Billiken

Very well done report.
Very informative
THANKs

Kangol

Ah, I thought that may have been the connection - that is the 3rd time he has done the Ja'mie character. From what I heard, Private School Girl didn't get good reviews in the US but in saying that when Katy Perry came to Australia not too long ago, she did a radio interview with Ja'mie.

By far my favourite in SHH was Jonah and it's nice to hear that he will be doing another series with him only.

callmedtop

Great report and very timely for me. I just booked a very similar trip, including two nights at the GH HK and one night at the Conrad Macau. Very excited for both, based on the above. I haven't seen too many reports on these destinations, so I'm excited.

I'm a pretty big craps player myself as well, and I'm disappointed to hear that the atmosphere wasn't great. I'm assuming you mean people don't celebrate/cheer/etc. together, and its all rather serious? Craps is all about the atmosphere!

Any insight on table minimums for craps and blackjack? Also, are full odds offered in craps? I've read reports that most casinos offer 5-5-5 which is definitely good enough for me. Any favorite casinos when it comes to strictly gambling?

Thanks!

Moomba

Nice report sfoactuary.

I keep telling myself I must visit Macau but have never managed to get there yet. Thanks for the glimpse and the food recommendations.

sfoactuary

Ah, thanks for the clarification, ORDnHKG. I can tell you've been to Macau many a time.

Thanks, Billiken!

That's great to hear, as Jonah was my favorite character as well. Glad to hear that him and his break dancing skills will be getting their own show!

Great minds think alike, really enjoyed both of those properties.

Sorry can't be too helpful on the gambling aspect as I really didn't play much at all. Based on site visits alone, I'd say that the Venetian and City of Dreams (Hard Rock hotel/Grand Hyatt) had the best atmosphere among the ones we visited.

Agree that craps is all about the atmosphere - since there are so few craps tables they were all very crowded, and it felt more like a funeral than a party as people just felt so muted/subdued. Even when a button was hit, the most I saw were a couple high-fives. But perhaps part of it was that my wife doesn't gamble, so I was rolling solo and if I were with a couple others it may have been different as we could have made our own party!

Thanks for reading, Moomba!

bhamsan01

Hah! I thought the same thing after reading this one. First the honeymoon TR, and now a quick jaunt to HK and Macau!

I really enjoy reading your trip reports. The photography and commentary are fantastic. I was actually considering doing the same trip with the Mrs., taking CX from SFO-HKG-SFO in F between Xmas and NYE, as we were in the bay area visiting our families for the holidays. Unfortunately, I was shot down after pitching the idea. Seems like most people don't enjoy 15 hours in a plane after all, no matter what cabin.

Keep traveling, and keep up the good work! Eventually your wife will start looking forward to the long, convoluted itineraries in F.

Fredrik74

Thanks for the report. Very interesting read even though I've been to both HK and Macau.

sfoactuary

Thanks so much for being a loyal reader, bhamsan01! Would have been an amazing coincidence if we ended up crossing paths over New Years.

After this most recent trip I think the Mrs. is in the same camp as yours and put her foot down by saying that nothing could get her to jump on another 15-hour flight for at least a few months. I'm hoping that some heavy bribery will accelerate that timeline

Thanks, Fredrik74!

dickie98

I completely agree with this sentiment regarding gambling in Macau. Baccarat is king here and 80% or more of most casino's are dedicated entirely to that game. It does offer some of the best odds in the casino, but offers no excitement for me.

The one craps table at the conrad/sheraton/holiday inn complex usually isn't staffed until mid-day on weekdays. Table limits at the nicer casino's are also high (~$75; 600 HKD for table games and $25; $200HKD for craps). There will be slightly lower limits on the non-smoking side (500/400 HKD), but those are often quite full. The older casino's at the other side of Macau (Lisboa, Grand Lisboa, Emperor, etc) have lower limits (100/200 HKD). They do offer full odds on craps at the complex that sfoactuary was staying (standard 3x, 4x, 5x) but did not see the option to hop bet. There is a poker room at the Wynn (haven't been there in a couple of years) where the play is very lose and aggressive. The MGM had craps tables last time I was there, but they are always closed when I walk through.

The last time I played in Macau, I was on a decent heater (low 5 figure HKD win; ~20 minute roll) and not a single cheer from the table, except from myself. Most people won't play the pass/don't pass line and will only place bets and play the middle if they're not shooting.

The dealing rules for BJ are also a bit wonky and although I don't think it changes the odds, I don't like it (dealer only takes one card and doesn't receive the second card until after the table has acted).

The only time you hear any emotion is typically at the Baccarat table when someone has a huge bet (over 500k hkd) down. Definitely too serious so I usually reserve my bankroll for an annual trip to Vegas and head to Macau for the food.