Casino flops -is it the dealers or the passengers?

If you're like me, the cruise truly begins when that magic distance from shore is achieved and the ship casino opens for business. However some cruises have been total busts - not one decent crap game all week, spotty card game participation and really, all gaming on the cruise never gets any real traction. But on other cruises, the tables are crowded, the craps game is the exciting meeting place we all hope for and a good time has had by all and friends are made. Yet, I never really figured out if it is the dealers that create this chemistry or the passengers. I am more inclined to think it is the dealers since I am an avid gamer but will not get into a dull setting, hoping it turns around. Just curious what you other casino junkies believe? We are looking forward to our December Summit cruise and hope we get some good casino energy. Thanks

It is the same with British cruise lines, sometimes the casino is crowded with people almost fighting to get at the tables, other times completely dead. On my last cruise of 14 nights i lost the grand total of £9, that is about 13 dollars:eek: Some evenings there were not even enough customers to get the blackjack table going and the roulette action lasted about 30 minutes. Talking to the dealers they say it varies considerably from cruise to cruise and they know pretty quickly when it is going to be a bad voyage. What makes it worse is their tips are almost non-existant.

Warm water cruises have busier casinos and the age demographic of the passengers means a lot. We british are not much into gambling anyway and the shipboard casinos are small. No craps tables either. For example the ship on my next cruise has over 3000 passengers but ony 2 roulette tables, 2 blackjack tables, 3 card, caribbean and texas hold em tables plus slots. I must try a US ship one day for more action.

If you're like me, the cruise truly begins when that magic distance from shore is achieved and the ship casino opens for business. However some cruises have been total busts - not one decent crap game all week, spotty card game participation and really, all gaming on the cruise never gets any real traction. But on other cruises, the tables are crowded, the craps game is the exciting meeting place we all hope for and a good time has had by all and friends are made. Yet, I never really figured out if it is the dealers that create this chemistry or the passengers. I am more inclined to think it is the dealers since I am an avid gamer but will not get into a dull setting, hoping it turns around. Just curious what you other casino junkies believe? We are looking forward to our December Summit cruise and hope we get some good casino energy. Thanks

HHHHHEEEEELLLLLLLLLLOOOOO richard1s:It is a combination. If the dealers are very nit picky then they could make players very uncomfortable. If you have dealers that try to block your shot as you are attempting to roll, box people and dealers that will start warning people the moment the dice don't hit the wall then players will be uncomfortable. If dealers wait and see if the dice missing the wall is just an aberration then the players may feel more comfortable. Remember, most dedicated gamblers don't go on cruise ships. Most people that play at a casino on a ship are just people wanting to have some fun and thrills.

A good dealer can make a scolding fun. My favorite line when a player can not get the dice to the wall is "Sir, have you ever done any acting?" "Well, no" "Could you PLEASE act like you had a bowl of Wheaties for breakfast and NOT a Bloody Mary and get the dice to the back wall". Usually makes the entire table erupt with laughter.

A good dealer can make a scolding fun. My favorite line when a player can not get the dice to the wall is "Sir, have you ever done any acting?" "Well, no" "Could you PLEASE act like you had a bowl of Wheaties for breakfast and NOT a Bloody Mary and get the dice to the back wall". Usually makes the entire table erupt with laughter.

HHHHHEEEEELLLLLLLLLLOOOOO MrCo9: Once the dice leave the hand of the shooter, the shooter, no longer has control of the dice.

I've been on Splendor twice and the craps dealers there make it very hard to have a good time playing my favorite game. They are VERY strict about what you can/cannot do with the dice. I like to lightly tap the dice on the felt prior to throwing - nope, not allowed on Splendor:mad:. I also like to throw with a high arc - nope, not allowed on Splendor:mad:. I still play because I love the game so much, but it's nowhere near as much fun as playing in Vegas and the like.

My best casino experiences were on Carnival Spirit, (dealers engaged and passengers ready to gamble), RCL Voyager of the Seas (felt like Vegas), RCL Rhapsody of the Seas (fun Texas gamblers) and NCL Dawn (free drinks and lots of casino events and participation). The worst were RCL Serenade of the Seas and HAL.

The cruises with the dealers stand around talking and convey "don't bother us" are the ones the fail miserably,

@Casino Player..............HELLO.........all Casinos not just cruise ships require the dice to hit the back wall. Your comment that the shooter has no control over the dice once they leave their hands is absurb. Throw them a little harder next time.

