A Cruising we go (very long)

It is cruise time! I couldn't be more excited... this is the kind of thing that I came to vegas to do, and now it is upon me. Estie and I got up at 5 AM (ish) to drive to San Diego. She has a friend in San Diego and wanted to tour the city some, so we decided to drive the 5 hours instead of fly. Everything was going beautifully, all packed the night before, everything laid out, up and shaved and out the door at 6 AM just like we had planned.... Then we decide to stop in Primm, ok *I* decide to stop in Primm and fail to tell Estie (I pointed at the sign and went yum.. food, but that isn't the same thing as DISCUSSING it. How was I suppose to know that!) So we stop at the Primm Valley casino and go into the cafe to get some nice steak and eggs. However, they apparently change shifts at 7 AM and the outgoing shift stops working around 6:30, and when the new shift gets there at 7 they can't take any orders until they have their morning coffee. Let me give the people who are in customer service industries a piece of advice... If you are going to ignore your customers, do NOT NOT NOT do it where they can see you! We can SEE them drinking their coffee and discussing their weekend plans! Yet none of them are coming over to take our order... it was stupid just watching 20 people mill around drinking coffee and noone talking to us! We finally got one of them to find out who was on our table, and they all argued about who would take the orders... Very very sad, needless to say his tip was NOT good.

After a rather lengthy breakfast the rest of the drive went very well and we got into San Diego at 11:45 only 45 mins later than planned, and as it turned out PLENTY of time ahead. The directions on how to get to the cruise ship were not exactly stellar... Especially if you had someone dropping you off. They mention where to park at for 12 dollars a day, but not where to drop someone off... They also don't give any info on how to get there from ANYWHERE but I-5, which is NOT the road you come in on from Vegas... I-5 runs along the coast, noone drives that from anywhere but LA or the airport, which is apparently their target market. We finally find the cruise ship (turns out the big boat at the dock is the one I want to get on... go figure) and we park at the public parking area, it is only about a 1/4 mile to the boat but my bag is HEAVY HEAVY HEAVY. So everything hurts when I finally get there and find out there is a passenger drop off RIGHT NEXT to the boat. BAH!

I get inside and the checkin is smooth until I find out that the boat was late getting in and as such is late departing. We are smooshed into a small area with not enough chairs for 2 hours waiting to board. The boarding was fast enough once it started and I settled into the stateroom and get into the 3 PM dealer meeting.

This cruise is a bit of an oddity to me, and I am a little nervous on how it is going to work out. First of all, I am basically a passenger who volunteers to deal. I have to pay for my own cabin, own fees, own transportation, everything. On top of that, we get no hourly wage. So basically tips from 7 days has to cover everything! So I am already about 400 bucks in the hole before I even go on the cruise, and I am giving up a weeks work at the same time. Of course, I do get fed every day with excellent food and I am on a cruise ship to Mexico. So we will wait and see.

The poker room on the ship is setup in the Crows nest in the top of the ship, 29 tables, 37 dealers on swing shift (scheduled, no idea how many will actually show up) and I work every night but Tuesday from 7:00 until the players go home (Graveyard shift is 5 people). They spread games from 2-4 to 40-80 and 1-2 NL to 5-10 NL as well as Omaha and a little Stud. I was a little worried coming on the ship as I didn't know anyone else who was going besides one girl from work who I have met like 2-3 times. It turns out I shouldn't have been worried as I knew about 10 other dealers from previous jobs and had plenty of people to hang out with. One of the dealers I met at the series comes up to me and tells me "There really isn't many prospects on this ship. Not that it matters much to you". He glanced around the room to emphasize his point that there were very few unattached women. I apparently misunderstood him as he pointed out to me a few minutes later as he started pointing out the attractive MEN in the room and telling me why they were unavailable. Surpise again it seems.

