Find The Best Casino Cruises In 2025

Full Las Vegas Competition T&Cs 

*Entries close on May 15, 2025. The winner of the prize will be chosen and contacted by May 22, 2025. Entries are via voting in the International Casinos Day Awards or entering your email form on the International Casinos Day page. You agree to sign up for the Casinos.com newsletter by entering the competition. You must be subscribed to the Casinos.com newsletter at the time the winner is selected. 

Prize includes a 3x night stay at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, $2,000 (or equivalent currency) spending money & $1,000 (or equivalent currency) flight voucher. Entrants must be at least 21-years-old to enter. Max one entry per person. The winner will be chosen randomly and contacted via email by a member of the Casinos.com team.

You can unsubscribe from the Casinos.com mailing list anytime by clicking unsubscribe in any email. The competition is open only to residents of the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand and Italy. The winner has 7 days to claim their prize, or it will be forfeited. By accepting the prize, the winner agrees to participate in reasonable promotional activities as requested by Casinos.com, including submission of photos, videos, and interviews for marketing, public relations, and promotional purposes. You can unsubscribe from the Casinos.com newsletter at any time. 

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.

Top Casino Cruises

Icon of the Seas

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.

But 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.

Utopia of the Seas

Utopia of the Seas is also a gambler’s utopia since 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. However, the midship main casino of this Royal Caribbean International cruise ship houses the bulk of the machines and tables. The cruise experience also includes access to an exclusive CocoCay Island in the Bahamas.

Sun Princess

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 will love that the ship has a “Buffalo Zone,” which features some of the most popular Aristocrat games available.

Wonder of the Seas

Royal Caribbean International’s Wonder of the Seas is one of the five largest cruise ships in the world. It offers an endless array of activities for just about anyone. It features 16 decks for guests, 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, ranging from blackjack and craps to Caribbean stud poker and roulette.

Rolling the dice can earn you rewards through the Club Royale program, which allows you to rack up points for VIP show seating, priority dining reservations, and free cruises.  

Mardi Gras

Mardi Gras, an Excellence-class cruise 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 casino staff for lessons, while those with a bit of experience playing for stakes, high or low, at the classic table games.

Of course, there’s also the non-smoking section, which is a separate casino. Accumulating enough points through the Carnival Players Club loyalty program will get you drinks on the house.  

Carnival Vista

Operated by Carnival Cruise Line, Carnival Vista is the lead ship of her namesake class, which includes two additional Carnival vessels and two Costa ships. It boasts a lively décor that creates a luxurious and energetic atmosphere.

Gambling-wise, the entire Carnival line-up features slot machines, video poker, and table games, along with a Casino bar—all equipped with comfortable seating and well-designed layouts. However, perhaps the cruise company’s Carnival Players Club loyalty program is the most interesting part.

Namely, this program allows you to earn points, which you can redeem for onboard activities. These include free drinks, discounts, priority event access, and even a complimentary future cruise.

Norwegian Encore

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. Due to its breathtaking size and impressive array of amenities, it really has something to offer everyone.

The Encore casino is housed on Deck 7, and it features 310 slot machines and 26 table games, which include blackjack, roulette, poker, and craps. Everything’s housed in a luxuriously appointed space with ornamental lighting and video poker stations.  

Norwegian Prima

Another Norwegian Cruise Line ship on our list, Prima, offers guests equal amounts of relaxation and stimulation. This is primarily thanks to its combination of the feel of a modern beachfront resort with activities as exciting as 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. Additionally, the loyalty program ties the points you accumulate at the casino to your room key, which you can later spend on various rewards.

Rotterdam

Rotterdam has plenty to offer; the newest Holland America ship (a subsidiary of Carnival Corporation) is ideal for players on a budget. The ship has 12 passenger decks and a total capacity of 4,173 people (including guests and staff).

Its casino is located on the Upper Promenade Deck, and Holland America Line just expanded its classic onboard selection with the latest slot machines, video poker games, and progressive jackpots. So, you can either go with the old-school roulette, craps, or poker, or you can try your hand at a slot tournament.

Whatever the case, the upgraded casino system relies on cashless wagering and offers special promotions and rewards to players.

Majestic Princess Cruise

Majestic Princess is a British-registered Royal-class cruise ship and the third Royal-class ship to debut in Princess Cruises’ fleet. She has 15 passenger-accessible decks that house up to 5,600 passengers (both guests and staff), a tea bar, a Cantonese-centered restaurant, and a VIP casino.

The casino itself offers hundreds of differently themed slot machines, as well as table games, such as blackjack, craps, roulette, and even bingo—all of which are integrated with Princess’ MedallionClass system for interactive promotions and member offers.

Cunard’s Queen Mary 2

The QM2 is a British ocean liner that remains the only active, purpose-built ocean liner still in service of the Cunard Line. Queen Mary 2 has an Empire Casino where you can buy drinks and chat at the bar or try your hand at one of the games.

The casino itself offers roughly 55 slot machines and nine live tables, including roulette, blackjack, Three-Card Poker, and Heads-Up Texas Hold’em. It also offers expert-led tutorials for aspiring players and special promotions.

Seven Seas Explorer

Regent’s Seven Seas Explorer is an Explorer-class cruise ship and the largest ship ever operated for Regent, as a Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings subsidiary. She has 10 passenger decks with a capacity of 750 passengers and 552 crew members.

Regent’s intimate, Monte Carlo-style casino features all the goodies, such as slot machines, blackjack, roulette, poker tables, a high-limit lounge, and the Connoisseur Club cigar bar.

Casino Cruise Loyalty Programs

Cruise lines offer casino loyalty programs that reward you for participating in their onboard gaming activities. These programs differ from one cruise line to another in terms of their benefits. Some offer discounts or complimentary drinks, boutique credits, Wi-Fi access, priority service, complimentary cruises, and access to exclusive events.

So, if you like to play the odds while cruising, don’t hesitate to ask the casino staff about their loyalty program and what benefits these programs offer.  

Tips for Choosing the Right Casino Cruise

Choosing the right casino cruise is about balancing your gaming preferences with the overall cruise experience. Here’s what you need to pay attention to:

• Casino Amenities and Game Selection - While all cruise casinos offer slot machines and table games, newer ships tend to have a broader selection.
• Casino Loyalty Programs - As previously discussed, loyalty programs reward frequent players with perks, and understanding these programs can help maximize your rewards. 
• Ship Size and Atmosphere - Size matters, as larger ships often have bigger casinos with more gaming options and a livelier atmosphere. 
• Itinerary and Sea Days - Casinos on ships typically operate only in international waters. This means that a cruise with more sea days provides more gambling opportunities. 
• Overall Cruise Experience - Casino cruises are not only about gambling, so considering the ship’s other amenities, environment options, dining experiences, and destinations is worth considering. You should enjoy a well-rounded cruise both in and out of a casino.