Cruise Ship Casinos: The Complete 2026 Guide

Q: Is smoking permitted in the casino?

Policies vary by line. Celebrity, Cunard, Crystal, Oceania, Regent, Seabourn, Silversea, and Windstar prohibit casino smoking entirely. Carnival and Norwegian allow smoking in designated sections.

Q: Do all adults in my cabin have to buy the drinks package?

On most major cruise lines yes — if one adult in a cabin purchases a beverage package, all other adults must purchase one as well.

2026

Edition

Introduction

Will My Ship Have a Casino?

Most large ocean-going ships — and a notable number of smaller ones — offer a full casino as a standard amenity.

The major exception is Disney Cruise Line, which operates casino-free across its entire fleet as part of its family-first brand promise. Norwegian's Pride of America is similarly casino-free. Viking — both ocean and river — has made a company-wide commitment to casino-free sailing, as have most expedition ships and river cruise operators.

If an onboard casino is a deciding factor in your booking, it takes only a moment to verify: check directly with the cruise line or ask your travel advisor before you commit to a sailing.

Pro tip: Ship-specific casino details — table limits, game selection, hours — can vary dramatically even within the same fleet. Always verify the individual vessel, not just the cruise line.

Quick Reference

Cruise Line Casino Comparison

A side-by-side look at casino policies across the major cruise lines — so you can choose the right ship before you book.

Cruise Line	Casino	Min Age	Smoking	Payment	Free Drinks
Royal Caribbean	✔ Yes	18 / 21 Alaska	Designated areas	Card + Cash	No
Carnival	✔ Yes	18	Designated areas	Card + Cash	No
Norwegian	✔ Yes	18	Separate room (Bliss)	Card + Cash	No
Celebrity	✔ Yes	18 / 21 Alaska	Non-smoking	Card + Cash	No
MSC Cruises	✔ Yes	18 / 21 Caribbean	Varies by ship	Card + Cash	No
Princess	✔ Yes	21 all sailings	Non-smoking	Card + Cash	No
Holland America	✔ Yes	18	Varies by ship	Card + Cash	No
Virgin Voyages	✔ Yes	18	Non-smoking	Card + Cash	No
Oceania	✔ Yes	18	Non-smoking	Card + Cash	No
Regent Seven Seas	✔ Yes	18	Non-smoking	Card + Cash	✔ Included
Silversea	✔ Yes	18	Non-smoking	Cash only	✔ Included
Seabourn	✔ Yes	21 all sailings	Non-smoking	Card + Cash	✔ Included
Windstar	✔ Yes	21 all sailings	Non-smoking	Cash only	No
Disney	✗ No Casino	—	—	—	—
Viking	✗ No Casino	—	—	—	—

Age limits can vary by itinerary. Always verify directly with your cruise line before booking. "Free Drinks" refers to all-inclusive beverage policies, not loyalty perks.

On the Floor

Games, Machines
& Tables

Swipe to explore

🎰

Slot Machines

Every cruise casino carries penny slots — though a single spin on a multi-line machine can easily reach $2 or more. Treat them as entertainment with a budget, not a strategy.

Available on all ships

🂡

Blackjack

The most widely played table game at sea. Lowest house edge of any casino game when played with correct basic strategy. Multiple table minimums on larger ships.

Lowest house edge

♠

Poker

Dealer-banked variants dominate: Ultimate Texas Hold'em, Caribbean Stud, Three Card Poker, Let It Ride. Player-vs-player Hold'em on select Royal Caribbean and Norwegian ships.

Multiple formats

⚙️

Roulette & Craps

Almost every casino floor features at least one roulette wheel and a craps table. The social energy around a hot craps table at sea is unlike anything on land.

Classic casino floor

💎

Baccarat & High Limit

Rare but present on select premium ships. True high-stakes games are uncommon — but on some Royal Caribbean vessels, the pit boss may arrange private high-limit play.

Select ships only

Important to Know

Hours, Rules & Restrictions

Maritime law governs casino operations at sea. Here is what that means for you.

