For some high-stakes action on the seas, you might want to try to sail on Royal Caribbean's Explorer of the Seas on a week that it is hosting a VIP tournament or a casino junket.

On this particular sailing, the Explorer's Casino Royale had an action packed cruise with two $100-$2,000 blackjack tables and two $50-$1,000 tables nightly, as well as the normal lower stakes tables customarily found on cruise ships.

Interestingly, many of those taking advantage of the higher-stakes tables and playing night-after-night for large amounts of money were cruisers not part of the VIP group aboard. This would tend to support our belief that there are a growing number of experienced casino players who would gamble for higher stakes on cruise ships if something more than the customary $25-$500 table (with its often erratic play) was available. Major cruise lines continue to be skeptical that there's enough demand, but we think this is a classic case of: "If you build it, they will come."

The casino on Explorer of the Seas -- similar in size to the casinos on Navigator of the Seas, Mariner of the Seas, Adventure of the Seas and Voyager of the Seas -- has plenty of tables. The casino generally offers five multi-deck blackjack games, one single-deck blackjack, one Caribbean stud poker, one three-card poker, two low-limit Texas Hold 'em, two Let It Ride, three roulette tables and one craps table. A couple of these can readily be switched from one game to another to accommodate demand, and on this cruise, seven tables were configured for multi-deck blackjack.

With all these tables, on a busy cruise, the casino at times can seem a bit crowded. And surrounding the tables are 294 slots offering wagering opportunities ranging from 1 cent to $25. On this sailing, the casino frequently was still packed at 1 in the morning. We are told that the casino aboard the huge new Freedom of the Seas, which goes into regular service on June 4th, will have a more open and spacious feel.

The dealers on Explorer were competent and among the most friendly we have recently encountered. Casino management was extremely attentive to members of the Royal Caribbean Casino Royale Players Club. Not only were drinks comped but other goodies (such as fruit baskets, champagne and boxes of chocolates) turned up in some staterooms as well.

Overall, this casino had a very good feel to it, even though the cards were generally none too kind on this cruise. With Explorer headed out of the Caribbean next week to its summer home sailing five and nine night cruises from Bayonne, NJ, the Casino Royale seems ready to provide a great gaming option for New York-area players looking for more sea air than they customarily get in Atlantic City.

--The Savvy Cruiser