The MS Radiance of the Seas has a Vegas-style casino that is an impressive 6,459 square foot with 188 slots and 11 tables.

• Age Limit For Gambling On A Cruise Ship Internationally
• Age For Gambling On Cruise Ships
• Age Limit For Gambling On A Cruise Ships
• Age Limit For Gambling On A Cruise Ship Royal Caribbean

Gambling Onboard Gambling, a popular form of entertainment on cruise ships, also has age restrictions. Norwegian requires passengers to be 18 or older to play in the shipboard casinos. Find a Bargain Please choose a vacation type. Call us at 800-338-4962 or inquire. Home Cruise Faq What About Gambling. What about gambling? There are casinos with table games and slot machines on board all our ships (except Pride of America due to regional law). Guests must be 18 or over to gamble and claim any winnings. Related FAQs What time is dinner? On most cruise ships, the minimum age to be in the casino is 18. Royal Caribbean, Celebrity and Azamara raise that age to 21 on sailings in Alaska, while MSC raises it to 21 in the Caribbean.

Cruise ships are a great place for players top enjoy some gambling while they are on a relaxing vacation at sea. With many of the leading cruise lines offering ships that have full casinos, players who enjoy the thrills of blackjack will find great games that can be played. The main difference between playing on a cruise ship as opposed to a land casino is the limitation of game variations. Since there is smaller floor space available, most cruise ships will only offer a single variation of blackjack, though there may be a few that have two or more variations depending on the size of the casino.

Cruise ship casinos open their gaming tables the moment the ship is three miles offshore, in international waters. Gamblers will find that he betting options on a cruise ship are relatively low, so high rollers may not be interested in betting. However, for the casual blackjack player, these cruise casinos offer a great way to enjoy some gabling action while on vacation. There are even themed cruises, where the focus is on gambling and these can offer more game variations and even tournaments that can be played aboard.

Best Cruises for Gambling & Blackjack

Blackjack fans will want to make sure their selected cruise ship offers the game and below are the most popular ships for those that enjoy the thrills of blackjack.

Radiance of the Seas – Royal Caribbean

Destinations: Alaska, Australia/New Zealand, Transpacific, Hawaii

• Single and eight deck blackjack offered with a $5 minimum on both tables.
• Cruise offers blackjack tournaments.

More info:www.royalcaribbean.com

Voyager of the Seas – Royal Caribbean

Destinations: Asia, Australia/New Zealand

• 6 blackjack tables offered, 2 with single deck games.
• Small table limits, between $3 and $6. Two tables offer higher bets, ranging from $25 to $300 per hand.

More info:www.royalcaribbean.com

Carnival Fantasy – Carnival

Destinations: Bahamas, Caribbean

• Multiple blackjack tables with variations such as Face Up and Fun 21.
• Low game minimums for casual players with some higher limits up to $300 per hand.

Age Limit For Gambling On A Cruise Ship Internationally

More info:www.carnival.com

Norwegian Jewel – Norwegian

Destinations: Alaska, Mexican Riviera, Pacific Coastal

• 9 multi-deck blackjack tables with $5 minimums.
• One table offered for high rollers for bets from $100 to $2000.

Age For Gambling On Cruise Ships

More info:www.ncl.com

Norwegian Dawn – Norwegian

Destinations: Bermuda, Canada, New England, Caribbean

• Multiple tables with eight deck games and side bets, like Lucky Ladies and Wheel of Madness.
• High roller table reserved with minimums of $100.

More info:www.ncl.com

Five Important Tips for Playing on a Casino Cruise

Playing casino games on a cruise ship is not much different from playing at a land casino, but there are some slight differences to prepare for when sailing. The following tips will get gamblers ready for their onboard blackjack experience.

1. Plan gambling around the complete cruise itinerary. Always remember that all cruise ship casinos are closed when the boat is in port. There are some exceptions, such as in Bermuda and Nassau.

2. The casino will be open when in international waters, so those eager to play just have to wait for the boat to be between 3 and 12 nautical miles from shore.

3. Be ready to deal with smokers. Most of the cruise ships that offer a casino will have designated smoking areas and if the casino is small, smoking may be allowed everywhere in the casino. There may be some exceptions to cigar smoking.

4. Most casino games on a cruise ship are played by casual players. There are seldom card sharks or professional players on board, so prepare for a casual and relaxing experience at the tables.

5. Watch for themed cruises where a major focus is on gambling. These are the cruises that will offer blackjack tournaments and special events throughout the cruise that will make onboard gambling even more exciting and rewarding.

You may think anything goes in those lawless international waters, but truth is, the cruise lines maintain fairly strict policies governing the age at which you can drink booze, gamble and occupy a cabin alone. Typically, the combination key/ID/charge cards each passenger is issued clearly indicate if the holder is under age. The only hope of getting a drink on a cruise ship if you're an underage teen is getting some older sucker to buy it for you when no one's looking. If a cruise line wants to be hard nosed, they can eject transgressors from the ship at the next port of call -- at their own cost. Drinking laws may be much more lenient on shore, for instance in the Caribbean.

