The casino on board is one of those departments where you know the time to start working but not the time to finish. Closing time depends on the “action” of the game. It means that the tables start closing when the players start leaving the casino. It does not work like that on every casino but on cruise ships.
In few words we can say casino closes when players go to bed. This schedule system leads to all kind of situations among casino staff and also between dealers and guests. Some of those moments are funny when your shift is only three or less hours during an empty casino day. Some others are not that good when the casino is so busy that dealers can’t even get their breaks and stay long hours at the tables.
One more situation we have every cruise, is answering the classic question from guests: “What time does the casino close?” and one that is more aggressive: “Why don’t you guys stay open 24 hours?” It is hard to answer those questions with complete honesty and stay professional at the same time, especially when it is late and you are tired after a long day of work at sea. Some of the answers in the dealer’s mind are: “We close when you leave” and “we don’t stay open 24 hours cause we need to sleep too”.
Things for casino department seem to get worse whenever there is a crew party downstairs. You see the signs advertising the Massive Crew Party and you know it is going to be bad for casino. It is like somehow the guest are aware of the crew activities so they send in the “Everlasting Player” the same day the crew party is taking place.
If you are assigned to closing team that day, you can hear in your heart your fellow crew members enjoying the party while you are listening to the everlasting player saying things like: “Winner winner, chicken dinner” or “this is my last hand. Just one more and I’m out of here”. They really can say that for hours and hours.
If you are one of those crew members who doesn’t like to party then it is fine. But usually those crew members finish the shift early. If you want to go to the party, odds are you will be closing shift that day and you will face the Everlasting player, the player that doesn’t leave the casino. Not even to go to the restroom. Maybe, and depending on the game, he or she will go to the ATM machine to play the “last” $100 USD of the night.
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