NCL Poker Challenge - First Timer Review

[PTC DAWG]

Smoking is allowed in most, if not all NCL casinos....most patrons know this, ALL the workers know this...not sure what you want to happen at this point.  

[monl765]

QuadraCatLady thanks for the information and your thoughts!

 

I have wondered if going on one of these poker cruises would be worth it, and your information is the best I have seen here.

[QuadraCatLady]

On 12/17/2019 at 9:00 AM, PTC DAWG said:

Smoking is allowed in most, if not all NCL casinos....most patrons know this, ALL the workers know this...not sure what you want to happen at this point.  

I want it to change. I spoke to several guests and a few dealers who all said they wished there was no smoking in the casino. It's easy to do and non-smokers (who are the overwhelming majority) shouldn't have to breathe secondhand smoke. This isn't rocket science.

[QuadraCatLady]

On 12/17/2019 at 7:46 PM, monl765 said:

QuadraCatLady thanks for the information and your thoughts!

 

I have wondered if going on one of these poker cruises would be worth it, and your information is the best I have seen here.

Happy if it helps. I had such a difficult time getting information about this tournament. I wouldn't have booked if I'd known what it was like.

[scrim67]

 

I've been on the last 3 NCL POKER CHALLENGE cruises (2017-2019) 

 

It's really a fun week.

 

That being said, if anyone who's reading this has a certificate won in a satellite tournament but cannot attend this cruise you are allowed to transfer it once.

 

I would be interested in negotiating a deal for this cruise.

 

Please reach out to me at scrim67@g m a i l . c o m  to discuss.

 

Thank you,

 

Mike

[MoCruiseFan]

I played in a hold em tourny on one NCL cruise and on the turn, an early position a player went all in or a substantial amount.  IT folded around to a player about 6 seats to his left and he showed his card to the woman to his right and she says out loud for all to hear 'you have to cal now with what your stack and what is in the pot".  He ended up folding and on the rive the all in hand the hit an inside Broadway (the all in was at best a semi bluff).  The all in complained after the hand about the play (One person per hand please) and the dealer said "this is just a friendly game we allow that.  Had that be me with the all in and the other guy called, I would have insisted that his hand was dead for showing it to another player and for getting help.

[scrim67]

On 12/11/2019 at 1:08 PM, Mike_DeA said:

 

Not sure if you're aware, but this was NCL's Annual Poker Challenge.  Most players won satellites throughout the prior year on other cruises, and got the cruise and an entry into the $1,150 buy in Main Event - first place was $112k.  You could also pay the $1,150 out of pocket to play.  It wasn't the ubiquitous small tournaments held all the time across the fleet.

 

Freeze out tournaments are becoming more rare these days.  They did have a $560 freeze out that got 170+ entrants.

I made the final table

[scrim67]

Has anyone played in RCL equivalent RPT?

 

if so, how does it compare?

 

I won an online satellite cruise package so I'm just curious what to expect after 3 on NCL

 

 

 

 

[KKB]

On 8/25/2022 at 5:56 PM, scrim67 said:

Has anyone played in RCL equivalent RPT?

 

if so, how does it compare?

 

I won an online satellite cruise package so I'm just curious what to expect after 3 on NCL

 

RCCL was far more organized than NCL.

It was held in a conference room--no smoke issues.

It has been quite a few years so I don't remember the structure or other details.

 

On another note, I still contend 30 min. blinds is in NO way a "turbo"; 45-60 min. blinds are few & far between in Vegas & elsewhere.

Just pulled up Poker Atlas.

Today: 

Venetian $1600 buy in: 40 min. blinds is the closest (and 50% costlier than this one)

Even Aria's $240 tourney has 20 min. blinds. (I prefer 30min+ but 20 is pretty standard. 15min. blinds r definitely a Turbo. Sahara is doing 12 min. blinds🤮)

Edited November 3, 2022 by KKB

[Texas_Holdem]

QuadraCatLady:

 

Most cruise ships have no idea how to run a tournament let alone a cash game.  And,  most have no idea what kind of anti-cheat strategies to employ.  

 

Given the lucrative "mass" events like these tournaments,  It would not surprise me if there were cheating rings that are counterfeiting or stealing chips in order to use on these tournaments.

[Texas_Holdem]

On 11/3/2022 at 9:35 AM, KKB said:

...

 

On another note, I still contend 30 min. blinds is in NO way a "turbo"; 45-60 min. blinds are few & far between in Vegas & elsewhere.

 

Venetian $1600 buy in: 40 min. blinds is the closest (and 50% costlier than this one)

Even Aria's $240 tourney has 20 min. blinds. (I prefer 30min+ but 20 is pretty standard. 15min. blinds r definitely a Turbo. Sahara is doing 12 min. blinds🤮)

 

KKB: one slight difference.  The tournaments at the Aria use the automatic shuffler,  so hands probably get dealt out at 3x the speed of a single deck self shuffle setup like on these cruise ships.  Am I wrong?

[KKB]

On 11/13/2022 at 3:12 AM, Texas_Holdem said:

 

KKB: one slight difference.  The tournaments at the Aria use the automatic shuffler,  so hands probably get dealt out at 3x the speed of a single deck self shuffle setup like on these cruise ships.  Am I wrong?

Perhaps double…those shufflers don’t seem to add as much speed as they ought to

[msdeb1107]

Thanks to the OP for the info. You can’t find the actual schedule on the NCL web site. Hubby won a seat for the 2023 poker challenge. Does anyone have the structure sheet for the main event?

 

Also, we just got off the Escape, and there were two players at the cash game on the last night that smoked at the table. One had a vape, which stank, and the other stood up to smoke, but was only 1’ behind me seated at the table. It was awful. Even if the cruise line allows

it, you would think poker players would have better etiquette. 🤢

Edited January 15, 2023 by msdeb1107

[cruiseny4life]

On 1/14/2023 at 9:09 PM, msdeb1107 said:

It was awful. Even if the cruise line allows

it, you would think poker players would have better etiquette.

Probably trying to throw you off your game. 🙂

[Scoman20]

I notice they have the main event divided up over 3 days....  how long are the sessions ?