Ship, Captain, Crew Dice Game (A Game Night Gem for All Ages)

In my quest for the fun dice games, I’ve stumbled upon this gem that’s easy to learn, quick to play, and guaranteed to bring out some friendly competition.

I’ve played my fair share of duds – I’m looking at you, “Dice Game That Shall Not Be Named.”

But, whether you’re a seasoned gamer, a casual player, or someone just looking for a fun way to bond with friends and family, this guide is tailored for you.

We’ll explore the nitty-gritty of the game, from the basic rules to some creative variations that’ll keep you and your crew coming back for more.

Step-by-Step Guide: How to Play the Ship, Captain, Crew Dice Game

So what makes Ship, Captain, Crew so special? Is it the satisfying clatter of the dice? The thrill of pushing your luck to get that perfect score? The way it brings people together, no matter their age or gaming experience?

Trick question – it’s all of the above!

So grab your dice, gather your crew, and get ready to set sail on a high-seas adventure from the comfort of your own home.

Objective

The object of the game is to score the most points by rolling a 6 (Ship), 5 (Captain), and 4 (Crew) in descending order and collecting the highest total of the remaining two dice (Cargo).

What You Need to Play 

First things first, you’ll need to round up the following:

• 5 standard six-sided dice (I recommend some cool pirate-themed ones if you want to be extra)
• 2 or more players (but having 4 to 5 is basically the sweet spot)
• Tokens, coins, or something to keep score with
• Your best pirate impression (optional but highly encouraged)

Got it all? Great! Let’s roll through the setup and the rules of the game:

Setup

1. Choose a player to go first. You can determine this randomly or have the person with the pointiest pirate hat start (just kidding… or am I?).
2. Each player gets a score sheet or designates a space on a shared piece of paper to keep track of their points.
3. Place the five dice in the center of the play area, within easy reach of all players.

The Play

Starting with the first player and moving clockwise, each player gets up to three rolls per turn to try to get a ship (6), captain (5), and crew (4), in that order.

1. First roll: Roll all 5 dice. If you get a 6, set it aside. You can’t set aside a 5 or 4 until you have a 6.
2. Second roll: If you have your 6, roll the remaining 4 dice, trying to get a 5. If you get it, set it aside with the 6.
3. Third roll: If you have your 6 and 5, roll the last 3 dice, aiming for a 4. If you get it, you now have your “crew” and your last 2 dice are your cargo score.

If you get your 6, 5, and 4 before using all three rolls, you can stop there or use the remaining rolls to re-roll your cargo dice, trying to get the highest score possible.

But be careful – you have to keep your new cargo score, even if it’s lower!If you use up all three rolls without getting your ship, captain and crew, your score for the round is zero. Womp, womp, womp!

Winning the Game

Once everyone has had a turn, the player with the highest cargo score is the winner and collects their plunder. In case of a tie, tied players each roll again until a victor emerges.

Play continues clockwise, with the winner of the previous round becoming the new captain and leading off the next game. The official crew roster is as follows:

• 6 = Ship
• 5 = Captain
• 4 = Crew (or First Mate)
• Remaining Dice = Cargo (or Crew in some versions)

One potential issue with Ship, Captain, Crew is that it can involve a lot of waiting around for other players to finish their turns. Here’s some ways to keep the fun going:

• Get busy with some lighthearted trash talk while you’re waiting for your next turn. Just keep it friendly!
• Consider using a timer to limit how long each player has to roll the dice.
• Play a quick side game like I Spy or 20 Questions between turns.
• Spice things up by adding silly rules, like having to roll the dice with your non-dominant hand after rolling doubles.
• If all else fails, just start another round – the game plays quickly so you can usually fit in plenty of chances for redemption.

Now, as someone who may have turned this game into a borderline obsession (I go through these gaming phases!), you’ve got to get creative to keep it interesting sometimes. But with the right group, Ship, Captain, Crew is a blast.

If you’re viewing this on a mobile device, put your finger on the table below and swipe to the left (or right) to see the full table.

