When it comes to the cruise ship, there’s arguably no place more popular inside the ship than the casino. (The pool will always be the most popular outside venue!)
At Cruzely, we’ve covered the casino in plenty of detail, but there are still some little-known “secrets” of playing that many players may not realize. From unique games to quirks of playing at sea and more, we’re pulling back the curtain to reveal some things to know about cruise ship gambling that you might not have known.
Great for Younger Players to Have Their First Casino Experience
Let’s start with one of the most basic things that’s not really mentioned often, but it can make a huge difference to a select group of cruise passengers.
If you head to Las Vegas, then you have to be 21 years old to gamble. It’s the same in Atlantic City. And even in Florida where many cruises sail from, you have to be 21 years old to play in a casino.
But on a cruise? That age is generally 18 years old. So if you are — or are traveling with — someone who is 18, 19, or 20 years old, then they can play slots, blackjack, throw dice, and more on the ship.
Now, not every cruise has that rule. For example, Royal Caribbean says that if sailing to Alaska, the gambling age is 21. But for most trips — especially to the Caribbean — it’s 18 to play.
Beginner Lessons Are Available for Free
Want to play for free? Well, that’s not going to happen exactly, but you can at least simulate playing to learn the ropes with no money out of your pocket.
Most cruise ships offer beginner’s classes that are completely free to play so you can get the hang of the game. It’s especially good for games that are a little more complicated like craps where the only good way to learn is to play.
You need to be on the lookout for lessons as they aren’t always widely publicized. You’ll find the times listed in the ship’s daily planner. Classes normally happen in the morning when at sea before the table games open for the day.
Games of Skill That Aren’t
Walk into any cruise casino and the first thing you’re likely to notice are some games that you just don’t see on land. So the normal slots and tables are there. But then there are also coin-pusher games. The drop cranes to pick up wads of money, and the key game where if you put the key in the hole you win cash.
At first glance, these games seem more like skill. If you can let go of that button or drop that coin at just the right time, you’ll be a winner. But that’s not really the case.
The coin pusher machines actually have holes on the side where coins drop into, meaning that fewer go over the edge. And those drop cranes? At least in arcades, they are programmed to only have enough strength to grip an item a certain number of times. Other times, it will just slip off. And the key machine is similar in that it can be programmed to keep moving just slightly after you let go of the button until a certain number of plays is reached.
Want to try your luck? Go ahead and have fun. But just know that if these were based solely on skill, then they likely wouldn’t be on a casino floor.
Cheap Casino Souvenirs Might Be Available
Casinos are a great place to get a cheap souvenir, but most people don’t realize it. Now, it depends on the cruise line and sometimes even on the specific ship. But we’ve gotten a deck of casino-used playing cards from MSC and a casino-used dice from Carnival. All we had to do was head to the casino cashier and ask if they had any.
Now we will say that most times the answer is no. In that case, if you still want a cheap souvenir, then all you need is a dollar.
Head to a table game with no one at it and just ask for a one dollar chip. Or you can save one from the time that you play. These often have the name and an image of the ship on it, giving you something unique to remember the trip by.
You Can Earn Free Cruises & Perks
Head to Vegas, spend a lot of money, and you’ll start getting offers for free rooms, free meals, tickets to shows, and more. It’s similar on cruises.
In fact, the perks offered in the casino can actually be well beyond what’s offered from the regular loyalty programs offered by the cruise lines.
Depending on how much you spend in the casino, you can earn everything from free play, to free drinks, wi-fi packages on the ship, onboard credit, and yes, free cruises.
So how do you sign up? Simply play with your room keycard in the machine and it will be automatically tracked. The cruise line will be in touch when you achieve status, or you can talk to the player’s club host in the casino on the ship.
You Can Charge to Your Shipboard Account
Head to a casino on land, and you should expect to bring a wad of cash. Run out and you just go to the nearest ATM. Well, you can do that on a cruise. There are ATMs even though you are in the middle of the ocean. But they charge a pretty hefty fee — usually around $6-$7 per transaction.
Conversely, if you’re playing a slot machine or a table game and want to add a little more, then you can do that through your room keycard. Cruise lines give you the ability to charge to your onboard account so you can add funds and then pay it off at the end of the cruise, just like you would for a drink at the bar.
You’ll definitely want to keep tabs on what you’re spending, but it’s an easy way to get some more funds without having to pay ATM fees or bring a ton of cash.
Different Casino Games Have Different Hours
You may already know that the cruise ship casino isn’t open 24/7. When in port, it’s going to be closed and then doesn’t open until the ship gets out to international waters.
But even when it’s open, you might find that the casino is not fully open. For example, if you walk into the place in the morning while at sea, it could be that slot machines and other automated games are open and available for play. However, the table games won’t be manned.
In general, the table games open later in the day. The opening times will depend on the day’s schedule, but if you’re at sea and want to play some early morning blackjack, it may not be available just yet.
Sports Betting Is Becoming Popular at Sea
In the past few years, sports betting has soared in availability and popularity. Just take a look at the commercials during any football game these days.
Well, that trend doesn’t just end at the water. In fact, multiple cruise lines have sports betting available on their ships.
We’ve seen the ability to place bets on both Carnival and Princess (which are owned by the same parent company.
We’re not sure what happens if you place a bet on a game or prop that happens after your cruise. For that reason, just stick to what’s happening that day. But there are all sorts of wagers you can make across all kinds of sports.
More on Cruise Casinos:
- Cruise Ship Casino Games Guide (Games Offered, Minimums, Payouts & More)
- Cruise Ship Casino Gambling: Everything to Know Before You Bet
