Cruise Casinos: an Alternative to Traditional Gambling Holidays due to Covid Restrictions?

Thanks to the rollout of vaccines across the world, more and more of us can look forward to getting back into all those pastimes that have been off limits for so long. One such activity that many will have missed is being able to enjoy a spot of roulette or blackjack in a casino.

At the moment, things are looking good for gamblers in certain parts of the world. While the gaming palaces of Las Vegas and Atlantic City have been open for business for quite some time, across the pond in the UK, gamblers are still (im)patiently waiting for casinos to re-open their doors. This, of course, is the trouble with Covid restrictions – there’s a frustrating lack of consistency from one region to the next, and new regulations may be slapped down anywhere, at any time.

But how about casinos on cruises? Could they offer a reliable alternative for anyone looking to indulge their inner James Bond on the casino floor? At the moment, there’s a plethora of options to ponder, with numerous ships set to depart from ports across the world this summer and fall, and many will have their own lavish casinos on board.

Take industry leaders Royal Caribbean, for example. The company provides, in its own words, “your little slice of Vegas right at sea”, with passengers on its mammoth ships able to explore “thousands of square feet of lights, action, poker machines and tables”. All the classics are available, exactly as you’d expect in a land-based casino – think baccarat, craps and roulette, not to mention Texas Hold’em tournaments.

You can also rack up loyalty points the more you play, and these can be redeemed to get free drinks, priority check-in and other perks. A prominent example of just how immersive Royal Caribbean’s offerings can be is the casino onboard the multi-award-winning Allure of the Seas. It sprawls across 18,000 square feet and boasts 500 slots alone. Stepping inside this gaming domain, it’s easy to forget your on the high seas rather than on the Las Vegas Strip.

Celebrity Cruises is another example of a world-class company offering casino cruises. In fact, there’s more than 2,000 slot games and around 150 table games available across its whole, expansive fleet. Second-guessing what gamblers like to hear, it promises “Vegas-style, non-stop action”, complete with a special Blue Chip Club which awards you points as you play. As you might expect, these points pave the way for benefits like free food and drinks, and free slots play.

Norwegian Cruise Line is undoubtedly a major player in the world of casino cruises. Slots machines and table games are all ready to be discovered, not to mention daily tournaments for games like poker and blackjack. Plus, you can join the Casinos at Sea rewards program, which allows you to ascend a number of tiers from Jade through to Elite. Rising up in the ranks will unlock increasingly appealing perks, including stateroom discounts, complimentary drinks, birthday gifts and priority disembarkation. With its hundreds of slots and dozens of table games, the Norwegian Escape is just one ship in the NCL fleet that will appeal to high seas gamblers.

The options continue with Carnival Cruise Line, which – as its name suggests – puts a big emphasis on fun and entertainment on ships such as Carnival Vista and Carnival Magic. That includes the gaming opportunities, which encompass slots, table games and tournaments. The company prides itself on offering free drinks to casino players who earn sufficient loyalty points, “twice as fast as on any other cruise line”. Serious money can be made as well, with the company recently paying out $1 million in tournament winnings in one year alone.

And then, of course, there’s Cunard’s Queen Mary 2, the iconic liner that’s synonymous with glamour and romance on the ocean. It’s fitting that such a sumptuous ship has a Monte Carlo-inspired casino on board – not as vast as the casinos on some other ships, but with enough flair and elegance to make anyone feel like they’re on the set of a Bond film. If you’re new to gaming, you won’t have to feel intimidated by the opulence either, with the chance to meet croupiers during the day to learn the ropes when it comes to roulette, blackjack and the other classics on offer.

As this quick overview shows, gamblers are anything but limited to land-based casinos – fact that may well come in handy if Covid restrictions change where you are. And, for those still looking for an alternative to the casino without jumping on board a lavish boat and setting sail around the world, there’s always online and mobile options like those found at www.topratedcasinos.ie. That is, as long as you manage to overlook the mild inconvenience of not being able to order a Cunard Martini while playing online blackjack…