A Question for all the Knowledgeable cruises

[thied]

I f a cruise ship is in Australian any port, harbour, or bay, can the casino be opened?

[jpbtwo]

Not in WA. Can't open the Casino whilst in WA waters which means 2 days after leaving port b4 it is opened.

I should imagine in other states it can't be opened whilst in port. Whether it can after sailing would depend on each state's gambling laws.

[thied]

Not in WA. Can't open the Casino whilst in WA waters which means 2 days after leaving port b4 it is opened.

I should imagine in other states it can't be opened whilst in port. Whether it can after sailing would depend on each state's gambling laws.

yes I though the same thing and would like to see what any one else has to say about.

[qld cruiser]

Hi thied, I thought ...the ship has to be at least an hour out of port...on the way out of port, but about 8 hours coming into port.....but.I may be wrong.

I know the W.A laws are different. no casino at all down the coast.

 

kind regards, Lorraine :):)

[bobhsv]

Wondered if it is because they have to be in international waters, about 12 miles out, and because that way they dont have to pay the states gambling taxes. Could be wrong, but this is what I was always led to believe. Interesting question Thied.

[Skyrules]

I just flicked through our Pacific Daily's for the cruise to Perth and the cruise to Tasmania, and the QLD Coastal cruise, and the Casino generally opened 1 hour after sailaway from the Australian ports with the following exceptions;

 

* Sailing from Port Arthur to Hobart - the Casino didn't open, basically because we didn't go into open water

 

* Sailing from Hobart to Burnie, via Wineglass Bay, the Casino didn't open until 12.30pm, after the ship had visited Winegalss Bay.

 

On the cruise to Fremantle, as soon as we passed into WA waters the Casino closed (about mid-day on the second sea day out of Adelaide, the day before we arrived in Albany) and remained closed for the remainder of the cruise, as per WA Gambling legislation.

[Aus Traveller]

Laws relating to gambling are State legislation and Western Australia interprets their legislation differently to the other States.

[thied]

I did read this.

The Casino department consists of the following cruise ship positions: casino manager, casino dealer/croupier, cashier and slot technician. In compliance with international custom laws, the casino is only allowed to open while in international waters; usually three miles out to sea. Subsequently the staff only work while at sea and have port days off.

http://www.cruiseshipjob.com/casino.htm

[Aus Traveller]

I don't think that an ad for casino staff would cover the involved law of the sea. The following is a definition of Australian Territorial Waters that extend to 12 nautical miles.

 

(quote) Territorial Sea (12 nautical mile limit)

 

The Territorial Sea is a belt of water not exceeding 12M in width measured from the territorial sea baseline. Australia's sovereignty extends to the territorial sea, its seabed and subsoil, and to the air space above it. This sovereignty is exercised in accordance with international law as reflected in the Convention. The major limitation on Australia's exercise of sovereignty in the territorial sea is the right of innocent passage for foreign ships. The territorial sea around certain islands in the Torres Strait is 3M. (end of quote)

 

 

Other factors must come into play with (for instance) the law on gambling when off the coast of Western Australia. A cruiseship could easily sail more than 12 nautical miles off the coast and therefore be in international waters, but they still adhere to Western Australia's laws on gambling.

 

I think this is a very involved matter in Australia where each State has its own laws.

[thied]

THats ok only was some thing I read .

where is Part two of the question.

Should P&O Australia Pacific Dawn be able to open its cosino while anchored at the mouth of the Brisbane River?

 

 

there is a third part.

[Aus Traveller]

THats ok only was some thing I read .

where is Part two of the question.

Should P&O Australia Pacific Dawn be able to open its cosino while anchored at the mouth of the Brisbane River?

 

 

there is a third part.

From what I have been told about the interpretation of the Q'ld gaming legislation, I think the answer is "yes".

[thied]

Well on our last cruise as we all know we were anchored at the mouth of the brisbane river, The cruise director Paul Hancox came on the intercom about an hour after the captain told us we were staying and would not be docking untill the next day, and Paul Hancox said quote We have moved the ship into international waters and the casino will be open tonight, but the fact was had not moved at all and were still at anchor at the mouth of the Brisbane river.

I did ring P&O and ask them this very same question and the answer was no they can not and that they have many emails and phone calls about the two things this cruise director said on our cruise that just was not true, and they were investergateing this mater.

[Aus Traveller]

Well on our last cruise as we all know we were anchored at the mouth of the brisbane river, The cruise director Paul Hancox came on the intercom about an hour after the captain told us we were staying and would not be docking untill the next day, and Paul Hancox said quote We have moved the ship into international waters and the casino will be open tonight, but the fact was had not moved at all and were still at anchor at the mouth of the Brisbane river.

