royal caribbean cruise ship hit by storm

Footage shows moment Royal Caribbean cruise ship was flooded during storm in the Gulf of Mexico

Water flowed into rooms and sunbeds were strewn across the deck as the vessel was battered by the fierce weather conditions.

Friday 2 February 2024 12:39, UK

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Footage has emerged of a cruise ship being flooded during a storm in the Gulf of Mexico - causing water to flow into people's cabins.

Travis Hair, a passenger on the Royal Caribbean vessel, filmed as the balcony of his room on the Voyager Of The Seas was swamped.

Mr Hair said he captured the video while the vessel was "sailing through a thunderstorm" on 26 January.

He added there were "high winds on the deck… platters of food crashing to the floor in the buffet, liquor and other glass breaking, water coming in through the balconies and flooding."

The footage also shows sunbeds piled up on the deck after being tossed around in the powerful storm.

The vessel was on its way back to Galveston, Texas, as part of a five-night trip to Cozumel, Mexico, according to USA Today.

Passenger Chelsea Ireland told the newspaper she felt the vessel tilt as it was battered by heavy winds.

She said: "When we tried to walk across our room, it felt like we were walking up a very steep hill."

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Fellow passenger Elaina Escobedo, 21, went to her grandparent's cabin to check on them during the storm. "There were just things flying all over the place," she said.

Ms Escobedo added that her grandmother was safe on the sofa, but her wheelchair had rolled across the room and cups of lemonade had been knocked over.

The footage emerged after another Royal Caribbean ship, Serenade of the Seas, reportedly flooded last month.

Sky News has contacted Royal Caribbean for comment.

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Dramatic video captured the moment panicked passengers ran for their lives aboard a Royal Caribbean cruise ship hit by a freak storm — which sent deck furniture flying as the vessel prepared to leave a Florida port.

The Independence of the Seas was about to embark on a voyage from Port Canaveral to the Bahamas about 4 p.m. June 16 when heavy rain and violent winds slammed the 15-deck, 1,112-foot-long vessel.

“Just a fun evening leaving Port Canaveral this past Friday. No announcement from the captain before or after, also no mention of what happened. Just pretend like it didn’t happen I guess,” TikTok user Lucassparrow1110 posted .

Sparrow also posted harrowing footage on Twitter of chairs and umbrellas flying on the ship as screaming passengers seek cover from the storm — and several people are seen sliding across a windswept walkway.

“Instead of telling people to come up to the top deck when we have a severe thunderstorm warning, maybe you should be more worried about your guests and employees and tell them to get inside,” he wrote.

At one point, a lounge chair narrowly misses a woman carrying a child.

Jenn Stancil, who captured footage of the storm moving in, told Fox 35 Orlando : “It just turned crazy. It looked like a scene from the movie ‘Twister’ is exactly what I thought, because you see these chairs flying up in the air.”

Jerry Pike, a local photographer who was sitting in his vehicle in Jetty Park during the outburst, also posted video of the storm.

“This is my view of Independence of the Seas as she started to get battered by the heavy winds whilst mid-spin attempting to turn around to leave the port,” Pike said in a tweet .

“You can see the rain line pushing towards us, and the Indy was completely gone from view due to the rain shortly after this,” he added.

A meteorologist for Fox 35 reported that winds reached from 55 to 60 mph at the height of the storm.

“The Independence was just getting battered by winds as it was trying to push off the dock,” Pike told Insider . “Then [it] was covered by the gray cloud of rain and we couldn’t see more than 20 yards out the window.”  

Kyleigh Cole, an agent with Boardwalk Travel Agency, expressed concerns about how Royal Caribbean handled the incident.

“There’s always something you can do, other than just letting the guests and the travelers getting poured on, rained down on and being in the middle of a storm,” Cole told Fox 35 .

“This could have ruined somebody’s cruise experience where they’ll never take another cruise again,” the travel agent added.

