Balloon Guy Poker On The Cruise Ship Story

[Balloon guy 158]

Well for those of you that don't know I was on vacation in the Mediteranian for the last 2 weeks. And I am proud to say that the cruise ships have finally spread poker on their regular cruises.I'll keep it short and sweet.They advertised 1-2 through 5-10 but only played 5-10. There was a 5% rake up to $10 on the 5-10 game. The games were played on a single deck blackjack table, so they were 7 handed max.I sat down the second day of cruise, first person, and within 10 minutes we had 4 others. All nice guys instantly complaining that they never played limit, they were no limit players. Yum Yum was all I could think. Table fills up in 30 minutes and waiting list gets to be 5-8 deep.I play tight, and watch. players play everything. This makes 3-6 at my home B&M look like a game after a Harrington poker camp. The normal phrase is: "You got to play crap, it's the only thing that wins" Follwed by; "Yep" at least three times. I am trying not to smile.Pick up KK raise for the first time in an hour and lose to J4 off. AK goes down in flames to 86, etc. I win 2 or 3 small pots, walk away $200 loser after 5 hours.Wife is pissed I stayed up so late, we have 5 hour tours tomorrow of Florence that leave at 7 AM and I stumble in at 2. Sorry babe, I'll get up. ( I barely make it, fall asleep twice during tour )no poker for 2 days, then I sit down with a sea day ahead. That means tomorrow I am staying on the boat all day while we sail to Greece. Game is going on already, couple new faces, 3 old ones. British guy learned the game yesterday ( if he was lying he kept up the lie for the next 8 days, but since he still couldn't figure out if a straight beat a flush I tend to believe him.)Drinking is getting mad now. 8-9 beers is normal, add 6 or 7 shots of Tequila and you've got my table. I drink water and buy in for $200.Play tight, folding garbage, win a few pots early get winner for $200, so even for cruise, then start to get bored and start calling to 'see the flop'. Figuring I could outplay them with my superior post flop skills. Mind you these people have no idea what they are doing. I play Ace duece in cut off for a raise. 3 players, flop A K 4 rainbow. Bet, raise, reraise, I fold. I show dealer. Ends up one guy had pocket 3s, the other had a J 4 and was going for a straight or trips?, and the reraiser had a K with like a 6 kicker. WOW. Ace on turn 1 raise, 2 calls, rag on river, 3 checks.Then I begin calling with my top pair no kicker and get cleaned out, Suddenly there are no hands less than 2 pair. I rebuy for $100 and tighten up, slowly grinding out $200 to break even for night. I end up cashing out $295 at 3:30 AM when they close the casino.Back at room I tell myself I learned my lesson, that playing loose is for suckers trying to get lucky. I will play tight.Greece, Turkey, Blah blah good cuban cigars, etc.Poker again after telling wife I will be up for our 9 hour tour of Rome the next AM, no problem. I'll be home early after winning enough money for her to buy whatever she wants. (I don't.... she does.... still married)I sit down again and FINALLY start getting some hands. I get paid off for my set I flop, make 3 Kings and get a capped bet on turn, and am up $250 in 20 minutes. Everyone cashes out to play roulette?????? and three of us wait a half hour to get some more players before two of us head to the Cigar room to smoke it up. Mind you until then the waitin list was at least 5 deep and they never called more than 3 names before they closed for the night. Now when I get some cards, no one is around.Last night I play, one guy was down over $5K in the casino and his wife is a little mad. The 22 year old that is always telling the odds, which every 3 hands he gets close to being right, he claims to be up but I've seen him rebuy more than cash out so?? I buy in for $300, Old guy is down, but only about $600, I am stuck $300 overall after reminding myself why craps is spelled that way.The roulette guys are way up, hitting their numbers alot with $5 chips bet. One guy is playing quarters and I saw him hit two numbers out of 5 in like 10 minutes. He pocketed the $500 chips and kept playing the green ones.Last poker round last 6 hours. I lose my biggest hand when I call a raise with KJ clubs after limping. Flop 2 jacks, lots of bets, lots of caps etc. and I lose to AJ. A really drunk guy starts yellng about how he wants to play, and quickly gets annoying. The English guy says he'll buy them both a drink if he'll drink it with him. The drunk says if you can drink it so can I. English guy orders a Rusty Nail??? ( you english need to explain what it is)But you have glass which you light, put palm of hand on and then shake glass without holding it ( because of suction on palm) Take palm off, chug, relight fumes and snort in fumes in a big inhale. Drunk guy spills half and only sniffs at lit fumes( which I guess is the real killer here) and excuses himself to go to the bathroom where he is for the next 30 minutes. English guy orders another beer. The English are true lushes.I am bust and realize I will never beat the rake, the players and the luck. And it only took $600 and 10 days to figure it out!But Turkey is cool, Greece is nice, Italy is dirty, Med is hot, French are rude, Spain is Mexico with money, Monaco is rich, cruises are awesome.Barcelona Casino is going to be fun for those of us that make the $5 Million thing. Get there 2 or 3 days early to get used to time change and goofy restaurants. Wear pants or you don't get in.Believe it or not that was the short story.

