Casino Cruise Fort Lauderdale Florida Seminole Casino Fort Lauderdale Florida In an attempt to infuse their gambling halls with a bit of class, in an attempt to provide a similar Vegas atmosphere in the beckoning waves of the Atlantic, in an attempt to take advantage of the wonderful climate in which they were situated - many ports along the. Big M Casino Cruise Fort Myers Beach Florida Big M Casino Cruise - Fort Myers Beach - Florida The Big M Casino Cruise is a 400 passenger ship that sails from Moss Marina on Fort Myers Beach. Big M has 240 slots, 14 table games and one restaurant. SIGN UP FOR PROMOTIONS AND UPCOMING EVENTS. About Us; Gaming; Events; Victory Card; Groups; Transportation. Try your luck on with a wide variety of slot machines, ranging from penny slots to more lucrative machines. Plus join one of many table games and see what the cards have in store while you play. Discover the fantastic games and machines at the cruise casinos onboard Royal Caribbean Cruises.
Jacksonville in Florida (FL) has 2 casinos, the Victory Casino Cruises and the Bestbet Casino. The Victory Casino Cruises Jacksonville is located on a boat in the Mayport Village. It provides 300 slot machines including The Walking Dead and Grease.
Gamblers who like the taste of salty sea air and the sound of ocean waves crashing beneath their feet can enjoy one-day casino cruises in several areas of the United States, including Florida. At port, gambling may still be against the law, but once a cruise ship hits international waters, gambling becomes legal for all passengers age 21 and over.
While on a gambling day trip at sea, the casino amenities mirror that of a brick and mortar casino: slot machines, table games, cold drinks, buffets, entertainment. Florida, with its lengthy coast line, is a prime location for casino ships to set up shop at its various breathtaking ports. The casino ship industry in Florida, however, is not exactly flourishing. In fact, it has seen enough ups and downs to become seasick.
Unfortunately for casino cruise fans, Florida has seen many casino boat closures in the past decade. As of 2004, the Florida Day Cruise Association reported that there were 17 casino boats sailing in the state. In 2008, that number dwindled down to 14. Today, there are even fewer gambling boats available in Florida. The Big M and Victory Casino Cruises are two of Florida's main sailing options.
The Big M
The Big M is a casino cruiser that sails out of Moss Marine in Ft. Myers Beach, Fla. The ship offers Vegas-style casino action including multiple-line slots and traditional table games. For six hours, guests can wander the decks trying their luck. When they get hungry, or when money runs out, they can enjoy fine buffet food and entertainment.
The ship's prices are quite reasonable. It costs just $10 to board the Big M. Buffet meals raise the price up to $20-$30, depending on which day of the week it is. The Big M also operates a successful gambling cruise ship out of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
Miami Florida Casino Cruise
Victory Casino
The Victory Casino cruises out of Port Canaveral, Fla., seven days per week. The ship offers four decks with over 600 slot machines, blackjack tables with $5 and $10 minimums, sports betting at a full bar with specialty drinks, and other casino standards like roulette, craps, and poker.
When not gambling, guests can savor different international dishes at a world buffet and partake of drinks and dancing at Big Norm's Club V. Those who enjoy sipping cocktails by the sea can relax with a frosty drink at the Coral Side Tiki Bar. Like the Big M, the basic boarding price for the cruise is $10. Also like the Big M, costs rise a bit for guests who plan to partake of a meal.
Sunken Florida Gambling Ship: The Black Diamond
Florida witnessed the recent rise and fall of a new casino ship in Palm Beach called the 'Black Diamond.' In November 2012, the Black Diamond opened its doors to the public. The ship, operated out of Port Palm Beach, offered nightly gambling cruises and also morning cruises Wednesday through Sunday. Passengers enjoyed bingo, sports betting, a floor of 250 slot machines, and table games like baccarat, blackjack, and roulette. Evening cruises featured a sit-down dinner and live piano entertainment.
Unfortunately for Black Diamond customers, the ship closed down in February 2013 without fulfilling all of its reservations. Unfortunately for the 100 people employed by the cruise line, their employer abruptly cut them off that same month, only three months after the grand opening. As of February 19, 2013, employees had not been paid and customers with reservations had not been refunded.