In a statement sent to the news outlet, the company said the “Independence of the seas encountered a sudden gust of high winds. This lasted for a brief period and there were no serious injuries to our guests or crew…”

The ship reportedly arrived safely at Coco Cay, an island used by Royal Caribbean about 55 miles north of Nassau.

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Videos capture terrifying moments of Royal Caribbean cruise caught in bad weather

A spokesperson for royal caribbean said the turbulence did not last long and there were no serious injuries., by monica galarza and kaitlyn schwanemann • published june 23, 2023 • updated on june 26, 2023 at 7:27 am.

A sudden storm hit a Royal Caribbean cruise ship, sending passengers running for cover as furniture flew around the deck.

Passengers had just boarded the Royal Caribbean’s Independence of the Seas docked in Port Canaveral in Cape Canaveral, Florida, and were about to depart for the Bahamas when gusts of hurricane-like winds hit the ship.

Videos shared on social media show lounge chairs and tables flying across the deck.

One video captured the terrifying moment when a lounge chair narrowly misses a woman carrying a small child and hitting her stroller. Fortunately, the stroller was empty.

Get South Florida local news, weather forecasts and entertainment stories to your inbox. Sign up for NBC South Florida newsletters.

Another video shows cruise guests running from the turbulent weather.

A spokesperson for Royal Caribbean said the storm did not last long and there were no serious injuries reported.

The cruise was able depart for the Bahamas and arrived at CocoCay on time, the spokesperson said.

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@cornettahh Another angle from the 6/16/23 squall that hit #independenceofthesea while docked in #PortCanaveral around 4pm. It hit so fast and was gone in a matter of minutes! No ship announcements were made before or after so people on the lower pool deck were hit completely without warning. 😳 #hurricaneseason #floridaweather #cruiseship #royalcaribbean #chaos #ocean #sea #squall ♬ original sound - Cora Cornett

This article tagged under:

Passengers hit by a storm on a Royal Caribbean cruise line cling to railings as intense gusts rock the ship and send debris flying, videos show

• A Royal Caribbean cruise was battered by gusts of rain and wind before its departure Friday.
• Passengers shared videos of patrons sliding along the deck during the storm.
• The cruise line says no serious injuries or damage occurred as a result of the storm.

Passengers on a Royal Caribbean cruise ship ran for cover as umbrellas, chairs, and other furniture flew around them during a sudden, spectacular storm that struck Florida's Port Canaveral on Friday.

As the Independence of the Seas prepared to depart, strong winds and rain battered the 15-deck ship. In multiple videos posted to YouTube and Twitter , passengers are shown slipping and sliding across the decks while attempting to get safely inside.

The ship departed for the Bahamas despite the storm and arrived at CocoCay on time, according to a Royal Caribbean statement to Insider. The company called the storm "brief" and said there were no serious injuries to crewmembers or passengers.  

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Passengers took to the internet to describe their personal experiences. 

"Instead of telling people to come up to the top deck when we have a severe thunderstorm warning, maybe you should be more worried about your guests and employees and tell them to get inside," tweeted one passenger who filmed the storm .

Jerry Pike, a photographer and Florida local, told Insider he watched the storm hit the Independence of the Seas while sitting in a car in Jetty Park facing the port. Though the storm lasted only minutes, he said it was "exceptionally strong." 

—Jerry Pike (@JerryPikePhoto) June 16, 2023

Pike estimated winds reached between 40 and 50 miles per hour at the height of the storm, which he added was "terrifying" to watch. A meteorologist for Fox 35 reported winds reached from 55 to 60 miles an hour at their peak strength. 

"The Independence was just getting battered by winds as it was trying to push off the dock," Pike said. "Then [it] was covered by the gray cloud of rain and we couldn't see more than 20 yards out the window."  

The storm is just one of many expected to hit the Florida coast as hurricane season begins in the Atlantic Ocean, which runs from the beginning of June to November 30.

