Blackjack Rules

[fwman]

Going on Harmony of the Seas and want to find out their blackjack rules.

What is the table minimum for 3 to 2? I won't play 6 to 5 - it's a rip-off.

Do they offer surrender?

Number of decks used. 6 or 8?

Do they hit on soft 17?

 

Thanks.

[OCSC Mike]

Bad enough that I don't really even bother checking anymore.

 

Don't quote me but I want to say it's all H17, no surrender, and only certain tables are 3:2 while others are 6:5. I'd also guess it's all 8-deck or automatic shufflers.

 

Hopefully someone will give you a more confident answer.

[George C]

Definitely stands on all 17 

[OCSC Mike]

Just now, George C said:

Definitely stands on all 17 

 

Wow, a rule variation that favors the players? Shocking.

[OldSeaDog1969]

8 hours ago, George C said:

Definitely stands on all 17 

Incorrect. All tables on Royal Caribbean hit soft 17.

[Stealthdog]

14 minutes ago, OldSeaDog1969 said:

Incorrect. All tables on Royal Caribbean hit soft 17.

 

We can confirm this for the Symphony this week - blackjack was hit on soft 17.  

 

For the other question, Symphony had 1 deck tables and 8 deck tables.  I assume Harmony is similar unless someone recently on has a different experience.

Edited September 25, 2022 by Stealthdog

[Cigar King]

Since they don't pay double for 5 card charlie I don't play.  😉

 

 

[OCSC Mike]

12 hours ago, OldSeaDog1969 said:

Incorrect. All tables on Royal Caribbean hit soft 17.

 

That's what I thought.

[StrikeEagle]

I'm not a gambler person,  the only game I know is BlackJack/21.  Play it on the PC and Phone.   On the ship do they have Black Jack on one of those machines instead at the table ?   Went through Casino several times look at those machines couldn't figure it out if it can play blackjack or not.  Thanks

Edited September 25, 2022 by StrikeEagle

[rudeney]

1 hour ago, StrikeEagle said:

I'm not a gambler person,  the only game I know is BlackJack/21.  Play it on the PC and Phone.   On the ship do they have Black Jack on one of those machines instead at the table ?   Went through Casino several times look at those machines couldn't figure it out if it can play blackjack or not.  Thanks

 

In my experience, if you are a novice player, the Las Vegas dealers and even other players will help you, and it's not hard to learn how it's played and "perfect strategy".  On ships, I find most of the dealers to be duds.  Rarely do they interact with the players and they definitely don't help.  Also, I've found that my fellow cruise ship passengers are much less friendly than players in Las Vegas.  I really enjoy a lively game of Blackjack at a casino, even if I'm not winning, but I rarely find that on a cruise ship.  

[SRF]

The shoe games are 8 deck.

 

There may be a 2 deck hand game that pays 3 to 2, but the table minimum is typically $15.

 

On the 6 to 5, they also rip you off if you get blackjack.  The table minimum is $6.  You can play $6 on the hand or $5 and one on the side game. If you play 6 and get blackjack, it should pay $7.20.  They only pay $7.

 

And yes, they hit a soft 17.  No surrender.

[OCSC Mike]

No chance there's a DD game.

[joeyancho]

Casino odds:

Las Vegas = good

Indian Casino = bad

Cruise ship = ugly

[aubreyc1988]

12 hours ago, rudeney said:

 

In my experience, if you are a novice player, the Las Vegas dealers and even other players will help you, and it's not hard to learn how it's played and "perfect strategy".  On ships, I find most of the dealers to be duds.  Rarely do they interact with the players and they definitely don't help.  Also, I've found that my fellow cruise ship passengers are much less friendly than players in Las Vegas.  I really enjoy a lively game of Blackjack at a casino, even if I'm not winning, but I rarely find that on a cruise ship.  

I agree with all of this. Sometimes you can luck out and find a nice dealer, but it is rare on cruiseships. And most passengers playing blackjack on a cruiseship are HOSTILE to new players. They expect you to play perfectly because your actions will affect their bottom line...and let's be real, most new players are not sitting at the HL table, the players can relax a little. 

 

I actually like playing Roulette or 3 card poker because the atmosphere is just a little bit lighter. 

[mark290]

8 hours ago, aubreyc1988 said:

I agree with all of this. Sometimes you can luck out and find a nice dealer, but it is rare on cruiseships. And most passengers playing blackjack on a cruiseship are HOSTILE to new players. They expect you to play perfectly because your actions will affect their bottom line...and let's be real, most new players are not sitting at the HL table, the players can relax a little. 

 

I actually like playing Roulette or 3 card poker because the atmosphere is just a little bit lighter. 

Your actions do not affect their bottom line. A 'wrong" move by a player will help you as many times as hurt you.

