Here are some frequently asked questions about casinos on cruise ships.

Please submit any questions you might have about cruise ship casinos via email to info@cruise-casinos.com. We cannot respond to individual questioners, but will post the most interesting questions (with answers) here on this site.

--The Savvy Cruiser

Q. What is the minimum age for gambling in a cruise ship casino?

A. The minimum age varies from one cruiseline to another. On Carnival and most of its sister lines, the minimum age is 18 -- but Princess Cruise Lines has a minimum age of 21. NCL also has a minimum age of 18. Royal Caribbean has a minimum age of 18, but says on some ships while cruising in Alaska the minimum age is 21.

Q. Is it customary to tip the dealers in cruise ship casinos?

A. Dealers on cruise ships depend to an even greater degree than their land-based counterparts on tips, so it certainly is customary to tip those who are presiding during a run of good luck -- or when a dealer has made playing an enjoyable experience even during a time of adversity.

Q. If I run short on cash in the casino, can I get chips and charge them to my sea card.

A. On most of the major ships, cruisers whose sea card is linked to a credit card (ie, an American Express card, not a bank debit card) can purchase chips up to a daily limit. The limits vary from as much as $2,000 a day on Royal Caribbean and Celebrity ships, to $1,000 a day on Carnival and NCL ships. Other restrictions may apply. For example, Princess Cruises allows passengers to draw up to $1,500 per day in chips up to a $5,000 per cruise limit. Princess and the other Carnival lines also apply a 3 percent surcharge to any casino draws.