Watch: The rise and fall of the cruise industry

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Bonkers video footage shows chaos on cruise ship during intense storm, share this article.

An intense storm surprised passengers as they boarded a cruise ship in Florida and sent them scrambling for shelter as hurricane-like winds sent deck chairs and loungers, among other things, flying into the air in a chaotic scene some likened to the movie “Twister.”

The Independence of the Seas from Royal Caribbean was at the dock in Port Canaveral when the storm suddenly erupted with heavy rain and wind, sending many of the passengers into a panic as they sought safety. Some were hit by the flying debris.

Jenn Stancil captured video of the storm moving in and the passengers scrambling for safety as rain drenched the deck.

“It just turned crazy,” Stancil told FOX 35 Orlando . “It looked like a scene from the movie “Twister” is exactly what I thought, because you see these chairs flying up in the air.”

Lucas Sparrow, another eyewitness, told FOX 35 Orlando, “People were getting blown, losing their hats [and] towels.”

One lounger crashed down on an empty baby stroller as the woman pulled it. Fortunately the woman was carrying the baby and was not hit, as shown in footage posted on the Instagram account called Sunshine State of Mind 305 . (To view on some servers, you might have to click the link.)

  View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Sunshine State of Mind 305 (@305ssom)

Stancil’s video lasted only a bit over four minutes, showing how quickly a storm can move in. And how quickly, in this case, it can move on.

Also on FTW Outdoors: Video from fishing boat in high seas causes viewers to become ‘seasick’

Royal Caribbean responded to FOX 35’s request for comments, saying, “On Friday, June 16, while departing from Port Canaveral,  Independence of the Seas  encountered a sudden gust of high winds. This lasted for a brief period and there were no serious injuries to our guests or crew.  Independence of the Seas  continued its regularly scheduled 3-night itinerary, arriving to Perfect Day at CocoCay in The Bahamas, on Saturday morning, as scheduled.”

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Video Shows Cruise Ship Passengers Running for Their Lives During Storm

A video of passengers fleeing for their lives on a cruise ship engulfed in a storm while docked at a port in Florida has gone viral on social media. In it, passengers can be seen desperately clinging onto railings as they battle fierce winds.

The clip, which has been shared on Instagram and TikTok , shows metal chairs being flung over balconies and across the deck, seemingly sparking panic among the passengers.

The incident took place on the Independence of the Sea Royal Caribbean Cruises ship on Friday, June 16 at around 4 p.m. local time, according to one of the posters on TikTok, who claimed to be a passenger.

A spokesperson for Royal Caribbean spoke to Newsweek about the incident and said: "While departing from Port Canaveral, Independence of the Seas encountered a sudden gust of high winds.

"This lasted for a brief period and there were no serious injuries to our guests or crew. Independence of the Seas continued its regularly scheduled three-night itinerary, arriving to Perfect Day at CocoCay in The Bahamas, on Saturday morning, as scheduled."

The footage has been viewed more than 4 million times on TikTok and has amassed over 142,000 likes on Instagram.

"Just a fun evening leaving Port Canaveral this past Friday. No announcement from the captain before or after, also no mention of what happened. Just pretend like it didn't happen I guess," wrote TikTok user Lucassparrow1110.

In the video, guests can be seen running in all directions as chairs on the deck begin blowing into the air . Some guests on the upper deck are seen clutching railings as they crawl across the deck in an attempt to get out of the area.

At one point, a chair is seen hitting a passenger on the floor, it is not clear if she was seriously injured, however.

A post shared by instagram

The Instagram video includes the clip from the TikTok user, but also features footage from the lower deck. In this a chair is seen falling over a balcony and landing on an empty stroller, narrowly missing the woman who was pushing it while holding a child.

@lucassparrow1110 Just a fun evening leaving Port Canaveral this past Friday. No announcement from the captain before or after, also no mention of what happened. Just pretend like it didnt happen I guess. #portcanaveral #independenceoftheseas #noannouncement #dobetter #royalcaribbean #mikesweatherpage ♬ original sound - lucassparrow1110

Another TikTok post from a user claiming to be a passenger complained about the response from the crew.