[OCSC Mike]

9 minutes ago, mark290 said:

Your actions do not affect their bottom line. A 'wrong" move by a player will help you as many times as hurt you.

 

You are of course correct... but trying to explain to that to someone at the table was something I learned not to bother with early in my gambling days. It was rarely well-received in my experience.

[rudeney]

31 minutes ago, OCSC Mike said:

 

You are of course correct... but trying to explain to that to someone at the table was something I learned not to bother with early in my gambling days. It was rarely well-received in my experience.

 

Yep.  I've had many other players admonish me for "screwing up" their hand.  I do mostly play "perfect strategy", but sometimes I just feel a bit crazy and play on a whim.  I was at a table in LV once and they had to remove a guy because he got so angry with another player who was just playing off the cuff.  Ironically, the guy the removed was way down, and the "rule-breaker" was doing pretty well.  

[aubreyc1988]

50 minutes ago, mark290 said:

Your actions do not affect their bottom line. A 'wrong" move by a player will help you as many times as hurt you.

 

Yeah but the players next to you will care a LOT more about a 1 wrong move that negatively affected them by a new player playing than 10 moves that new player did that helped them. 

 

In Vegas, if you were at a 5/10.00 table, the vibe is more chill I find but holy cow on a cruise ship, things be serious

[JessyCruises]

23 hours ago, StrikeEagle said:

I'm not a gambler person,  the only game I know is BlackJack/21.  Play it on the PC and Phone.   On the ship do they have Black Jack on one of those machines instead at the table ?   Went through Casino several times look at those machines couldn't figure it out if it can play blackjack or not.  Thanks

 

Some of the Game King machines have BlackJack but I am not a huge fan because there are certain things you cannot do (ie splits, etc)

 

[crazyank]

On 9/25/2022 at 7:39 PM, rudeney said:

n my experience, if you are a novice player, the Las Vegas dealers and even other players will help you, and it's not hard to learn how it's played and "perfect strategy".  On ships, I find most of the dealers to be duds.  Rarely do they interact with the players and they definitely don't help.  Also, I've found that my fellow cruise ship passengers are much less friendly than players in Las Vegas.  I really enjoy a lively game of Blackjack at a casino, even if I'm not winning, but I rarely find that on a cruise ship.  

We've had exactly the opposite experience.  Played in Vegas and absolutely hated it. We've played many times on cruises and with one exception have always found the dealers to be friendly.  As for other players objecting to how we play, a quiet "mind your own business" or "play your own hand please" usually shuts down the complaints, if not then things get elevated to the pit boss.  The exception to friendly dealers was on Rhapsody, the dealer was not paying attention, to busy chatting with people at other tables, after several mis-deals and complaints from players she was replaced.  We've seen players who got nasty about how someone else was playing asked to leave the table on a couple different cruises.

Edited September 27, 2022 by crazyank

[SRF]

On 9/26/2022 at 1:41 AM, aubreyc1988 said:

And most passengers playing blackjack on a cruiseship are HOSTILE to new players. They expect you to play perfectly because your actions will affect their bottom line...and let's be real, most new players are not sitting at the HL table, the players can relax a little. 

 

THe funny thing is, other player's play does not affect your play.

For each time you lose a hand due to poor play, you win a hand due to poor play.

 

Each card dealt is a separate event and statistically not connected to the previous or next card.

 

Good players know this.

[SRF]

I have found good dealers on board and not so good ones.

 

The save for Vegas.

 

I have played at tables with great fun players.  And with not so fun ones.

 

It is life in miniature. 😄
 

[OCSC Mike]

45 minutes ago, SRF said:

Each card dealt is a separate event and statistically not connected to the previous or next card.

 

Your main point is correct, but previous cards most definitely affect future cards (just doesn't matter how they are played); this is the basis of card counting.

[leisuretraveler223]

The blackjack on board is a joke. Mostly 6:5 all HS17, none allow surrender.

 

But the dealers are also not very good. They make a LOT of mistakes (some favor the player, some don't). So if you play, pay close attention.

The worst part?  When they close a table, the dealer picks up the shoe, full of cards and walks it to the cage. When the table reopens, someone brings the shoe back from the cage. Did any cards fall out? No idea!  Never anywhere else will you ever see cards removed from sight and returned. NEVER.

[rudeney]

2 hours ago, OCSC Mike said:

 

Your main point is correct, but previous cards most definitely affect future cards (just doesn't matter how they are played); this is the basis of card counting.

 

I think the reason why many players get angry at "wrong plays" is because they have this idea that some magical process has specifically ordered the cards so that the shoe/deck should play out a certain way.  These are probably the same people who have a favorite team jersey in the closet at home that has never been washed.