I'll add a couple stories here.
While not a big gambler, I did on occasion try my luck at Black Jack. As others have mentioned, just the allure of the "James Bond experience" was enough to part with a few of my dollars. No worries, the experience going after dinner with a few friends... tuxedo, drinks, cigar, was worth the price.
First pic here is a token I won sometime in the 90's. It was something I had never even heard of, but I was awarded for hitting Black Jack with 3 sevens.(usually you never hit on 14) Probably not worth much, but priceless to me. You'll note that it does actually sport the image of QE2 on the face.
Second pic shows a few chips I walked away with in my pocket, again in the late 90's. A few years later I returned to the Black Jack table, and pulled them out to play with. Little did I realize, but the concession had changed hands. The Manager was called over, and assured me that he would honor the (only a few dollars worth) tokens, but that I might be better served saving them for posterity, which is exactly what I did. I still have them. Again, not sure if they are worth anything more yet, but again, they are a prized part of my memories on board.
Last story. Unfortunately I cant find the picture.
Sometime after 2000.
After dinner, and on my birthday, I decided to try my luck again.
Because it was my birthday, I had happened to have my camera with me after coming from dinner.
I sat down to the (Black Jack) table I cashed in for $100 and happened to set my camera down on the edge of the table. Well, the manager didn't waste a moment to come over and reprimand me for that as a no-no. He suggested that he would take it to his stand and hold it for me while I played (understandable).
I placed a bet, and then he asked if I would like me to have him take my picture before he put it down. Well, there I was, on my birthday, on the QE2, in a tuxedo, at the casino... of course I said yes! As he took the photo... the dealer dealt my first hand. A Black Jack, right off the bat! That night I played my way up to over $300, and was smart enough to walk away after a very fun couple hours, ahead of the game, maybe for the first and only time on board. After the first hand, I was never playing with my own money.
Just another example of an absolutely magical stint of time I was lucky enough to spend on the Grand Old Lady.
Time of your (my) life