Of course it wasn't always this way. Just a decade ago rowdy high school groups were a common sight on big cruise ships, especially during the spring break months. Barely chaperoned mobs of young binge drinkers would practically take over a ship, hogging deck chairs, spilling out of cabins, passing out in hallways, puking on stairs and boldly staggering up to adults in bars asking for drinks (which, if they were cute enough, they usually got!).

Since those wild days, cruise lines have toughened up their policies quite a bit. Unsupervised teen groups are not permitted on board any more. Not to say you won't ever encounter obnoxious adolescents -- with more and more families cruising, there are a lot of teens sailing these days -- but mom and dad are on board to, hopefully, keep their offspring in line. Now, if you happen to be a civilized teen looking to cruise solo with a friend or two, you're basically out of luck.

Age Policies of the Major Lines

Carnival (www.carnival.com)

All passengers must be 21 years old to drink alcohol no matter where the ship is sailing. You must be 18 to gamble in the casino; if you're under age 21, there must be at least one person in the cabin over 25.

Celebrity Cruises (www.celebritycruises.com)

All passengers must be 21 years old to drink alcohol, with the exception of Europe, South America and Australia cruises if parents cruising with their children sign a waiver allowing their 18 to 20 year olds consume alcohol. Passengers must be 18 to gamble in the casino (and 21 on Alaska cruises). If you're under age 21, there must be at least one person in the cabin over 21, unless minor children are cruising with their parents or guardians and staying in an adjacent cabin.

Costa Cruises (www.costacruises.com)

All passengers must be 21 years old to drink alcohol and 18 to gamble in the casino. All passengers must be 21 years old, or have at least one person in the cabin over age 21. During certain times of the year, like Spring Break, passengers ages 21 to 24 must have one person at least 25 years old in the same cabin.

Crystal Cruises (www.crystalcruises.com)

All passengers must be 18 years old to drink beer and wine, and 21 to drink the hard stuff; however when the ship is docked or anchored in an American port, or within the 3-mile limit, the drinking age is 21 for all alcoholic beverages. To gamble in the casino, passengers must be 21 or older. Those 18 and younger must share a cabin with a parent or guardian 21 or older.

Disney Cruise Line (www.disneycruiseline.com)

All passengers must be 21 years old to drink alcohol and you must be at least 18 to occupy a cabin without an adult.

Holland America (www.hollandamerica.com)

All passengers must be 21 years old to drink alcohol no matter where the ship is sailing, 18 to gamble in the casino, and if you're under age 21, there must be at least one person in the cabin over 25.

Norwegian Cruise Line (www.ncl.com)

Passengers ages 18 to 20, with the written consent of their parents or guardian, can purchase beer or wine for themselves only when the ship is sailing in international waters (except in Alaska and Hawaii, where you must be 21 years of age to consume or purchase alcohol or any kind). To gamble in the casino, passengers must be 18.For cabins, at least one person must be 21 or older (unless cruising with parents in an adjoining cabin or if you can prove you're a married couple under age 21).

Princess Cruises (www.princesscruises.com)

All passengers must be 21 years old to drink alcohol or gamble in the casino; those 18 and under must share a cabin with someone 21 or older.

Regent Seven Seas (www.rssc.com)

All passengers must be 21 years old to drink alcohol or gamble in the casino; and 18 is the age minimum to occupy a cabin.

Royal Caribbean (www.royalcaribbean.com)

All passengers must be 21 years old to drink alcohol, with the exception of Europe and South America cruises if parents cruising with their children sign a waiver allowing their 18 to 20 year olds consume alcohol. Passengers must be 18 to gamble in the casino (and 21 on Alaska cruises). If you're under age 21, there must be at least one person in the cabin over 21, unless minor children are cruising with their parents or guardians and staying in an adjacent cabin or if underage married couples can show proof of marriage certificate.

Silversea Cruises (www.silverseacruises.com)

Age Limit For Gambling On A Cruise Ships

All passengers must be 21 years old to drink alcohol on all cruises, and 18 to gamble in the casino or occupy a cabin alone.

Age Limit For Gambling On A Cruise Ship Royal Caribbean

Windstar Cruises (www.windstarcruises.com)

All passengers must be 21 years old to drink alcohol; 18 to gamble in the casino; and if you're under age 21, there must be at least one person in the cabin over 25.

As for cabin age minimums, many cruise lines make an exception for parents traveling with children and occupying two adjoining (or nearby) cabin -- even if it's not officially condoned, it's often overlooked.

Talk with fellow Frommer's cruisers on our Cruise Message Boards.