Casino Cruises
Casino cruises are a very popular option for gamblers in both the US and around the world, as they pair up the luxury and fun of a cruise with the chance to play slots, poker, and many other casino games. Some of the larger cruise ships essentially serve as a floating Las Vegas casino, with luxurious accommodations, world-class restaurants, bars, clubs, and concerts, and even spas and exercise facilities. Fans of cruises often point to convenience being one of the biggest draws, as everything is within easy walking distance so there’s never a reason to worry about cabs or getting to and from the casino, club, or hotel.
Longer cruises often stop off in different ports of call, providing the ultimate in a relaxing, fun vacation that lets gamblers sample a taste of casino games in different countries and regions of the world. The Caribbean is a popular choice for many of these cruises, with the Dominican Republic, the Bahamas, Aruba, and Curacao all offering land-based casinos as well as stop-off points for many different cruise lines. Visitors from around the world are drawn to these locales for the perfect combination of sun, beaches, nightlife, and plenty of entertainment options both at and away from the casino tables.
In the US and some other countries, casino cruises are actually the only way to offer legal gambling in some areas. Some states don’t allow US casinos on land within their state borders, but they do give casino operators the chance to run casinos on boats, which can either be docked permanently or must set sail ad reach international waters before any gambling can occur on the ship. Many smaller casino cruise ships cater to this market, offering daily trips that last for 4-5 hours that are more for gambling fans who’d like to wager a bit on slots or blackjack but don’t want to drive hours to the closest brick-and-mortar casino.
Florida is the starting point for a majority of the cruises in the US and many different operators such as Victory Casino Cruises provide daily cruises. As is the case with many operators, Victory Casino Cruises runs cruises 7 days a week, with two cruises daily (except for a single cruise on Sunday) and offers all the typical casino games such as slots, craps, baccarat, and roulette. A buffet is also available as well as a nightclub, giving customers a chance to enjoy themselves even if they have a bad night at the tables. Like their traditional land-based counterparts, many casino cruises offer players club cards, which lets players earn points for their play that can be cashed in for meals, merchandise, or entries into special sweepstakes and promotions.
Other Florida casino cruises are operated by companies such as Aquasino, The Big “M” Casino, Imperial Majesty Cruise Lines (which offers two day cruises to the Bahamas), Discovery Cruises, Palm Beach Princess, and SunCruz. While Florida is a hotspot for casino cruises, many other US beach cities offer cruises as well, so if you’re interested be sure to check in the particular area you’ll be staying. Coastal cities in California, Texas, South Carolina, and New York (just to name a few states) all have companies that offer casino cruises, so check locally during your stay to see if there’s one near you. Many operators leave pamphlets and brochures at hotels and most operators have their own websites and can easily be found using Google and other search engines.
If you’re looking to book a cruise, it’s very important that you call ahead and confirm all details. Cruises have limited space so they can sell out on popular days (usually Friday and Saturday nights) and many won’t set sail if the weather and conditions aren’t optimal for sailing or if there’s a chance of bad weather rolling in. Some cruises are cancelled with little warning so be sure to call the day or night of your cruise before you show up, as there’s nothing worse than showing up at the dock ready for a fun-filled gambling cruise only to find out that the boat isn’t going anywhere and will remain docked at the pier.
