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Video Blackjack - PokerPro now on ships


Uncle Doug

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We just returned from a 7 day cruise on the Carnival Conquest. One of the new additions to the casino is the addition of 3 video blackjack tables. These replace 3 other live dealer BJ tables. The table stakes started out at $2 a hand but went to $3 after the first sea day.

 

This left only 2 other blackjack tables with live dealers, one being a fun 21 table with a $6 min and one standard Blackjack table with a $10 min dealt from an auto-shuffler.

 

After playing for a couple hours each day I asked the host about why the switch. I thought maybe it would aid tracking the player action like the slots but the host said they still do not track player action on the Blackjack table but did offer to rate me if I wanted to play $25 a hand for a couple of hours.

 

Not sure why CCL is switching but I am sure having 3 less dealers on the floor is one of them. Another plus is it stayed open 24 hours during sea days and only closed when in port.

 

It might just be me but if I wanted to play video blackjack I would have stayed home. I guess I might of felt better if I might of seen someone actually winning on the video blackjack tables.

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Ugh, hopefully they haven't put them in on Pride yet.

 

What were the rules on the machines? Compared to the regular carnival blackjack rules. Those things suck, though, it's totally antisocial. And it'll probably cost them money because everyone will be slow as ****. :D

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Ugh, hopefully they haven't put them in on Pride yet.

 

What were the rules on the machines? Compared to the regular carnival blackjack rules. Those things suck, though, it's totally antisocial. And it'll probably cost them money because everyone will be slow as ****. :D

DH has played on the PokerPro tables manytimes and thinks the first time was on the Pride and that was quite a while ago. They have had them on the Paradise, Spirit, and Splendor for quite a while.

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DH has played on the PokerPro tables manytimes and thinks the first time was on the Pride and that was quite a while ago. They have had them on the Paradise, Spirit, and Splendor for quite a while.

 

Blackjack or poker? PokerPro poker machines are great, especially for cruises where you may have a small audience and then you need to get a dealer and chips, and by the time that happens, half the group doesn't want to play anymore. All it needs is a casino worker and you're ready to go.

 

But video blackjack machines suck compared to a table.

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Blackjack or poker? PokerPro poker machines are great, especially for cruises where you may have a small audience and then you need to get a dealer and chips, and by the time that happens, half the group doesn't want to play anymore. All it needs is a casino worker and you're ready to go.

 

But video blackjack machines suck compared to a table.

Texas Hold 'em poker at a PokerPro table, no dealer, just live players at the automatic table.

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I can't stand the video blackjack, since it's so cold and impersonal. If I wanted to play a computer, I'd play video poker or the slot machines. There's a reason table games are fun - they're personal.

 

I'm sure Carnival loves it because they don't need to pay a dealer. I've also read, but with no citation, that each seat (and the dealer) gets its own 6 deck shoe, so your actions do not affect other players, nor does it affect the dealer. That screws with the odds some as well.

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Ugh, hopefully they haven't put them in on Pride yet.

 

What were the rules on the machines? Compared to the regular carnival blackjack rules. Those things suck, though, it's totally antisocial. And it'll probably cost them money because everyone will be slow as ****. :D

 

The machine itself was simple to use. Load your players bank from your sail & sign. Rules were standard blackjack, dealer hit soft 17, split all pairs, split aces only once with no hits, double down on the first 2 cards.

 

They also offered a fun 21 (Spanish 21) on one of the tables but no one was playing it.

 

It did use a standard 5 or 6 deck and all active players played against the dealers cards.

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I really hope this isn't part of a plan to eliminate "live" Blackjack. One of my favorite activities on cruises is to play Blackjack and get to know the dealers and the other players and interact with them. If I want to play against a computer, I can just drive over to Harrah's in Cherokee, NC, and donate my money there where the odds can be pre-set to guarantee my losing. :rolleyes:

 

I could be wrong, but it also seems like it would eliminate a lot of the "variables" which help give a good player options..... such as playing two or three hands at once, choosing to sit at first base or second base, etc. If you have your own shoe of cards, it so much more becomes just you and a machine and the odds can be pre-set are much more in favor of the machine than they are in a "real" game of Blackjack.

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I really hope this isn't part of a plan to eliminate "live" Blackjack. One of my favorite activities on cruises is to play Blackjack and get to know the dealers and the other players and interact with them. If I want to play against a computer' date=' I can just drive over to Harrah's in Cherokee, NC, and donate my money there where the odds can be pre-set to guarantee my losing. :rolleyes:

 

I could be wrong, but it also seems like it would eliminate a lot of the "variables" which help give a good player options..... such as playing two or three hands at once, choosing to sit at first base or second base, etc. If you have your own shoe of cards, it so much more becomes just you and a machine and the odds can be pre-set are much more in favor of the machine than they are in a "real" game of Blackjack.[/quote']

 

Yeah, I like blackjack on cruises because it's a social game and you can just hang out and push money back and forth. Which is a breath of fresh air compared to land casino blackjack which can be a pretty tense, miserable experience. lol.

 

If they have these things and it's just a bunch of people staring down at a screen, I pretty much would lose interest in it. I could just select the blackjack option on a video poker machine if I wanted to do that.

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I really hope this isn't part of a plan to eliminate "live" Blackjack. One of my favorite activities on cruises is to play Blackjack and get to know the dealers and the other players and interact with them. If I want to play against a computer' date=' I can just drive over to Harrah's in Cherokee, NC, and donate my money there where the odds can be pre-set to guarantee my losing. :rolleyes:

 

I could be wrong, but it also seems like it would eliminate a lot of the "variables" which help give a good player options..... such as playing two or three hands at once, choosing to sit at first base or second base, etc. If you have your own shoe of cards, it so much more becomes just you and a machine and the odds can be pre-set are much more in favor of the machine than they are in a "real" game of Blackjack.[/quote']

 

Agreed! I've been looking forward to "staying up late" and playing at your table some night on the Magic!

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just one more reason to keep me out of the casino. if i wanted to play with a computer, i could just use my computer. i too like having the live dealers and the "getting to know" your table mates.

 

i don't play slots-they have no personality lol....so i guess i won't be playing black jack either. wtg CCL! Just one more way to take some fun away.

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That's disappointing. They had those here in local casinos before they passed a law allowing live dealers. They are boring, impersonal and I don't trust them.

 

We can give feedback to the Oceans Player Club 1 (800) 438-6744 Ext. 65710 or 77466. I will either stay out of the casino or sail another cruiseline.

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