Black Jack Rules on HAL?

[Bfson]

Does anyone have a complete set of the blackjack rules on HAL? Do they allow surrender? What are the rules on splitting and doubling down?

[tommy]

They offer insurence when dealer shows a ace,split pairs,an double down after deal you double your bet and recieve one card. TOM

[Bookish Angel]

Is there a discard shoe or does the dealer shuffle after every hand? (I am asking this question for my husband, so please forgive me if the terminology is not exact!)

[boards]

They deal out of a shoe, as near I can remember there was no dealing out of the hand on the Zaandam when we were on the cruise in Oct. 2003.

[Randyk47]

They use an 8 deck shoe. I don't remember seeing 21 dealt "out of hand" since 1994. As I recall that was on the Ryndam on a "high rollers" table ($100 minimum). Most casinos don't like out of hand, partly before of cheating, but mostly because it requires better dealer skills that few have nowadays. Most ships use Vegas rules with maybe some minor exceptions. They certainly don't use the older, more restrictive Reno as even Reno has moved more toward the Vegas rules over the years.

[cruzincurt]

The HAL Veendam used the eight deck shoe for both the $5 and $10 tables, the RCCL Caribbean Princess used a 6 deck continuous shuffle for the $5 table, single deck for the $25 table.

I don't like the continuous shuffle, nice to have a break now and then to hand shuffle the cards.

[Bfson]

If I split a pair (say 8s) and then draw another 8, can I split it again?

[cruzincurt]

Yes.

[Bfson]

Thanks for all the great information. One last question. What are the limitations (if any) on doubling down?

[Randyk47]

Bob - As I recall from March it was any first two card combination. I'm trying to remember if I could double on soft hands but I had one of those times where I just didn't get many hands to work against as bust card. I played off and on the whole week of the cruise and walked out slightly ahead but it was a struggle and never did catch a streak the whole week. Very choppy.

[RevNeal]

One of the rules that is very important, but which they don't like published, is that you're supposed to lose. :D

Nevertheless, I still enjoy playing (from time to time). I view the bet as the fee to play the game ... and assumed it's lost when I put it down.

Try "Fun21" sometime. It's an interesting alternative to traditional blackjack which I played for a while on the Zaandam this year, though I've always preferred blackjack.

[cruzincurt]

Revneal, You have the wrong attitude! Look at the bet as an investment, and gambling as going to work. You must have a positive attitude. I look at gambling as a tug-of-war with the house. The problem is we get ahead and end up giving it back. I practice and study the game as much as I can to increase my odds by playing the game with the strategy that gives the house the lowest edge so that I can benefit from a lucky streak.

Consider for a minute you sit down at blackjack with $100. After a few hands, you are up $20. That's a 20% return on your investment!! Can you do that as fast in the stock market? No. So the trick is to quit when you are ahead, then come back later.

Oh, if we could only learn to do that. The trick of the casino business is to exchange that $100 for colored clay disks. Now it doesn't seem like real money. If we played with real greenbacks, it would be a different story.

[Randyk47]

Same here Cruzincurt! You're absolutely right about the chips....doesn't seem like I'm losing the kid's college fund that way! ;)

[NoCruiseBlues]

RevNeal

In your posting you mentioned "FUN21", is this the same as "Spanish Blackjack"? If it is, it is more fun than regular Blackjack in that there are more ways to get paid off, despite the fact that all Queens have been removed from the deck(s). The greatest advantage is that there is no "PUSH" with 21, the player gets paid immediately. There are other rules to Spanish BJ, but are to numerous to detail here, if interested I will do so at a subsequent posting. Happy cruising to all, MAY ALL YOUR CRUISES BE MEMORABLE ONES.

[RaffinOrganGrinders]

I totally agree. Run away with your winnings each and every time.

With each jackpot won we always cashed in. Slots, Roulette, etc. Made enough this cruise to almost cover half our costs of the trip. Then got really lucky and won the coverall jackpot for the free cruise for two in bingo next to the last day.

George

[cruzincurt]

I'm pretty sure that "Fun21" is the same as Spanish Blackjack. I don't like either one. There is a greater house advantage or they wouldn't offer it. Now what is interesting is "face up" blackjack where both dealer cards are shown. That really screws with your mind after playing basic strategy in normal blackjack. I tried it on-on-one with the dealer and doubled my $100 in one shoe.

[RevNeal]

Fun21 is the same as Spanish Blackjack. I enjoyed it, and played it about half the time I did any table-play on the Zaandam. I liked some things about it, but disliked others. In the end, I felt that I did better at regular blackjack. I could sit at the table for 4 hours and play on about $50. Yes, I play conservatively. And I ENJOY myself. In that respect, I don't think I have the wrong attitude. I am able to enjoy myself because I've plunked down 50 bucks for the game. IF I walk away with some of it back ... or with more than I plunked down the play ... then GREAT! But, otherwise, it's just a game to me. A nice way to pass time, chat with some European or Canadian-born dealer, and meet fellow guests. As in all things with me, it comes down to meeting PEOPLE.