@Casino Player..............HELLO.........all Casinos not just cruise ships require the dice to hit the back wall. Your comment that the shooter has no control over the dice once they leave their hands is absurb. Throw them a little harder next time.

HHHHHEEEEELLLLLLLLLLOOOOO OldSeaDog1969: Once the dice leave your hand as the shooter how can you have control over the dice? Do you realize that would be dice control something casinos don't want to see occur. They just bounce and gyrate until they get to a resting spot on the other side of the table. I had a remarkable roll on one cruise when I rolled the dice 11 consecutive times where at least one dice, sometimes both, left the table. How is that for rolling the dice hard?

A good dealer can make a scolding fun. My favorite line when a player can not get the dice to the wall is "Sir, have you ever done any acting?" "Well, no" "Could you PLEASE act like you had a bowl of Wheaties for breakfast and NOT a Bloody Mary and get the dice to the back wall". Usually makes the entire table erupt with laughter.

I was once chastised of a "limpy throw" on my first come out roll at a game of craps at Casino Royale in Las Vegas. After that, all the other players at the table called me "Limpy", even as I was making numbers.

:D

I was once chastised of a "limpy throw" on my first come out roll at a game of craps at Casino Royale in Las Vegas. After that, all the other players at the table called me "Limpy", even as I was making numbers.

 

:D

HHHHHEEEEELLLLLLLLLLOOOOO jsmeeker: That happened to me one time. I was rolling the dice and one die went straight to the wall and the other bounced on it's side a few times then went in front of the stickman where it knocked over a couple of stacks of chips. The stickman yelled at me telling me to roll stronger. I asked him, how weak of a roll could it have been if it knocked down a couple of stacks of chips?

But, back to my main argument, after the dice land on the table, how much control do you have over them? I say the shooter has no more control than the dealers do. I could only watch them flop and roll just like everyone else does.

I certainly have enough control to keep them ON the table and get them to the opposite end of the table and hit the far wall. It's not hard to do. Most shooters can usually do it most of the time. Throwing strong isn't enough. I could throw them really strong at a point six inches from me and have them hit the table there and then bounce wildly all over the place. It won't get the back, opposite wall, and I could very well get a a "no roll" call. You need some "aim" as well.

I didn't get a no roll call on my next roll, but I made sure to put a bit more oompf in my next roll.

I certainly have enough control to keep them ON the table and get them to the opposite end of the table and hit the far wall. It's not hard to do. Most shooters can usually do it most of the time. Throwing strong isn't enough. I could throw them really strong at a point six inches from me and have them hit the table there and then bounce wildly all over the place. It won't get the back, opposite wall, and I could very well get a a "no roll" call. You need some "aim" as well.

 

I didn't get a no roll call on my next roll, but I made sure to put a bit more oompf in my next roll.

HHHHHEEEEELLLLLLLLLLOOOOO jsmeeker: When I rolled the eleven consecutive rolls with at least one going off the table I will admit was during a nor'easter. I've been playing craps for more than 21 years. However, once the dice leave your hand and go down the table I don't believe that you have control over how they land and bounce around. And at times the dice may not even come close to hitting the wall no matter how hard you roll them. Of course, there may be positions on the table that you may not feel comfortable rolling the dice from. When that happens I just pass on my turn.

HHHHHEEEEELLLLLLLLLLOOOOO jsmeeker: When I rolled the eleven consecutive rolls with at least one going off the table I will admit was during a nor'easter. I've been playing craps for more than 21 years. However, once the dice leave your hand and go down the table I don't believe that you have control over how they land and bounce around. And at times the dice may not even come close to hitting the wall no matter how hard you roll them. Of course, there may be positions on the table that you may not feel comfortable rolling the dice from. When that happens I just pass on my turn.

I tend to prefer to throw from the end as opposed to the position nearest the stickman. But again, it's not just about throwing hard. The arc you throw them at matters. And your aim.

Of course, as far as controlling the OUTCOME of the roll? That's a whole different debate.I'm still not totally convinced in "dice control" But just getting it to the back wall to satisfy the stickman? I can control that. Anyone really can.

I tend to prefer to throw from the end as opposed to the position nearest the stickman. But again, it's not just about throwing hard. The arc you throw them at matters. And your aim.

 

Of course, as far as controlling the OUTCOME of the roll? That's a whole different debate.I'm still not totally convinced in "dice control" But just getting it to the back wall to satisfy the stickman? I can control that. Anyone really can.