Dinner the first night is excellent as I had some nice Pork Chutney with a honey glaze, and it was quite tasty. Unfortunately dinner is at 6 and work is at 7 so I had to rush thru dinner a good bit... but I managed to get it all down and get to work on time where I had 9 downs, 2 breaks and was out at 12:30 to get to bed for some welcome rest after being awake for 20 hours straight. It wasn't a bad night for only 5.5 hours averaging over 20 dollars a down for a 183 night. It was a very interesting experience dealing on a moving ship... especially on the 10th floor of a big ship in 40-50 MPH winds as we headed out... got some nice movement up there on the top :)

*** DAY 2 ***

Well I didn't bother setting an alarm since I didn't have to be anywhere until 7 PM for work... and I was extremely tired. I am caught up a little now after sleeping 10 hours, and after some lunch went and hit the poker room for some nice 4/8 action. I had some decent cards for some small pots, and made some nice pots out of draws and ended up 60 bucks before going to lay down for a nap before dinner at 6 and work at 7. Tonight is Formal dinner and I am looking forward to some marvelous Beef Wellington!

Tonight was the first night we were at sea all day and we don't hit port until Noon tomorrow so it is a perfect night for some poker. Unfortunately as I discovered we have a pretty large portion of older customers and as such the games tend to break down pretty fast around 11 PM. I managed to make it to 10 downs and 6.5 hours with another pretty good push, all 3 balls with 1 dead spread. Tomorrow is Cabo San Lucas! One fun note from tonights dealing, they have a 20/40 Omaha H/L game that is "The Big Game" on the ship. I didn't get to it the first night, and I wasn't too worried aobut it the second night. However, when I got there I realized that not only was it an Omaha H/L game (one of my weakest games to deal), but it was a game with the 2 owners of the company, the husband of the director of operations, the day shift supervisor, and 2 guys who write books on Omaha 8/B games. Suddenly, I was a little more nervous... I managed to get by with just a few mistakes and no major ones. I almost burned and turned too early which would have cost Linda Johnson (the announcer for the WPT Finals) a huge pot if I had in a several thousand dollar pot. Whew.

*** Day 3 ***

We docked in Cabo around Noon which was about the same time I got up. A quick lunch and I hit the 1 PM tender to do the Shore Cruise I had purchased. The cruise was beautiful as it was a nice 80 degrees and not a cloud in the sky. We got to see the Sea Lions, the arch with the beach underneath, lovers beach, and the old lighthouse. The beaches in Cabo are amazingly beautiful and the people there are very well taken care of. It was a pleasant change from the other places in Mexico I have been in.

As I am getting ready to get on the tender over to the shore they announce that a girl is missing. An 18 year old on the cruise with her grandparents. It was very windy last night so there was a great fear she had fallen overboard. After dinner that night we find out that she has been found, and that she was asleep in a guys room! Apparently there was more to the story than I heard completely, but drugs and alcohol played a part. The guy she was in the room with was a dealer on the same shift I was on, and he was kicked off the boat in Mazaltan!

Dinner was solid tonight with a marvelous Roast Lamb shank and some delicious fruit. Dinner starts at 5:30 but it is impossible to get thru Appetizer, Salad, Soup, Bread, and Entree before 6:30 when I need to leave for work. Therefore, I have yet to get to desert in time... But tomorrow night is a day off, so I plan to sit and relax and eat slow, order every desert on the menu, maybe even 2 or 3 entrees...

Work was another solid night, I started really slow hitting 2 dead spreads and a break in the first 2 hours, but then it picked up and I ended up working 7.5 hours and doing pretty well considering I only had 9 downs total. The tips seem to be getting better every night, as my average per down is going up each time. Either I am getting better at dealing (possible as some of the games I was pretty rocky on), or I am just getting to know the people better. I have noticed some people recognizing me in the hallway/etc and tipping better in the games. I hit the 20/40 game twice tonight and was MUCH MUCH more comfortable. I didn't have any errors, smooth as silk and the tips are great in that game. That game freaking flys by... it is amazing how many hands I can get out in that game. 25-30 per half hour!

The ship really started rocking last night and being on the 10th floor it was REALLY bad. We ended up handing out 200 sea sickness pills and lost several dealers and a lot of players to the motion of the ocean. I was not complaining because it meant more downs for me....