"Another angle from the 6/16/23 squall that hit #independenceofthesea while docked in #PortCanaveral around 4pm," TikTok user Cora Cornett wrote as a caption.

"It hit so fast and was gone in a matter of minutes! No ship announcements were made before or after, so people on the lower pool deck were hit completely without warning."

The second video shows guests trying to escape into cover or to get inside as heavy rain and strong winds batter the cruiser.

@cornettahh Another angle from the 6/16/23 squall that hit #independenceofthesea while docked in #PortCanaveral around 4pm. It hit so fast and was gone in a matter of minutes! No ship announcements were made before or after so people on the lower pool deck were hit completely without warning. 😳 #hurricaneseason #floridaweather #cruiseship #royalcaribbean #chaos #ocean #sea #squall ♬ original sound - Cora Cornett

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Update 6/26/23, 9:21 a.m. ET: This article has been updated with comment from a Royal Caribbean spokesperson.

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Gerrard Kaonga is a Newsweek U.S. News Reporter and is based in London, U.K. His focus is reporting on U.S. news, politics, world news, local news and viral videos. Gerrard joined Newsweek in 2021 and had previously worked at Express Online. He is a graduate of Brunel University. Languages: English.

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Passenger video shows flooding on Royal Caribbean's world cruise in rough weather

Royal Caribbean International’s Serenade of the Seas hit rough weather off the coast of South America on Tuesday, causing flooding in some parts of the ship.

The vessel, which is currently operating the line’s nine-month Ultimate World Cruise, was on its way from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil to Montevideo, Uruguay at the time.

A spokesperson for Royal Caribbean said the ship “experienced heavy wind and rain.”

“One set of elevators and six rooms were impacted by some of the rain,” they said in an emailed statement. “Our team on board is managing the minor cleanup and elevator repairs.” Serenade of the Seas continued to Montevideo as planned, where it arrived Thursday.

Adita Larson, 64, was walking through the ship around 1 p.m. on Tuesday when she was thrown off balance. The ship was leaning to one side, making it difficult for her to stay upright.

“It was just really tilted, so it was hard to walk,” she told USA TODAY.

Even for Larson, who has been on more than 100 cruises with the line, it was a new sensation. “I've seen a lot of rocking, but never tilting just one side for so long,” she said. Later, as she walked down the stairs at the front of the ship, she heard what sounded like rain inside the elevator shafts.

The captain warned guests to stay away from the forward elevators as they had flooded and announced the ship’s outside areas were closed, according to Larson, who lives Houston, Texas and is sailing with her family. She said crew members in the dining room told her dishes fell off the tables when the ship tilted, and heard from fellow passengers that water had come into their cabins through their balcony doors.

Larson also shared a video on TikTok taken by a friend that appeared to show the floor on Deck 12 covered in water. She said the captain informed passengers the ship was sailing through winds as high as 60 miles per hour. Royal Caribbean did not comment on the specifics of Larson’s experience.

By about 3 p.m., the weather cleared up and the forward elevators were accessible again as of late morning Wednesday.

In the weeks since its departure from Miami, videos about the Ultimate World Cruise have proliferated on TikTok . Posts from both passengers on board – including Larson – and users at home recapping new developments and reported “drama” a la reality TV have amassed millions of views .

How long can you be on a cruise?: Why some passengers opt to sail for 6 months or longer

Angie Linderman, another passenger sailing the 274-night itinerary, saw her TikTok followers skyrocket as she chronicled her time on board. She told USA TODAY last month that the response was “mind-blowing.”

Larson, for her part, has not witnessed drama beyond isolated incidents such as a handful of passengers who have had to leave early for medical reasons and disputes over lounge access. Not even this week’s bad weather could spoil the trip for her. “I just feel like, I can swim, so I didn’t get scared,” she said.

