Inside Virgin Voyages Cruise Ship Casinos (Real Photos)

Virgin Voyages have vowed to do cruising ‘differently’ and as a result, many have questioned if cruise ships by Virgin Voyages will have casinos onboard.

Virgin talk about their entertainment options on their website here Virgin Voyages (affiliate link) but there is little mention of casinos. I recently took a cruise onboard Scarlet Lady so have firsthand experience of this.

Do Virgin Voyages Cruise Ships Have Casinos?

All cruise ships from Virgin Voyages will have casinos onboard. The casinos will be relatively small compared to some other cruise lines but will contain a variety of slot machines and gaming tables.

Scarlet Lady is the first cruise ship from Virgin Voyages, she does have a casino onboard and can be seen in the photos below.

What Is In The Casino on Scarlet Lady?

The casino will include a mix of slot machines and table games.

From the Virgin Voyages FAQ’s:

What type of machines and games will there be in the casino?

Feelin’ lucky? Hope you said “yes” because our casinos will have a mix of traditional, vintage, and modern games available. So make sure to wear your lucky knickers (but leave the rabbit’s foot at home).

The casino will include:

115 Slot Machines

10 Gaming Tables

Craps: 1 Craps Table (odds 3,4,5Xs) They do allow side bets/ bonus bet up to 5xs off

Roulette: 2 x Roulette Tables (Can be European or American wheel)

Texas Hold’em: 1 x Electronic Texas Hold’em (not a live dealt game)

Blackjack: 1 x single deck blackjack (odds 6/5)

And More: 5 x tables that include- blackjack (odds 3/2), three card poker, Ultimate Texas Hold’em and Baccarat. (flip tables) – source.

How Big Is Scarlet Lady’s Casino?

The casino on Scarlet Lady is located on deck 6 next to the nightclub. It is around 1/3 of the length of the deck and only is on one side of the ship. Compared to other cruise lines like Norwegian this nightclub is relatively small. That said, the casino is much bigger that you would find on a lot of British cruise lines which traditionally have smaller casinos.

Can You Smoke in The Casino on Virgin Voyages Cruises?

Guests cannot smoke in the casino on Virgin Voyages cruises. Virgin Voyages have strict rules about where smoking is allowed and cruisers who break these rules will incur a fee and possible disembarkment.

From Virgin Voyages terms and conditions:

Smoking areas are provided around the vessel. A Guest found smoking anything, to include “vapes,” in their room (including balcony) or other non-designated areas onboard, agree to a $1,000 fee to be added to their onboard account, and may be disembarked from the voyage, which may be at a port of call.

If the above does happen you are responsible for all costs which might happen when you are getting home. If you’re under 21 an adult would have to be disembarked with you too which could get seriously expensive.

How do You Play Games in Scarlet Lady’s Casino?

Virgin Voyages have got rid of the traditional cruise cards and have instead replaced them by wearable tech. This wearable tech will be worn as a bracelet and is called ‘the band’. It will be used when embarking/disembarking the ship, for onboard expenses, opening your cabin tour and also to play slot machines in the casino.

Your casino play is tracked through your wearable, even at the tables! So if your bet increases, it is tracked! No more fumbling for your room card when you sit down at a table! – source.

The wearable tech is made with recycled plastic and will be delivered to guests pre cruise.

How Old do You Have to be to Gamble in the Casino?

Can You Gamble on a Cruise at 18? Cruise Line Gambling Guide

A friend of mine Pete put together the following video onboard Scarlet Lady, this provides a good insight into the space:

URComped – Comped Cruises with Virgin Voyages

If you are a frequent cruise ship casino go-er who is often comped cruises Virgin Voyages are part of a company called URComped which will be offered comped cruises to people who have been offered comped cruises by other cruise lines. This means that if you are offered a comped cruise by Norwegian Cruise Line or Royal Caribbean, Virgin Voyages will look at that and may offer you a comped cruise.

This is of course up to Virgin Voyages and they’ll try to decide how much you’re ‘worth’ based on the other offers you are getting. It’s free to join so if you have ever had a comped offer it’s probably worth signing up: URComped

Jackpot Digital Casino

The casino will be launched by Jackpot Digital who have signed an agreement with Virgin Voyages. Jackpot Digital are a manufacturer of electronic games and mobile gaming.

“This is another major milestone for our Company. Jackpot BlitzTM has successfully launched in nearly 40 cruise ship casinos to date, and we are excited to further demonstrate how effectively our product can automate poker operations onboard to reduce costs and increase revenues. We are very excited to grow our share of the cruise ship casino poker market through this agreement with Virgin Voyages.” – source.

I’ve just returned from a cruise onboard Scarlet Lady, I had an amazing time but it wasn’t what I expected AT ALL. To find out what the cruise was like, and if I’d recommend it, check out this post: