Find The Best Casino Cruises In 2026

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Ziv Chen

Updated by Ziv Chen

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Michael Graham

Fact Checked by Michael Graham

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Last Updated 31st Jul 2026, 04:15 PM

Cruise ship lit up at night with an onboard casino

The best casino cruises on the water.

If playing the odds while cruising the international waters is your idea of a perfect vacation, then you should check out casino cruises. However, choosing the best experience goes beyond just boarding the first cruise ship. Some people like land-based casinos, some enjoy casino sites, but for some people, hitting the casino floor on water tickles their fancy.

In this guide, we're covering some of the best casino cruises the world offers. We wrote short reviews about each of them, followed by quick information about their loyalty programs and a "tips and tricks" section on choosing the best cruise for your needs.

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If playing the odds while cruising international waters is your idea of a perfect vacation, the ship matters as much as the port. Some casinos are the ocean's largest gambling floors. Others are quiet rooms with nine live tables and a cigar bar off to one side.

What follows are twelve ships worth considering, short reviews of the floors themselves, a look at the loyalty programs quietly stacking up under your room key, and a final section on how to choose the right cruise for the way you actually like to play.

Chapter One

The Top Casino Cruises

Ordered by scale and floor design, not by ranking. Each ship earns its place for a different reason.

Aerial view of Royal Caribbean's Icon of the Seas cruise ship sailing across open water
№ 01 Royal Caribbean International

Royal Caribbean International

Icon of the Seas

Debut
2024
Tonnage
~250,000
Guests
5,610

Launched in January 2024 with nearly 250,000 gross tonnage, Icon of the Seas is now the world's largest cruise ship. Operated by Royal Caribbean International, the Icon has 20 decks, eight neighborhoods, and can hold 2,350 crew members and 5,610 guests.

Its most interesting feature is Deck 4, which houses the most extensive casino square footage at sea. The casino has five distinct table-game sections, a high-limit room, and separate smoking and non-smoking zones. Of course, there's also a full-service bar within the casino itself.

Royal Caribbean's Utopia of the Seas cruise ship at sea during sunset
№ 02 Royal Caribbean International

Royal Caribbean International

Utopia of the Seas

Class
Oasis
Slots
371
Perk
CocoCay access

Utopia of the Seas is a gambler's utopia — the Oasis-class ship has not one but two Casino Royale venues. The venues have a combined 371 slot machines, plus table games such as blackjack, roulette, craps, baccarat and poker.

The forward-starboard side features a Golden Room, a non-smoking salon that houses 40 slot machines, one blackjack table and one poker table. The midship main casino holds the bulk of the machines and tables, and the itinerary includes access to exclusive CocoCay Island in the Bahamas.

Princess Cruises' Sun Princess cruise ship docked at sunset
№ 03 Princess Cruises

Princess Cruises

Sun Princess

Class
Sphere
Floor
9,000 sq ft
Slots
227

Debuting in 2024, Sun Princess is a Sphere-class cruise ship operated by Princess Cruises. The ship features the latest and largest casino of all Princess cruises, spanning nearly 9,000 square feet under 10-foot ceilings.

The casino is equipped with 227 slot machines and 13 live tables, a high-limit slot area and an interactive audio-visual gaming environment. Slot lovers gravitate to the "Buffalo Zone," which features some of the most popular Aristocrat games available.

Royal Caribbean's Wonder of the Seas cruise ship sailing on the ocean
№ 04 Royal Caribbean International

Royal Caribbean International

Wonder of the Seas

Decks
16
Slots
358
Tables
31

Royal Caribbean's Wonder of the Seas is one of the five largest cruise ships in the world. It offers 16 guest decks, 20 restaurants, four pools, a children's water park, an ice-skating rink and a surf simulator.

When it comes to gambling, the Wonder has two casinos, one smoking and one non-smoking. Both are equipped with 358 slot machines and 31 live-action tables, from blackjack and craps to Caribbean stud poker and roulette. Rolling the dice earns rewards through Club Royale — VIP show seating, priority dining reservations and free cruises.

Carnival Cruise Line's Mardi Gras ship showing its rooftop rollercoaster
№ 05 Carnival Cruise Line

Carnival Cruise Line

Mardi Gras

Class
Excellence
Signature
Rollercoaster at sea
Loyalty
Players Club

Mardi Gras, an Excellence-class ship by Carnival Cruise Line, houses the world's first rollercoaster at sea and one of the ocean's top-tier casinos. Inexperienced players can ask the staff for lessons, while regulars play the classic table games at any stake.

