An exciting new casino made its debut in the Caribbean this week, not on one of the islands but aboard Royal Caribbean's newest megaship, Liberty of the Seas.

Liberty's Casino Royale is the same size -- but seems filled with more energy -- than the casino on sister Freedom of the Seas, with which Liberty shares world's-largest-cruiseship honors.

Both Liberty and Freedom have more tables, and a more spacious feel, than the casinos on Royal Caribbean's five Voyager-class ships -- Explorer of the Seas, Navigator of the Seas, Mariner of the Seas, Adventure of the Seas and Voyager of the Seas.

Liberty's 19 tables are clustered in two banks, with eight tables forming the centerpiece of the Casino Royale's midships foyer (above), and eleven more spread along the main casino's port wall.

The tables offer seven multi-deck blackjack games, two single-deck blackjack, two Caribbean stud poker, two three-card poker, one low-limit Texas Hold 'em, one Let It Ride, three roulette tables and one craps table.

Relatively few VIP players were aboard this preview sailing, and the casino only offered $25-$500 blackjack tables. But with several members of Royal Caribbean's Club Royale players club booked for the following week, the casino was prepared to open $50-$1,000 and $100-$2,000 tables to accommodate VIP players looking to play for higher stakes.

Occupying the center and starboard side of the casino are 306 slots -- about a dozen more than on the Voyager-class ships -- offering wagering opportunities ranging from a penny to $25.

As might be expected, the dealers on the line's newest ship, Liberty, are all veterans of the casinos on the Royal Caribbean's other ships -- and as we have reported before, Royal Caribbean's dealers are among the most friendly and competent at sea.

With Liberty set to join twin Freedom in sailing seven-night Caribbean cruises out of Miami, Royal Caribbean has doubled down on high-stakes cruise ship casino action -- and appears to have a winner.

--The Savvy Cruiser