*** Day 4 ***

Today we are in Mazaltan. I am off work tonight, so it is a real free day for me... Very exciting! I got up in time for breakfast this morning after working till almost 3. I am claiming a victory even if the phone did ring to wake me up... but I count it as a victory so MEHHH!

After breakfast I had SOOO much energy that I went for a 1 mile run (OK I WENT for a 3 mile run, but I stopped after 1). Heading into town now to do some shopping, buy some liquor, and then meet up with the other dealers at Senor Frogs for some beers... a nap afterwards and then some poker for awhile before going to bed. Tomorrow we are in Puerto Valerta where I have planned a treetop zip line tour over the tops of the jungle! It should be amazing and I am sooo excited. After that we are back at sea the rest of the way and on the downward part of the journey.

Senor Frogs was a great time with almost every dealer there dancing and drinking, doing shooters and jello shots. It was a great time, and I was just sorry that boat was leaving at 5:30 so we had to get back so soon. I took a little nap before going up to play some poker on my day off from dealing.

At dinner they announce some MORE people missing from the boat. Apparently a couple didn't make the last tender. They were out drinking and thought the last tender was at 6 PM, but it was at 5:30. I don't really think I want to be on the other side of that conversation with my wife when we miss the cruise ship because I was too drunk to remember the right time. The couple apparently took a bus to Guadalare and took a plane to Puerto Vallarta to get back on the ship. This was particularly difficult because they forgot their ID's and their credit cards!

I really get upset at myself when I do not play up to my abilities. I sat down tonight and lost the first hundred very quickly for no specific reason, chasing draws I didn't have the odds on, trying to bluff weak players who I knew wouldn't fold, etc. It was just horrible. I straightened up and got that hundred back plus another 120, but I looked at the end of the night and realized just how much better I could be if I could get some consistency in my play.

Tomorrow was suppose to be a late start due to us being in port till 10 PM, however due to some mechanical problems with the ship they are running at less than full power so we are leaving at 6 PM instead. So the poker room opens at 7 PM as normal. However, graveyard shift has already been given the night off! We have to work from 7 PM until everyone goes home or day shift comes in at 8 AM. Oops... could be one long night if I make it the whole way.

*** Day 5 ***

Today we are in Puerto Vallarta. My trip leaves at 1 PM from the Tender Dock, so add in a 30 minute trip on the tender boat over to the shore and some moderate shopping time, plus lunch and shower and I had to get up at the butt early time of 10 AM. SOMEHOW I managed to do that, even after falling asleep at midnight the night before and got on shore and ready in plenty of time for my trip. The Canopy adventure is just that... a serious adventure. First we have to take a small tiny boat from the tender dock to the marina... a lovely 10 minute ride across the bay with some amazing yachts scattered around. Then, after a short wait we board an open air truck for 14 and ride miltary style up to the top of the mountain. In the united states a 40 Km drive to the top of a mountain is a lovely affair. In Mexico a 40 km drive to the top of the mountain is life or death. We had to dodge cows, donkeys, horses, cars that don't go up hill EVER, vendors stepping in the road, sharp turns up the mountain in the back of a truck. All in all it was probably the scariest part of the trip. Once we got there we were in a marvelous resort up in the mountains with no electricty. They had nice open air huts, very nice guides, and the most beautiful trees in the jungle you have ever seen. After some safety briefing, a wedgy of a safety harness and a short hike we went from platform to platform in the trees via zip lines. It was sooooo much fun. Flying thru the trees at insane speeds and braking to a halt at the last minute before hitting a tree. The longest run was about 150 meters and the highest stand was 80 feet off the ground. At the end of the lines we had to free fall repel down a 50 foot drop to the ground. I would highly recommend it!

So when we get back on the boat they are announcing that another person has not made it back yet. It turns out the person missing was another dealer from swing shift and he made the last crew tender back. He was late because his cab was in an accident and they wouldn't let him leave the scene of the accident!

