Here's the deal for dedicated poker players
By Bill Ordine, Philadelphia Inquirer
A new player has been dealt in in the theme-cruise game: a trip that caters specifically to poker players.
 Two operators, Card Player Cruises and Classic Poker Cruises, both based in Las Vegas, offer an assortment of Caribbean sailing itineraries that combine the familiar elements of luxury trips at sea with nonstop poker action.
Card Player Cruises' Mexican Riviera cruise in March featured one of the richest tournaments ever held on the high seas, a $1 million event with an $8,000 buy-in.
Usually, tournaments on poker cruises don't require such a huge bankroll. Card Player Cruises (1-888-999-4880, www.cardplayercruises.com ) normally offers three tournaments on each cruise, with a buy-in of $100 to $200 and a top prize of $4,000 to $5,000.
Prizes are determined by the number of entrants. In addition to the tournament action, side games, ranging from low-limit $1 to $2 tables up to $100 affairs, are dealt nonstop while the ship is at sea.
In addition to plenty of opportunity to play seven-card stud, Texas hold 'em and Omaha, poker passengers also get a rare chance to learn about the game from green-felt stars, such as Tom McEvoy and Huck Seed.
Special-rules beginner tournaments give rank amateurs a chance to ask questions as they hone their skills.
Poker cruises are part of regularly scheduled trips on well-known lines, including Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Holland America and Orient.
"We get passengers from all walks of life: doctors, lawyers, cocktail waitresses, bus drivers. Their common interest is poker, and they're one big family at the end of the week," said Bonnie Damiano, who runs Card Player Cruises with three partners.
"There's a lot of camaraderie among poker players, and they wind up going to dinner together and taking the shore tours together," Damiano said.
Card Player Cruises has sailings set for the Caribbean (this month) and Mexican Riviera in December. Rates vary depending on itinerary and cabin category (for instance, the Caribbean trip starts at $579), and airfare is extra.
Classic Poker Cruises is among the pioneers in the field. Part of Casino Player Group, a company that publishes several gaming magazines, Classic Poker Cruises plans a trip to the Panama Canal (November) and Sea of Cortez (November-December).
Classic Poker Cruises (702-740-2256, www.classicpokercruises.com ) usually has six tournaments per cruise. Three have buy-ins in the range of $120 to $230, with first-place prizes of $2,000 to $3,000. Two of the events are free, with prizes of $1,000 to $1,500. One of these is for passengers who book by a certain deadline. Even dealers can get in on the action, with one tournament dedicated to their group.
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