when does casino open when cruising out of New Orleans?

[gfsmith]

When cruising out of New Orleans do you have to wait until you reach the gulf before they open the casino? Or is it open like any other ship around dinner time?

[CGBCruiser]

I believe you have to be out in international waters before they can open the casino.

[gfsmith]

so if they dont open up until your out of the mississippi then i am assuming they close it early on the last night also?

 

Anyone take the cruise that might know the answer?

[gfsmith]

I believe you have to be out in international waters before they can open the casino.

 

 

I read in another post that since Gambling is legal in LA that there was no need to wait until you get out to the gulf.

 

 

Yeah!! I am a gambler.can ya tell......lol

[Host Kat]

Back in '96 when I sailed on Commodore's Enchanted Isle out of New Orleans, the casino was open right after we headed down the Mississippi to the Gulf. Can't remember if it was open on the way back up at the end of the cruise or not. I guess so since gambling is legal in Louisiana.

 

ETA: Since you are a gambler, be sure to click here http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=586 to check out our Cruise Casinos Forum for those crazed about casinos on board!

Kat

[SeeSharp]

They make you wait a while on the way out. Count on just before or just after dinner. Gambling in Louisiana and cruise ship casinos are two different entities, like they won't allow gambling on the riverboat cruises here. On the last night, you arrive in the wee hours of the morning. Same rules, when you are out of the Gulf, it's over

[yst347]

The slots opens about an hour after leaving the Julia street pier. The table games open about a half-hour or so later. The casino is in full swing by 6:00 pm.

 

I have read all manner of explanations why; Louisiana has gambling, Carnival has a special arrangement etc. What I know is that Carnival opens their ships' casinos after sailing, international waters be damned. The Pride from Baltimore does, The Spirit in Alaskan waters does, etc. I'm not a lawyer and I don't know how they can do it but I'm sure they are not breaking any laws and they will not sail anywhere that restricts their casino operations when not tied-up in port.

[CGBCruiser]

I have been researching a little about cruise ship gambling. There are laws that have changed throughout time to accommodate cruise ships. For instance, in Alaska they allow gambling on cruise ships as long as they make 2 stops in Alaska. There are riverboat cruises that allow gambling in Louisiana even if the boat is docked on the side of the river. It does appear that the norm is still waiting until they are three miles out to sea in international waters to open the casinos. You can google "gambling at sea" and read all about it.

[SeeSharp]

There are riverboat cruises that allow gambling in Louisiana even if the boat is docked on the side of the river. It does appear that the norm is still waiting until they are three miles out to sea in international waters to open the casinos. You can google "gambling at sea" and read all about it.

 

In Louisiana, with exception of one land based casino, all casinos have to float. In the beginning, these casino boats were required to sail every two hours, basically go in a circle for an hour, then stay in port for another two hours and repeat. I can understand how someone not from here might call this a "riverboat cruise" In 2003 the land based casino reneged on some of its own requirements, for that reason the casino boats are no longer required to sail. So, they haven't left dock years. Riverboat cruises, ones actually going somewhere, or on an actual excursion, (dinner etc) can't gamble.

 

Anyway ysr347 and Host Kat are right, get passed Pilot Town, and they start. Not sure if it's slightly cheating still being in the river, but they do it. On my last cruise here, coming back in, there wasn't a whole lot of folks in the casino, they were ready to close around 1. We were looking over the rail at Canal St at 3.

 

Ry