While there’s no denying the appeal of online casinos (the sheer convenience of sitting on the couch, firing up Paddy Power Casino and being away) some people just need to taste the finer things. If you’ve got the budget for it, a cruise is a fantastic way to enjoy yourself with luxury in abundance and gorgeous sights from the deck. That’s not even talking about everything you can do on the ship with the cinemas, restaurants, swimming pools (which feels a little odd given you’re on the ocean but can’t deny it’s a luxury). Given this started with online casinos and the title of the article, you can probably imagine where we’re going with this. Let’s talk about the top casino cruise ships out there!
Queen Mary 2– Offering a trip from Southampton to New York which emulates a certain other famous cruise (don’t worry, this one really is unsinkable), the Queen Mary 2 offers a luxurious experience that’s sure to please. But it’s not really the cruise we’re looking at, the Queen Mary 2’s other draw is the Empire Casino on board which offers a high-quality casino experience on the open waves. While it’s not the top of this list, it’s certainly the top of several others so we’d most definitely recommend checking this out if you’re ever in the mood for a transatlantic jaunt in real comfort (and with a delightful casino experience on offer to boot).
Norwegian Escape– Based out of Miami and offering a relaxing trip through the Bahamas and the Caribbean, Norwegian Escape manages an effortless feel of prestige with a relaxed atmosphere but VIP style experience. This attitude extends even into the casino where the elite feel really comes into its own. Boasting 318 Slot machines (which is more than a fair few land casinos), the casino aboard the Escape has a specialised room for the VIPs and the high rollers, just like you’d expect from a casino built with high-rollers in mind. The casino floor proper also has options for more casual players which is ideal if you just want to dip your toe. The higher bet max of $5000 is pretty unique for a cruise ship too.
Allure of the Seas– The Royal Caribbean cruise ships are all high quality and most have a casino available. The Casino Royale on the Freedom class ships are all pretty high quality too, but the best casino on the open sea? Well, for our money it’s got to be the Casino Royale sitting pretty in the second largest cruise ship out there the Allure of the Sea. The Allure of the Sea offers an experience that’s only really comparable to Las Vegas in terms of its excellent quality and massive casino floor. Not to mention the cocktail service. It’s a really minor thing, something you might even gloss over if you were at a land casino, but having it on a ship is a distinct experience which, taken with all the other excellent features the casino has on offer, really makes the Casino Royale stand out.