Casinos

[YellowBird]

How many of us frequent the casinos while on board. I have on occasion, but I am not a big gambler. I would rather use my money at the lido bar....grin. But was curious how many you have done well in the casinos, ever played the black jack or slot tournaments. Can someone shed some light on how the tournaments work. I have never played niether one of them. One more question. On the days they offer the free gaming classes. While taking the classes are you gambling while "learning" the game or is it just a informative type class.

[mercedes]

We never visit the casinos, just isn't our thing. Visited Las Vegas a couple of years ago and never visited a casino, how strange is that.

[rogue]

The only time that I really played at the casino was on my 1st cruise with my wife. We woke up on the 1st day with 40-45ft. waves from a hurricane which happened to catch up to us during the night. Almost everything was cancelled for the day, and most people were in their cabins doing whatever you do when there are 40 foot waves. Cindy was loaded up with Bonine, and sleeping away, so I decided to go see if the casino was open. I sat down at the blackjack table with one other person at the table (this was only one of about five gaming tables opened). I proceded to win about $150 which to me felt like a fortune at the time. I walked away from the table, and never sat at another table on a cruise ship again.

[sailingrose]

We gamble less now than we used to years ago. My DH has played in a few Black Jack tournament (sorry can't help with how it works as I don't pay attention) and he won once. It was a few hundred dollars but still not enough to offset our losses.

I won an entry into the slot tournament once and made it to the finals but didn't win. It's done in heats (like the Black Jack). Highest in each heat makes the finals.

Free lessons are just that, free. They use dummy chips to teach the games. I learned to play craps that way and still go back now and then for a refresher course since I rarely play it.

I like Black Jack and Let it Ride and DH also plays 3 card poker and Caribbean Stud too. We enjoy gambling but have a limit to our losses. Gambling is our shore excursion since we've been to many of the islands several times.

[Suzila]

Not too strange, in my opinion. We also have never spent any money in the casinos onboard, and when we visit Vegas (quite often, because my son and daughter-in-law live there) we don't gamble in the casinos.

It truly depresses me to watch people spending their hard-earned cash in casinos, hoping to hit it big.

[DaCruzNut]

I am not a gambler. Other than a regular poker game with the guys, in my youth, and an occasional “Las Vegas Night†at a local charity, I had never gambled at all. I used to go to Jai Alai, and play the $3.00 quinella, once in a while; and there were the office World Series, and Super Bowl, pools; and the lottery…..

However, I do frequent the casino on a ship, and have been very lucky.

One of the dealers taught me a very important lesson, on that first cruise. These three “rules†have probably kept me “ahead†more than anything else, with the exception of being very lucky!

The first is based on a very simple premise. When you are ahead, the winnings are your money! That money, once it’s on your side of the table, belongs to you. It is not the “house’s money,†“their money,†or anyone else’s. If you pick it up, and walk away, nobody can stop you. You can cash in the chips, put the money in your wallet, and spend it any was you wish. When you play with the money you’ve won, you play it no differently than the money you took out of your wallet.

The second is just as easy. When you walk up to the table, set a “high-low†limit. Decide, in advance, how much you are willing to lose, and purchase only that amount in chips. If your luck is running bad, and you lose that stake, walk away. Don’t ever reach into your pocket for more. Consider it the cost of an evening’s entertainment. Conversely, set a “winnings†limit. Usually, a good number is twice your original stake. You can adjust it, but stick to it. When you hit that number, walk away and cash in.

Finally, is the “three play†rule. Whether at a table, or a machine, if you don’t win one hand, in the first three, walk away.

[SCIROCCO]

Me and Annie only play the slots for 25 cents and the 5 cent slots thats the only time we Gamble we usually walk away with $300.00 to $400.00 on a cruise with Annies System and the right timing to go! That pays for our Souvenirs and Drinks!

[westernmom]

My husband loves to play blackjack and so he went down on the Sunday of our cruise. I had taken a bonine and was "resting" and he played all afternoon. When he came up to get ready for dinner he had won $900 which he gave me to use for my shopping on the islands! He went down a few times during the cruise but just couldn't get anything going after that and didn't want to give them back his winnings.

I like to play bj but if I'm losing, I leave! I have done well a few times in Vegas but just can't sit still that long! Drives me crazy after a few minutes.

[Lisa63]

I'll play slots, occasionally. (And, I follow Jeff's rules, which are good ones!)

My best moment was on SS Norway, when I deposited 3 coins into the slot machine, spun, and 900 coins came pouring out! The only down side was that I was playing nickels... but still, it was exciting!

[sailingrose]

A wins a win Lisa.