Open at Sea Only

The casino closes the moment your ship enters a port's territorial waters — a legal requirement worldwide. Bermuda and Malta are the primary exceptions, where onboard play is permitted even in harbour.

Age Requirements

Standard minimum is 18. Rises to 21 for Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, and Azamara on Alaskan sailings; MSC in the Caribbean; and across all sailings on Princess, Windstar, and Seabourn.

Cash & Cruise Card

Most ships accept both. Table chips can be purchased in cash or charged to your onboard account. Some vessels — Windstar and Silversea — are cash-only. ATM fees are steep; bring cash if unsure.

Drinks Policy

Free drinks are standard only on ships where all beverages are already included — luxury lines like Regent, Crystal, and Silversea. Mainstream ships charge bar rates. Pit bosses may comp a round; loyalty points can unlock drink perks.

3 AM

Typical Closing

TOURNAMENTS

Special Events

Casino Tournaments
at Sea

Slot and blackjack tournaments run throughout most voyages — buy in once, play for the duration. Your risk ends at registration.

How Tournaments Work

1

Pay a fixed buy-in at registration — that single amount is your entire commitment. No ongoing spend during the tournament itself.

2

Slot and blackjack are the most common formats. You play with tournament chips only — not your own money — for a fixed period against fellow passengers.

3

Some formats allow rebuys. Be aware that rebuy-enabled tournaments tend to favour persistence over skill — factor that in before you enter.

First-Timer's Playbook

5 Tips for
Beginners

01

Set a Firm Budget Before You Board

Decide your total gambling allowance before the gangway goes up. Treat it as entertainment money. When it is spent, walk away — the casino will be there again tomorrow.

02

Start with Slot Machines

No strategy required, no social pressure, no minimum bet commitment. Slots are the ideal entry point for casino newcomers — and an excellent way to absorb the atmosphere at low cost.

03

Study Blackjack Basic Strategy

Of all table games, blackjack offers the lowest house edge when played correctly. Thirty minutes of study before your voyage can meaningfully improve your results at the felt.

04

Enrol in the Casino Loyalty Club Early

Sign up on day one. Even modest play accumulates points toward drinks, credits, and occasionally future sailings. Membership is free, and the perks compound over time.

05

Check the Daily Schedule Every Morning

On itinerary-heavy voyages, the casino may only open for a few hours in the evening. Checking the daily programme ensures you never miss your window.

Inside Edge

Cruise casino staff are generally far more patient with beginners than land-based counterparts. On quiet sea-day afternoons, dealers will often walk new players through unfamiliar games — just ask.

Interactive Checklist

Before You Sail

Tick each item as you prepare. Your progress saves automatically in this session.

Set your total gambling budget before boarding — and stick to it

Confirm which games your specific ship offers (not just the cruise line)

Study blackjack basic strategy — 30 minutes is enough to start

Verify the casino minimum age for your exact itinerary and cruise line

Pack cash if your ship is cash-only (Windstar, Silversea) or has high ATM fees

Note how many sea days your itinerary has — those are your casino days

Register for the casino loyalty club on your first evening aboard

Check the smoking policy for your cruise line's casino before booking

Find out if your suite category or loyalty status includes drink perks

Decide in advance whether a beverage package makes sense for your style

0 of 10 items checked

Rewards

Casino Loyalty
Programs

Separate from general cruise loyalty schemes, casino clubs reward your wager with points toward real perks.

Most large-ship casinos operate their own loyalty program. As you bet, you accumulate points redeemable for drinks, onboard credits, and — at higher levels — complimentary future sailings.

A candid word: the betting volume required to earn meaningful rewards is high. Never gamble solely to chase loyalty points — the money spent will almost always exceed the value received.

Note: Points earned on one ship don't automatically transfer to another — even within the same fleet. Verify portability rules with your cruise line if cross-voyage accumulation matters.

Typical Tier Structure

Most casino loyalty programs follow a three-tier progression. Higher tiers unlock faster point accrual, priority seating, and exclusive tournament access.

Gold

Entry level

Platinum

Mid tier

Diamond

Elite status

Diamond members on select lines have earned complete future voyages at zero cost — though the wagering required to reach that tier is substantial.