What’s Up	Cool Stuff	Not So Cool Stuff	Just a Heads Up	Who’s Gonna Love It?
Ship, Captain, Crew Dice Game	– Portable, only need 5 dice – Great for bringing out your inner pirate. Arrr! – Quick rounds mean you can play a bunch of games in one sitting. – Perfect for spicing up with your own wacky rules or challenges.	– If you’re not into waiting, watching others roll dice might test your patience. – Can get a bit repetitive, especially if the dice aren’t in your favor.	– There’s a chance you’ll get way too into the pirate thing and start talking in “pirate” all day. – Might cause a minor existential crisis when your dice luck is bad.	– Ideal for folks aged 8 and up, who enjoy a mix of luck and strategy.  – Social butterflies who love a good laugh and can handle a bit of friendly competition. – Creative types who dig adding personal twists to the rules. – Families looking for a quick game while traveling or waiting

EXAMPLE OF A GAME OF SHIP, CAPTAIN, CREW WITH 2 PLAYERS

Let’s take a look at how a round of Ship, Captain, Crew might play out with our friends Justin Thyme and Patti Cake:

Round 1

1. Justin rolls the dice and gets 4, 2, 6, 3, 1. He’s pretty excited to see that 6, so he sets it aside as his ship. Now, he’s got up to three chances to roll the remaining dice and try to get an even higher cargo score.
2. On his second roll, Justin gets 5, 3, 4, 2. Things are looking good! He sets the 5 and 4 aside as his captain and crew. His cargo score is now 5 (3+2). Justin’s feeling confident, so he decides to stick with this score.
3. Now it’s Patti’s turn! She rolls and gets 3, 5, 2, 6, 6. She chooses one of those 6s for her ship. Just like Justin, Patti can roll up to three times to try and beat his score.
4. Patti rolls again and gets 5, 4, 1, 2. She sets the 5 and 4 aside for her captain and crew. Her cargo score is currently 3 (1+2). But Patti’s not giving up just yet! She decides to use her last roll to try and top Justin’s score.
5. On her final roll, Patti gets 3 and 1. Her cargo score is now 4 (3+1), but it’s not quite enough to beat Justin.

Justin wins this round with his cargo score of 5.

Now, if you’re playing for tokens, Justin would collect the pot, which has one token from each player. The tokens are then split evenly among the players for the next round.

If you’re keeping score instead, Justin earns 5 points for this round, and Patti gets 0 points.

You’ll keep track of the scores as you play, and the game goes on until someone reaches a score you all agreed on or you’ve played a certain number of rounds.

Rookie Mistakes to Sidestep for Ship, Captain, Crew Dice Game Success

Let’s cover some common mistakes to avoid:

1. Don’t forget the basic rules! The game uses 5 dice. The goal is to roll a 6 (the “ship”), a 5 (“captain”), and a 4 (“crew”) and then get the highest score with the remaining two dice.
2. Set aside the ship, captain, and crew dice as you roll them – no need to keep rolling those once you have them.
3. Stay focused – it’s easy to lose track of which dice you still need, especially after a few rounds (or drinks). Use a notepad to keep score if needed.
4. If you’re the type who gets overexcited and throws the dice off the table (not that I would know anything about that), consider using a dice tray to contain the chaos.

Inventive Twists on Ship, Captain, Crew for Endless Fun

One of the best things about Ship, Captain, Crew is its versatility.

With a few creative twists, you can adapt the game to suit any group or occasion. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

1. Pirate Theme: Embrace your inner swashbuckler and add a pirate twist to the game. Players can adopt pirate names, use pirate lingo, and even dress up in pirate costumes. The player with the highest score at the end of each round gets to keep a piece of “treasure” (candy, coins, or even a small prize).
2. Drinking Game: For a more adult-oriented gathering, turn Ship, Captain, Crew into a drinking game. Each time a player fails to roll a 6, 5, or 4 in the correct order, they take a sip of their drink. Just remember to drink responsibly and have a designated driver!
3. Team Play: Divide players into teams and have them work together to achieve the highest combined score. This variation encourages collaboration and adds an extra layer of excitement to the game.
4. Progressive Jackpot: Before starting the game, have each player ante up a small amount (e.g., a quarter or a dollar). The winner of each round collects the pot, and the ante increases for the next round. Keep playing until one player or team reaches a predetermined goal (e.g., $20 or 10 wins).

Adapting Ship, Captain, Crew Dice Game for Everyone on Board

“Ship, Captain, Crew” is versatile. Want to make it a family dice game? Skip the betting.

Looking for a more adult twist? Make it a drinking game (responsibly, of course).

