Cruise Guide

Welcome to the Ante Up Poker Cruise Guide page!

Here you should find the answers to most of your questions about cruising with Ante Up. If you can’t find what you need here, or are ready to book, contact Scott Long (727.331.4335 or scott@anteupmagazine.com) and he’ll be happy to help. For the schedule of upcoming cruises, including rates and deadlines, visit Ante Up’s cruise web page.

What is a cruise?

If you’ve never taken a cruise before, it’s one of the best vacation values anywhere. Your cruise fare includes your stateroom, all-you-can eat dining (three meals a day in the dining room, snack bars, buffets and room service) and fun activities (nightly shows, music, games, classes, art auctions, etc.), all for a price much lower than most land-based vacations. You’ll also get to visit several exotic destinations, where you take part in organized shore excursions or explore on your own.

What is a poker cruise?

A poker cruise is everything described above - plus the opportunity to play great poker in a professionally run and equipped poker room! Just like your favorite land-based poker room, you can play a variety of cash games, single-table tournaments and multi-table events. Every cruise includes at least three free poker courses, too, so you can improve your game, and our signature open-bar cocktail party on the first day. And just like your favorite poker room, the skill level of our passengers varies from beginners to pros.

Why Royal Caribbean?

Ante Up is proud to sail exclusively on Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines because it’s a cruise line that “gets” the poker cruise concept. Royal Caribbean works closely with Ante Up to allow us to offer the kind of poker experience we want, while still offering large, exciting ships at reasonable rates.

Before you book

Deadlines
Ante Up books passengers up to 72 hours before we sail (provided that staterooms remain), but we encourage passengers to book prior to each cruise’s “rate guarantee” deadline when price, stateroom selection and availability is much better.
Passports
All Ante Up Cruises are “closed-loop itineraries,” meaning that they begin and end from the same port, and thus, do not require a passport to sail or to get off in port. Passengers without a passport can sail with a government-issued birth certificate (raised seal) and a government-issued photo ID. However, we strongly recommend passports, as if you have need to fly home from a port for any reason, you will not be able to do so unless you have a passport.
Staterooms
All staterooms come with two twin beds (can be converted into one queen), a vanity area, closet and bathroom with shower. Staterooms admittedly are small - starting at 114 square feet - though suites are larger and offer more amenities. Inside staterooms have no windows, and oceanview staterooms (window) and balcony staterooms (balcony with a small table and two chairs) are generally the same size as inside staterooms. Junior suites are larger (starting at about 173 square feet), with a bathtub and balcony, and every ship has a variety of even larger suites with more amenities.
Rates
Ante Up’s rates include cruise fare, port charges and taxes and fees and are per person based on double occupancy. The only additional mandatory charge is for shipboard gratuities for the head waiter, waiter, assistant waiter and cabin steward, which are automatically billed to guests’ folios on the first day. All other charges (transportation to and from the ship, poker buy-ins, beverages, gambling, Internet, spa treatments, photos, souvenirs, shore excursions, etc.) are optional and additional. The cruise fare's full amount is due upon booking. We don't take deposits. Please note that is Royal Caribbean policy that only passengers who book through Ante Up be admitted to the Ante Up Poker Room.
Single travelers
Cruise lines assess a single supplement for passengers not sharing a stateroom with another passenger. The rate is a little bit less than double fare. Ante Up is happy to put solo travelers in touch with other solo travelers who don’t mind sharing a stateroom to save money. Matched roommates pay for their stateroom and on-board charges separately.
Third/fourth passengers sharing a stateroom
Some staterooms are equipped with fold-down additional beds so a third (or fourth) passenger can share the same stateroom. Generally speaking, the rate for additional passengers is less. However, remember that staterooms are small. Ante Up doesn’t recommend more than three adults passengers per stateroom.
Sailing/gambling age
Gambling age on board is 18, but every stateroom needs to have one passenger who is at least 21 years old. Children as young as 6 months old may sail, but there are no discounts for children. The ship offers free, supervised daytime programs for children of all ages, and offers individual or group babysitting for $19/hour for up three children per family.
Cancellations/insurance
All passengers can cancel based on a staggered cancellation policy (100% before Ante Up’s rate guarantee deadline, less afterward). Also, Ante Up can process name changes on staterooms up to 72 hours before sailing, so if you or your travel partner(s) can’t go, you can find a friend or family member to take your spot. Passengers who want additional peace of mind or added protection for accidents while in port can buy Royal Caribbean's CruiseCare travel insurance when they book. It can not be added later. Ante Up is not affiliated with the insurance company, and makes no claims about what the policy does and does not cover. It is the responsibility of passengers to thoroughly review the policy’s coverage before buying.

