This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may earn a commission if you make a purchase through one of my links, at no additional cost to you. I only share products and travel finds I personally use, love or would pack myself. This cruise was booked using my own Carnival casino offer, and all casino spending, experiences and opinions shared here are my own.
I went into my Carnival Magic cruise knowing I'd spend some time in the casino.
What I didn't expect was to find an old-school-looking penny slot I would have way too much fun playing, hit two jackpots, put every bit of those winnings right back into play, earn more than 1,000 casino points and spend several days laughing with my mom and dad beside me.
And my total out-of-pocket casino spend?
$300.
Do I still have my jackpot money?
Nope. 😂
Do I have the screenshots?
Absolutely.
Do I have any regrets about putting those winnings back into the casino?
Zero.
I play in cruise casinos because I enjoy it, and on this cruise, that's exactly what I did.
The Main Carnival Magic Casino on Deck 5 Wasn't for Me
Let's start with the main casino.
It's on Deck 5, and unfortunately, the smoke was just too much for me.
I'm not talking about simply noticing that people were smoking. It actually took my breath away, and I knew pretty quickly that I wasn't going to spend much time there.
Thankfully, Carnival Magic has another option.
The ship has a smaller, non-smoking casino on Deck 4, separate from the main casino on Deck 5.
And that's where I basically made myself at home.
I LOVED the Non-Smoking Casino on Deck 4
My mom living her best life on Penny Slots
The Deck 4 casino was much more my speed.
It also became the setting for some of my favorite memories from this cruise, not necessarily because of the gambling.
My mom and dad were right there beside me for several days, and we spent hours playing, laughing, and generally having way too much fun.
That's the kind of casino experience I want.
I'm not trying to turn this into a job.
I'm on vacation.
RIP Video Blackjack. Hello, Random Penny Slot.
My original casino-playing plan didn't exactly survive contact with the casino.
I had enjoyed playing video blackjack previously, but during this sailing, I couldn't find it.
I also only found three video poker machines.
Casino machine inventories can change, so I'm only talking about what I personally found during my particular sailing.
So what did I do?
Naturally, I found an old-school-looking penny slot that looked fun and parked myself there.
Very sophisticated casino strategy happening over here. 😂
And somehow, I had an absolute blast playing it.
Sometimes that's really all I want from a cruise casino. Give me something entertaining, let me play for a while without blowing through my budget, throw in a little excitement here and there and I'm happy.
This machine delivered.
Curious what I actually play when I cruise? I keep track of my games, spending and casino points from ship to ship in What I Actually Play in the Casino on Each Cruise.
What I Actually Spent in the Carnival Magic Casino
That random penny slot ended up giving me a whole lot of playtime. But when I look back at a casino cruise, I don't just want to know how much I played. I want to know what the casino actually cost me.
And on Carnival Magic, that number was $300.
Total out-of-pocket casino spend: $300
Casino points earned: 1,000+
Average out-of-pocket cost: about $50 per day
Jackpots hit: 2
Jackpot money brought home: $0 😂
The amount I played through the machines was obviously more than $300 because I continued playing money that I won along the way.
My actual out-of-pocket cost was $300.
I like looking at my casino spending this way because it's honest.
I'm not going to tell you I "won" money when I didn't bring that money home.
But I'm also not going to pretend I didn't get hours and hours of entertainment out of the $300 I chose to spend.
That's why I always separate money played from money actually out of my pocket when I'm talking about my casino cruising.
I don't chase casino points or gamble money simply because I think it might generate another offer. You can read more about how I approach my budget and casino play in My Cruise Casino Strategy.
I Won Two Jackpots...and Gave It All Back
Yes.
I actually hit two jackpots during this cruise.
And no.
I did not come home with the money. 😂
I put my winnings right back into play, and honestly?
Zero regrets.
I don't go into a cruise casino expecting to make money. I give myself an amount I'm comfortable spending, and I play because it's fun.
On this cruise, my total out-of-pocket casino spend was $300, I earned more than 1,000 casino points, and I got hours of entertainment out of it.
More importantly, several of those hours were spent with my mom and dad sitting right there beside me.
We played.
We laughed.
We had fun together.
That's worth something to me.
Would it have been nice to bring those jackpot winnings home?
Sure.
But apparently I chose more playtime instead. 😂
And technically...
I still have the screenshots even if I don't still have the cash.
Zero regrets. I played to have fun, and that's exactly what I did.
My Best Casino Discovery Had Nothing to Do With Gambling
Now let's discuss what might have been my most important casino discovery of the entire cruise.
COFFEE.
