By: Kendra Collins
It was a warm summer afternoon when we boarded the gigantic ships. Hundreds of people were patiently waiting to receive their tickets and room keys. The air smelled like the sea and air was full of excitement and adventure. I had been planning on this trip for quite some time. It took me a few months to save up for this trip and I was excited to fully immerse myself in the entire experience. The cruise was sailing to the beautiful Bahamas islands. We were going to make a few stops in the major ports, like Nassau and other popular towns along the journey. After a couple hours of boarding, this ship was ready to proceed on its journey.
We took off from a port in Florida and our next stop was not going to be until the next morning. I ended up traveling with three of my best girlfriends. We have known each other for years and we going to cause complete chaos. We were also all single at the time, which was going to make this trip even more exciting. As the ship was sailing off we made our way to suites to freshen up and unpack our bags. The rooms were much smaller than I had imagined. Then I thought about what little time I would be spending in the rooms, so I didn’t mind at all. We all changed into our cute bathing suits and headed up to the top deck to catch some sun.
On the way to the top deck we took a short detour through the ship. The dining room was gorgeous and I couldn’t wait to taste all the wonderful dishes that were going to be prepared by the talented chefs. We walked passed the theater and entertainment halls and took a short walk through the amazing shops they offer. All of the merchandise was rare and gorgeous and was duty free, which means saving a lot on high ticket items. I made a note to myself that I would enjoy spending a few hours shopping. After we took a quick trip down the most beautiful, golden stair case I had ever seen. I felt glamorous and very confident as I descended the staircases. I couldn’t wait put on my little black dress and turn some heads.
Finally we made it to the casino area. I was not even aware the ship would have a full blown casino. The casino impressed me and I was more excited about gambling than catching some sun! I wanted to visit the casino and play some poker instantly, but decided to wait and hang out with the girls for a bit. We were going to be there for an entire week and I would have plenty of time to play poker and black jack, the casino was going to be open almost 24 hours a day. Finally we made our way to the top deck of the ship. It was filled with happy men and women enjoying tropical drinks, swimming and soaking in the sun. We sat down and immediately a cocktail waiter took our order and brought it back in just a matter of minutes.
After spending a few hours in the sun, we were getting hungry. We couldn’t wait to head down to the cafeteria to get our grub on. There would be food available whenever we wanted it and this really excited me. After we ate I convinced the girls to join me in the casino. We took showers and got ready for gambling and shopping the night away. There were many activities going on through out the evening. Midnight buffets, movies showing in the theater and even bingo in the entertainment hall. We grabbed a couple more drinks on the way to the casino. I was feeling a bit tipsy by the time I sat down at the slot machines. I played for a bit and eventually broke even about an hour later. It was time to step it up.
I was delighted when I saw an empty seat at the no limit, Texas hold ‘em table. I quickly sat down and paid the dealer the $20 buy-in. The table was full of tourist and was not your average poker table. I have been playing poker for over 3 years. I started playing online and my passion from poker progressed from there. Seeing all of these unsuspecting tourists made me a very happy player. These tourists made me feel confident that I was going to win, big. For the first day or so, this strategy worked in my advantage. That is until the final day of my cruise. On my final day, I lost all of my winnings. I guess my overly confident attitude didn’t help much. I lost all that extra cash on a player with beginners luck.
Her name was Cami. She was from Oklahoma and told me she had never played a hand of poker in her life. I wanted to believe her, but after playing a few hands it was obvious she had some serious experience. This was an entirely new strategy to the game of poker, I wonder if she had been watching me play the whole week. Maybe she was watching me all week and waiting for her turn. She knew all my weaknesses and took every penny from my bank roll. I wasn’t broke because of it, it was all money I had won. I couldn’t believe this little Midwestern house wife was taking me for all I had! It was actually quite humorous and I wanted to know more about her strategy. I asked if she wanted to join me for a drink after our last hand was dealt, she agreed.
We sat down at a nearby bar and she explained everything to me. Cami told me she frequently takes these types of cruises and loves to gamble. She is actually considered a professional in the small town she is from. She told me she makes almost as much as her husband does, every single year playing poker online. This isn’t including all the gambling she does at her local casino. Cami gave me a few pointers on my game and helped me really understand bluffing. She told me how important bluffing really is and how it will increase my winnings over 50%. I was actually happy Cami was giving me all this wonderful advice. Soon, we parted ways. I don’t think I will ever forget her and her tips helped my game tremendously.
I wanted to try a few more hands at the casino before I packed my bags. I won and with the help of Cami’s advice. This really was a wonderful trip I will always remember. Gambling on a cruise ship is amazing as well as the scenery of the beautiful islands. I would highly recommend any adults take advantage of the opportunity to travel in style on a cruise. I am planning my next trip as we speak and am excited about the wonderful adventures and opportunities that await me.