Casino/Poker info on Emerald Princess

I am looking for info on Texas Holdem poker on the the Emerald. Do they offer it and is it live dealers or computerized. Tournament and cost?

I'm booked on NCL Jewel right now but thinking about switching to Emerald

Pokertek tables.

Pokertek tables.

Let me say I've never been on the Emerald. But a couple of other Princess ships have had one Pokertek table. The tournaments would be in heavy demand, but at other times the table might be empty. It would just depend. I'm not sure what the rake was, but it was hefty.

Just off the Emerald and DH is a poker fanatic. There is one electronic table and the games are no limit. 10 people can play and the rake is 15%.

Thank you!!!

Are they only having regular table games or tournaments also?

Would you happen to know what the buy-in's are?

Thank you!!!

Are they only having regular table games or tournaments also?

Would you happen to know what the buy-in's are?

On our cruise they did not have any tournaments but that was because the vast majority of the passengers were British most of whom were not interested in gambling. So there weren't many poker games that happened except for afternoons on sea days. The minimum buy in was $20 which was set deliberately low to try to stir interest. We've seen it at $40 or $60 on other cruises - it really depends on the popularity of poker for the sailing. And the game was $1 - $2 no limit.

That should all change after the Emerald starts the Western Caribbean itinerary. There should be a lot more players, and if it runs like it did last year on the same itinerary on the Caribbean Princess, they will probably have tournaments with a $60 or even $100 buy in. All of that is really subject to the casino manager / host.

By the way, if you're sailing soon, the casino manager will be Agnieska and the host will be Andreea Mitran. Both were the best at their jobs of any of the casino folks we've encountered on our past cruises. Both were always present and interested in ensuring that the guests had a wonderful time. Wish they could have done more to make the machines more cooperative but there's only so much they can do! :D

Sorry for my earlier quick reply, I was running out the door and should have waited.

There will be a pokertek electronic table and there will be tournaments depending on how the casino director schedules them. Depending on how busy the table is these could be every day or only on sea days sometimes two a day but that is rare. The buyins will be probably be $60 most of the time up too $100. The tables are capable of multi table tournaments (split times) but I have never seen one on a cruise ship so the tournaments are first come first served and can fill up very quickly if demand is high.

The rake is generally pretty high but on the other hand you don't have to tip the dealers.

Very much up to the manager and his team as to what the tournament schedule will be. On my last cruise on the Emerald, the casino host would rather see the table sit empty waiting for 1-2 NL than to run more than one tourney a day. Tournies were always full with a waiting list and people asking for a second tourney and the casino host steadfastly refused. On that sailing it was rare that there was anyone playing 1-2 NL.