Before you board

Confirmation
Ante Up provides all guests with an email confirmation after booking. Please review it and immediately let us know of any mistakes. The confirmation email also has links to more information, including airports, cruise ports and Royal Caribbean.
Check-in
Once Ante Up receives your booking number from the cruise line, we’ll send a second email to you with that number and directions on how to complete the online check-in process and print out your boarding documents. Everything is done electronically. You will not receive anything in the mail, except for luggage tags (and only if you request those during online check-in). For passengers without Internet access, we encourage you to find a friend or relative who does who can complete the online check-in for you. You do not have to complete the online check-in in order to sail, but we have limited to no ability to correct errors in your booking at the port, so you risk being denied boarding if you don’t complete the online check-in.
Airport transfers
If you’re flying, you can buy roundtrip airport transfers from Royal Caribbean. Please note there are restrictions on when you flight arrives in the port city and when your return flight leaves in order to use Royal Caribbean transfers.
Packing/dress codes
Pack light. Staterooms are small with limited storage space. Dress code is casual during the day (no swimsuits allowed in dining room); slightly nicer in the evening (no shorts allowed in the dining room). Each cruise has one formal night (two on 7-night cruises), though a nice shirt and slacks will be sufficient to wear to the dining room. Large bags can be checked curbside with the porters, while bags that fit through the X-ray machine may be carried on. Please note that access to staterooms is restricted to about 1 p.m. on the first day, and checked luggage may not arrive until after dinner. So be sure to pack anything you need before then in a carry-on. Also, review Royal Caribbean’s list of prohibited items, including alcohol and irons.
Embarkation day

  • Boarding begins around 11-11:30 a.m. for all sailings. Guests must be on board no later than 3 p.m. usually for all sailings. Please plan to arrive at least one hour before boarding deadline to account for any delays you may encounter. (Disembarkation on the final day begins at 7 a.m. and all passengers must be off the ship no later than 10 a.m.)
  • Parking for a nominal fee is available at all ports. Please visit the website for individual ports for directions and rates.
  • Leave checked bags with the curbside porters (gratuity suggested at most ports). Checked baggage will need Royal Caribbean luggage tags attached. Porters can print tags out from your boarding documents.
  • Please be sure to carry with you your boarding documents and passport/birth certificate.
  • Once on board, please go to the Conference Center and check in with Ante Up’s staff to get your required ID badge and cruise brochure.
  • The open-bar cocktail party takes place after the mandatory lifeboat drill (usually around 5 p.m.). Location will be emailed to passengers in advance and listed in the cruise brochure that you get on-board.


On-board

Casino
Every Royal Caribbean ship features a Club Royale Casino with all your favorite casino games. Please note that Ante Up is not affiliated with the on-board casino, and casino chips are not legal tender in the Ante Up Poker Room, and Ante Up chips are not legal tender in the casino.
Connections (phones/Internet)
Staterooms are equipped with telephones with ship-to-shore service. Rates are expensive. You can use your cellphone on board, but will be charged by your carrier for international roaming rates, so it’s usually a good idea to turn off your phone’s transmitter as soon we leave port and not turn it back on until we return to avoid a hefty bill. It’s recommended that you ask friends and family to contact you via email while sailing. Computers are provided for guests’ use, or you can connect wirelessly to your own equipment in select hot spots. Cost is 65 cents a minute (though early-bird specials and packages are available at lower rates). Most ports have restaurants that offer free Wi-Fi.
Dining/beverages
You’ll never go hungry on a cruise ship! Feel free to load your plate at the buffet, or order two entrees in the dining room. It’s all included.