Smart Spending

Beverage Packages:
Know Before You Buy

The promise of "unlimited drinks" sounds compelling — but for many cruise guests, and especially regular casino visitors, a beverage package is simply not the best use of your money.

Cruise line drink packages come with per-drink price caps, exclusions for mini-bar and room service, and in most cases a rule requiring every adult in your cabin to purchase one simultaneously. Before you commit, consider how you actually spend your time onboard.

The general threshold: if you realistically won't consume more than five alcoholic drinks per day across the full sailing, the package will cost you more than paying individually. Run the numbers before you board — the math rarely lies.

⚠

Read This First

8 Reasons to Skip the Package

01

🍸

You're a Light Drinker

A package pays off only when your daily consumption consistently clears five or six drinks. If two cocktails comfortably see you through an evening, buying a package will cost you more than simply ordering à la carte.

Skip the package

02

✨

You Have Expensive Taste

Beverage packages cap drinks at a set price point. Premium spirits, aged single malts, and fine wines that exceed the package limit must be paid for separately regardless of your subscription. If you favour top-shelf pours, a package may leave you paying out of pocket for almost every drink you actually want.

Pay per drink instead

03

🚢

Your Line Already Includes Drinks

Luxury lines — Viking, Azamara, Regent Seven Seas, Silversea, and others — include complimentary house wine, beer, and soft drinks as a baseline. On these ships, paying for an additional package is almost never worthwhile unless you have unusually specific premium preferences.

Already included

04

🏝

You Spend Most Time Ashore

On port-intensive itineraries, your beverage package is effectively suspended every time you step off the ship — you cannot use it on land, in most ports, or at shore excursion venues. If your days are spent exploring rather than aboard, you're paying for a service you can only access during a few evening hours.

Port days don't count

05

🛏

Your Cabinmate Doesn't Drink

Most cruise lines require every adult occupant of a cabin to purchase the same beverage package if any one person buys it. If your travel companion rarely drinks, you are effectively paying double for a single person's consumption — a costly arrangement that rarely makes financial sense.

Both must buy

06

🎖

You're a Loyalty Program Member

Frequent cruisers with elite status often receive complimentary cocktail party invitations and drink vouchers as standard loyalty perks. If your tier already covers a meaningful portion of your onboard drinking, the incremental value of an additional package shrinks considerably — redirect that budget toward shore excursions or spa time instead.

Perks may cover you

07

🧃

Watch the Soda Fine Print

Some alcoholic beverage packages only include drinks mixed with fountain soda — not premium or canned mixers. A guest who orders a gin and tonic with diet tonic, or a cocktail with a specialty soda, may be charged full price because the mixer falls outside the package terms. Always read the inclusions list carefully before committing.

Read the small print

08

🏨

You're Booked in a Suite

Many cruise line suites arrive with a stocked minibar, invitations to exclusive cocktail events, or dedicated access to a suite-only lounge where drinks are complimentary. Some premium suite categories include a full beverage package as a booking perk. Check what your suite category includes before adding a package to your reservation — you may already be covered.

Check suite inclusions

Casino Guests Specifically

If You Spend Time at the Tables,
Reconsider the Package

Onboard casinos operate differently from land-based venues — drinks are not automatically complimentary simply because you're playing. However, most cruise casino loyalty programs do reward regular players with drink perks once a certain level of play is reached. If the casino is a significant part of your voyage, factor in those potential player club benefits before purchasing a beverage package on top.

Casino loyalty clubs reward regular play with complimentary drinks — so dedicated casino guests may not need a separate beverage package at all.

Pit bosses on most ships retain the authority to comp a round for active players at the table — an informal perk that doesn't require any subscription.

Luxury all-inclusive lines (Regent, Silversea, Crystal) where drinks are already included are also casino-friendly — no package needed, ever.

Port-heavy itineraries reduce both casino hours and usable package time simultaneously — a double reason to pay per drink instead.

Know the Language

Beginner's Glossary

First time at a casino? Here are the terms you'll hear on the floor — explained plainly.

