Poker News

United States of Poker: Daily Poker Cruises

Poker cruises are split into this and next issue’s article, as we cover daily poker cruises, this time around. In two weeks are poker cruises that have limited runs, such as Classic Gaming Cruises.

Gambling and cruise ships are almost inextricably linked. At one time, cruises were the place to go for gambling outside of Vegas or Atlantic City. Once a ship reaches international waters, gambling becomes legal onboard. Until the rise of riverboat and Indian reservation gambling, this was often a gamer’s only legal option.

These days, there are still dozens of cruise lines that offer some form of gambling, and prices vary considerably. Many of these cruise lines, like land-based and riverboat casinos, have jumped on the poker bandwagon: there are six currently operating cruises that offer Hold’em or other live poker.

The Ocean Jewel Casino, run by Titan Cruise Lines, offers the highest poker limits of any currently active daily casino cruise, often spreading $20/$40 across up to 10 tables. According to the website, this cruising casino also offers a massive bad beat jackpot, which can range up to $30,000-$50,000.

The Horizon’s Edge Casino Cruises’ Mass Bay poker room is run by Top Pair Productions LLC, a poker venue service organization.

# On Map Casino CruiseLaunch City StateHoursTablesGamesHigh Limits S/NS1Sun Cruz Casino-Daytona Beach Ponce InletFL7 Days 11a-5p, 7p-12:30a5N,L,O,75/10B 2Titan Cruise Lines-Ocean Jewel of St. PetersburgSt. PetersburgFLSun-Thurs 2p-2a, Fri-Sat 2p-4a*10N,L,O,720/40B3Southern Elegance Casino Curise Little RiverSCMon-Thurs 11a-4p, 7p-midnight; Fri 11a-4p, 7p-1a; Sat 12p-5p, 7p-midnight

2L5/10B 4Sun Cruz Casino-Myrtle BeachLittle RiverSCSun 7p-12:15a; Mon-Thurs 11a-4:15p, 7p-12:15a; Fri 11a-4:15p, 7p-1a; Sat noon-5:15p, 7p-1a5L10/20B 5 Horizon’s Edge Casino Cruises Lynn MA Mon-Wed 6:30p-11:30p; Thurs-Sun 11a-5p; Thurs 6:30-1130p; Fri 7p12:30a; Sat 7p-1a; Sun 6:30p-11:30p* 10 N, L 4/8 B

6Texas Treasure Casino CruisesPort Aransas TXSun 12p-6p, 7p-12:30a; Tues 11a-5p, 6:30p-12:30a; Wed 11a-5p,6:30p-12:30a; Thurs 11a-5p,6:30p-12:30a; Fri-Sat 11a-5p, 6:30p-1:30a3N.L10/20BS/NS ? Poker room allows smoking (S), non-smoking (NS) or both (B)Days open, hours of operation, games offered and tables may vary

This poker room normally offers stakes up to $4/$8 for limit Hold’em and $1/$2 blind, $40-$100 buy-in No Limit for ring games, according to the website. It also offers sit-and-go tournaments with a $80 buy-in, $20 entry fee, paying out 70% to first and 30% to second. There’s also a $60 buy-in satellite for the $120 buy-in, $30 entry fee Sunday event - the top 3 get free entry to this tournament.

Depending on which Sunday of the month, the format for this tournament changes: the first Sunday is no-limit with no rebuys; the second is nolimit with rebuys; the third is limit with no rebuys, the fourth is a super satellite to the $1,500 finale tournament; and the odd month that has a fifth Sunday is a wild card event. The Mass Bay also runs a $2,000 freeroll for 30-50 regular players.

The Texas Treasure Casino Cruises poker room offers limits up to $10/$20 and has a special “splash the pot” promotion: the house adds dining upgrades, free cruises, player points and so on to the pot at random intervals.

The Texas Treasure also offers a bad beat jackpot. $1 from each pot in the higher-limit games is accumulated until a player gets a full house, aces over jacks, using both hole cards, and loses a pot. 20%of the jackpot rolls over, 50% goes to the losing player, 25% to the player dishing the bad beat, and 25% split between the other players at the table. There’s also a “crack aces” promotion whenever pocket aces get beat: the player gets to spin a wheel and win up to $100.

“It’s good!” says Juan Navarro, poker room manager for SunCruz Casino - Daytona Beach, when asked how business is doing. “We’ve got a few games spread. We’ve got a no-limit game, a $1-$2 spread, a $5-$10 Texas Hold’em, and Omaha Hi-Lo games.” The SunCruz website says that the poker room also spreads 7-card stud.

There are a lot of tournaments aboard the SunCruz III, according to Navarro. “We do single-table tournaments with a $55 buy-in. Once a month, we do a $115 buy-in multitable tournament.” According to the website, it’s a no-limit Hold’em tournament.

Even poker cruises have seen their audiences change since Hold’em hit the TV airwaves. “We get more of the younger crowd playing Texas Hold’em - especially no limit,” says Navarro. “The average [age] has been about 21 - 22.”

“Compared to 5-6 years ago, everyone wants to play Hold “em now,” he says.

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