means actually).

Means lots of gamblers on board in those horribly discounted rooms...

 

They'd have a much livelier craps table at $5/min

[bear4228]

We were on the Horizon 2 weeks ago and I only played Blackjack and Fun 21 but all tables of both were a $10 minnium.

 

[Thenagers]

22 hours ago, KarmaCruisers said:

I see you’re a roulette player..roulette is literally the only table game with odd rules like that.

every other game, if you make a bet anywhere it’s gotta be the table minimum (sans “bonus” bets, those usually are only $1)

Mardis gras had the new tables with only $5 or $10 bonus bets.  The dealers said only the newer ships have them now.  I miss the $1 bonus bet!  It really adds up.  I did hit 2 five card straights and a full house over last week on let it ride so got some back.  But I know it is a sucker bet.  

[Thenagers]

3 hours ago, Saint Greg said:

Magic in Feb definitely had $6 blackjack. But when the casino is packed and all the seats are full they should absolutely raise the minimum bet to meet the demand. And I feel like the tables were always packed on Celebration. I didn't even try to get on a table there.

 

Mardis Gras was packed last week as well.  I did play $10 blackjack but it was only the ones that have the sucker bets and pay 6-5 on blackjack.  If you wanted 3-2 than you had to play the $25 table.  A lot of nights that was the only one with empty seats.

[Thenagers]

20 hours ago, mz-s said:

 

Not really true. On Blackjack/fun21, you can bet a smaller amount+side bets as long as it adds up to the table minimum.

 

For example with the $6 tables, a lot of people will bet $5 for the hand and $1 on lucky ladies to equal $6 table minimum.

With the new $5 bonus spots on Mardis Gras I assume you could bet $5 on BJ and $5 on the bonus.  I always bet $10 on the BJ spot and still $5 on the Lucky Ladies.  The dealers said all the ships will be going to the new $5 and $10 bonus spots soon.  Only on the newer ships so far.

[bartzcrew]

We were just on the Panorama, and it was $5 for like craps, but on the Dream last Nov was $10. 

[mz-s]

1 hour ago, Thenagers said:

Mardis Gras was packed last week as well.  I did play $10 blackjack but it was only the ones that have the sucker bets and pay 6-5 on blackjack.  If you wanted 3-2 than you had to play the $25 table.  A lot of nights that was the only one with empty seats.

yeah the $25 tables on carnival are usually really slow

[hard_eight]

19 hours ago, mz-s said:

yeah the $25 tables on carnival are usually really slow

Also the only one with decent odds. 5/6 BJ sucks

[mz-s]

26 minutes ago, hard_eight said:

Also the only one with decent odds. 5/6 BJ sucks

 

Fun21 is 3:2 but has enough rules changes to kick the odds right back to the house.

 

I play on Carnival just enough to continue to get my offers. I do not gamble on Carnival. The casinos are too tight.

[BlerkOne]

1 hour ago, mz-s said:

I play on Carnival just enough to continue to get my offers. I do not gamble on Carnival. The casinos are too tight.

As I have said, Carnival needs to up the ante.