Princess Cruises has become the first cruise line to offer onboard sports wagering. The move will help the company recover from a year without cruising due to Covid-19, officials said.
Onboard sports wagering would be available via a custom app onboard all MedallionClass ships. These vessels have ship-wide wifi and are designed for passengers who want to remain connected to their devices. The Ocean Medallion program uses quarter-sized RFID-enabled chips that allow touchless operations to order food or beverages, locate people onboard, watch TV and play games.
Multiple casino games also are available through the Ocean Casino app, which was developed in partnership with gaming technology firm Miomni. As part of the OCEAN Guest Experience platform, the Ocean Casino app will include a sports wagering section. Bets can be placed anywhere onboard—not just in the casino.
John Padgett, chief experience and innovation officer for parent company Carnival Corp. stated, “A fully connected guest experience now goes well beyond a superior wifi position, and Ocean Sportsbook reinforces the unparalleled position MedallionClass enjoys in the industry. Wagering is now seamlessly fused into the overall guest experience in both digital and physical interactions all powered by the OCEAN Guest Experience platform.”
Princess Cruises President Jan Swartz added, “On Princess MedallionClass cruises, our guests can stay connected with their friends and family around the world, and now with Ocean Sportsbook they can also stay connected to their favorite teams and wager on a host of events whenever they sail with us. Taking a Cruise vacation no longer means being disconnected from a big game, an iconic event or friends and family.”
Officials said like other onboard gambling, sports betting only will be available in international waters or “wherever permitted by law.” Guests will be able to wager on sporting events that occur during their cruise as well as on future events.
Since Carnival Corp. is affiliated with the Miami Heat, passengers won’t be able to bet on NBA events involving the Heat.
Late last year, Princess Cruises announced all of its ships would return to service in 2021, all featuring the line’s MedallionClass service.
