In October, we published a piece of advice for cruise ship gambling, with some general tips about the general environment of onboard casinos. In this follow-up, we’ll talk more about strategy – not necessarily for winning games, but for handling your surroundings and getting the most out of your experience.
Four hot tips for your casino gaming experiences:
1.) Play With Your Friends
Again, these aren’t necessarily tips on winning the games but how to get the most out of the experience. Therefore it’s worth mentioning that casinos on cruise ships are often a little more relaxed than those on land. You’ll certainly see people laser-focused on the stacks of chips in front of them, but these are not typically placed for high rollers or severe card sharks. You don’t have to act more serious than you’d like, so play games with your friends or whomever you’re traveling with. You can still focus on the games while treating the whole thing as a casual entertainment experience.
2.) Ignore Dealers’ Attire
This tip probably sounds odd on the surface. According to one article, though, it might be crucial. Discussing scientific studies and the “Halo Effect,” the article suggests that sharply dressed individuals can make very impactful impressions.
We can fall prey to subconsciously wanting to impress, leading us to make bets we otherwise wouldn’t make or simply stay at a table longer than we should. It’s just one of many ways in which casinos are known to try to influence players, so be wary – or simply try to ignore how your dealers look.
3.) Record Your Losses & Gains
On a cruise, it can be pretty easy to lose track of how much money you’re spending. The casino can still operate in a typical fashion, with cash and chips, but you may also be able to take out chips via a card that you use for expenses on board. This can make the money seem less “real” (which is already an issue with chips in general), so it’s a very good idea to record your losses, gains, and withdrawals as you go. It’s easy to keep your running tab, perhaps in a note-taking app.
4.) Know The Rules In Advance
Hopefully, this is an obvious tip, but it’s probably true that many people visit casinos on cruise ships when they wouldn’t necessarily do so on the mainland. If that describes you, you might be walking in blind. For some games (like slots or coin push machines) that’s not necessarily a big issue.
But you still might want to brush up on basic blackjack strategy, go over the rules for poker and craps, and generally familiarize yourself with the games you might be playing. You’ll have a better experience for it, even if you don’t wind up a huge winner.
