Cruise Ship Casino Gambling: Everything to Know Before You Bet
When it comes to cruising, gambling in the ships casino is one of the most popular activities. In fact, in the late evening it can be the busiest spot on the cruise ship.
In many ways the casinos on a cruise are very similar to what youll find on land — just on a smaller scale. If youre someone who loves gaming, then youll feel right at home in a cruise casino.
That said, there are still a number of things you should know before gambling on a cruise. If youve never placed a bet on a ship, the tips
Which Cruise Ships Have Casinos?
If youre wondering if there will be a casino on your ship, you can rest assured there will be. Mass market lines like Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian, and the like always have casinos on the ship. (Note: Norwegian Cruise Lines Pride of America, a U.S.-flagged ship that sails Hawaii, is one of the few ships from a mass market cruise line without a casino)
The only major line weve heard of that doesnt have gambling is Disney.
Youll find the casinos located in the middle of the ship, typically near the most highly-trafficked areas. So if your ship has a main promenade, the casino will be right near it. This makes sense, putting the casino easily accessible means its easier for players to find and gamble.
What Are Cruise Casinos Like?
In many ways cruise ship gambling is similar to what youll find on land. That also means that while they all feel familiar with flashing lights and dinging bells, each casino has its own personality.
In general, the gaming floor is small by the standards of land-based casinos. On many ships, youll usually find closed-in areas with relatively low ceilings (decks above and below limit the ceiling height). The low ceilings and maze of games give the casinos a cozy feel. Still, they are among the largest rooms on a cruise ship.
Some ships — most notably the newest ships in Norwegians fleet — have more open casinos. On those ships, the casino floor opens up to the rest of the ship, giving it a brighter feel.
As for atmosphere, within seconds of walking into a cruise ship casino youll forget that youre on a ship. Give the casino size and number of passengers, evenings can get crowded. That means the casino will feel high energy, with lots of people cheering, noise from machines, and generally a festive atmosphere.
What Are Payouts Like in the Casino?
Everyone knows that the odds are always in the houses favor when it comes to gambling. Thats especially true on a cruise. Weve written before about how the games on the ship dont pay that well .
For example, the gold standard for video poker is a 9/6 machine — one that pays nine credits for a full house and six for a flush. This gives an expected payout of 99.5% if proper strategy is used over the long term. On ships you will often find 6/5 machines, meaning they offer a 94.9% payback.
For blackjack youll often find tables that pay 6-to-5 on blackjack instead of the normal 3-to-2. If you play a higher-limit table, then you might still find 3-to-2 payouts.
Craps will have odds bets, but they will be restricted somewhat. The best you can hope for is 3X-4X-5X, but weve seen some ships with even lower bets available. They also have the Big 6/8 bets at tables that have a higher house edge.
So go to the casino and have fun, but if your plan is to get the best payouts, then you are often better off with land-based casinos.
Whats the Gambling Age on a Cruise Ship?
While there are some exceptions, the majority of places in the United States require you to be 21 to gamble in a casino.
On a cruise — which heads to international waters — the minimum age to gamble is 18 years old. If youve ever wanted to try your luck but havent been old enough to head to Las Vegas, a cruise ship might be your best bet.
Casino Limits for Table Games and Slot Machines
If youre a low-stakes gambler, then youll feel right at home on a cruise ship. Minimums across games are low, making it affordable for any level of player to enjoy themselves.
Of course, there are penny slots as youll find in any casino (along with higher-stakes machines if you feel so inclined). On table games you will find minimums starting at $5 for many games.
This makes sense considering the potential customer base on a cruise. With only a few thousand people on the ship (compared to millions of people within a drive of a regular casino) the cruise needs to be sure to appeal to the most people possible.
That said, we have seen table games starting to creep up to $10 minimums instead of $5.
What Casino Games Are Available on a Cruise?
Like playing slots? Youre covered. What about blackjack… or craps… or roulette? They have them all. Despite the small size of cruise ship casinos compared to those on land, they offer a wide variety of games.