Nathan Diller is a consumer travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Nashville. You can reach him at [email protected].

Royal Caribbean responds after video shows cruise ship passengers hit by flying deck chairs during storm

Cruise company responds to viral video.

Royal Caribbean responds after cruise ship passengers hit by flying deck chairs during severe storm

A Central Florida travel agent is concerned with how Royal Caribbean handled a severe storm, saying it could turn passengers away from future trips.

FOX 35 was sent a video from aboard the Independence of the Seas cruise ship last Friday. Passengers on board were caught in a severe thunderstorm, causing damage and forcing people to scramble looking for safety.

Travel experts say passengers put a lot of trust in cruises when booking vacations, and this isn’t how you maintain that trust. In several videos, you can hear passengers screaming and see dozens running trying to find shelter. 

It was a chaotic scene, and Kyleigh Cole is shocked it even happened in the first place.

"There’s always something you can do, other than just letting the guests and the travelers getting poured on, rained down on and being in the middle of a storm," Cole said, who’s a licensed travel agent with Boardwalk Travel Agency.

She cruises herself and knows how important safety is before, during and after the ship docks. 

"This could have ruined somebody’s cruise experience where they’ll never take another cruise again," Cole added.

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Wicked weather causes chaos on cruise ship

Passengers were caught off guard by a Florida summer storm as they were boarding their ship at Port Canaveral last week.

At least one person was caught on video getting hit by a flying beach chair. Fox 35 meteorologist, Brooks Garner, says there were severe weather warnings in the area at the time of the storm."

On Friday, June 16, between 3:45 and 4:15 p.m. – there was a severe thunderstorm warning for coastal Brevard County for a storm producing wind gusts over 60 miles per hour, in fact the port recorded winds gusting over 55 miles per hour, so there was a lot of wind confirmed with this storm," Garner said.

Passengers on board say they had no warning."They should have at least gave some kind of warning, you know, a minute or two or something, but they never made an announcement or anything," said Lucas Sparrow who was safely inside during the storm but captured a lot of the chaos on video.

In a statement sent to FOX 35, Royal Caribbean says, "…Independence of the seas encountered a sudden gust of high winds. This lasted for a brief period and there were no serious injuries to our guests or crew…". Whether there were injuries or not, this ordeal has passengers sounding the alarm on safety. 

Since receiving the statement from Royal Caribbean, FOX 35 is pressing for more information on what weather safety protocols are currently in place and why guests weren’t notified earlier. At this time, we haven’t heard back. 

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Royal Caribbean cruise ship passengers run for cover as storm sends deck furniture flying

Videos show passengers scrambling to protect their children after strong winds from an unexpected storm, article bookmarked.

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Passengers on a Royal Caribbean cruise ship were forced to run for cover after unexpected, dangerously-high winds sent deck furniture flying.

Videos posted on social media showed chairs and tables flying across decks while people in swimsuits gripped onto walls.

One TikTok video showed a lounger narrowly miss a woman carrying a small child.

The Independence of the Seas ship was caught in a brief but intense rain storm as it prepared to leave Port Canaveral in Brevard County, Florida last week.

Passengers were lounging by the pool in the sunshine when strong winds and heavy rain suddenly rolled in.

Videos showed passengers running for cover and sliding across the slick decks, and ducking to avoid airborne chairs and umbrellas.

Royal Caribbean said in a statement that no passengers were seriously injured due to the flash storm.

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Two passengers aboard the ship complained on TikTok about the cruise line failing to notify passengers of the storm.

“Just a fun evening leaving Port Canaveral this past Friday,” TikTok user lucassparrow1110captioned his video.

“No announcement from the captain before or after, also no mention of what happened. Just pretend like it didn’t happen I guess,” he wrote.

“The sun was shining just 10 minutes before!” Cora Cornett captioned her video.

“We were on the top deck watching another boat in port get hit with rain when suddenly it DISAPPEARED in the rain so we ran down to the next deck but it was already on us.”

