Cruises for card players

If bridge or poker are your bag, there are a couple of exciting cruises coming up that could be just the thing for you.

Sailing on Balmoral from Dover on 3rd May 2010, a partnership between Fred Olsen and the English Bridge Union is actually going to host a bridge tournament organised under EBU rules, and led by Paul Hackett who writes on bridge for the Daily Express.

This 12 night cruise to the Canary Islands, offers both novices and more experienced players the chance to engage in the tournament play but also to listen to talks by Mr Hackett and to learn from his commentary on the previous day’s play. Fred Olsen’s marketing manager, Mike Bird, said, ‘This is a wonderful opportunity for us, as we have always had many guests on board who are keen bridge players. This new partnership with the English Bridge Union takes bridge on board to a new level and offers really keen players a way to enjoy a great holiday, while playing some top class, competitive bridge at the same time’. And if your partner isn’t a bridge player, there’s no need for them to feel left out – the cruise visits Madeira, La Palma. Tenerife, Gran Canaria and the Portuguese capital Lisbon, before returning to Dover.

World Series of Poker champion Linda Johnson is hosting a series of poker cruises with Royal Caribbean Cruises – there will be six trips visiting the Caribbean, the Mediterranean, Alaska, and Mexico and as part of the Card Player Cruise, those taking part are given exclusive access to a dedicated card room, where poker tournaments and cash games will be held.