I did ring P&O and ask them this very same question and the answer was no they can not and that they have many emails and phone calls about the two things this cruise director said on our cruise that just was not true, and they were investergateing this mater.

You are quite right about the ship not being in international waters when it was anchored in Moreton Bay. From what you said, it looks as if the CD didn't think too much before he opened his mouth. :D:D

 

However, from what we were told a while ago by a friend working for the Q'ld government in the area of gaming control, in Queensland it would be legal for P & O to operate the casino while in the Bay. I think they could even operate it while tied up at the wharf!! It comes down to the interpretation of the wording of the legislation.

[Gold Coast Cruisers]

I don't think the ship has to be in 'international' waters to open the Casino, it just needs to be so many nautical miles offshore.

 

No ship can open their Casino whilst 'docked' in any port....as far as I'm aware.

 

Usually ships will open their casinos about an hour after sailing from any port or anchorage.

 

W.A. laws are quite different so they are not in this equation.

 

Thied, Pacific Dawn's Captain probably made an Executive decision on the matter at the time that you were referring to in Morton Bay.

 

Jillybean:)

[AndyTheMan]

I can confirm, as I had this exact discussion with a dealer when on board last time.

 

P&O policy is that casino does not open when in any port so as not to impede any local laws. The laws relate to distance from land (but this is sometimes sketchy if you are, for example, sailing up the coast....

 

P&O casino's open 2 hours after departing each port on every trip.

 

I was also told that being a dealer/croupier in the casino is one od the best jobs.

 

You work every day at sea, and every night - but you also get EVERY day that you are in port as leave, so you can get off the ship and stretch your legs. Many of the bar staff/room attendants etc just work every day!!

 

AtM

[thied]

The latest news is P&O are being investergated by the qld goverment gaming to see wether they should have the casino and duty free shps open while they were in morton bay.

[Aus Traveller]

The latest news is P&O are being investergated by the qld goverment gaming to see wether they should have the casino and duty free shps open while they were in morton bay.

Where was this news from?

[thied]

Where was this news from?

 

qld gaming

[Aus Traveller]

qld gaming

The Queensland Gov't wouldn't care if the duty free shop was open in Australian territorial waters as this doesn't fall under their jurisdiction.

 

I will be interested to see if there are problems about the casino being open while the ship was in Moreton Bay. The interpretation of the law given to us by a friend who is a senior departmental officer would mean that it would not a problem.

[thied]

The Queensland Gov't wouldn't care if the duty free shop was open in Australian territorial waters as this doesn't fall under their jurisdiction.

 

I will be interested to see if there are problems about the casino being open while the ship was in Moreton Bay. The interpretation of the law given to us by a friend who is a senior departmental officer would mean that it would not a problem.

 

why dont you ask your friend that is a senior departmental officer to give you his or her interpretation so you can post it on here for us to read.

 

The Queensland Gov't wouldn't care if the duty free shop was open in Australian territorial waters as this doesn't fall under their jurisdiction.

yes that is true but as being a the goverment they can pass on info to the right department of the com gov. what do you think?

[thied]

You are quite right about the ship not being in international waters when it was anchored in Moreton Bay. From what you said, it looks as if the CD didn't think too much before he opened his mouth. :D:D

 

However, from what we were told a while ago by a friend working for the Q'ld government in the area of gaming control, in Queensland it would be legal for P & O to operate the casino while in the Bay. I think they could even operate it while tied up at the wharf!! It comes down to the interpretation of the wording of the legislation.

What i do know is that no cruise ship is can open/operate their casino in any Australian Port/ Port berth/ dock while they are tied up unless that the ship is a floating casino which there was one some years ago in Australia.

That can be google and read on ever 50 sites which include some goverment sites and martine site and cruise ship industry site and casino sites. In the USA, Australia

[Gold Coast Cruisers]

Sorry, off the topic Thied, can I ask you a question?

 

Could you tell me if the group 'Souljourn' were still on board Pacific Dawn. They played mainly in the Bengal Bar and a couple of times in the Atrium.

 

Thanks,

Jillybean

[thied]

Sorry, off the topic Thied, can I ask you a question?

 

Could you tell me if the group 'Souljourn' were still on board Pacific Dawn. They played mainly in the Bengal Bar and a couple of times in the Atrium.

 

Thanks,

Jillybean

 

good question as far as I know we did not see them and all the cruise dailys we have and there is nothing about them, so I would say no sorry, but the there was atomic,James and the pacific band,Duo,playing in the bengal bar most nights.