What Board/Card Games Do You Bring?

[cathyoo]

On my other vacation (kids, grandkids, nieces, nephews) we do the Apple to Apples and Banannagrams.

 

Another card game we like to play on our cruises is 31. Again for dollars. Takes a little longer to lose your money compared to the casino.

[SadieN]

Phase 10 and (with the right group) Mah Jongg. I have the Kards but the gals don't like them so much. Several friends have traveling sets. The looks of the crew is priceless.

[arpie05]

I was surprised on the 7 day Dream how many people were playing games in the Lounge area. There was one LARGE family that had a big poker tournament going on. I have a travel game set that I won at Atlantis that has 5 or 6 games (I think like Backgammon, checkers, chess).

 

I came home from the Dream with about 5 or 6 packs of free decks of Cards. I must be flagged for no more cards because on the Sensation (next cruise) they were always "out but more tomorrow/later" when I asked.

 

We love Uno!

[GrandBistro]

Five Crowns is a great card game by the makers of Quiddler and Set, both of which are fun but sometimes hard to find. Bananagrams is great for solitaire, doubles or groups. Dice are easily packable for Farkle, Yatzee or Bunko. Dominos are heavy and take up alot of table space while playing, so not as cruise friendly and cards and dice.

 

Have fun!

[bankerbabe]

I always throw a deck of cards into my carry-on bag any trip that we go on. Once or twice I've used them on the airplane, and a couple of times we've used them on our actual trip. Usually they just sit in our cabin or hotel room, but it's nice to know that I COULD play cards if I wanted to.

 

(Hubby doesn't like to play cards with me, though, as I almost always win. Sore loser.)

[MagnoliaFly]

EGADS! They charged you? You should be able to get decks for free!

 

I didn't know that at the time.... we bought a pack in Cozumel that ended up only having 51 playing cards in it and then I bought a pack in the gift shop later. Now I know better! So glad I posted this thread.

 

I saw people playing Skip-Bo on our last cruise.

Usually it's just the two of us cruising and DH plays spider solitaire or hearts on our laptop. This time we have his DS and her DH going with us so a game might be used.

I'm going to check out Bananagrams and the Pictureka Card game.

We played the game Apples to Apples three times at Christmas and loved it, so I want to see how large the Apples to Apples to Go game is also. We can't drive to port so things can't take up much room or weight.

I was looking at the Apples to Apples to go game but wasn't sure how it was played and if it was any fun. We are traveling with another couple and I hope to make some friends to play games with on the ship so I might have to look at that game too.

 

I was surprised on the 7 day Dream how many people were playing games in the Lounge area. There was one LARGE family that had a big poker tournament going on. I have a travel game set that I won at Atlantis that has 5 or 6 games (I think like Backgammon, checkers, chess).

 

If I could get away with bringing my poker chest I would. It weighs WAY too much and even though I'm being driven to the port I don't want to carry that around. LOL

 

I did teach my husband to play Parcheesi with the board game in the card room and he liked it. I'm hoping I can find a little all-in-one travel board game with multiple games. I keep seeing them around on occasion too.

[bob7judy]

On the ill-fated Elation cruise earlier this month, the purser said no more free cards.

[cortneyward]

I never really thought about it either! I do have some games on my Kindle that I thought would be fun to play when I just want to sit out on my balcony alone but hadn't thought about the possibility of missing ports, etc. I'll head home this afternoon and pack Uno, Skipbo and some Dominoes (the train ones). If you like Monopoly but hate how long it takes to play, the Monopoly card game is awesome (we go through a couple decks a year!)

[Warm Breezes]

Uno, Sorry (card game), and Euchere (Carnival Cards from Pursers Desk). We don't bring board games as they would take up too much space.

[Rena921]

We don't do activites any more. (Been there, done that over and over again.) We DO play games and love a nice card room. Last year Serenade of the Seas had one of the nicest card rooms ever, but we were on a very port-intensive itinerary so didn't use it as much as we would have liked. I think it's funny that if you're in a card room a lot, you'll often see the same people over and over again--all the other card (game) addicts.

 

We play a version of Canasta we call "Hand and Foot". We also play a game we call "Tricks" (Hoyle calls it "Oh Hell"). Phase 10 is fun and small. And Cribbage. We'll play Cribbage in the theater while waiting for shows.

 

We also bring a couple of board games with us (without the box). "Sequence" and "TransAmerica" are both small and easily packed.

 

We recently started playing "Speed Scrabble" or "Take Two". No Scrabble board required, just the tiles. Or you can also use the tiles from "Bananagrams". It's easy to learn (google 'Take Two rules') and the ziploc of tiles is easily packed.

 

Don't wait until the end of the cruise to get cards from the casino or they might be out. We like to get a deck or two as souvenirs and waited too long last time. :(

 

Have fun!

 

Robin

 

Hand and Foot is our favorite Sunday night after family dinner game! We plan to play with the family one night on the Lido deck! :)

[Rena921]

I saw people playing Skip-Bo on our last cruise.

Usually it's just the two of us cruising and DH plays spider solitaire or hearts on our laptop. This time we have his DS and her DH going with us so a game might be used.

I'm going to check out Bananagrams and the Pictureka Card game.

We played the game Apples to Apples three times at Christmas and loved it, so I want to see how large the Apples to Apples to Go game is also. We can't drive to port so things can't take up much room or weight.

 

 

Target and Wal-Mart has travel Apples to Apples!

[skittl1321]

We always bring Quiddler and Fluxx.

 

They get a good amount of play- mostly while waiting for shows to start!