There's also a separate non-smoking casino. Accumulating enough points through the Carnival Players Club loyalty program will get you drinks on the house.

Carnival Vista cruise ship lit up at dusk near the coastline
№ 06 Carnival Cruise Line

Carnival Cruise Line

Carnival Vista

Role
Class flagship
Vibe
Luxe & lively
Perk
Free future cruise

Operated by Carnival Cruise Line, Carnival Vista is the lead ship of her namesake class. She boasts a lively décor that creates a luxurious and energetic atmosphere across the entire vessel.

The casino features slot machines, video poker and table games, plus a Casino bar with comfortable seating and a well-designed layout. The Carnival Players Club loyalty program lets you redeem points for onboard activities — free drinks, discounts, priority event access and even a complimentary future cruise.

Norwegian Encore cruise ship sailing across the open sea
№ 07 Norwegian Cruise Line

Norwegian Cruise Line

Norwegian Encore

Decks
20
Slots
310
Tables
26

Norwegian Encore is the fourth Breakaway Plus-class cruise ship operated by Norwegian Cruise Line. It has 20 decks (16 of which are passenger), a capacity of 4,000 guests and 2,100 crew.

The Encore casino is on Deck 7 and features 310 slot machines and 26 table games including blackjack, roulette, poker and craps — all housed in a luxuriously appointed space with ornamental lighting and video poker stations.

Norwegian Prima cruise ship showing its rooftop go-kart racetrack
№ 08 Norwegian Cruise Line

Norwegian Cruise Line

Norwegian Prima

Signature
3-level racetrack
Casino deck
6
Reward key
Room-linked

Prima offers guests equal amounts of relaxation and stimulation, combining the feel of a modern beachfront resort with a three-level racetrack and a casino that spans the majority of Deck 6.

Like most cruise ships, Prima has a separate, smaller casino for non-smoking players. Both are equipped with modern slot machines, video poker, blackjack, roulette, craps and poker tables. The loyalty program ties points to your room key, which you can later spend on rewards.

Dimly lit casino floor aboard a cruise ship with rows of glowing slot machines

Loyalty at sea

Every major line runs a casino loyalty program, and the benefits diverge sharply — discounted drinks and boutique credit on one end, Wi-Fi, priority service, exclusive events and comped future cruises on the other. If you plan to play, ask the pit boss about status matching before your first hand. The room you spend the week in should know your name.

Choosing the right cruise

Five things to weigh before you book — because the best casino cruise for someone else is almost never the best casino cruise for you.

  1. Casino amenities & game selection

    All cruise casinos offer slot machines and table games, but newer ships tend to carry a broader selection — deeper slot walls, high-limit rooms and modern AV-driven pits.

  2. Casino loyalty programs

    Loyalty programs reward frequent players with perks — drinks, boutique credit, Wi-Fi, priority service, exclusive events and even comped future cruises. Ask the pit before your first hand.

  3. Ship size & atmosphere

    Size matters. Larger ships often have bigger casinos with more gaming options and a livelier atmosphere; smaller ships trade volume for a Monte Carlo hush.

  4. Itinerary & sea days

    Casinos on ships typically only operate in international waters. A cruise with more sea days means more time at the tables — check the itinerary before you book.

  5. The overall cruise experience

    Casino cruises aren't only about gambling. Weigh the dining, the excursions, the pools and the destinations — you should enjoy a well-rounded cruise both in and out of the casino.

Meet The Author

27 Years
Experience
Ziv Chen
Ziv Chen
Writer Writer

Ziv Chen has been working in the online gambling industry for over two decades in senior marketing and business development roles. Ziv writes about a wide range of topics including slot and table games, casino and sportsbook reviews, American sports news, betting odds and game predictions. Leading a life full of conflict, Ziv constantly struggles between his two greatest loves: American football and US soccer.

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Disclosure
This review is based on the writer's personal opinion
Casinos.com is an informative comparison site that helps users find the best products and offers. We maintain a free service by receiving advertising fees from the brands we review. Ratings are based on position in the comparison table or specific formulas. We strive to keep information up-to-date, but offers are subject to change. We do not compare or include all brands and offers.

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