They may be smaller than the ones in Las Vegas, but cruise ship casinos mirror what’s found on land in terms of rules and the training required for dealers. Cruise lines make sure they’re offering the latest and most popular slots and table games, including penny video slots and the ever popular blackjack. Here’s what you need to know to improve your odds, at least of having fun:
1. Casinos close while in port.
If you plan to spend a lot of time in the ship’s casino, choose an itinerary with a lot of sea days. With a few exceptions — including overnight in Bermuda and Nassau ports — cruise ship casinos are required to remain closed when the ship is in port so as not to compete with local gambling or entertainment businesses. In Bermuda, casinos on ships can operate from 9 pm to 5 am, and in Nassau, from 7 pm to 3 am.
2. Ship casinos are open in international waters.
Photo by SIME / eStockPhoto
Casinos are typically only open 3 to 12 nautical miles from the coast. However, in the case of Alaska, cruise ship casinos are permitted to open 3 miles after departing from one Alaska port until 3 miles before arriving in the next Alaska port, regardless of proximity to land. That’s good for gamblers, as cruises in southeast Alaska tend to hug the coastline.
Gambling, a popular form of entertainment on cruise ships, also has age restrictions that differ between cruise lines. Carnival, Costa, Cunard, Holland America, Norwegian, Oceania, P&O, Paul Gauguin Cruises, Pullmantur, Regent Seven Seas and SeaDream require passengers to be 18 or older to play in the shipboard casinos. The legal age for both is 21. They are very strict about this. When they issue you your key card as you embark, they take your picture and it is imprinted into the card so that whenever your card is 'swiped' your picture pops up. Your cruise documents will be compared to your passport. On most cruise ships, the minimum age to be in the casino is 18. Royal Caribbean, Celebrity and Azamara raise that age to 21 on sailings in Alaska, while MSC raises it to 21 in the Caribbean.
3. Smoking is part of the game.
Though there are fewer places to smoke on cruise ships than ever before, casinos are one of the last holdouts. Most cruise ship casinos, with the exception of the luxury lines, have designated smoking areas for cigarette smokers; however, cigar lovers are rarely permitted to light up.
4. Card sharks are a rare species at sea.
Photo by SIME / eStockPhoto
Professional gamblers tend to focus their energies on the land-based casinos that are open around the clock, without the distractions of a cruise — from buffets to deck parties and those pesky ports of call. Plus, according to Paul Jarvis, vice president of casino operations for Carnival Corp., card sharks seek anonymity, and passengers need to provide the cruise line with their passport details before boarding.
Norwegian Cruise Line Age Policy
5. Gambling theme cruises offer real competition for top players.
If you really want to double down on your gaming ops at sea, some cruise lines — including Carnival and Norwegian Cruise Line — host blackjack, slots, and poker tournaments that attract hundreds of gaming enthusiasts. Qualifying rounds are held on cruises throughout the year, with the final competition taking place toward the end of the year.
Whether you’re an avid poker player or just like to try your luck on the slot machines, cruise ship casinos offer a little something for everyone, without a flight to Las Vegas.