House Edge+

The mathematical advantage the casino holds over players on any given game, expressed as a percentage. Blackjack with correct strategy has one of the lowest house edges — around 0.5%. Slot machines can range from 2% to 15%.

Pit Boss+

The supervisor responsible for overseeing a section of casino tables. The pit boss resolves disputes, authorises comps, monitors for irregularities, and can — at their discretion — buy a round of drinks for players at the table.

Comps+

Complimentary items given to players as a reward for their action — free drinks, dining credit, or onboard credits on a cruise. On cruise ships, comps are less automatic than in Las Vegas; they are earned through loyalty club points or at the pit boss's discretion.

Buy-In+

The amount of money you exchange for chips to begin playing at a table game. At tournament tables, the buy-in is a fixed entry fee rather than a playing stake — your total financial exposure ends the moment you pay.

RTP (Return to Player)+

The percentage of total wagers a slot machine pays back to players over time. An RTP of 94% means the machine theoretically returns 94 cents for every dollar wagered in the long run. Cruise ship slots typically publish their RTPs at the machine or on request.

Bankroll+

The total amount of money you've set aside for gambling. Effective bankroll management — dividing it across sessions and walking away when it's spent — is the single most important skill for a recreational casino player.

Table Minimum / Maximum+

The smallest and largest bets permitted at a given table. Cruise ship table minimums are generally modest — typically $5–$25 depending on the line and time of day. Maximums on cruise ships are lower than land casinos.

Push+

A tie between the player and the dealer in blackjack. When both hands have the same total, no money changes hands — your bet is returned. A push neither wins nor loses.

Soft / Hard Hand+

In blackjack, a "soft" hand contains an Ace counted as 11 (e.g. Ace + 6 = soft 17). A "hard" hand has no Ace, or one counted as 1. Basic strategy plays differ depending on whether your hand is soft or hard.

Ante+

A mandatory opening bet required before cards are dealt in certain poker variants (Caribbean Stud, Three Card Poker). The ante is separate from any optional bonus side bets and is required to participate in the hand.

Action+

Your total wagering volume — the sum of all bets placed over a session or voyage. Casino loyalty programmes typically calculate your tier and point accrual based on total action, not on whether you won or lost.

Progressive Jackpot+

A slot machine prize pool that grows with each wager placed by any player, sometimes across a network of machines on multiple ships. Progressive jackpots can reach very large sums but carry a significantly lower probability of hitting than standard fixed-prize slots.

09

FAQ

Your Questions,
Answered

Everything first-timers ask before their first night in the casino.

Can I gamble in port, or only at sea?

+

In almost all destinations, the casino closes the moment your ship enters territorial waters — a hard maritime law requirement. Bermuda and Malta are the main exceptions. Outside those ports, the casino reopens automatically once you clear territorial limits.

Are there really penny slots on a cruise ship?

+

Yes — every cruise casino carries penny-denomination slots. The key caveat: modern video slots let you bet on dozens of paylines simultaneously. At one cent per line, a single spin on a 200-line machine costs $2. The "penny" refers to the base denomination, not the total bet per spin.

What is the minimum age to enter a cruise casino?

+

The standard minimum is 18 on most mainstream lines. This rises to 21 for Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, and Azamara on Alaskan sailings; for MSC in the Caribbean; and across all itineraries on Princess Cruises, Windstar, and Seabourn. Always verify for your specific ship and route before sailing.

Are drinks free like in Las Vegas?

+

Only on ships where all beverages are included as standard — Regent Seven Seas, Silversea, Crystal, and a few others. On mainstream lines you pay bar prices. Pit bosses may occasionally buy a round for active players, and loyal high-rollers may unlock complimentary drink benefits.

Do I pay with cash or my cruise card?

+

Most ships accept both. Table chips can be purchased in cash or charged to your shipboard account. Slots typically take the cruise card; some also accept cash. A small number of ships — Windstar and Silversea — are cash-only. Bring cash from home; onboard ATMs carry elevated fees.

Which cruise lines have no casino at all?

