On June 20, the employees of Victory Casino Cruises went aboard their cruise ship. The plan is that the cruiser will set sail by the end of this month.
The Ship
Victory 1 has been billed by its operators as “America’s Largest Casino Cruise Ship.” They are now awaiting the US Coast Guard inspections to be finalized. Once the ship will pass the inspections, it will be ready for its maiden voyage.
It’s currently based at Terminal Number 2, which is in proximity to Jetty Park. The cruise ship has a massive area of 5,500 square feet and would employ up to 300 people. The ship consists of brand new carpeting, fixtures, lighting, seating, and signage, as well as top quality gambling machines.
Altogether, gamblers will have four floors to enjoy. This will include a nightclub, Club V, and a sports lounge. Those who want to indulge in gambling should head to the second and third levels.
Missed Deadlines
The plan is that the cruiser will be ready by the end of June. A spokesperson for Victory Casino, Christine Boyd, said, “It’s up to the Coast Guard, and it’s a process the ship has to go through. If all goes according to the plan, the first sailing should be by the end of June.”
Boyd also added that it would be no surprise if another couple of weeks were also required. Originally, it was estimated that the opening would happen last November. However, this date was pushed ahead a number of time before the latest date was revealed.
There are two main reasons behind the delays. One is that the cruiser went through bankruptcy hearings, similar to what happened to the SunCruz Casinos ship. The second is connected to the fact that a multi-million dollar overhaul was carried out on the whole vessel, which took up more time.
Anticipation
There has been a lot of excitement surrounding the opening of this floating casino. It will provide an interesting alternative to traditional, land-based gambling. Restaurants and bars in proximity to where the ship will dock also expect to benefit from it.
Kay’s Place is based near Terminal Number 2. A bartender from this establishment, Carol McCormack, commented, “We expect it to be standing-room only right around happy hour. And when the ship returns from a midnight sailing, we expect it to be standing-room only then.”
Before Victory 1, the Sterling Casino set sail from the same spot and Kay’s Place enjoyed an increase in customers. They hope to see a repeat of this.
A plan by the operators is that a shuttle bus service will bring in gamers from the surrounding hotels. It’s estimated that this alone will bring in nearly 160,000 customers. Passengers will be expected to pay $10 for entry and free drinks are available while they play. A buffet will also be available, but for an extra charge.