Private poker game on a cruise ship (2 Viewers)

Joined
Feb 11, 2017
Messages
187
Reaction score
110
Location
Phoenix
Next summer we are going on a cruise with a large group of friends. I intend to bring a set of chips on the boat so we all can meet up in the ships library or game room and have our normal .25/.50 NL game. Has anyone tried to do this before? I figure we might be able to get away with it if we dont have any cash on the table.
 
I have done it a couple of times in cabin (with a small group, obviously) but never in a public area.

I don't see why they would hassle you as long as you aren't bothering other passengers. Just don't have cash out - keep a book or require players to pre-buy in the cabin.
 
I doubt anyone will care. This could be wildly different on a poker cruise. Let's see what @ekricket has to say about that.

I bring all sorts of games and supplies on my cruises. Mostly it is just the two of us and we aren't playing poker. But I have brought chips and cards twice before without trouble. You will get stopped as you enter the ship. A case of poker chips looks too much like a bomb to a security screener.

We played in the "game room", a small place for bridge, dominos, mahjong and other games. Plenty of room in an out-of-the-way place. Our policy was to turn away strangers asking about the game.

Buy-ins were not cash, strictly credit. No one carries cash anyway, I just kept a score pad in with the chips.

Pretty much never seen a crew member in the game room. Certainly no security people. So long as we didn't cause a disturbance, no one from the ship seemed to care.

No bar service in the game room :(

Have fun! -=- DrStrange
 
Speaking from experience here, lots of it. Not once or twice but many times.
I bring chips and cards in every cruise and get games going. In the library, main dining room, private rooms, basically anywhere you can find the space except the casino.
I put ads in the daily paper thing, I send in invites to the daily morning show and they read them. I post flyers on the dining room doors. I openly recruit at the poker table for players while I’m playing in the casino.
If you ask the dining people will set up your tables for you.
They don’t really care what you do as long as your not bothering other people. It’s a cruise ship, it’s about relaxing, not busting paying guests balls about stupid shit.
Just be cool, don’t get drunk and loud.

It is hit and miss on attendance, I’ve had cruises where we payed every day we were at sea and I’ve had cruises where I couldn’t get a single player to show up. It’s kinda like the casino poker, it is either a go for the first day or you can’t get a game up the whole cruise.
 
Speaking from experience here, lots of it. Not once or twice but many times.
I bring chips and cards in every cruise and get games going. In the library, main dining room, private rooms, basically anywhere you can find the space except the casino.
I put ads in the daily paper thing, I send in invites to the daily morning show and they read them. I post flyers on the dining room doors. I openly recruit at the poker table for players while I’m playing in the casino.
If you ask the dining people will set up your tables for you.
They don’t really care what you do as long as your not bothering other people. It’s a cruise ship, it’s about relaxing, not busting paying guests balls about stupid shit.
Just be cool, don’t get drunk and loud.

It is hit and miss on attendance, I’ve had cruises where we payed every day we were at sea and I’ve had cruises where I couldn’t get a single player to show up. It’s kinda like the casino poker, it is either a go for the first day or you can’t get a game up the whole cruise.
If you don’t mind me asking, what sort of stakes did you advertise/play? I’ve been talking to some players in my game about doing something similar to this, but probably more private to avoid any issue with random passengers.
 
If you don’t mind me asking, what sort of stakes did you advertise/play? I’ve been talking to some players in my game about doing something similar to this, but probably more private to avoid any issue with random passengers.

Tournaments work best because there’s always a show, or dinner, or a pool activity, family, or something that distracts players after a couple hours. Typically we do $20-$40 T10,000 dollar tourneys, blind structure for two hours.
Even with T10,000 (or 15,000) it goes quick, players are ready for action from the beginning.

If your going to play cash don’t bring chips, just go buy them from the casino and return them before the cruise is over.
 
That's what I was hoping to hear. I would like other people to be able to play but I also have 5 friends going that will play every night. Have you done this on all the major cruise lines??
 
That's what I was hoping to hear. I would like other people to be able to play but I also have 5 friends going that will play every night. Have you done this on all the major cruise lines??

Good point, no only Royal Caribbean and princess. But honestly I don’t think any of them are going to hassle you. Groups of people do things all over the ship, so one more is nothing unusual.
Most cruisers are open minded about activities and leave everybody alone.
The close minded wouldn’t dream about going on a ship that a tsunami could sink or you could run out of food and everyone knows that everybody on a cruise ship catches viruses and dies agonizing vomiting/diarrhea deaths at least three times and that’s after you paid like a million dollars to get on one.

Just go, be cool, and don’t worry. If your bringing clay chips they will show up
On the X-ray as solid cylinders so they’ll want to see them, but that’s not an issue.
 
Currently using an Apache case that holds a 500 set, but most times I take them in the white boxes in a plastic reusable grocery sack, the heavy kind that stands on its own. Makes it easier going through security’s, and easy to carry extra books and other travel stuff.
 
Currently using an Apache case that holds a 500 set, but most times I take them in the white boxes in a plastic reusable grocery sack, the heavy kind that stands on its own. Makes it easier going through security’s, and easy to carry extra books and other travel stuff.
Never check them unless you want them stolen.
I carry the bag or case with me always.
 

Create an account or login to comment

You must be a member in order to leave a comment

Create account

Create an account and join our community. It's easy!

Log in

Already have an account? Log in here.

Back
Top Bottom