[KandCsailing]

II was looking at the Apples to Apples to go game but wasn't sure how it was played and if it was any fun. We are traveling with another couple and I hope to make some friends to play games with on the ship so I might have to look at that game too.

Here's my take on the Apples to Apples basics. You can google it for more details.

 

All the players start off with 7 red apple cards and then takes turns being the judge.

The judge turns over a card from the green apple pile and each player (except the judge) picks a red card from their hand that they think best matches the adjective word on the green card and places it face down on the table.

The judge mixes the cards up, reads them and decides which answer is best.

The winner gets handed the green card to keep track of the score.

Everyone that played a red card then picks one new one and the next judge turns over a green card.

How many green cards to win depends on how many players there are and how long you want the game to last.

There are also a few different variations on how to play included in the instructions.

[cathyoo]

I didn't know that at the time.... we bought a pack in Cozumel that ended up only having 51 playing cards in it and then I bought a pack in the gift shop later. Now I know better! So glad I posted this thread.

 

 

I was looking at the Apples to Apples to go game but wasn't sure how it was played and if it was any fun. We are traveling with another couple and I hope to make some friends to play games with on the ship so I might have to look at that game too.

.

I highly recommend the Apples to Apples game. Everyone we've introduced it to has run out and got their own game. Very simple to play.

[kml2000]

We LOVE to play Apples to Apples with a group, but it is just my DD and me so we wouldn't be bringing it on the cruise. We still play Skip-Bo with just the two of us.

 

We saw people playing cards on deck in the evening once on our last cruise and I was wishing I had brought a game (not bunches of games...just a game). We don't visit the clubs and it would just be nice to be able to play a game.

[Prphan2]

I have never found time to play a game. There is to much to see and do...:)

 

In St. Thomas the rain kept coming and going, and we had done all the shopping we were going to do, so we decided to go back to the ship. We grabbed a deck of cards, headed up to the pool deck and played cards while we waited for our favorite game to start...the running of the late-boarding passengers.:p

 

In addition to cards, we have a couple of travel-size versions of board games that we also take with. Rarely use them, but they're available in the event of yucky weather.

[MagnoliaFly]

We LOVE to play Apples to Apples with a group, but it is just my DD and me so we wouldn't be bringing it on the cruise. We still play Skip-Bo with just the two of us.

 

We saw people playing cards on deck in the evening once on our last cruise and I was wishing I had brought a game (not bunches of games...just a game). We don't visit the clubs and it would just be nice to be able to play a game.

 

I'm determined to make some roll call friends like we did last time. I think one of the best things about CC is the roll call board! My DH and I would have been miserable had I not gone out of my way to meet those lovely folks on our first cruise and had some people to hang out with.

 

In St. Thomas the rain kept coming and going, and we had done all the shopping we were going to do, so we decided to go back to the ship. We grabbed a deck of cards, headed up to the pool deck and played cards while we waited for our favorite game to start...the running of the late-boarding passengers.:p

 

In addition to cards, we have a couple of travel-size versions of board games that we also take with. Rarely use them, but they're available in the event of yucky weather.

 

I'd be afraid of my cards blowing away outside! Maybe it wouldn't be so bad on the Lido outdoor section but the upper decks were super windy on my cruise.

[Prphan2]

I'm determined to make some roll call friends like we did last time. I think one of the best things about CC is the roll call board! My DH and I would have been miserable had I not gone out of my way to meet those lovely folks on our first cruise and had some people to hang out with.

 

 

 

I'd be afraid of my cards blowing away outside! Maybe it wouldn't be so bad on the Lido outdoor section but the upper decks were super windy on my cruise.

 

We were on the Adventure of the Seas and the area we were in has windows that slide open and closed. We kept the ones next to us closed while playing cards, but did open them to watch the runners.:p

[MagnoliaFly]

We were on the Adventure of the Seas and the area we were in has windows that slide open and closed. We kept the ones next to us closed while playing cards, but did open them to watch the runners.:p

 

I was so disappointed we didn't see any runners at Cozumel in my cruise. I'm hoping I'll see some in March!

 

Also hoping the runners aren't my husband and I since we are spending the day at Nachi Cocum..... :o

[KandCsailing]

We also enjoy Rummoli if there are at least 4 of us. Mine is a flexible vinyl board and would be easy to pack with a deck of cards and some smaller plastic markers instead of the poker chips.

 

[MagnoliaFly]

We also enjoy Rummoli if there are at least 4 of us. Mine is a flexible vinyl board and would be easy to pack with a deck of cards and some smaller plastic markers instead of the poker chips.

 

 

I've never heard of that before... I'll have to keep an eye out. Looks fun! Sort of poker-esque.

[KandCsailing]

I've never heard of that before... I'll have to keep an eye out. Looks fun! Sort of poker-esque.

You throw down cards in order and can win the chips on the board if you throw the card that has that symbol or sequence. Person first out wins the chips in the center and also gets the chips that everyone else has to throw in for the number of cards they have left in their hand. There is a spare hand of cards so the order and color is always changing. It goes faster than poker since there is no betting or trying to guess who can beat your hand.

[JRock59]

Mexican Train (we live very close to the port of Galveston so it's easy to take)

 

Uno

 

Yatzee

 

 

Have found that a lot of folks play dominos in the lido deck buffet area in the evening or on a bad/cold weather sea day afternoon. If you'v esaided on a ship before and the shows haven't changed (out of Galveston they haven't changed in years!) it's a fun way to spend an evening and doesn't cost a thing!

[JLCAST108]

Our group loves to play games on cruises. Dominoes and Sequence are our favorites!

[cruisergrandma]

We take Phase 10 and Spinner Dominos