Casino minimums

[Villcruise]

A recent review of the Equinox talked about high minimums ( $15.00 blackjack $10.00 per bet for 3 card poker, etc.) Is this also now the limits on other Celebrity ships? We were on the Eclipse last January where both blackjack and 3 card had a $5.00 minimum. We have a group that will be on the January 29th Reflection and enjoy the casino.

[vvnh16a]

Did the Silhouette (N Europe) in August and all table games including 3 card poker, blackjack and craps were $10 minimum. The Texas Holdem table game had $5 blinds which totaled $10. Casino was NOT very busy with most action at the Texas holdem table game. Not all Texas Holdem tournaments ($60 buy in)were played and they tried to have a $1, $2 cash game at 9 or 10pm....but it did not play every night.

 

I just dont understand why they try and impose higher stakes for people who like to cruise and occasionally attempt to gamble. This is especially true for the longer cruises say 10-14 days. They would get much more action at the tables with lower stakes and when more people play, it just attracts more people.

[richard1s]

I just don't understand why they try and impose higher stakes for people who like to cruise and occasionally attempt to gamble. This is especially true for the longer cruises say 10-14 days. They would get much more action at the tables with lower stakes and when more people play, it just attracts more people.

OP is referencing my recent experience on the Equinox. I don't believe that Celebrity is interested in more gambling. As I observed on the Equinox, less than half of the tables in the casino even had a dealer stationed there. I don't think they have the staff for more casino action nor are they really interested in it. On Celebrity the casino has become an afterthought.

 

Lower minimums encourage play and provide exciting entertainment value for some passengers, like me. Fewer trained dealers is one more way for them to economize. It seems to me that Celebrity has shifted from real activities and replaced them with drinking as a way for passengers to entertain themselves.

[CruisersTimesThree]

On the Summit this past July the 3 card poker table (both were open most nights) and the blackjack tables were $10 minimums.

 

 

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[Ex-vogue model]

15.00 dollar minimum on Solstice- I remembered on Royal Caribbean back in 2009 it was 5.00 dollars! Them were the days!

 

 

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[ghstudio]

Based on our experience, the minimums vary by ship, by cruise and by night. We have been on Celebrity Cruises where the minimums were $25 on all tables for the first night...quickly dropping to $10 by night two when there was no one playing at any table. On our most recent Reflection Caribbean cruise, the tables were $10 minimum from the start.

 

Anyone who thinks Celebrity isn't interested in maximizing Casino revenue doesn't understand gambling. I'd point out that the Casino used to be a franchise...and then Celebrity decided that they would prefer all the money so now the Casinos are run by Celebrity. Casino's are very profitable...as long as someone is playing. They are not trying to cut casino staff.....

[TeeRick]

Last two cruises on Constellation and Summit. There was a $10 Blackjack minimum which occasionally turned into a $5 minimum at certain hours during the day on At Sea days. The Roulette was always a $5 minimum per spin.

[richard1s]

They are not trying to cut casino staff.....

Not sure if they are trying to cut staff; but when I see half the tables in a casino without a dealer and the casino never really busy for an entire week - I am not sure what else to believe.

[sn2792]

We were on a Equinox in October and blackjack minimum was $10. Craps was also 10 which is too high for craps. Tables weren’t full, so I don’t get the higher minimums.

 

 

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[Hlitner]

Casino managers are trained to vary minimums based on active play and available staff. This usually (but not always) means that a busy casino will often raise the minimums...and a quiet casino will lower minimums to encourage more folks to play. Consider that it normally takes 5 persons to staff a Craps table (1 is usually on break). Assume a casino has 2 crap tables and normally only has a single table operating. But perhaps there is a lot of craps action on that particular cruise, so they decide to open a 2nd table which means assigning another 4-5 dealers to staff that table. Some of those dealers might normally be working a Blackjack table, so they would then close the Blackjack table and perhaps raise the minimums on the remaining Blackjack tables. On many ships the Casino boss does not have enough staff to open everything at the same time....so its all a juggling act with the goal being to maximize action and profits.

 

Do not kid yourself, the casinos are a major profit center and there is always pressure on the casino boss to maximize revenue. There is no way the manager has a "I don't give a damn attitude" or he/she will soon be out of a job.

 

Hank

[raynvic]

On the Summit in Nov. the minimum at the Craps table was $10. I never saw anyone play. When I mentioned to the dealer that more people would play at a $5 minimum he said they had people play, I was just there at the wrong time. Guess I was always there at the wrong time. Note, if the minimum was $5 I would have played all night. Oh well just leaves me more for my cruise on another brand cruise this year.