Princess Cruises is testing the waters with a new way to bet on sports.
When it comes to sports betting, it’s pretty normal to make wagers either inside brick-and-mortar shops or through online sportsbooks.
Now, if bettors want to get a little more adventurous, they can place some bets right in the middle of the ocean.
Earlier this week, Princess Cruises announced that they will become the first cruise line in the world to offer online sports betting.
Princess Cruises has partnered with Miomni, a sports betting and entertainment software supplier, to create the “Ocean Sportsbook” app.
Ocean Sportsbook will use a satellite service so that users will have all of the live and latest odds.
It’s also not the cruise line’s first experience with onboard gambling, as they already have a casino app, “Ocean Casino.” The service offers a variety of games, such as poker, bingo and roulette.
MedallionClass Experience
The Ocean Sportsbook will only be available for passengers who are on Princess MedallionClass cruises.
MedallionClass is a service revolving around quick Wi-Fi, contactless interactions and the ability to order food from anywhere onboard.
Passengers can download the MedallionClass app, where they’ll be able to wager on available sports from hockey to college football to basketball.
According to the Ocean Sportsbook app page, users can even wager on non-sporting events, such as the Academy Awards.
“Taking a cruise vacation no longer means being disconnected from a big game, an iconic event or friends and family,” said Princess Cruises CEO Jan Swartz said in the Ocean Sportsbook press release.
Types of wagers can range from the standard point spread and moneyline bets to player prop bets and future bets that conclude after the voyage.
While the addition of a sportsbook is major, John Padgett said that the transition would be seamless for passengers.
He’s the chief experience and innovation officer of Princess Cruise’s parent company, Carnival Corporation.
Padgett added that guests will be able to enjoy the experience in both physical and digital interactions.
Some Restrictions Apply
One major restriction is that passengers will not be able to bet on anything related to the Miami Heat NBA team.
The reason for that restriction is because Micky Arison, the owner of the Heat, is the chairman of the board for Princess Cruises’ parent company, Carnival Corporation.
However, access to certain sports bets depends on wherever the cruise ship is.
Ocean Sportsbook will allow users to place wagers once they’re in international waters or wherever gambling is legal depending on the ship’s destinations.
The COVID-19 pandemic forced Princess Cruises to shut down all trips through May 2021. However, the cruise line hopes to have ships back on the water sometime this year.
Regardless of when that happens, they’ve already announced that every ship will have access to MedallionClass technology. That means that sports betting will have a presence on every Princess Cruises ship.