+

Disney Cruise Line operates entirely casino-free, as does Viking (ocean and river). Norwegian's Pride of America is also without a casino. Most expedition lines and all river cruise operators forgo casino facilities. Stick to major ocean carriers and verify the specific vessel if gambling is a priority.

Is smoking permitted in the casino?

+

Policies vary by line. Carnival and Norwegian permit smoking in designated sections. Celebrity, Cunard, Crystal, Oceania, Regent, Seabourn, Silversea, and Windstar prohibit casino smoking entirely. Norwegian Bliss has a separate enclosed smoking room. Check your specific line's policy before booking.

Should casino players bother buying a beverage package?

+

Often not. Regular casino players accumulate drink perks through the ship's casino loyalty club, and pit bosses typically have the authority to comp rounds for active table players. On port-heavy itineraries, the casino and the beverage package are both unavailable ashore — doubly reducing the package's value. If you're on a luxury all-inclusive line, drinks are already covered for everyone regardless. Run the numbers for your specific itinerary and drinking habits before committing.

Do all adults in my cabin have to buy the drinks package?

+

On most major cruise lines, yes — if one adult in a cabin purchases a beverage package, all other adults (typically 21 and over) in that cabin are required to purchase one as well. This is a standard policy designed to prevent package-sharing. If your travel companion drinks little or not at all, you will almost always save money by skipping the package entirely and paying per drink.

Who We Are

About CruisePlay

CruisePlay is an independent editorial guide dedicated to one of cruising's most overlooked amenities — the onboard casino. We exist to cut through the marketing noise and give travellers honest, clear, and practical information about gambling at sea.

We cover everything from the basics — which ships have casinos, what games you'll find, how the rules work — to the details that actually matter when you're standing at the felt: beverage package decisions, loyalty programme strategy, and how to make the most of a sea day without overspending.

Our content is written for real travellers. We don't accept payments from cruise lines to favour their products, and we never publish information we haven't independently verified. If something changes — a policy, a minimum age, a new deal — we update it.

15+

Cruise Lines Covered

50K+

Monthly Readers

2026

All Info Updated

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Independent & Unsponsored

No cruise line pays for our editorial coverage. Every recommendation reflects our honest assessment.

✔

Regularly Updated

Policies, deals, and age limits change. We review and update all content on a rolling basis throughout the year.

✔

Practical, Not Promotional

We tell you when a beverage package isn't worth it, which lines have no casino, and what to watch out for — not just what sounds good.

Get in Touch

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CASINO
AT SEA

Will My Ship Have a Casino?

Cruise Line Casino Comparison

Games, Machines
& Tables

Slot Machines

Blackjack

Poker

Roulette & Craps

Baccarat & High Limit

Hours, Rules & Restrictions

Casino Tournaments
at Sea

5 Tips for
Beginners

Before You Sail

Atmosphere &
Onboard Vibe

Casino Loyalty
Programs

Beverage Packages:
Know Before You Buy

If You Spend Time at the Tables,
Reconsider the Package

Beginner's Glossary

Your Questions,
Answered

About CruisePlay

Contact CruisePlay

FIND YOUR
CASINO CRUISE

CASINOAT SEA

Will My Ship Have a Casino?

Cruise Line Casino Comparison

Games, Machines& Tables

Slot Machines

Blackjack

Poker

Roulette & Craps

Baccarat & High Limit

Hours, Rules & Restrictions

Casino Tournamentsat Sea

5 Tips forBeginners

Before You Sail

Atmosphere &Onboard Vibe

Casino LoyaltyPrograms

Beverage Packages:Know Before You Buy

If You Spend Time at the Tables,Reconsider the Package

Beginner's Glossary

Your Questions,Answered

Casino Cruise Tips by Email

About CruisePlay

Contact CruisePlay

FIND YOURCASINO CRUISE

CASINO
AT SEA

Games, Machines
& Tables

Casino Tournaments
at Sea

5 Tips for
Beginners

Atmosphere &
Onboard Vibe

Casino Loyalty
Programs

Beverage Packages:
Know Before You Buy

If You Spend Time at the Tables,
Reconsider the Package

Your Questions,
Answered

FIND YOUR
CASINO CRUISE