I had to work at 7 PM and we got back to the boat at 6 PM. I had to shower, change, eat dinner, and get to work. I would dare say it was a bit rushed :). I finally got to work at 7 and ended up breaking a table early and getting bumped out at 10:30. Only 4 downs, cleared 88 before tip out, and then went to see the 10:30 comedy show. Unfortunately it was insanely crowded and I wasn't going to stand out in the hallway to listen to the comedian so I went back to play poker. 4/8 had a long list so I moved up to the open seat on 6/12. It was my first experience at something higher than 4/8 limit and I played extremely well for 2 hours and was up 250. I was doing everything right, betting when I should, folding when I should, reraising to isolate, etc. I had complete control of my game... then a few people left, a few new ones came in and I changed my game. I let my ego get control of me and started doing everything wrong. Calling to much, bluffing to much, all in all everything wrong. So now I am down 100 and the table is breaking up. I get back to down 50 before the table breaks and take my remaining 150 dollars over to the 1-2 no-limit game. My first big blind I get Q4 of hearts hit 4 to the flush on the flop and there is a small bet from the SB which I call, and then a min raise from the button which I also call. The heart hits on the turn giving me the 2nd nut flush but also pairs the board. It checks all the way around. The river is a blank and the original aggressor bets 20, I raise to 60 and fold out the big blind and the SB calls for a nice pot to bring me to 225 total. I get whittled down to 200 before this hand happens. I am UTG and stradle for 5 dollars (they let you do that not sure why). It is foled to a guy in middle position who makes it 13 to go. 2 callers back to me and I look down to see pocket 8's. Now I see the bet from middle position as a weak ace or 2 high card bet, and the callers as even weaker. So with 50 dollars in the pot I decide I have the best hand and want to take it down right now. So I raised to 75, the early position raiser reraises all-in. I have 125 behind and it is folded back to me. At this point I put him on 2 big cards, and that he thought I was just trying to steal the pot. A little over 400 in the pot and I have to call 125 into it.... I figure there is a small chance he has a big pair, but more likely that he has a small pair or 2 big cards. the callers in between probably have big cards as well so I figure I am probably ahead and I am getting 3 to 1 as a likely favorite so I call. He flips over AK and my 88 holds up for a nice pot. A few hands later I get KK and raise with it, getting 2 callers. Flop is crap, and the blind goes all-in for 28 into me. I reraise to isolate and take down the pot. So now I am up 300 and after a JJ vs JJ hand where I bet and she folded, I cash out up a little over 300 at 3 AM.

3 AM rolls around and there are 2 full tables running, the poker room shift supervisor comes over and tells us that despite 2 tables who can keep going for awhile... the room is closing in 15 mins! I have never seen a place kick people OUT of the room who are paying rake and playing. Even 2 tables is still dropping 200 an hour in rake... they had a good 2-3 hours of play left in those tables.

** Day 6 ***

We are in route back to San Diego. The cruise ship is a smaller "Shore Ship" and can't really go far off shore. So we are paralleling the coast of Mexico the whole way. This makes for a marvelous ride down the coast with a nice breeze and a gorgeous view of the coastline and mountains. I sat on the deck with some friends for lunch today and just watched the coastline go by and listened to a some live music by the pool.

The poker room closes tomorrow night at midnight, so this is our last full night. I am going to head off and take a nap before work. Tonight is Surf and Turf with Lobster and Filet Mignon.... So I want to save my energy for a double helping of THAT!

I tried to take a nap, but for some reason I am too rested for that :) so I read a little up by the pool and played some poker. I played about 2 hours and was up 80 at 4/8 before I went to get ready for dinner and Lobster time! Lobster and Steak was SOOO good! I ended up eating 2 helpings of both and would have gone for 3 if I could have but ran out of time. Work was good for awhile, but the desert buffet was at 10:30 and apparently chocolate beats Poker. Half the poker room left when the buffet opened and 8 tables broke, which ended up sending me home. I went down to the buffet as well with a few friends and it was mediocre at best.

** Day 7 ***

Since we sail in a Southeastern direction on the way down to mexico they change the time back one hour when you get on the ship. Last night the moved it back to Pacific time so we gained an hour. With the extra hour I made it up in time for Breakfast and 2 hours of poker before lunch and nap time. A few nice hands at the No-Limit table and I cashed out up 205 after 2 hours and called it a day.