  • Breakfast: Available in open seating in the dining room or at the buffet.
  • Lunch: Available in open seating in the dining room or at the buffet.
  • Dinner: Available at assigned seating in the dining room (main seating is 5:30 p.m. and late seating is 8:30 p.m.) or open seating at the buffet. The Ante Up group sits together in the dining room (usually main seating, but on some cruises, our passengers have the choice of dining times). My Time dining is also available, allowing for guest to dine in the dining room without an assigned table/time (guests must prepay shipboard gratuities if they wish to use My Time dining). Also, all ships have at least one specialty restaurant with an additional charge.
  • Snacks: Are available for free in snack bars throughout the day and night and during special buffets. Some snacks are available for an additional charge.
  • Room service: Food can be ordered to your stateroom at no additional charge (except during late-night hours).
  • Beverages: Coffee, tea, lemonade and tap water are included in the cruise fare. All other beverages are available for purchase. Soda and wine packages are available for purchase. Complimentary alcohol is available during select events, including the Ante Up Open-Bar Cocktail Party, the Captain’s Welcome party and art auctions. Guests are not permitted to bring alcohol on board for consumption (alcohol bought in port will be stored by the ship staff until the final night of the cruise), but may pack non-alcoholic beverages. Neither the casino nor the poker room comps drinks while playing.

Gratuities
All passengers are required to pay the minimum suggested gratuity amount for four ship-board employees: head waiter, waiter, assistant waiter and cabin steward. These amounts will be posted to your on-board account on the first day and you’ll be given vouchers/envelopes on the final day to signify to those employees that gratuities have been paid (you’re more than welcome to put additional cash in the envelopes to reward exemplary service). Ante Up Poker Cruise dealers, cashiers and massage therapists work for gratuities as well. Please reward their service as you would these same employees in land-based poker rooms.
Money
The Ante Up Poker Room is a cash-only poker room. You can not charge poker expenses to your shipboard account, so please bring a sufficient amount of cash for your level of play. Most staterooms have safes, and Guests Services also offers safety deposit boxes. Ships and ports do have ATMs, but the supply of cash in them can’t be guaranteed. For guests who
are uncomfortable carrying cash, we recommend travelers checks. Guest Services will cash up to $1,000 per day in travelers checks per guest, but only $200 per cruise in personal checks per guest.
On-board charges
Your room key doubles as an on-board charge card, and most purchases made on board will be automatically billed to it. During online check-in, you can secure this account with a credit or debit card (charges will be billed to it after the cruise) or with cash. Please note that the Ante Up Poker Room is a cash-only poker room. You can not charge poker expenses to your card.
Poker room
The Ante Up Poker Room is set up in the Conference Center. More details on the schedule, games, etc., can be found on our cruise webpage. The room is open from 9 a.m. to 3 a.m. on sea days (except the final night, when we close at midnight) and from 7:30 p.m. to 3 a.m. on port days. We use live, professional dealers (not e-tables) for our games. Rake is 10% to a maximum $5 per hand for cash games, $10 per player for single-table tournaments and varies on multitable tournaments depending on buy-in, but is always reasonable.
Port stops/shore excursions
You’re free to explore ports on your own, or you can book a shore excursion or you can stay on board the ship and relax when we’re in port. Shore excursions can be booked even before you get on board (recommended if you really want to be sure you get to do an excursion, since some are capacity controlled), though most people book once on board. You can often find the same excursions for less money on your own off the ship, but be aware that the ship will only be held for groups on ship-sponsored excursions. So if your bus breaks down on an excursion that you booked independently, the ship won’t wait for you.
Smoking
Smoking is allowed in designated bars and decks on board, as well as on private balconies. Smoking is prohibited in staterooms and in the Ante Up Poker Room. Some ships feature a cigar lounge.