At the end of our epic 2 week Florida road trip we found ourselves in Port Canaveral, celebrating our 10 year anniversary.
And we wanted to mark the occasion with something fun to do.
Something unique that we couldn’t do back home.
And we just so happened to stumble upon the Victory Casino cruise.
It’s very rare we go to casinos, and the only ones we have ever truly enjoyed are Canada’s oldest casino up in Dawson City; and of course Las Vegas.
So this sounded like it could be right up our alley! A way to spend our anniversary fund and potentially even walk away a few quid up.
So how did it go?
Is it worth the money?
And should you consider doing it if you find yourself in Florida?
Let’s get into it …
Quick Note: All the info below is true as of our visit; check in advance if anything may have changed that is particularly important to you. Also, we are in no way encouraging excessive gambling. We very rarely gamble and for us this was a bit of a fun novelty experience. This blog post is simply for us sharing our experience onboard, and is not encouraging you to gamble or drink.
Below I delve a lot more detail into each aspect of the cruise. But in short it’s a 5 hour cruise leaving and returning to Port Canaveral in Florida.
They operate twice daily and run 6 days a week (not Mondays).
They offer 30 different table games and more than 600 slots. No, I didn't count them all! That’s what their website says. Nor did we manage to play them all.
But one thing I will say is that if you want a well rounded casino with a good host of live games, it’s a great shout.
We wanted to visit 1 casino on our Florida trip but soon found that nowhere seemed to offer live Blackjack tables anymore. I can’t get a straight answer online but it seems it may have recently been banned.
But for us this was a big draw as it’s what we like to play.
The cruise has plenty of places to drink alcohol, chill on deck, dance, eat, and of course, gamble!
It’s not the most glamorous cruise we have ever done but it is far from the worst. It’s actually an okay ship, though dated in places.
In short, the cost to go on the Victory Casino cruise is $20 and you can book directly on their website.
I can’t find any mention of that price differing; but there is a chance they will change this over time. It’s the case for us as of 2025.
BUT WAIT!
Before you book I want to let you know about the deal that we went for, and that a lot of other people seem to, which is via Groupon.
It costs slightly more but gets you food, drink and free bets included. At the time of writing these are:
This includes your entry, your lunch/dinner, 2 drinks & $10 of free slots.
Honestly, it’s a pretty awesome deal!
So for me and Cazzy, instead of paying $40 to go on (total); we paid $28 more which got us $20 of slots, 4 free drinks + dinner.
We were planning on eating, drinking and using the slots onboard already so it was a no-brainer!
The only time I can’t imagine you wouldn’t want to not do this Groupon deal is if you planned to just sit upon deck and not do anything else.
Let’s carry on …
The total duration of the cruise is roughly 5 hours - though not exactly!
Morning cruises:
Evening cruises:
Day Cruise:
They board one hour before departure time.
Note: I’m not fully sure what their policy is in case of bad weather.
In case they ever update their timing schedule, please double check against their website here.
Onboard the Victory Casino Cruise, you’ll find a surprisingly full lineup of things to do;. Far more than you might expect on a 5-hour sailing.
The ship spans four decks, and each area offers something different depending on whether you’re there to gamble, drink, relax, or simply enjoy the atmosphere.
Once the ship reaches international waters and the casino officially opens, the energy changes quickly. You’ll have access to more than 600 slot machines ranging from classic reels to modern multi-game machines, plus electronic roulette and video poker banks.
If you prefer live action, there are numerous table games spread across the main casino floor, including blackjack, craps, roulette, three-card poker, Ultimate Texas Hold ’Em, and other speciality tables. The live-dealer setup is a huge draw, especially in Florida where land-based casinos often don’t offer traditional table games anymore.
But the cruise is far from just a gambling trip.
One deck up, you’ll find several bars where you can sip cocktails, beer, or wine — whether you're gaming or just chilling.
The outdoor bar on the upper deck is especially popular, offering ocean views, live entertainment, and a breezy space to unwind between games.
If you prefer something more low-key, there’s a dedicated Sportsbook Lounge with big screens, comfy seating, and a more relaxed vibe where you can catch live sports and place bets.
Food-wise, the ship offers an à-la-carte dining area serving burgers, sandwiches, salads, and desserts. It’s casual but convenient, especially if you want to take a break from the noise of the casino floor. If you get seasick easily, this is also a nice spot to sit down, settle your stomach, and regroup.
There’s also a large entertainment lounge where DJs, dancers, and live performers rotate depending on the sailing. This is where the atmosphere turns more “night out” than “casino,” and it’s a fun option if you want to break up your evening with some dancing or people-watching. On deck, you can walk around, catch the sunset, and enjoy fresh air if the casino gets too lively.