While some cruise lines offer more games than others, blackjack, poker, roulette, and slots are standard on all ships except Silversea Cruises, which don’t allow poker. Here’s what cruise lines offer in their casinos so you can take a gamble on your next cruise:
Norwegian Cruise Line
| Cruise Line | Games | Minimum Bets | Penny Slots |
|---|---|---|---|
| Azamara Club Cruises | Blackjack, roulette, three-card poker, slots. | $3-$5 for table games; penny slots. | Gaming lessons available. Age: 18; 21 on Alaska sailings. Payment: Cash, onboard account, or pre-approved line of credit. Smoking is permitted. |
| Carnival Cruise Lines | Blackjack, roulette, three-card and electronic poker, craps, bingo, slots. | $5 for blackjack and craps; $1 for roulette; penny slots. | Card tournaments on select sailings. Age: 18 Payment: Cash or onboard account. Smoking is permitted; there are non-smoking areas. |
| Celebrity Cruises | Blackjack, roulette, three-card and electronic poker, Texas Hold ’em, , craps, slots. Baccarat and let it ride are available by request on Celebrity Reflection, Celebrity Silhouette, Celebrity Eclipse, Celebrity Equinox, and Celebrity Solstice. Number of tables and slots varies by ship. | Varies for table games; $5 for blackjack; penny slots. | Age: 18; 21 on Alaska sailings. Payment: Cash or onboard account. Smoking is not permitted. |
| Costa Cruises | Blackjack, three-card and five-card poker, fun 21, roulette, slots. | $5 for card games — $3 on port days from 8-9 pm and sea days 2-6 pm; $1 for roulette. | Age: 18. Payment: Cash. Smoking is not permitted. |
| Crystal Cruises | Blackjack, craps, roulette, three-card and electronic poker, Texas Hold ’em, slots. Mini-baccarat is available upon request. | $5 for table games; penny slots. | Age: 18. Payment: Onboard account, cash, or line of credit established before sailing. Smoking is not permitted. |
| Cunard Line | Blackjack, three-card poker, roulette, slots. | 25 cents for roulette; $1 for blackjack and poker; penny slots. | Age: 18. Payment: Cash or onboard account. Smoking is not permitted. |
| Disney Cruise Line | These ships do not have casinos. | These ships do not have casinos. | These ships do not have casinos. |
| Holland America Line | Blackjack, roulette, craps, three-card poker, Texas Hold ’em, slots. | $5 for table games; $1 for roulette, and Texas Hold ’em; penny slots. | Lottery, tournaments in slots or blackjack, free gaming lessons, and Club 21, a frequent players club with opportunity to earn rewards for every game you play. Age: 18. Payment: Cash, onboard account, cash advance. Slots only use card registered with onboard account. Smoking is permitted. |
| MSC Cruises | Blackjack, poker, roulette, chemin de fer, punto banco, trente et quarante, slots, bingo. | $5-$10 for table games; penny slots. | Tournaments. Age: 18 on Mediterranean sailings; 21 on Caribbean sailings. Payment: Cash, credit card, or onboard account. Smoking is permitted on all ships except MSC Divina. |
| Norwegian Cruise Line | Blackjack, craps, roulette, let it ride, three-card poker, Texas Hold ’em, pai gow poker, baccarat, slots. | $5 for table games; penny slots. | Tournaments in blackjack, slots, and Texas Hold ’em; free lessons on a variety of games; reward program is available. Age: 18. Payment: Cash or chips. Smoking is permitted. |
| Oceania Cruises | Blackjack, poker, roulette, slots. | $10 for 2 blackjack tables; $25 for 1; $5 for all others. | Age: 18. Payment: Cash or chips. Smoking is not permitted. |
| Princess Cruises | Blackjack, roulette, craps, Texas Hold ’em, three-card and five-card poker, let it ride, slots, bingo. Table games vary by ship. | $3-$5 for table games; penny slots on some ships. | Blackjack, Texas Hold ’em, and slot tournaments, table game lessons, and a lottery. Age: 21; 18 in Australia or the U.K.; 20 in Japan. Payment: Onboard account or cash. Smoking is permitted except on smoke-free nights. |
| Regent Seven Seas Cruises | Blackjack, poker, roulette, mini-craps, slots. | $10 for 2 blackjack tables; $25 for 1; $5 for all others. | Age: 18. Payment: Cash or chips. Smoking is not permitted. |
| Royal Caribbean International | Blackjack, roulette, craps, poker, slots. | $3-$5 for table games; penny slots. Table games vary by ship. | Blackjack, Texas Hold ’em, and slot tournaments; rewards program; and game lessons. Age: 18; 21 on Alaska sailings. Payment: Cash, onboard account, or pre-approved line of credit. |
| Seabourn Cruise Line | Blackjack, roulette, slots; poker is available on select days. | $5-$100. | Age: 21. Payment: Cash, onboard account, traveler’s checks. Smoking is not permitted. |
| Silversea Cruises | Blackjack, roulette, slots. | None. | Gaming lessons. Age: 18. Payment: Cash or cash advances. Smoking is not permitted. |
| Windstar Cruises | Blackjack, poker, roulette, slots. | $5 for table games. | Age: 21. Payment: Cash. Smoking is not permitted. |