Ms Cornett said the weather passed over extremely quickly at around 4pm on 16 June.

“No ship announcements were made before or after so people on the lower pool deck were hit completely without warning,” Ms Cornett wrote.

The Independent has reached out to Royal Caribbean for comment.

In response to the incident, Royal Caribbean told Distractify : “On Friday, June 16, while departing from Port Canaveral, ‘Independence of the Seas’encountered a sudden gust of high winds. This latest for a brief period and there were no serious injuries to our guests or crew.”

The company said that the ship continued on its scheduled three-night itinerary and arrived in the Bahamas on Saturday.

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Royal Caribbean cruise ship passengers scramble during freak storm

Royal Caribbean passengers speak with Fox 35 Orlando and recount the scary scene as a storm hit the Independence of the Seas cruise ship. 

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Passengers filmed panicking as freak storm hits cruise ship

A video has captured the moment a Royal Caribbean cruise ship was struck by a freak storm, sending passengers running for shelter.

Royal Caribbean's Captain Kate shares harrowing bad weather story

C aptain Kate McCue has become a legendary figure in the cruise world as the first woman to captain a so-called megaship. She works for Royal Caribbean's Celebrity Cruises brand where she serves as captain of Celebrity Beyond, a member of its top-tier Edge-class.

McCue has also become a social media celebrity boasting nearly 1 million Instagram followers. She shares behind-the-scenes details of running and living on a cruise ship as well as video of her hairless cat, Bug, who lives with her onboard.

Related: Royal Caribbean solves a key passenger problem

The Celebrity captain has given her followers candid access to what her job entails and that includes sometimes sharing how she handles difficult situations. Her Captain's Log videos offer everything from tours of the bridge to her experiences on the rare days she's able to get off the ship in port.

There's a lot happening on a ship as large as Celebrity Beyond and things that seem routine to passengers, like docking at the ship's home port, actually are a lot more involved than you might expect. That's especially true when McCue has to dock Celebrity Beyond in bad weather situations.

Captain Kate posts a daily video

Captain Kate, as she's known posts a daily "Captain's Log" video to her social media feeds. In her video on April 23, she shared that Celebrity Beyond was in Ft. Lauderdale for its turnaround day, the day one set of passengers gets off and another boards the ship.

"Mother nature made today very interesting," she shared to start the video.

She shared that the ship made its way into Port Everglades with the moon lined perfectly up with the bow. That night she shared, was going to be a "pink" moon.

"Pink does not refer to the color, it refers to a certain flower that blooms this time of year," she said.

Captain Kate added that she had a 4:30 a.m, wakeup call to pick up the pilot who helps the ship dock at its homeport.

Captain Kate shares a Celebrity docking story

"This morning, it was a Captain Kate BOGO deal," because the pilot who joined Beyond was also named Kate.

Around lunchtime, the original Captain Kate said she saw pods of dolphins, a rare event that's generally taken as a good luck sign. That was followed by seeing dragonflies, which is also considered a positive omen.

"They (dragonflies) represent strength and protection and protection was just what we were looking for as the winds picked up to 52 knots pushing us off the pier when a squall came through," said Captain Kate. "We could see that it was coming, so but the time it reached us we already had our propulsion and thrusters online so that we could hold ourselves alongside the pier."

Captain Kate also ordered a tugboat to stand by, which she called "the cheapest insurance we can buy."

"At one point the visibility was so poor that we couldn't see any of the other ships in port, much less our own stern. But as quick as the storm appeared, it disappeared just as fast," she shared.

Celebrity Beyond was slightly delayed in loading on its usual intake of supplies but was able to leave well in time to make its first stop, Royal Caribbean's private island Perfect Day at CocoCay.

"Just as special as sailing in on a full moon, we sailed out on a rainbow," she added.

Captain Kate also noted, as the ship sailed past an empty beach, that "if you want to have the beach all to yourself,  just go after a torrential rain shower."

