The house always has an edge in cruise ship casinos. That’s just how the math works.
But most people make simple mistakes that tilt the odds even further against them. Stop making these errors and you’ll play longer, lose less, and have a better chance of earning free cruises.
These cruise casino tips won’t make you rich overnight. But they will help you get more value from every dollar you spend.
Cruise Casino Tip #1: Know Your Casino Loyalty Program Inside and Out
This is the biggest mistake I see on every cruise. People gamble without understanding how the casino program works on the ship they’re sailing on. Before you step on board, you need to know three things:
First, find out if there’s an award chart. Some cruise lines publish exactly how many points you need for a free cruise. Others won’t tell you. If you can find this information, use it to set your gambling budget and goals.
Second, understand how you earn points. Every cruise line is different. You need to know how many points you get for each dollar you play. Most lines publish earning rates for slots and video poker. Table games are trickier because pit bosses decide your rating. Some lines are generous, others aren’t.
Third, track your points every single day. Check where you stand at the end of each day. How many points do you have? How many more do you need? What’s your pace?
Stop playing once you hit your goal. Going over doesn’t help unless you reach the next tier. You’re just risking more money for no real benefit. This is easier with slots than table games, but it’s important either way.
Cruise Casino Tip #2: Don't Drink Too Much While You Play
Casinos give you free drinks for a reason. And it’s not because they’re being nice. Drinking lowers your inhibitions. You bet more than you planned. You play longer than you should. That’s exactly what the casino wants.
The majority of the time, I play craps. When the table is full, there’s a ton going on. I need to stay engaged and watch everything that’s going on. Dealers make mistakes. They’re human. Sometimes they forget to pay you. Sometimes they pay the wrong amount. You need to catch these errors when they happen.
That’s why I barely drink in the casino. You don’t have to avoid alcohol completely. But keep it light if you want to stay sharp.
Cruise Casino Tip #3: Use Every Perk and Promo the Cruise Line Offers
Cruise lines give you extra perks in different ways. Make sure you’re taking advantage of all of it.
Stockholder benefits are an easy way to score onboard credit. Every major publicly traded cruise line offers this. If you own 100 shares of the parent company (Carnival, Royal Caribbean, or Norwegian), you can request onboard credit.
The amount is typically around $100 for a seven-day cruise and varies by company and cruise length. Some companies won’t grant these benefits if you’re sailing on a casino comp, but it never hurts to request them.
You don’t have to hold the company’s stock forever, either. Sell it after you get the credit if you want.
Casino free play is literally free money. Many cruise lines don’t remind you about it, and a lot of people don’t even know it’s on their account. Once you get off the ship, it’s gone. Check what you have and use it. If you’re not sure, ask a host or manager.
Watch for special events and other promos. Not every cruise line runs casino-specific events, but if they do, pay attention. Earning double tier credits or extra freeplay can make a big difference. If you’re going to play anyway, make sure to play when there are bonuses in effect.
Cruise Casino Tip #4: Charge Casino Play to Your Room (If There's No Fee)
This one could be controversial. But hear me out.
If you charge casino play to your room and pay your final bill with a credit card, you can get at least 3% back on your spend. Often much more.
This can almost neutralize the house edge on low-hold games. That’s a big deal. Two important things to remember:
Make sure there’s no fee. Many cruise lines let you charge to your room for free. But some add a fee. Check before you do this.
Use a credit card that gives bonus points on travel. At the end of the cruise, your bill gets charged to the credit card you have on file. This includes casino expenses. Since the final bill will be from the cruise line, it should code as a travel expense, which means you get bonus points on everything.
I know a lot of people bring cash to stick to their budget. That’s fine if it works for you. But you’re leaving money on the table if you don’t use this strategy.
Just be disciplined. Don’t spend more than you planned just because you’re using a credit card. The Chase Sapphire cards are solid travel cards with some nice additional benefits but there are plenty of no-annual-fee cards as well.
Disclosure: I can be rewarded if you apply here and are approved for either Chase card.
Cruise Casino Tip #5: Don't Leave the Ship with More Than $10,000 Cash
If you’re bringing cash off the ship and it’s over $10,000, you have to declare it to customs. If you don’t declare it and get caught, customs can seize your money. Then you have to pay a fine to get it back.
This happened recently to a cruiser in Canada. I doubt it was fun for him. Keep your cash under $10,000 and you won’t have any issues.
Why These Tips Matter
These cruise casino tips won’t instantly turn you into a winner. The house edge is real and challenging to overcome.
But if you understand the loyalty programs, stay sober enough to catch any mistakes, use every perk available, and charge smartly to a credit card, you’ll get way more value from your casino play.
And that means more points, more free cruises, and longer sessions without blowing your gambling budget. It doesn’t cost anything to play smart.
Ready to earn your first free cruise? Check out my beginners guide here.
