Ever have luck gambling on a cruise?

We are cruising to Bermuda on the Norwegian Breakaway out of NYC in 2 weeks. I was wondering if any cruisers out there have ever had any luck playing slots on a cruise? I play a little of everything and I know gambling on cruises is not regulated like in the states. I'm thinking I need to play only table games. (Yes I know they have better odds anyway)

Any good gambling on a cruise story you would like to share?

 

The hold on those slots is ridiculous.

Nobody wins.

 

I have had better luck In the ships arcade; just won an apple watch a few weeks ago. I did win a poker tournament once, about $1,100.

 

I've had very good luck on the NCL Jewel out if NY to the Bahamas. I threw $20 into a slot, only because my companion was playing. I was watching her play and just slowly playing my $20. I wasn't even playing max coins. I'm hit some sort of bonus. It was a $.05 slot. I won $11k. I then went to the craps table. Someone brought me a $50 check just for standing at the "lucky spot". When I went to the cage to cash my chips, the girl asked me if I wanted a ticket for the ship board lottery. She had 2 quick pick tickets and the draw was in 5 minutes. I said sure and took the 2 tickets she had. Well.....my ticket had 5 of the 6 numbers drawn and I win $2200.
The best part of the night was that since I'm a Canadian resident, I wasn't taxed on the slot hand pay.
I believe in karma. I was tipping like a drunken sailor. The girl that sold me the lottery ticket litterally jumped up and down when I gave her $100. The cocktail server pretty much followed me around with a drink ready after I gave him $40(the casino is Small and I had seen him all week).
I was also very touched when the next morning there was a hand written note on my door from one of the pit people thanking me for being so generous and wishing me continued luck. All the casino staff I encountered were excellent.
Honestly, I can't imagine that trifecta being repeated.
Oh.....and it was a free cruise with a million dollar slot tourney....I think I finished in the bottom 10%.

 

Luck? Yeah . . . not the good kind. . . well, not the bad Kind either . . .

About 20 years ago I went on a "Cruise to Nowhere out of Ft. Lauderdale, where I lived at the time.

\Sat down at a Caribbean Stud table and was dealt a Full House . . . . dealer failed to qualify.

 

Wish I'd had Newmans kind of luck on a cruise! WTG!

Agree slots on ships are t I g h t; plan on leisurely gambling; don't have high expectations and just have fun.
Having said that, I've had 2 small slot hand pays ($1500, $1900) on 2 separate Norwegian cruises, one playing nickels, one playing dollars. Zero luck on both Royal Caribbean cruises - played a couple hours most nights.
Casino staff on both cruise lines were attentive, generous with drink coupons (lol, I used mine for virgin frou frou drinks and hubby used the rest), comp'd dinner to specialty restaurant, etc.

 

$2 DDB 4 aces with kicker (4k) on the Norwegian Spirit last April. 10 nighter to Casablanca, Malaga and the Canaries. I was dealt the hand after 20 hands or so. Other than that hit, I've been burned bad on 15+ cruises. I have to agree, don't play the slots. Stick with Blackjack or Video Poker. You'll find a lot of 7/5 and occasionally 8/5, but considering the location, not the end of the VP world.

Nick

 

Actually now that I think about it, I won almost 1k on a Princess cruise ship many years ago. This was back when I was betting reds.

I hit 4 aces on Caribbean Stud with $10 out. I also won several BJ sessions. I won pretty much every time I walked in there.

 

I go on one of the Hotel comped cruises to the Caribbean (RC) so there's like 60+ of us players plus spouse/friend. So, maybe the machines aren't used to our action. I personally have never MADE money on a cruise. However, I do recall first night of one of the the cruises, got a $2000 handpay, two $1360 hand pays, lots of smally $300's and $600's...enough to keep me in play. AND THEN WHAMMO...Nothing for the rest of the cruise. Two years ago one of our group got a $20,000 pay (yah the staff was shocked too)...and when we went back the following year, that bank of machines was no longer there. Last year's cruise the final night was good for a couple of our group of cruisers. Apparently the $1/$5/$10/$25 weren't paying dickety do dah, (I can attest to that) so a member went over and sat at a penny. Three spins in at $1.25 maximum paid $8200. Seconds later another member of the group $10,000 in VP....So there are wins, but for me...RARE..

 

Someone mentioned tipping and yes it is SOOO appreciated. On a Carnival (I get drinks free, if you are a previous gambler, or end up being top gambler that night (there must have not been many gamblers that cruise as I'm not THAT big)..because of the drinks...I sometimes have to go.....and if I'm $1500 into a machine (chasing) I found if you tip one of the floor workers $10 or $20 they will stand at your machine and save it for you till you run back. I'm from Vancouver and in our casinos because there is no smoking allowed, you can ask the floor person for a reserved sign to put on your machine, (10 minutes) if you need to go outside for a smoke, or run to the bathroom, or to the ATM machine....