Royal Caribbean, and all cruise companies, will always make decisions in the interest of keeping passengers and their ships safe. In cases of extreme weather that could mean delaying arrival or departure, cancelling ports, and sailing away from bad weather.

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Best Time To Go To Casino Royale

By Donna Heiderstadt | Published on April 23, 2024

One of the many incredible things that make a Royal Caribbean cruise ship the floating equivalent of a world-class resort — like those in Las Vegas, Aruba, The Bahamas or other destinations offering on-site gaming — is that you're never more than a few hundred feet from the vibrant and buzzing Casino Royale℠. That means the best time to go to the casino is pretty much any time it's open and you feel like playing.

Perhaps your game is blackjack or three-card poker. Or maybe you love the feeling of rolling the dice on the craps table or betting that the tiny white ball will land on your lucky number on the roulette wheel. In addition to the usual table games, Casino Royale also features a fantastic selection of slot and video poker machines waiting for you to collect on a winning bet.

If you're considering taking a cruise and hitting the tables or slots is a favorite vacation pastime, there will be plenty of opportunities to test your skill and luck while onboard. Casino Royale is available on all Royal Caribbean cruise ships, and offers thousands of square feet of Las Vegas-style action at sea — whether you're cruising the Caribbean, the Mediterranean or even past glaciers in Alaska. You must be 18 or older to play on most cruises, and 21 or older on Alaska sailings.

So when is the best time to go to the casino? Both the gaming and the people-watching at Casino Royale peak after dinner each night when the blackjack tables are hot, the slot machines are whirring, the roulette wheels are spinning in a mesmerizing blur and the craps dice are tumbling as players anticipate what they'll land on.

Not everyone, however, loves to hone their gaming skills in the middle of so much action. What's the best time to go to the casino if you prefer a more mellow vibe? There are plenty of opportunities to visit when the experience will be more to your liking. Here are our top suggestions for the best time to go to Casino Royale.

Right After The Casino Opens On Sea Days

Sea days aboard Royal Caribbean cruise ships are notable for the many possibilities they offer: relax and sleep in, be wellness-focused and enjoy a massage, socialize and sip mojitos at the pool bar or be the player who's the first one at the tables in Casino Royale when it opens, as that's when complimentary gaming lessons are offered. Since a cruise ship casino can only operate in international waters (it must close when docked in a port, with very few exceptions), sea days offer the perfect opportunity for early-bird gamblers who feel that Lady Luck is most on their side when the sun is shining.

Is it better to go to the casino in the morning? It is on a sea day if you love slots because you'll enjoy easy access to all of your favorite machines as you stroll the casino floor, morning coffee in hand, and decide which one feels like it's ready to hit the jackpot.

Some blackjack players love to play on sea days right after Casino Royale's table games open, usually at 10 a.m., because they get their pick of the tables. It's also a great time to enjoy a speedier and more intense blackjack game, with fewer players at each table.

Anytime You Want If You're A Slots Player

Royal Caribbean's ships feature thousands of reel machines, video slots and hybrids fleetwide — that's across 28 ships — but if you're a slots aficionado , be sure to book an Oasis Class ship. Why? You can play the slots 24/7 on these five ships:  Oasis of the Seas® ,  Allure of the Seas® ,  Harmony of the Seas® ,  Symphony of the Seas®  and  Wonder of the Seas® . A sixth Oasis Class ship,  Utopia of the Seas℠ , will debut in 2024.

Each ship features hundreds of slot machines in its Casino Royale, many of which rank among the largest and most dazzling casinos at sea. For details on 24/7 play, simply see the casino host.

Whenever There's A Show

Evenings aboard Royal Caribbean ships are when the onboard ambiance most closely evokes that of the world's most celebrated entertainment-and-gambling mecca: Las Vegas. That's because Royal Caribbean is also known for the live theatrical options it offers — all on a complimentary basis, making these productions extremely popular.

