Cruise Ship Gaming

Once considered the sole province of the blue-rinse brigade, cruise ships today are a viable travel option for even the most discerning traveller. Not least among the reasons for this are the onboard casinos. Due to the fact that cruise ships sail in international waters, gambling laws don’t apply to these floating palaces and as a result all bets are on.

Just how good are the odds on a cruise ship, though? Cheryl James, a former passenger on the Celebrity cruise liner Infinity lost $60 on their video poker machines before realising just how bad the payback was.

‘All the machines have the same payback on Jacks or better: less than 75%,’ she recalls. ‘Compare that to the average machine in Las Vegas that pays 95% or better. The chance of getting a royal flush with perfect strategy is over 40,000/1.’

Cruise liners make their money through having a captive audience. Long periods at sea create boredom. Where else are you going to go except the casino, especially if the weather turns foul? There are only so many times you can take a stroll on the sun-deck.

Pro gambler James Skeller enjoyed his time on the Royal Caribbean Sovereign Of The Seas, but avoided a couple of his favourite games because of what he perceived as unfair advantages for the casino.

Says Skeller: ‘I stayed away from the ship’s casino, as the only game I play is craps, and the odds the ship offered on the craps table were poor. Anyway, craps dice and the roulette ball can be swayed with the gentle roll of the ship, so I don’t play either of them. I’m not looking to pay for some of the fuel bill to the Bahamas.’

Richard Shipman, a passenger on Princess Cruises’ Dawn Princess and an occasional gambler, felt the house had an unfair edge with blackjack. ‘They used some strange rules which really tilted the odds in their favour,’ he says. ‘No double downs after splits; double downs only on 9,10,11; dealer doesn’t deal his second card until everyone else has played; and $5 minimum/$100 maximum limits. And the casino charged you 3% to charge chips to your credit account!’

However, don’t think that cruises are a no-go area for gamblers. For those who like to play for fun and for beginners, on-ship gaming is ideal. The gambling ambience is luxurious but easy-going, stakes are generally low, dealers are helpful – they’re there to enhance the cruise experience, not specifically to take all your cash off you – and there’s very little pressure to blow your mortgage.

The conclusion, then? If it’s high stakes and high rollers you’re after, stay off the high seas. But if you’re looking for a bit of fun, or an introduction as a beginner, then it’s an option you may want to explore.

ON-BOARD ODDS

Want to know what the odds are like on a cruise ship? Michael Shackleford, a Professor of Gaming Maths at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas took a cruise down the Alaska coast on the Carnival cruise ship Spirit in June this year. Here are his findings:

BLACKJACK

Atlantic City rules were followed. To be specific: eight decks, dealer stands on soft 17, double any first two cards, double after split allowed, no surrender, dealer always peeks for blackjack, and re-split to at least four hands. The house edge under these rules is 0.43%. The betting limits were $5 to $200 at most tables and $10 to $300 at another table, which I never saw open. One game had the Wheel of Madness side bet, for bets of $1 to $5.

DOUBLE EXPOSURE

The usual rules were followed, with these specifics: eight decks, split only once, double on 9 to 11 only, double after split allowed, dealer stands on soft 17, player blackjack always wins and pays even money. The house edge under these rules is 0.64%.

CRAPS

Two times odds was allowed.

CARIBBEAN STUD POKER

Standard rules were followed. The side bet followed the 50/100/500 pay table. The meter was at $16,141.

LET IT RIDE

The usual rules were followed. The side bet followed the 4/8/25/50/75/100/2000/10000 pay table with a house edge of 26.93%.

ROULETTE

Basic double-zero game.

THREE-CARD POKER

In Pairplus, the 1/3/6/30/40 pay table was used with a house edge of 7.28%. The Ante bonuses were 1/4/5 for a house edge of 3.37%. The game was hand dealt.

VIDEO POKER

The pay tables, as recorded on one machine that had a maximum bet of $20, were as follows:

– Jacks or better: 5/6 pay table. Return: 95%
– Bonus poker: 1/3/5/8 pay table. Return: 94.18%
– Double bonus: 4/5/8 pay table. Return: 94.19%
– Double double bonus: 5/6 pay table. Return: 94.66%
– Aces Bonus: 4/6/9 pay table. Unknown return.
– Joker poker (Aces or better): 5/6 pay table. Return = 93.78%
– Deuces wild: 2/2/3/4/10/15/25 pay table. Return = 94.82%

SLOTS

Theoretical returns are unknown.