PokerPro Review: Carnival Cruise Ship Versus The Cynics

Carnival Cruise Lines is trying to do the same thing that all other cruise lines are trying to do. They are attempting to put out a better product while cutting costs. That combination could be the reason they recently installed PokerPro on their Triumph of The Seas cruise ship.

PokerPro is an automated version of Texas Hold'em poker that has been developed by PokerTek. The game has no dealer and no chips. Outside of those two differences, the game is played identical to the same poker played in casinos everywhere.

On a Carnival cruise, a player must go to the cashier and activate a card similar to a credit card. The player then loads however much money they would like on to the card. Once that is complete, the player proceeds to the PokerPro table.

After a brief sign up page, the player decides how much of their money on the card they actually want to play with in that session. With the formalities out of the way, it is time to play.

The game plays exactly like regular Texas Hold'em, without the interruptions of dealers flipping incorrect cards or giving wrong change on a bet. There also is a timing mechanism of forty seconds on all players when it is their turn, although the timer seemed to move slightly slower than actual seconds.

I recently took a cruise on Triumph of The Seas and had a chance for the first time to play poker on the PokerPro tables. I found the game enjoyable, but focused most of the trip on getting feedback of those around me.

Carnival just recently installed the machines and the employees have found the machines to be beneficial. "It is nice for us because we can keep our eyes on other games and not have to worry about policing the Texas Hold'em table like we normally would have to do in a casino," said a pit boss on Triumph of The Seas.

The players, however, were not as enthusiastic about the tables. One player, who used the name "Gamelin", consistently complained that the flops produced too much action. The fact that the player played loosely and lost throughout the cruise, however, could have had a major impact on his thought process.

When I asked "Gamelin" what was the difference between flops on an automated table and ones in live games, he replied, "It just seems like these tables (PokerPro) always seem to make people's hands."

The responses I received throughout the cruise varied but was consistent in one way. Players were skeptical of the authenticity of the game, and employees raved about it's efficiency.

As for myself, the game had pros and cons, but the pros outweighed the cons. The quick play was refreshing after spending many nights waiting for people to make decisions in live games. The one con was that the rake was not being adjusted when only two or three players were playing, leaving the house to make the majority of the money in those situations.

Another pro for the cruise situation was that the PokerPro table was left on for the players at the table for several hours after the rest of the casino had closed down. By allowing the automated play, Carnival made themselves more money without even having to man the machines.

Upon leaving, I asked the gracious pit boss what the general reaction of customers has been since installing the machine and his answer echoed my sentiments after speaking with the players I had.

"People don't like change, so we get some complaints when they start playing, but since it is the only Hold'em on the ship, by the end of their cruise people are usually loving the machines, wishing they had them in their local casinos."

Indeed, that is a thought that crossed my mind several times in the latter part of the week.

December 9, 2008
Posted By Vincent Tapoglia III
Staff Editor, CasinoGamblingWeb.com
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