Land-Based vs. Cruise Casinos: What Every Player Should Know

Whether you play on land or at sea, the basics of casino marketing are similar, but the details are not. Here is what changes between land-based casinos and cruise casinos, and how a house casino host compares with an independent host like Executive Casino Tours.

Your ADT matters more than your total spend

• Land-based casinos: your Average Daily Theoretical (ADT) is the key factor in your comps, not just how much you spend overall.
• Cruise casinos: the cruise line tracks your onboard play for future offers. Land-based play history does not carry over on its own, although an independent host may be able to use it to qualify you for an offer.

Not all comps are truly free

• Land-based casinos: even with a free room, expect resort fees, food costs, and other expenses.
• Cruise casinos: comped cabins still require port fees and taxes, and sometimes gratuities. Your onboard spending can also affect future offers.

Your offers can be limited by your host's casino or cruise line

• Land-based casinos: a host at one property may not be able to get you offers at another, even within the same company.
• Cruise casinos: if you book a comped cruise through one host or company, you may not be able to use a different host for the same cruise line.

Cruise casinos are usually tighter

• Land-based casinos: payout percentages and table rules vary, and you can often find better odds.
• Cruise casinos: expect a higher house edge, lower payouts, and less favorable rules than at most land-based casinos.

You might not get credit for every dollar you bet

• Land-based casinos: some machines and table games count less toward comps and tier credits.
• Cruise casinos: on some cruise lines, free play or promotional chips do not count toward your play history.
• Cruise casinos: your onboard casino host does not earn money for booking your cruise. They care about how much you play once you are sailing.

Short visits and first and last days matter

• Land-based casinos: a short or low-play visit can lower your ADT and reduce future offers.
• Cruise casinos: the first and last days of your cruise can weigh heavily. Low play on those days can hurt future comps.

An independent casino host gives you more flexibility

• Land-based casinos: in-house hosts are tied to their specific casino, while independent hosts can often work with multiple properties.
• Cruise casinos: working with an independent host can give you access to better offers and more flexibility in choosing cruise lines.

Want help comparing your options on land and at sea? Contact the ECT team.

Have a question for a casino host? Ask it in our Ask the Ca$ino Host group on Facebook.