In short, you can make your trip as chill or as energetic as you want — gamble, drink, dance, watch sports, enjoy the breeze on deck, or just soak up the Vegas-at-sea vibe. It’s a compact but surprisingly varied experience for a half-day cruise.
The Victory Casino Cruise departs from Port Canaveral, Florida, specifically from Terminal B-2 on Christopher Columbus Drive. It’s easy to access, with plenty of parking available right by the terminal. Check-in usually begins about an hour before departure, and it’s worth arriving early because the queue to board can be long, especially on evening sailings or weekends. Once onboard, you can explore the decks, grab a drink, or find a comfortable spot to sit before the ship gets underway.
Food onboard is served à la carte rather than buffet-style. The menu is casual and features the kinds of dishes you’d typically expect from an American diner or pub — burgers, fries, salads, wraps, sandwiches, and a few desserts. Portions are generous enough to keep you going through the cruise, and it’s all prepared fresh in the ship’s kitchen. It’s not gourmet dining, but it does the job, especially if you just need a quick bite between games.
Some packages (like the Groupon deal that I highly recommend booking above the standard booking direct with them) includes a meal, which makes the value even better. If you don’t have a package, you’ll pay per item. There’s plenty of seating, and food arrives fairly quickly even during busy sailings. If you’re prone to seasickness, sitting and eating in this quieter area can also help keep you grounded during rougher seas.
The ship carries over 600 slot machines, offering a wide mix of classic reels, video slots, multi-game machines, video poker, and electronic roulette. You’ll find everything from low-denomination slots to higher-stakes machines if you prefer riskier play.
While some machines are newer and more modern, others are definitely older models, but everything is fully functional and there’s more than enough selection to keep things interesting. Layout-wise, the slot area fills most of the main casino deck, making it impossible to miss once the gaming floor opens.
This is where Victory Casino Cruise stands out. You’ll find a solid lineup of real live-dealer games, including:
Live craps and roulette are big attractions, especially in Florida, where they aren’t always offered at land-based casinos. The table games are lively, well-run, and typically surrounded by friendly dealers who keep the games fun even for beginners. If you want to learn, you can often ask for guidance during quieter moments.
Besides gaming, the ship has several bars spread across multiple decks, including indoor lounges and an outdoor bar on the top deck where you can enjoy drinks, live music, and the sea breeze.
There’s also a Sportsbook Lounge, which is perfect if you want to kick back, watch a game, and place bets away from the busier casino floor. For entertainment, the ship has a nightclub-style venue with DJs, dancing, and themed nights depending on the cruise.
If you prefer something quieter, you can roam the outside decks, take in the views, enjoy the sunset, or simply escape the noise. Smoking is allowed only in designated outdoor areas.
Table minimums vary by game type and how busy the sailing is. Generally:
Blackjack is usually the cheapest entry point, while craps and specialty poker tables may have slightly higher thresholds. If you are a low-stakes player, the daytime cruise tends to be the best value.
The cheapest table on our sailing for blackjack was $10 minimum and was packed without space most of the night.
Victory Casino Cruises typically sail twice a day, six days a week (closed on Mondays). There is a daytime cruise and an evening cruise, with each sailing lasting about five hours.
Boarding starts one hour before departure. The casino only opens once the ship reaches international waters, which takes around 45 minutes.
Victory Casino Cruises is operated by a privately owned company based in Florida. It’s not part of a major global casino chain — instead, it runs as an independent operator that has been sailing from Port Canaveral since around 2011. The management team is locally based, and the cruise line focuses solely on the Florida casino-cruise market.
In my honest opinion, yes I think this cruise is soooo worth it.
Even if you have little plans to gamble; it’s such a cheap way to get out to sea on a sunset cruise. We spent the first 45 minutes of sailing up on deck drinking our free drinks and watching the sun set.
It was lovely.
Of course we also really enjoyed both the slots and the table games. The fact that it was on a cruise made it all feel a lot more novel. We also both like to drink; and the fact that we got “free” drinks all night while at the tables is great!
We still tipped the waitresses of course. But it’s just like being in a Vegas casino. You can order whatever you want, and premium spirits too (so long as you are gambling).
The fact that we actually left the boat UP MONEY, was fantastic!
For us, we almost always come away down. But that’s okay. Our approach is to have a hard limit of what we want to spend and that’s it. It’s all a lot of fun that way.
And regardless, if you drank as much as we did, enjoyed your meal, played bingo and watched a sunset from the deck; it’s well worth forking out a few quid for.
Just remember to consider checking out the Groupon deal when booking. I really do think it’s an absolute no brainer of a deal!
Now that’s the guide we hoped we could have when booking!
Addressing all the most pressing questions we had, and key tips learned from our cruise.
Now it’s over to you …
Do you have anything you think I missed?
Are you planning on doing your own cruise?
Drop a comment below and let me know!
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