Insiders Guide To Slot Tournaments: Details & Expectations

By Donna Heiderstadt | Published on March 7, 2024

If you're one of the millions of people whose favorite vacation pastime is playing casino slot machines, then a slot tournament at sea is for you. What could be more exciting than the opportunity to enter a tournament during your next cruise? While the chance to win a big jackpot is always possible when you play the slots, participating in a tournament is the icing on the cake: a chance to win a cash prize — plus earn the ultimate bragging rights to impress your friends in the tournament and back home.

Where is one of the most enjoyable and convenient places to participate in a tournament? If you guessed a cruise ship, then you're already a lucky winner. Here's why: You can board a Royal Caribbean cruise ship in one of several dozen ports around the world and within a matter of hours enjoy access to an expansive casino at sea that offers most of the play options you'll find at a land-based casino.

If slots are your preferred game and you'll be cruising with Royal Caribbean, you'll never have to ask, "Are there any slot tournaments near me?" They happen at least once per voyage in most  Casino Royales℠, the vibrant and buzzy gaming hall centrally located midship on all of the ships. Plus, Royal Caribbean has already added a new ship, and will add another, each with a cutting-edge Casino Royale, in 2024: Icon of the Seas℠ and Utopia of the Seas℠. Respectively, these mega-ships will rank as number one and number two on the list of the world's largest cruise ships. And yes, they will host tournaments.

Whether you're cruising the Caribbean during spring break with your kids, enjoying a romantic Mediterranean anniversary getaway for two or exploring the wilds of Alaska with extended family, Royal Caribbean slot tournaments add a lively and engaging social element to slots gaming. They are also guaranteed to bring out the competitor in you as you seek the title of slot tournament champion.

So what is a slot tournament on a cruise ship? First of all, it's a whole lot of fun. Imagine enthusiastic players seated at several rows of vividly lit, incessantly whirring and ringing machines, each determined to rack up the most points, and you get the picture. More importantly, these popular gaming events occur in multiple qualifying rounds and offer a chance for finalists to win big prizes. Times vary per tournament, but guests who enter have anywhere from 60 seconds to three minutes to rack up as many points as possible. The contestant who finishes first will move on to a final round. From there, a champion is crowned. If you're picturing excitement and cacophony, then you're correct: Those who enter the tournament smack the spin button while simultaneously tapping the screen for bonuses as fast as they can to collect as many points as possible, watching the leaderboard. They're cheered on by friends, family and fellow cruisers as the casino host counts down the time and announces the leaders. It's an adrenaline rush for all involved.

What To Expect In Casino Royale℠

Who Can Enter A Slot Tournament?

When Are Tournaments Held?

Casino tournaments are typically hosted on sea days, which are days when the ship is at sea rather than docked in a port. Most cruises include at least one sea day, and sailings of seven nights or longer often feature two or more.

Days spent at sea onboard are the perfect time to relax and pursue your favorite passions: reading by the pool while sipping a piña colada, challenging yourself on the rock-climbing wall or taking a spin class in the fitness center. But if your idea of spinning involves a casino visit, know that Casino Royale will be open all day on sea days. Its also important to note that cruise ship casinos can only operate when in international waters, so they are closed while in port but generally open in the early evening about an hour or so after the ship has set sail. They also stay open late (typically until 2 a.m. or 3 a.m.), and on some itineraries Casino Royale even features 24-hour slots.

How Do Slot Tournaments Work?

If you're interested in trying your luck in a Royal Caribbean slot tournament, here's what you need to know.

First, you need to keep an eye out for qualifiers. These are the preliminary rounds that players of all skill levels are invited to participate in. On the first day of your cruise, check with the casino host for details.

Certain tournaments are invite-only and free, such as events for Club Royale members who have reached VIP status. In most cases, however, players are required to buy in at Casino Royale’s cash desk. What are they banking on? Usually a cash prize pool that varies based on participation.

The action is friendly but fierce as participants are seated next to one another at several rows of slot machines, all of which are set to tournament mode. The clock timer begins its countdown, and when it hits zero, players all begin to mash and max their bet buttons as fast as they can for the allotted time, typically several minutes. The goal? To earn the highest score.

As players fixate on their colorful, endlessly spinning screens, the tension is thick and the excitement is palpable. You have probably never seen anything like it.

Once players learn who has the top scores, the machines and countdown timers are reset and this spirited but intense head-to-head competition repeats for multiple rounds, depending on the number of players who have bought in. When all of the qualifying rounds are completed, the top scorers earn automatic entry into the final round with a chance to compete for cash prizes.

Sound like something that you’d enjoy? Anyone interested in getting in on the action can visit the casino host desk on their first day onboard for complete details and rules.

Top Strategies For Winning Play

Once you have signed up for a tournament, it’s important to know how to maximize your chances of winning.

Speed and concentration are the two top strategies, so getting plenty of rest, stretching and visiting the bathroom before your first round are key. It's also important not to get distracted, so avoid looking up at the scoreboard at the top of the machine. Seeing your name, whether it's listed in first place, fifth place or last place, won't help you focus on continually pushing the spin and max bet buttons and wagering across all pay lines. The more bonus features, winning reel combinations and completed spins before the countdown timer ends, the greater the chances of a high score.

Of course, luck — getting assigned to a lucky machine — plays a large role in achieving a high score, but technique and intensity are the equalizers that can help you surge past your competitors and be a top performer.

How many times can you play? Casino Royale allows players to have unlimited re-buys in its slot tournament, meaning you can buy back into as many rounds as you want.

What Can You Win?

While the cash prize pool for the top scorers and ultimate winner of any tournament in Casino Royale is determined by the total number of players who entered, there is always some level of cash prize — and top scorers during the qualifier rounds have a chance to win the most impressive amounts.