For instance, while you wont find table after of blackjack, there will be a few, and usually one craps table. There is also roulette and often other specialty table games like WPT Heads Up Hold Em. Texas Hold Em poker is also popular, with tournaments and play throughout the cruise.
Whats a little surprising is that there are several games you wont ever find on land that are on a cruise. One is similar to a skill crane where you use a joystick to move a key to push down stacks of dollar bills. But perhaps the most popular are the coin pusher machines.
The coin pusher machines are exactly like youd find in an arcade, but instead of tokens they use quarters. You can try your luck to push quarters over the edge, along with wads of cash that are also in the machines.
Many cruise lines are also now offering their own scratch-off tickets available for purchase, as well as big lotto-style drawings with jackpots worth hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Casino Games Available (Will Vary by Ship)
- Slot Machines
- Video Poker
- Blackjack
- Roulette
- Craps
- Big Wheel
- Three Card Poker
- Let It Ride
- Caribbean Stud Poker
- Texas Hold Em
- Baccarat
- Coin Pushers
- Scratch-Offs
- Lotto Draws
When Are the Casinos Open?
As you might guess, there are a number of laws that oversee casino gambling, depending on the jurisdiction the ship is in. Thats why theres a simple rule — the casino is open when the ship is at sea.
On the day that you board the casino will be closed (although you are still free to enter and check out the offerings). It will open up later that night after the ship has set sail. As well, during the days that the ship is docked the games are closed, but available once the ship exits the jurisdiction of the port country. So at days at sea, the casino will be open.
Note that if you want to play during off hours — such as early in the morning on a day at sea — then table games might not be staffed. However, coin pushers and slot machines will still be available to play.
Are Drinks Free in the Cruise Ship Casino?
Its common in most casinos to get free drinks while you gamble, but thats not the case on a cruise. Most people still have to pay out of pocket for their drinks while gambling. The casino will have a bar in the center that you can visit. Prices are the same as what youll find elsewhere on the ship. Expect to pay $6-8 for a beer and $10-14 for a cocktail. Gratuity is extra.
If you achieve a high enough loyalty status (cruise lines have their own loyalty programs, just like land-based casinos) you can get free beverages. For most people, however, usually you will be paying out of pocket for alcohol.
Are Casinos Beginner Friendly?
If there is a casino game youve always wanted to play, but have been too intimidated to pull up a chair, then a cruise is perfect for you.
Not only is it less intimidating than a regular casino, but they even offer classes on table games for beginning players. You can come and learn how to play free of charge so that when its time to play for real money you arent as intimidated.
In addition, the vibe at a cruise casino is simply more friendly. Remember that the dealers want to make sure you have an enjoyable time on the cruise and your other passengers are typically in a good mood (and not hardcore gamblers). In addition, the stakes are typically low, so theres usually not a ton of money at stake.
Other Things to Know About Gambling on a Cruise
Loyalty Programs — Yes, there are loyalty programs on a cruise ship, just like on land. Youll earn points for your play that can be redeemed for things like drinks, discounts off your cruise tab and even pay for future cruises.
Youll use your room keycard to track your spending in the casino and your loyalty points.
Smoking — While smoking is banned in indoor spaces across the ship, it is allowed in the casinos. In general the smoke smell isnt that bad. You likely wont come out of the casino smelling like an ashtray.
Be warned that the smaller size of the casinos on the ship means that it can be tough to get away from smoke if you are sensitive. If you have someone sitting next to you smoking at a slot machine, there may not be many options for other machines to play.
Tournaments — There are slot and blackjack tournaments on the ship. They typically take place during off hours for the casino (such as late morning or early afternoon). These tournaments can win you some money while risking only the admission fee.
If you want to play, then check the daily calendar thats delivered to your cabin each day. There will be a listing of any tournaments going on during that day.
Classes — If there is a game youve always wanted to try, then a cruise is a great place to learn. The casinos often have classes for games that you can join for free. Here, a dealer will explain how the game works and show you the ropes. Best of all, it wont cost you any money to learn.
Classes are normally offered in the morning on days at sea. Check your daily cruise planner for times.
Have more questions about gambling on a cruise? Let us know in the comments below.
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