Stand in the middle of one of the frenetic casinos on a modern cruise ship, and you might almost think you’re in Las Vegas. There’s big money to be won – and lost – on the nerve-jangling, flashing slot machines, card games and roulette.
One lucky punter paid for his cruise and a few more besides when he collected an eye-watering $235,000 (£168,000) on the craps table in Queen Mary 2’s Empire Casino (above).
Some cruise lines even have special programs for high rollers, although they are reluctant to talk about them too widely. After all, how many passengers would be delighted to learn that the couple occupying one of the top suites paid next to nothing, and were getting free drinks, in return for risking thousands on high limit tables in the ship’s casino?
While cruise lines have been quick to introduce Texas Hold ‘Em tournaments and gimmicky games like Let It Ride alongside the Blackjack tables, I’m not sure how keen they would be to follow the newest Vegas trend.
The city now claims to be the Action Adventure Capital of the US, but its latest attraction goes way beyond helicopter rides to the Grand Canyon and ATV excursions in the desert.
Machine Guns Vegas gives thrill-crazy visitors the chance to pump lead from a million dollars worth of real guns, in a 10,000 square foot indoor shooting gallery, and on mock military excursions in the great outdoors.
It probably says a lot that the mastermind of the operation is the improbably-named impresario Genghis Cohen, who founded the infamous Tabu Lounge at the MGM Grand Hotel. At Machine Guns Vegas he has ditched the cocktails in favour of put Uzis, Glocks, AK-47s, Berettas and M60s, available for firing from $129.50 (£92.50) – plus the cost of the bullets.
Ocean liners – the predecessors of today’s cruise ships – used to provide passengers with clay pigeon shooting off the stern as an alternative to the ever-popular deck quoits and shuffleboard.
But will firing a machine gun ever come to rival rock climbing walls, ice skating and surfing simulators at sea? Somehow I doubt it.
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