Feb 29 at 15:30
Blog Post
What private ports are the cruise ship casinos open on?
Embarking on a cruise is not just about the open seas and exotic destinations; it's also an opportunity to indulge in the thrill of casino gaming. For avid cruisers who appreciate the excitement of blackjack, poker, and slot machines, the allure of on-board casinos is undeniable. However, the experience becomes even more enticing when cruise lines open their casinos to private islands during port visits. In this article, we will explore which cruise lines go the extra nautical mile by keeping their casinos open while docked at their exclusive private islands, providing passengers with a unique blend of luxury, relaxation, and gaming excitement.
Royal Caribbean
Royal’s casinos are only open in international waters and private ports. You’ll find the casino open when docked at Perfect Day at CoCo Cay, Labadee, St. Maarten, and Roatan. You’ll find the casino closed when docked at Falmouth and Nassau.
Celebrity
This cruise line depends heavily on the port you’ll be docked at and the international gambling laws. However, just like Royal you’ll find the casino open at CoCo Cay, Labadee, St. Maarten, and Roatan.
Carnival
This casino is known to open just an hour after setting sail, even before hitting international waters, and you can find the casino open (during potentially limited hours, starting in the late afternoon) while docked in Bermuda and Grand Turk. However, most travelers point out that the casino isn’t open when docked at Half Moon Cay for the majority of the time, nor at Amber Cove. Overall, Carnival has a less consistant casino that tends to differ from trip to trip, depending on the casino host onboard.
Norwegian Cruise Line
NCL will close all ship casinos while in port, regardless of location. This includes Great Stirrup Cay, Harvest Caye, etc.
Princess Cruises
You’ll find the casino closed at Princess Cays and all other ports besides Grand Turk (the majority of the time). This will again depend on the casino host and the casino guests onboard as it will need approval ahead of time.
MSC
You’ll find slots open all day at Ocean Cay, however, table games will not begin until 4 PM while docked at this port. From time to time, you’ll find that the first hour of table games will have features such as $5 Blackjack as well!