The result? When vast numbers of Oasis Class guests head to the Royal Theater to enjoy a performance of a hit Broadway musical such as  Cats ,  Grease ,  Mamma Mia!  or  Saturday Night Fever , Casino Royale tends to empty out a bit. This makes showtime the perfect moment to try your luck.

In addition, the cruise line's fleetwide headliner shows, which feature a wide range of world-class acts — vocal groups, magicians, impressionists, acrobats and more — are especially effective at drawing in guests and freeing up space in the casino.

But that's not all. Oasis Class ships also feature ice-skating performances in Studio B and diving shows at the AquaTheater, both of which draw large crowds. Onboard Quantum Class ships, the Two70® performance space attracts passengers with its multimedia productions featuring daring aerials and supercool soundtracks.

Every ship in the fleet has a Royal Theater, where the vessel's ensemble of singers and dancers perform in production shows. This means that guests who just dabble in blackjack, place an occasional roulette bet or pass the time with penny slots are often pulled in another direction by the opportunity to enjoy complimentary, high-quality theatrical entertainment.

Altogether, you can expect smaller crowds at the tables and less competition for your favorite machines when there's a show happening. Simply check the Royal Caribbean app or the daily printed activities schedule,  Cruise Compass , to see what time the most popular onboard productions — headliner acts, Broadway shows and high-dive performances — are scheduled and then hit Casino Royale at the designated hour to get in a winning groove.

When Everyone Heads To Bed

While cruise ships offer entertainment into the wee hours, the majority of passengers tend to make their way back to their staterooms around midnight. Most of us aren't night owls when we have to answer to a morning alarm, right? Even though a cruise is a vacation from everyday responsibilities, shore excursion meeting times are typically early in the morning for anyone who plans to explore that day's port of call.

As a result, the post-midnight hours are often when the most focused gamblers come out to play. While cruise ship casinos don't stay open 24/7 like they do in Las Vegas, Casino Royale typically closes late (generally 2 a.m. or 3 a.m.), and the casino can stay open until the ship is about to arrive in port. That means if you feel like the odds are most often in your favor when most people are sound asleep, you're in luck.

While Docked At Perfect Day At Cococay

Are you one that prefers a hot seat to beach heat? A winning hand to sandy feet? If your Bahamas itinerary includes a stop at Perfect Day at CocoCay, both are possible. While the ship is docked at Royal Caribbean's spectacular private island in The Bahamas, you may have the option to return to the ship early (or just stay onboard the whole day) to enjoy your favorite gaming action at Casino Royale, since it's able to stay open while in port there.

Imagine this perfect day: Enjoy a morning of relaxation as you chill on one of Perfect Day at CocoCay's white-sand beaches while enjoying a piña colada (covered by your onboard beverage package) or socialization at the exclusive adults-only Hideaway Beach - the ultimate beachfront party in paradise. Then head back to your ship, shower off any lingering sand and hit Casino Royale for some laid-back afternoon action at the tables or slots.

Anytime The Vibe Is To Your Liking

What is the least busy day at the casino? There's not an easy answer. The times when Casino Royale will be busiest — from around 7 p.m. to midnight as well as afternoons on sea days — are pretty predictable. But the days when it's likely to be the least crowded depends largely on the itinerary, the time of year and the passenger mix.

In general, Casino Royale will have fewer gamblers on sunny sea days in warm-weather regions than on cloudy sea days in cooler locales. Or perhaps the passenger mix on a particular voyage doesn't include a high percentage of casinogoers. In other words, if you pass Casino Royale and the vibe is to your liking, go for it!

Written By DONNA HEIDERSTADT

Donna Heiderstadt, a New York City-based freelance writer and editor, specializes in covering the cruise market and is a contributor to ThePointsGuy.com , Islands.com , ShermansTravel.com , Fodors.com and other travel websites and publications. She has visited more than 95 countries and has taken more than 70 cruises.

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