How did I not know about this?
When the Deck 4 casino was open, I discovered I could get my specialty coffee at the casino bar instead of standing in the longer coffee line on Deck 5.
And on my sailing with my particular casino drink benefit, my specialty coffee there was included.
Then there was Glad, the bartender.
Glad made my coffee in the morning, and I honestly thought it was some of the best coffee I've had on a cruise ship. This is especially noteworthy because two years ago, I couldn't stand Carnival's coffee.
So apparently Carnival and I have officially reconciled our coffee differences. 😂
Forget the jackpots. I found my coffee hookup.
Don't have free drinks included with your casino offer? The Deck 4 casino bar can still be a handy place to grab coffee when it's open. Just keep in mind that casino offers and drink benefits vary, so check the terms of your particular offer.
My Carnival Casino Drink Benefit
My casino offer included free drinks while playing in the casino, which is one of the perks I enjoyed on this sailing.
But the coffee discovery was the surprise.
Cocktail while I'm playing later in the day?
Sure. I expected that.
Really good specialty coffee in the morning?
That got my attention.
Casino offers and benefits can vary, so definitely check the terms of your particular offer. I'm sharing what was included with mine and what I actually experienced on Carnival Magic.
A Note About Casino Points and "Free" Cruise Offers
I always want to be transparent about this part because casino cruising can sometimes get presented like some magical way to cruise for free.
That's not how I look at it.
I'm gambling real money.
Sometimes I win.
Sometimes I lose.
Sometimes I win and then apparently decide the casino should have the money back. 😂
I track what actually comes out of my pocket, the points I earn and the future offers I receive.
I never gamble money I'm relying on getting back.
On this cruise, that number was $300.
If another casino offer comes along because of my play, I'll evaluate that offer when I receive it.
But a future offer isn't why I consider this particular experience worthwhile.
I had a fantastic time for the money I chose to spend.
That's enough for me.
Would I Play in the Carnival Magic Casino Again?
Absolutely.
I'd head straight back to the non-smoking casino on Deck 4.
The Deck 5 casino was too smoky for me, I wish there had been more video poker, and I'd still like my video blackjack back.
But somehow an old-school penny slot, two jackpot screenshots, really good coffee and several days laughing with my mom and dad turned into one of my favorite parts of this cruise.
I spent $300 out of pocket, stayed within the amount I'd decided I was comfortable spending and had a ridiculous amount of fun.
That's my version of casino cruising.
And while I left Carnival Magic without the jackpot cash...
I still have the screenshots.
That counts for something, right? 😂
Heading on a Cruise? Here's My Lazy Girl Packing System
Between points and miles, casino offers and regular travel deals, I travel about 12–15 times a year, so I have my packing system pretty much down to a science.
→ SEE MY FULL LAZY GIRL LUGGAGE SYSTEM
The Lazy Girl’s Guide to Carry-On Only Travel
My tried-and-true favorites for packing lighter, staying organized, and making carry-on-only travel a whole lot easier.
Keep Reading: More Casino Cruising & Carnival
🎰 What I Actually Play in the Casino on Each Cruise
Want to see what happens after all this talk about casino strategy? I keep track of the games I actually play from ship to ship, what comes out of my pocket and the casino points I earn.
→ See What I'm Actually Playing
🎲 My Cruise Casino Strategy
I'm a low-stakes casino cruiser, not someone trying to beat the house. Here's how I think about my spending, casino points and cruise offers.
→ Read My Cruise Casino Strategy
🚢 Carnival Cruise Hub
Planning a Carnival cruise? Head over to my Carnival Cruise Hub for more firsthand ship reviews, spa experiences, casino posts, dining reviews and Carnival tips.
→ Explore My Carnival Cruise Guides
🛳️ Cruise Hub
For everything else, including all the different cruise lines and ships I sail, start with my Cruise Hub.
→ Explore All My Cruise Content
About the Author
Hi, I'm Julie Davis, creator of No Point Left Behind. I travel about 12–15 times a year using a mix of points, miles, casino offers, travel credits and good old-fashioned deal hunting, and I share what those trips actually cost along the way.
I'm also a low-stakes casino cruiser.
I'm not trying to teach anyone how to beat the casino, and I'm definitely not pretending casino cruises are "free." I track what I actually spend, what I play, the offers I receive and whether the experience was worth the money to me.
Sometimes that means bringing home a win.
Sometimes it means putting the winnings right back into a penny slot while laughing with my parents.
Apparently I'm good with both. 😂
My goal with No Point Left Behind is simple: travel smarter, use what you've got and be honest about what it actually costs.
