Casinos

It seems like there is most always a crowd in ships' casinos. And why not? It's exciting with the bells going off and people winning (and losing) lots of money with just one turn of the cards or pull of a handle. Casinos are profitable operations for cruise lines, and literally major businesses on their own within the cruise line business. Yet as common as they are on cruise ships, only a minority of passengers ever put a quarter in a slot machine or play a hand of cards. Carnival Cruise Lines' president Bob Dickinson last week said that only about 30% of there passengers ever play in their casinos.

It seems like there is most always a crowd in ships' casinos. And why not? It's exciting with the bells going off and people winning (and losing) lots of money with just one turn of the cards or pull of a handle. Casinos are profitable operations for cruise lines, and literally major businesses on their own within the cruise line business. Yet as common as they are on cruise ships, only a minority of passengers ever put a quarter in a slot machine or play a hand of cards. Carnival Cruise Lines' president Bob Dickinson last week said that only about 30% of there passengers ever play in their casinos.

[Oggy Boy]

I am not a gambler, but I got to know a couple that dealt in gambling cruises. The husband had been a professional gambler his entire life (huge IQ) and I was surprised to hear that the cruise lines often give gamblers complimentary suites in exchange for play on the ship. It is quite common in fact, for high rollers to be pursued by the cruise lines, much the same as it is done in Las Vegas.

Tom

On our NCL Dream New Years cruise last year, we meta coup;e from Michigan who were in the penhouse suite. They were part of a group the cruise lines gave the best suites to. He told me he is prepared to spend $1500 a day. Some days he wins, some days he loses. He also receives all the excursions free. He goes twice a year, depending on what cruise line is offering the best.

Dvaid