[Marchione 0]

keep us updated nice read !!!thx's

[SweetDaddyFreak 0]

good to hear you had a fun time. Hope you had enough cigars for all of us back home

[ivegottadollar13 0]

i actually played some on the cruise i was just on in the mexican riviera a couple weeks agoplayed one night but they had 3 full size tables..only one table ever got going though and it was also 5-10 limit with a 10% rake on each hand, and there were just horrible horrible plays in the hour or so i played it. i ended up losing about $100 in a little bit over an hour and went back to the blackjack tables to lose more money lolwas down a good amount of money but on the last two nights i made huge comebacks at the blackjack table to go up about 600 on the last day only to lose it a couple hours before the casino closed when the dealer couldnt bust :(had a great time on my first cruise and ended up breaking exactly even down to the dollar :)i do know that carnival is suppose to add the pokertek tables with the computer screens for your cards and chips so you dont need the dealers, dont know when though

[XX44466XX 0]

Good read, thanks.

[PotDragon 0]

Good read Bro.Rusty Nail:1 1/2 oz. scotch1/2 oz. DrambuieFill Rocks glass with ice...fill with scotch...float Drambuie on the top. No stir.Bartender for a dozen years.

[PimpRock 0]

I am now willing to accede to my GF's constant nagging to go on a luxury cruise.Good read.

[llou 0]

Great read.

[SwamiSwan 0]

Believe it or not that was the short story.

Hey Balloon Guy: Hope your having a great trip: the Italy/Greece cruise rocks. They didn't have poker when I did that tour. Im glad you found a fish pond; you will end up ahead, I guarantee it.Home game dark till Sept, my bro back in town 15th, maybe we can get a game going somewhere; I know mark will play, he's playing with marvin in a locals private 250 NL buy in today in PS, ill let you know what happens. Im in Vegas; It's like trying to see the Mona Lisa to see Daniel Play. Hes still in it!, Rumors of his demise are highly exaggerated. The guy is amazing, tough as nails on a short stack; gotta love it. Best coverage is indeed pokerwire.com. I'm gonna fight the crowds and check out the action today.Are you back? if so call marvin and get in that 250 NL game; its tonight. B

[epistemic 0]

But Turkey is cool, Greece is nice, Italy is dirty, Med is hot, French are rude, Spain is Mexico with money, Monaco is rich, cruises are awesome.Believe it or not that was the short story.

Only trip reports on the forum worth reading. Ever. Less cigars in this one though.

[Balloon guy 158]

Only trip reports on the forum worth reading. Ever. Less cigars in this one though.

Only because I made it a short story. I may bad mouth Cubans, but when I get a chance I buy em and smoke em.

Hey Balloon Guy: Hope your having a great trip: the Italy/Greece cruise rocks. They didn't have poker when I did that tour. Im glad you found a fish pond; you will end up ahead, I guarantee it.Home game dark till Sept, my bro back in town 15th, maybe we can get a game going somewhere; I know mark will play, he's playing with marvin in a locals private 250 NL buy in today in PS, ill let you know what happens. Im in Vegas; It's like trying to see the Mona Lisa to see Daniel Play. Hes still in it!, Rumors of his demise are highly exaggerated. The guy is amazing, tough as nails on a short stack; gotta love it. Best coverage is indeed pokerwire.com. I'm gonna fight the crowds and check out the action today.Are you back? if so call marvin and get in that 250 NL game; its tonight. B

Hey B,I been hanging at the house all day, getting used to the time change and just saw this too late to play with Marvin. We have to find somewhere to play til Sept, I got car payments you know!When Clayton gets in town we definetely need to hook up and play. I can probably get a room cleared out at the other warehouse to play a couple times, AC at least.Good luck in Vegas, stay away from you know what!R

I am now willing to accede to my GF's constant nagging to go on a luxury cruise.Good read.

We already booked next year for 2 weeks in Norhern Europe. Cruises are the best way to travel, good food, lots of ports, and only unpack once. Your room key is also your credit card around the ship so all you need is clothes, cigars, and room key to have a goodtime. Stay away from Art auction, I always double the cost of my cruise with art. Alaska was beautiful, Caribbean cruises are only good if you go to Cozamel, Key West, Aruba, Belize, and or points south. Med was awesome. I'll let you know how Northern Europe is next year if I'm still around.