HHHHHEEEEELLLLLLLLLLOOOOO jsmeeker: As I have said earlier that is not always possible. After your dice land you really can't control whether they take a high bounce and bound off the table. Maybe one lands on it's side and goes to the side of the table. Or a die bounces straight down on the table then goes straight up and comes back down again not hitting the wall. On one roll I had with the dealers becoming members of the P. and M. society I had a die that bounced up hit the top of the board on the table then land on the table. Stickman said, "it counts."

One of the main purpose they want dices to hit back wall IS to discourage the shooter from controlling the dice. A professional crap shooter can and most time control a dice outcome if it wasnt to hit the diamond spikes on back wall. Thats is why its wise to observe table before betting to see if there is a shooter controlling the dice. That way you can bet with him. The way he/she holds the dice, the way the dice is release and also the position the shooter is located at the table. Experienced shooters needs less space between him and the wall so to get better control of dice. They love to be next to stickman. When there is an experience crap shooter at a table, watch the pit boss an observe his reaction

One of the main purpose they want dices to hit back wall IS to discourage the shooter from controlling the dice. A professional crap shooter can and most time control a dice outcome if it wasnt to hit the diamond spikes on back wall. Thats is why its wise to observe table before betting to see if there is a shooter controlling the dice. That way you can bet with him. The way he/she holds the dice, the way the dice is release and also the position the shooter is located at the table. Experienced shooters needs less space between him and the wall so to get better control of dice. They love to be next to stickman. When there is an experience crap shooter at a table, watch the pit boss an observe his reaction

HHHHHEEEEELLLLLLLLLLOOOOO pfunkbail: From what I have read about dice control they need to hit the back wall to have good outcomes. It would become a random roll if it didn't hit the back wall. If the dice hit anything else ie chips, hands, puck, money thrown on the table, or the top of the chip rack on the tops of the railing it becomes a random roll.

Are you guys serious. Dice control. Never read so much BS in all my life. Obviously your education did not extend to learning physics. If you actually believe this nonsense then I have to question your level of intelligence!

Are you guys serious. Dice control. Never read so much BS in all my life. Obviously your education did not extend to learning physics. If you actually believe this nonsense then I have to question your level of intelligence!

Don't bother with Casino Player. I tried to have a conversation about poker with him a while back. It didn't take. I think he's a bit obtuse (for an analog, see basilmarceaux.com).

Don't bother with Casino Player. I tried to have a conversation about poker with him a while back. It didn't take. I think he's a bit obtuse (for an analog, see basilmarceaux.com).

HHHHHEEEEELLLLLLLLLLOOOOO BeachyBrowns: How are you these days? Are you still playing poker?

If you're like me, the cruise truly begins when that magic distance from shore is achieved and the ship casino opens for business. However some cruises have been total busts - not one decent crap game all week, spotty card game participation and really, all gaming on the cruise never gets any real traction. But on other cruises, the tables are crowded, the craps game is the exciting meeting place we all hope for and a good time has had by all and friends are made. Yet, I never really figured out if it is the dealers that create this chemistry or the passengers. I am more inclined to think it is the dealers since I am an avid gamer but will not get into a dull setting, hoping it turns around. Just curious what you other casino junkies believe? We are looking forward to our December Summit cruise and hope we get some good casino energy. Thanks

The casino is built on multiple factors. I have worked at Harrahs and Bally's Atlantic City as a dealer and can tell you for a fact the dealer on the table makes a major impact. Having a fun dealer makes the casino more fun, whereas having a dull, boring dealer kills the game faster.

I believe that if I am playing I want to have a happy dealer who is here to have fun with me that way if I do lose, I feel like I had a great time. I used to do this for my players when I was a dealer. However keep in mind that the players play a major factor too, if the dealer tries to have fun the players must participate so its basically a two way street.

Just remember when you go to a casino you are there to have fun, not to make your years salary (of course making your years salary while playing your game of choice is always a benefit :))

I've been on Splendor twice and the craps dealers there make it very hard to have a good time playing my favorite game. They are VERY strict about what you can/cannot do with the dice. I like to lightly tap the dice on the felt prior to throwing - nope, not allowed on Splendor:mad:. I also like to throw with a high arc - nope, not allowed on Splendor:mad:. I still play because I love the game so much, but it's nowhere near as much fun as playing in Vegas and the like.

I recently played on the Carnival Valor in November. The dealers were fabulous. As a matter of fact, the entire casino crew were incredible; definitely one of my best cruises to date.

There was none of the above mentioned foolishness regarding tapping the dice, hitting the wall, whatever. We had some great times at the crap table during the 8 days. there was a player or two that was a pain in the butt, but even most of them got along great.

Fun times.