Casinos have a long tradition on cruise ships. Read here what you need to know about gambling at sea.
Games, payment options and features at cruise casinos
Cruise ships offer their guests a variety of entertainment options. With a few exceptions, on-board entertainment includes on-board casinos for most shipping companies. The range of casino games varies from cruise line to cruise line and even within a fleet there are significant differences.
Casinos on cruise ships - what laws apply?
The rules for gambling and casino games are handled very differently from country to country. As soon as cruise ships enter international waters, no national gambling laws apply: the on-board casinos open their doors. The operators determine the betting limits, the minimum age or other rules independently. Some cruise lines open the on-board casino to people aged 18 and over; other shipping companies, on the other hand, only allow people to enter the casino once they have reached the age of 21.
Limits and deposits
In contrast to German online casinos, the shipping companies are free to decide on the minimum bet, the payout limits or other restrictions. If you bet a maximum of one euro at the machine in an online casino or look for a roulette in vain, such rules do not apply on the high seas. Enough shipping companies allow games without limits.
As far as deposits are concerned, cash is exchanged for chips at the cash desk on most ships. This is uncomplicated, anonymous and quick. It is easy to conclude that this is a big difference to online casinos, but this is a fallacy. Anyone who has ever had experience with a Paysafecard or CashtoCode casino knows that it is possible to pay online with cash using these payment methods. All that is required is a detour via a stationary retailer such as a gas station or lottery outlet.
AIDAcosma Beach Club - Fun on cruise ships doesn't just happen in the Beach Club
The casino offers of the shipping companies at a glance
We present it below Casino offer from some selected shipping companies.
AIDA Casino Offer
All AIDA ships have onboard casinos. Visiting the casino is possible without prior registration for people over the age of 18. Dress codes are casual and a minimum stake of 50 cents is allowed at the tables.
In addition to traditional table games such as poker, roulette and blackjack, AIDA also offers modern slots, progressive jackpot slots and poker rounds. In addition, there are many bingo variants and also scratch cards.
The shipping company offers introductory courses for newcomers. Casino T-shirts are even available as souvenirs from AIDA.
NCL Casino Offer
Norwegian Cruise Line operates its ship casinos under the name Casinos at Sea. Hundreds of different slot machines, including modern slots, are available to players. Not to mention blackjack, poker, tournaments and more.
MSC Cruises Casino Offer
The MSC Casinos offer around 1.000 different slot machines and many table games for roulette, blackjack or poker. The size of the ship determines the offer. How often you play is recorded on the boarding pass. It also serves as a player card for the casino. Active players on MSC ships receive free spins, free drinks and restaurant vouchers.
Cunard Casino Offer
The noble casinos of the traditional Cunard fleet are among the best ship casinos we know. Cunard currently has three "royal" ships in operation; a fourth ship is under construction. The machines are played with cash (bills) or boarding pass. The table games require chips, which must be purchased beforehand with cash or boarding pass that credit on the boarding card cannot be exchanged for chips.
Cunard Queen Mary 2 Casino
Carnival Cruise Lines Casino Offer
Every Carnival ship offers a large onboard casino. From the age of 18, passengers can immerse themselves in Carnival's casino world. The range of gaming tables and slot machines is extensive. As a side note, Carnival Cruise Line is known for its sometimes record-breaking profits, which have surpassed $1 million in the past.
Royal Caribbean Casino Offer
Under the promising name "Casino Royale" Royal Caribbean offers great casino activities. In addition to table games such as roulette, baccarat, poker or blackjack, this also includes a variety of slot machines. Tournaments of all kinds are held. High stakes players secure VIP status.
On some ships, the Royal Caribbean Players Club hosts tournaments throughout the year. Registered players are invited to events that often have catchy names like "Superbowl."