Does anyone know what types of holdem games are spread. Limit, NL, stakes etc? I can't seem to find the info on their website and I used search but only found one mention that was that they spread 3/6 limit, 10% up to $6. Is that the only game?

+EV

on mine there was only one table, and i think it spread 2/4 limit, but apparently on one day they made it like 4/8 or something

i was actually blackout drunk during my only winning session

play other games, like craps or something....pokerpro is not kewl

whats wrong with it? I have to figure playing on an electronic table is better than playing on a blackjack table with a dealer who doesn't really know how to deal holdem. Last cruise I went on (royal caribbean) it was like a 7 handed 5/10 limit table with max rake like $10 per hand or a 2-5NL table with max rake like $15. Cutting out the dealer in this instance seems fine with me.

+EV

PS. I'm planning on playing some craps etc also. Just curious if the pokerpro could spread NL games since I have not played LHE in like 3 years.

i just didnt like it cuz when i play live i like having chips and the actual cards and stuff....but to each his own

i dont know what they'll spread on your particular ship, but if its like my carnival cruise, it willl probably be limit and itll be on pokerpro table tucked away at the end of the casino

this was spring '07, fwiw

anyone else play on one of these yet? A google search looked like they can spread $60 stts and 1/2 NL as well ($6 rake!!!)

+EV

I am curious whether this would allow people to play poker in regions that allow for video terminal slots but not card games?

EDIT: Mods, if this is more appropriate for the Legislation forum can you please move it?

Regards,
+EV

this is exactly what PokerPro tables are ideal for.

I was on the Carnival Legend about four weeks ago and spent a decent amount of time on their lone PokerPro table. They scheduled four 50+10 SNGs, but ended up running 7 or 8 because they would have 10+ people on standby for each tourney. The structure was pretty horrible, though: T1500 stacks, blinds start at 25/50, each level is 10 hands rather than timed, paid top two 70/30 split.

They offered 40min/150max 1-2NL (10% rake up to $6), but it never got going until we were four days into the trip. It seemed the only way to get a game running was to camp out at the table and ask the casino to make an announcement. The table was in an open area, so there was a ton of foot traffic and the game would run from dinnertime until 3-4am.

The rake seemed high at first, but it's really no worse than where I play in Niagara Falls. 50+10 is standard for their smallest buy-in tourneys and 10% to $6 for the cash game isn't much different than the $3+$1+$1 that I'm used to. And there's no tipping on a PokerPro table, obviously.

I agree with TT that these things are perfect for cruise ships...I'd never want to play on them at a real B&M, though.

Actually the 10% up to $6 is really not so bad as in AC it is $4 +1 tip and sometimes more than $1 tip if things are going well (which is usually when you are paying rake anyways).

I am excited then because $150 cap NL at 1/2 should be really fun.

+EV

BTW. Was TT referring to them being perfect for cruise ships, or for environments that allow video gaming? I am hoping the latter.

It does seem like overcoming 20% vig is going to be tough though on the S&G's, especially with such a fast structure.

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I would play those all day and all night. If you are a decent to good SnG player you can make good money with that structure.

Really? Cause most good S&G players are paying 10% rake and getting something like a 10% roi after the fact. For them (and myself as well since that is pretty much my exact situation) 20% would be break even at best. Does something else other than playing total fish affect your feeling about this?

+EV

I don't think you have your head around how colossally fishy cruise ship poker is. Expect half of your table to have never played holdem before outside of maybe drunken home games. I'm probably about breakeven in B&M 10/20, but I could make a living as a cruise ship pro with a 1500/week nut to stay on the ship even with the rake.

Was on the Carnival Fantasy a few weeks ago, and it was $1/$2 NL with a $150 CAP I think....though I'm pretty sure the rake was 10% up to $4.

iron81 is 100% right about the play at these games. On my boat, it was either super passive (like during the day) or passive + the occasional drunk maniac.

Very juicy

Thank you. I couldn't have written it better myself.