Employees of the gambling ship found out about the cessation of their employment in an unfortunate way. CEO Steven Craig claimed he was going to tell them about the boat's closure, but dragged his feet so long that an on-site reporting news channel, WPTV News 5 out of Palm Beach, broke the news to the employees instead. According to reporters, employees who had shown up for work began to cry as they realized that not only was their place of employment closing, but also that their paychecks were nowhere to be found.
Craig explained to News 5 reporters that the ship was closing for a while, and if it re-opened in the future, he would call some of the employees back. This revelation caused quite an angry stir amongst Palm Beach community members.
One commenter indicated that she would have loved to take a day cruise on the ship, but had no idea it was even there. Speculations as to what caused the business's early and abrupt demise included the fact that CEO Craig did very little advertising. Many community members did not even know the service existed.
Good News: A New Port of Palm Beach Casino Cruise Line
Effective May 1st, 2013, Island Breeze International will take over the Black Diamond. Island Breeze is an owner and operator of entertainment cruise ships whose goal is to lead the cruise ship entertainment industry. The company plans to make renovations to the boat and open its doors to the public for day cruises starting in August, 2013. Unlike the Black Diamond, the Island Breeze company plans to advertise heavily. They have signed a 10-year lease with the port.
Other Sunken Ships
The Black Diamond is not the only ship to sink before its time. The once-popular SunCruz at Hollywood docked for good in 2005. A Florida gambling ship called the 'Big Easy,' once operated out of the port of St. Petersburg, closed in late 2009. The Discovery Cruise line, which once provided day gambling trips to the Bahamas, closed in 2011.
The gambling cruise ship industry in Florida is not a stable one. With the recent closure of Internet cafes and senior arcades in Florida (read here), citizens looking for places to gamble still have one sure bet: the 137 brick and mortar casinos in the state, most of which are located on Florida's vast and beautiful coast line.
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Orlando Florida Casino Cruises
In an attempt to infuse their gambling halls with a bit of class, in an attempt to provide a similar Vegas atmosphere in the beckoning waves of the Atlantic, in an attempt to take advantage of the wonderful climate in which they were situated - many ports along the west and southern coast offer Florida casino cruises. The concept is fairly straightforward - for approximately five hours, you will find yourself adrift at sea, with a wealth of table games, poker tables and slot machines with which to entertain yourself. Entertainment and food are also part of the package, naturally, and are generally enjoyed over the 45 minute wait you have until the ship clears U.S. waters and the gaming floor is opened.
Casino cruises in Florida are especially popular due to their ubiquity throughout the state's ports. The most popular usually disembark from the southern shores, such as Miami, Fort Lauderdale or Palm Beach, though you can grab a ride and try your luck from plenty of northern ports too. Packed with blackjack tables, craps tables and roulette wheels, for a small fee (usually in the twenty dollar range) the ship will whisk you into the gentle waters of the Gulf of Mexico with no set destination in mind - only the highs and lows that come with any gambling binge.
New Port Richey Florida Casino Cruise
Reaching up the ridges of the east and west coasts, you can catch a few of these Florida casino cruises from cities such as St. Petersburg, Fort Myers in the west and Jacksonville along the east. But if you wish to take a casino cruise Miami is the best place to start. From here a number of the most popular cruises originate - from the popular SeaEscape cruise liner to the brand new Horizons Edge Casino Cruise Miami.
SeaEscape is the largest of the casino cruises in Florida, both in terms of square footage and patronage. And it's no stretch to see why: they have supervised camp activities for children, complimentary buffet and cocktails, and the casino floor is the closest you will get to Las Vegas.
SunCruz is another of the great casino cruises in Florida, and is by far the most expansive - these ships set sail from locations all across the state, from Jacksonville to Fort Myers. They are also the most affordable - they range in price from free to a mere ten dollars.
Another of the casino cruises in Florida growing in popularity is the Discovery Cruise Line. For those that wish to stay on board a little longer than five hours, the Discovery Casino Cruise Miami-Bahamas is perfect. Not only is the cruise relatively inexpensive, but it stays overnight docked in the Bahamas. So you get the onboard casino, flush with every kind of game you can imagine, along with the option to gamble at the famous Isle of Capri Casino in the Bahamas after you reach your destination. At less than sixty dollars each way, it's a wonder that the cruise ever has any space available.
No matter where you are in Florida, there's likely a casino cruise waiting nearby for you. Whether you want to head off for a few hours or overnight, a cruise is a lavish and enchanting way to chase your fortunes.