Really general question, and kind of strange, since it's not until January but I was talking to a few friends from home tonight about what I am going to do with my FPPs. I'll have enough this year, by January (by July really) to go to the PCA and I think I'm going to finally go.

Outside of poker what's a normal day like? Say you get knocked out early in the Main Event. Do most people stay around the Casino? Is the Casino right on the beach?

Can somebody give me some quick PCA stories,etc as I'm bored and dreaming about attending Atlantis.

my favorite part is playing online tournaments in the coral tower lobby 24/7!!

Atlantis is not as great is it is made out to be. The water park is the main disappointment, but the casino doesn't even have regular NL cash tables (or at least they didn't when I went a few years ago). The beach is really nice though. Any sort of activity down there is expensive as hell, but really fun- banana boats, parasailing, etc. To get to the beach from the main towers is like a 5-7 min walk through the water park. But that's ok, there's some cool stuff to look at along the way. But yeah, aside from all the cool sea creatures they have on display, the water park was a real shame imo.

I'd bet good money you wouldn't say the same thing if you've been back in the last year. The new addition is pretty sick.


Overall though there's a lot left to be desired from Atlantis. Biggest gripe from me always comes from the horrible horrible service at restaurants.

this

I had a great time the one time I attended Atlantis for the PCA in 2006. Normally, Atlantis doesn't have a poker room, but during that week, they set up poker in the ball room where the big tourney is and there's many games going all week. When you bust out, which I did in about an hour and a half on day 1 , you can head over to the cash game or play a sit and go if you'd like. They do run other smaller tourneys during the week. The cash games are all really juicy as many are drunk and just looking for a good time. Also when I went, there were many big time pros so it was fun railing them during the tourney and cash games.

As far as the actual hotel, I stayed in the Coral Tower as many other poker goers did and it was very nice. The casino is a little small, but not terrible, has the usual slots, tables. There are like 3 or 4 different beaches to go to on different sides of the hotel, with several pools and bars, plenty of options. We did do a lot of gambling that week, but did want to make sure that we got the whole experience, going to the beach, pool etc. Also, a lot of good places to eat, some of which are a little pricey. However, when you only have to worry about spending $ on gambling and drinking, it makes the trip extra nice.

Overall, the best vacation I've ever been on and I'm looking forward to going again sometime in the near future.

Bunch of nerds sitting in the lobby playing on PokerStars all the time.

me and the gf played in the water and got drunk most days. pretty fun, new orleans last week was much funner though

I've been there twice and my recommendation is to bring someone along who doesn't play a lot of poker. Last year I had two friends along and after I busted the tournament on Day 1 it was nice to have them there to force me to get out and enjoy the beach and weather. Then this year I was lucky enough to be hanging out with people who had family along or had also busted the tournament and wanted to get out on the beach.

Most of the people who seem to complain about it are the ones who end up just playing poker the whole time. There is plenty to get out and do if you actually want to.

The service could definitely use some improvement as a 15% gratuity is included on all bills so the employees really don't have to work to get it. Seemed to be hit or miss and you either got great service or horrible service.

pros:

1. u get $1500 credit with the stars package to spend on food/drink
2. you can use ~$500 of the credit to upgrade to a royal towers room which is amazingly better than a coral/reef/beach room
3. the beach is great
4. the waterpark, lagoon and pools are great
5. the breakfast buffets are great value and set you up for the whole day: no need to eat again until dinner
6. there are lots of side events, sngs and cash games for the duration of PCA: all very well run and good value
7. there is a lot of eye candy at atlantis, especially at the beach/pools and in the clubs/bars
8. the weather is generally warm and nice to be outside, especially given that it is january and most visitors are coming from colder climes
9. there is a busy casino with lots of table games/action
10. there is a wide selection of restaurants, some of which are quite good
11. you get to meet lots of poker players, especially in the coral lounge where there is lots of action going on
12. stars hosts parties at beginning and end of the event, all with free booze/food

cons:

1. the $1500 credit is nowhere near enough to cover all your food/drink costs, as these are very very expensive
2. the coral/reef/beach towers rooms are pretty bad more like 3* than 5*
3. the beach is busy and full of hawkers selling ****
4. the waterpark, lagoon and pools are very very busy
5. the breakfast buffets close at 11am
6. the players in the side events, sngs and cash games are probably some of the toughest you will find in live poker
7. almost all of the eye candy are with b/f, husdands and sugar-daddies
8. the weather is january can be cloudy/windy/rainy
9. there is a busy casino with lots of table games/action
10. there is a wide selection of restaurants, most of which are pretty bad, with terrible service and extortionate prices
11. you get to meet lots of poker players, especially in the coral lounge where 18-20 yr olds get stupidly drunk and accost you with hugs, stupid stories, prop bets and other ****
12. the stars parties end very abruptly before you have enough time to get properly drunk, but drunk enough that you then go on to the bars/clubs and pay outrageous prices to finish the job

PCA is great. yea, it takes forever to eat in a restaurant, but that's just how the pace is for service in the Bahamas. things are just more relaxed and at a slower pace than in America. enjoy it the leisurely pace instead of wishing your waiter would stop staring at you and just come over to the damn table.

go to aussie instead

PCA is amazing you all are crazy and must hate having fun. People that try to have fun are very easily able to. There are just hundreds of people on vacation that are friendly and very easy to meet and hang out with. Beaches are beautiful, alcohol is great, food is really really good. I know I always have a blast, as everyone that interacts with me there can attest to lol.

if you go to the bahamas and stay inside and pay tournaments you might be a nerd. go out on the beach and just be lazy, get drunk, enjoy the scenery.

i can vouch for mastrs having fun at pca as i can vividly recall 3 or 4 occasions where i ran into him and he let me know that he had been awake for roughly 48 hours and was completely trashed.

the locals hate whitey, and theres forced gratuity

the locals are the service industry

do the math

PS - dont buy a watch there. its probably fake.

Stu:

this is a con only by virtue of you being in your thirties >_<

I will also add a huge CON: everything is closed by like 1am (or 2am? I forget). It is not like vegas where you can enjoy late food or shooting the **** at 4am.

how about this question

if you could use yours Stars FPPs on one tourney for an overall fun time what tourney would it be?

so dont give me the poker answer: the main event becuase it has a milli0n donks

What's the new addition?

well whats your idea of a fun time?

I haven't been to the PCA yet but I imagine that it is a lot like this:

pca was one of the best vacations i've ever been on - i brought my gf, busted in the tournament in a few hours, and spent every day playing in the waterpark and laying in the sun, then eating amazing meals. definitely definitely bring people who don't play poker.

[QUOTE=Cornell Fiji;4336834]I haven't been to the PCA yet but I imagine that it is a lot like this:


LOL

My fun story from this year: The wife and I and some friends went out to dinner at one of the nicest restaurants at Atlantis - Cafe Martinique. It was pretty empty. We were sitting there and at the table next to us was Shawn Connery (James "freaking" Bond). He was with his wife and 4 others - all had come in on his mega-yacht. Apparently this Cafe Martinique restaurant was featured in Thunderball - an older Bond movie. All we could do was listen to him talk. He got up and sung a song with the piano player. We sent him over a martini "shaken not stirred." Got a friendly thank you and hand shake. He did seem really old at this point. We didnt take a camera or else there would definately be pics. Pretty cool and my closest brush with a super-famous celeb.

After he left we stole the wine corks from his table.

you are a freak and a very weird dude imo