I was on the canival inspiration a couple of weeks ago. There one table spread 1/2 nl with a $6 max rake. Buy in was 40 min with no max. There was harldy anyone playing, maybe a total of 10 hours over 4 days not counting the tournys. The play was terrible but I did manage to get stacked twice in the first 30 min. Set over Set and then KK on a 666 flop. After that was able to make a great return playing abc poker.

I am going on a Carnival cruise very soon here. A couple of questions:

1. Being that the cruise is "cashless" and everything is linked to a credit card or debit card, how do they work the casino? Do you just swipe your card and your winnings/losses are added or deducted from it?

2. How many tables do they have going? I'm interested in 1/2 NL.

3. Can someone give an explanation of what the PokerPro tables are and how they work?

Thanks.

Congratulations on using the search function.

Generally, they ask you to create a credit on your room key. If you have money left, it is credited to your account.

There will be one table and it is will be limit. The cruise I was on the first night it was 2/4 and then they moved it to 3/6. After 2 days, it will be more like a home game since you'll know most of the players.

The PokerPro tables are electronic without a dealer. You'll swipe your room key and decide how much money you have in your stack. You'll need to "cup" your cards. The best way (which got shown to me) is to cup your card and use your room key to touch the cards to have they lift up (it take a little practice, but watch someone else who seems to know what they are doing).

I was on the Carnival Fascination a few weeks ago for a 5 night cruise from Jacksonville to the Bahamas.

on this table, you used your room key as your players card. it's basically a cash advance, but you don't pay any %. the final night you have to be sure to go to the cage and get your money. If not, then you might not get your money. The pit boss/casino manager wasn't really clear on what would happen.

The game played was 1/2NL. the rake is sick, but the game is still beatable since the majority of the players were horrible.

$50 min buy in, 200 max. I don't believe I ever saw more than 8 players at 1 time playing.

they tried to get a one table tourney going for $120 (I think) on a day at sea in the a.m., but only 5 of us showed up, so we just played cash.

a couple times when there was nobody at the table, my wife and I just sat down and played against each other for 10 minutes, the small blind always folding preflop so no rake. Why? to draw a crowd, and because the manager would see us trying to get a game and he'd buy us a drink (huge bonus on a cruise ship since the drink prices are sick!).

Last year I went on a Royal Caribbean cruise out of miami. Live dealer on that cruise. Also, the people out of miami had more money in general and weren't afraid to show off (and lose). If poker on a cruise is a big thing to you, I would do Royal Caribbean over Carnival. also, the food is better on royal caribbean.

I'm doing this same cruise except 4 days. Did you find any poker tables at the ports in the Bahamas?

Hey folks I work on a carnival ship (not in the casino). Let me tell you one thing about the 1/2 NLgame on these poker pro things..... I'm not sure where you found limit being played, most ships spread 1/2NL.
It is hands down the juiciest poker game you will ever see in your entire life. Despite the high rake (which does change from ship to ship), the players so so TERRIBLY BAD that it is hugely profitable.


If your table isn't constantly full you have a ****ty casino manager, every cruise I have been on it's always full until the wee hours of the morning.
Buy in min is 40 or 60, and usually isn't capped (although rarely will someone buy in for more than 150ish).
People will plunk down and station off with K high over and over again, don't bluff overbet top pair good kicker etc etc and profit.


Have the PPro tables is great (for a ship) because casino staff doesn't know **** all about how to run a game. Enjoy the game, have a good time...

Oh- and you won't find poker in the bahamas, unless the Major tournaments are at Atlantis when you go there.

Sounds effin sweet Now I just gotta get the GF to let me play a bit!

I played a 1/2 NL game on one of these on a cruise I went on last year. I don't know what the rake was but it was pennies no doubt. Fountains and fountains of money rained down from every direction directly into my stack.

I guarantee you that the rake was huge. There are only two kinds of rakes on cruises: gigantic and gargantuan.