Casino on Mariner?

[Linda VH]

We are real casino rats - how is the casino and is it open alot? Thanks!

[Travelcat2]

Well, Regent ships are not large and therefore, neither are the casino's. By law (not sure what law), the casino's are closed when the ship is in port. Therefore, on port intensive cruises the casino's are closed until the ship is out of the port. On sea days they are open quite a bit of the time. I'll let someone else report on how the casino is since we tend to be too busy to spend time there:)

[Luxannie]

We just got off the Mariner, and Travelcat is right...it's small. But we spent many nights there, if only for a few rolls of the dice. The casino has slots on one side, a small (but fully stocked bar) in the middle, and then tables for poker, blackjack, roulette and craps. Great service from both bar and casino employees. It's worth a stop, if not regularly.

[SuzCruise]

Is the poker table a real poker table or an electronic thing? Our last cruise on the mariner the poker table was a weird electronic thing that no one was ever interested in so it never had a single game going.

 

Thanks!

[JMARINER]

Is the poker table a real poker table ....

Thanks!

 

I not a Casino person, but I have seen, on several cruises, several "bracelet" poker players.

 

j

[tombo]

Unlike the larger, mass-market cruise lines, Regent does not operate its own casinos. The casinos are franchised to third-party operators, much like the gift shops and the health spas. Be sure you understand the house rules before you sit down at the blackjack table, as they vary from what you might expect. Bring cash, as it is not really feasible to pre-arrange casino credit.

[jhenry1]

We love regent and I love the slot machines but the casino leaves a lot to be desired. In fact I am very disappointed in the casino but if the cruise is port intensive I am really too tired to stay up late gambling anyway.

 

Kandy from Texas

[neviboy]

Poker video machines have the worst odds of any casino. Unlike Vegas, there is no competition. The shops have outrageous prices. Enjoy the shows and music and bar conversations.

[cruzndiz]

Linda -- Like you I am also a casino rat and this was one of my biggest concerns the first time I sailed on Mariner (what was I supposed to do to fill my time between 10pm and 1am if not play in the casino? LOL)

 

The tables are actual tables, with dealers, quite friendly I might add...and they will switch games based on what you all want to play if there is a steady group. You will notice the same 20 or so people who play in the casino whenever it is open (that is what I mean by group) and we found that the Casino manager was willing to make one of the tables either Let It Ride or Black Jack or 3 Card Poker depending on what we all felt like playing.

 

As far as slot machines, they are OLD OLD OLD and there are only a couple of the newer electronic type that offer bonus games but none of them pay very much although the bonus games do come up quite often.

 

Video poker, as Nevile mentioned, has terrible odds but no worse than any other casino at sea and I did see Royal Flushes hit more than once on both of my Mariner cruises so it is possible!

[SuzCruise]

I decided I'd answere my own question in case there was anyone else out there who cared. The only poker table is actually three card poker. The electronic Hold ' Em table that was completely unused on my last mariner cruise is gone. There are lots of black jack tables, roulette and craps. And many old slot and video poker machines.

 

DH and I love to gamble, but prefer poker. If the craps table ever really gets going we may jump in. The casino has been pretty empty any time we have checked it out.

[Kevnzworld]

The Regent ships used to have pokertek tables. Live play with an electronic dealer. One Mediterranean cruise in the summer a few years back this was really popular, always people waiting for a seat in the evenings.

Last years Mediterranean cruise I noticed that the table was gone and the casino was a ghost town. Maybe a few people playing blackjack.

[EleanorWW]

I decided I'd answere my own question in case there was anyone else out there who cared. The only poker table is actually three card poker.

 

The casino has been pretty empty any time we have checked it out.

 

thank you for clarifying the poker table for us! we were floating in October and had no luck at the slots and I don't understand craps and neither it nor roulette were up anyway. there was only one blackjack table with any players and I turned to stare at the poker game. I thought it was unlike anything I had ever seen. what was the point?

 

being Regent, everyone was kind and explained what I was seeing so I sat down at the table with just two other players. I played for an hour and walked away up ten dollars! that is pretty amazing for entertainment.

 

the poker game is largely a no-brainer. absolutely no skill is involved. at least on blackjack, you need to know how to add.

 

the DH sidled up behind me and stared for awhile and decided to sit down and give it a go. second hand, he was dealt a royal flush. with a payout of 40-1, he won enough to subsidize our gaming the entire cruise. it's just luck ... or not. I sat next to a man who couldn't seem to get any decent cards for two nights.

 

btw. the Mariner casino is open to the Stars Lounge below and karaoke comes right up the staircase. on our cruise, the noise was hilariously pitiful. on the other hand, if a good song started, our table would join in the yodeling.

 

Regent cruisers don't seem to be attracted to the casino but it's there and the play is with real money.

[Linda VH]

Thanks for the replies - I LOVE 3 card poker!