If your ideal vacation involves sightseeing or sunbathing by day and trying your hand at blackjack, roulette or slots at night, the cruise industry has you covered. Similar to their land-based counterparts, the best cruise ship casinos offer the gamut of gaming options, albeit on a smaller scale, within close proximity to bars, restaurants and your cabin.
The caveat with cruise casinos is they can only open when the vessel is at least 12 miles from the coastline, so it’s not until you sail away from port that the lights, bells and winner-takes-all whoops begin.
To gamble while the sun shines, book a cruise itinerary with several sea days, when the ship’s casino can stay open until the last player collects his winnings (or plays his or her final chip). Here’s a look at some of the best cruise ship casinos by cruise line.