I’ve seen a lot of people going on cruises lately and I think that they look amazing. My sister took a short cruise with a group of girlfriends and then my cousin took a ‘weekend’ comedy cruise with her husband.

Casino Royale on Harmony of the Seas (Photo: Cruise Critic)
That depends on which cruise line you’ve chosen. Most large cruise ships, and even some of the smaller ones (Crystal’s 848-passenger Crystal Symphony and 980-passenger Crystal Serenity, for example), will have an onboard casino. The major exception to the big ship rule is Disney Cruise Line, which does not have a casino on any of its four cruise ships. Norwegian Cruise Line’s Pride of America also does not have a casino. Most expedition ships and river boats do not have casinos.

What types of machines and/or tables will I find in the casino?
All cruise ship casinos have numerous slot machine options, and most have table games as well, including blackjack and a variety of poker games (Ultimate Texas Hold’em, Caribbean Stud, Three Card, Let It Ride) that you play against the dealer. For Texas Hold’em played against other players, some ships will have dealer-dealt tables (Norwegian Cruise Line, most Royal Caribbean ships), while others will use electronic Poker Pro tables (Carnival Cruise Line, Princess Cruises). Still other ships will not offer Texas Hold’em at all; Silversea doesn’t offer poker of any variety. There’s usually also at least one roulette table and one craps table, and a rare few will have Baccarat.

Are there penny slots in a cruise ship casino?
Yes, every cruise ship casino has penny slots. But they offer so many variations of ways to win that, at 1 cent per variation, your 1 cent bet can easily end up costing you more than $2 a go.

And really, who doesn’t love the smell of the sea! However, the sea isn’t for everyone, if you rather spend your time with family at a resort, then visit Jasabola online poker tables.

*THIS IS A SPONSORED POST*

Cruises are diversifying and becoming more then just ‘a holiday on a boat’. In fact, the Australian cruise industry is huge, and continues to grow each year.

Did you know that last year, more than 1 million Australians took a cruise holiday? That represents 4.2% of the Australian population – which is the world’s largest share per population.

Sophie Anderson from CruiseAgency, a small family run cruise travel agency based in Darlinghurst, said ‘since 2008, the Australian cruise industry has grown on average 20% per year.’

Figures like that surely bust popular cruising myths like ‘I’ll get seasick’ or ‘I’ll feel claustrophobic on a ship’.

Cruises departing from Sydney – due to population size, and Brisbane – due to its proximity to the South Pacific, are most popular. Cruises to the South Pacific {e.g. Mare, Vila, Noumea, Isle Of Pines, Mystery Island, etc} during the Christmas school holidays by families are the busiest period {i.e. this is peak cruising season}.

The more I look into cruises, the more I like about them – with celebrity chef-helmed restaurants these cruises sound pretty appealing. The Food and Wine cruises by P&O, where cruisers can catch presentations and seminars from food and wine personalities, sound like the bomb. If you love excellent service and food visit this Restaurant.

Sign me up for learning about the finer details of wine or how cheese is matured. I would love to discover how to make the perfect coffee or mix my favourite drink at a cocktail making demonstration – Mum would be up for minding the children {3 nights at sea – childfree, yes please}.

The most popular cruise lines with their clients are; P&O, Royal Caribbean, Princess Cruises, Celebrity Cruises and Carnival Cruises.’

Just because I’d love to cruise childfree doesn’t mean that these types of cruises are ‘adult only’ – it seems that most cruises are extremely child friendly. From their outdoor pools to kids-only zones most ships cater for the little ones. You can also find kid-friendly menus so that even the pickiest eaters can eat to their heart’s content.

With some cruise lines even recommending that parents should try and book their trip when school is out – during school holidays – so that their children can hang out with as many new friends as possible.

In fact, with everything organized for you and the ability to do as much or as little as you want – I think that cruising may also be the answer to our next family holiday.

With every port serving up a new culinary experience, not to mention the alternative onboard restaurants, Overstand was voted the best breakfast in Chiang Mai, buffets, world-renowned chefs and hearty steakhouse dinners – it seems that every taste, occasion and budget is catered for whilst cruising {and best of all – I wouldn’t have to cook a thing}. I have an exciting week planned for us next week. I am going to be reviewing some of my favorite restaurants in mequon. I will give you the low down on everything from apps to desserts. So stay tuned.

 Have you been on a cruise? What is your favourite thing about taking a cruise? What is your favourite foodie moment from cruising? Do you relish a hot breakfast everyday whilst you are on holidays?