You can also adjust the rules for younger sailors by reducing the number of necessary roles or allowing more rolls for a gentler sea.

Helpful Table: Quick Rule Adjustments for Various Crews

Audience	Adjustment
Family Game Night	No betting, unlimited rolls for the little kids
Competitive Pirates	Stick to the classic rules, high stakes
Young Sailors	Only need to roll for Ship and Captain, four rolls allowed
Drinking Game	Miss a role? Take a sip. Lost the game? Finish your drink.

The beauty of Ship, Captain, Crew is its flexibility – with a few tweaks, you can customize it to suit nearly any group of players.

Fun Fact: Did you know that rolling a 2 (the lowest possible score) is often called “rolling a deuce,” while rolling a 12 (the highest possible score) is known as “rolling a midnight”? These fun little nicknames add to the game’s charm and make it even more fun to play. Or maybe that’s just me. 

Quick Glance Over the Bow: Ship, Captain, Crew in a Nutshell

Element	Detail	“Why am I like this?” Commentary
Objective	Assemble your ship (6), captain (5), and crew (4) in order, then aim for a treasure-laden cargo (highest remaining dice total).	Essentially, it’s “Pirates of the Caribbean” meets “The Price Is Right.”
Players	2 or more, because solitary piracy is just sad.	Gather your crew, or at least someone who won’t make you walk the plank after losing.
Dice/Components	5 six-sided dice and tokens/money for betting.	Nothing ups the ante like throwing in some loot to argue over.
Gameplay	Roll up to three times per turn to recruit your ship, captain, and crew, then count your booty (cargo score).	It’s like trying to organize a night out with friends; complicated but worth it when it all comes together.
Scoring	Highest cargo score wins the pot; failure to recruit your ship, captain, and crew results in a score of 0.	It’s the high seas version of “all dressed up and no place to go.”
Turns	Up to three rolls per turn to get your shipshape squad in order, then tally your cargo.	Like rolling the dice on whether to have that third coffee of the morning.
Strategy	Get your ship, captain, and crew in the least rolls possible, then gamble on getting a hefty cargo.	Balancing greed with strategy, like choosing between buying another round or saving for pizza.
Winning	Claiming the highest cargo score and winning the pot.	Revel in your victory, but remember, today’s pirate king is tomorrow’s swabbing deckhand.

It’s the kind of game that teaches you the value of order, the thrill of risk, and the pain of watching your dreams get washed away with a roll of a 2.

More Dice Delights for Your Crew’s Next Gathering

But hey, Ship, Captain, Crew isn’t the only dice game in town! If you’re looking to mix things up, give these other games a try:

1. Knock Out: Players take turns rolling two dice, trying to match a number on the table. If they do, they knock that number out and replace it with a new one. But watch out – if you roll a number you’ve already knocked out, you’re eliminated! Last player standing wins.
2. 10000: Roll six dice and score points based on combinations. Keep rolling to push your luck, but if you don’t have a scoring combo, you lose all your points for that turn. First player to reach 10,000 points wins the game and bragging rights!
3. Sequence: Using special dice and a game board, players place chips on the board, trying to make a sequence of five in a row. Roll the dice to determine which spaces you can place your chips on. First player to get two sequences wins!
4. Mexico: Roll two dice and remove numbered tiles that match the sum of your roll. If you can’t, place new tiles instead. The catch? You must take all your rolls, even if it means adding more tiles! Player with the fewest tiles at the end wins.
5. Tenzi: Each player gets 10 dice. On “go,” everyone rolls their dice, frantically trying to get all 10 to show the same number. Roll the ones that don’t match, keep the ones that do. First player to get all their dice matching yells “Tenzi!” and wins the round.
6. Bunco: In teams, take turns rolling three dice, trying to match the target number for the round. Score points for each Bunco (all three dice match the target) or for rolling three of a kind of any other number. After six rounds, the team with the most points wins!
7. PIG: Players take turns rolling a die, racking up points. But be careful – if you roll a 1, you lose all your points for that turn! Choose to keep rolling to push your luck or “bank” your points and pass the die. First player to 100 points brings home the bacon!

Your Turn

What’s your most memorable “I can’t believe that just happened!” moment while playing Ship, Captain, Crew or another dice game?

Did you manage an epic comeback or suffer a hilarious defeat?