Royal Caribbean Ship Closes Onboard Venues to Expand Casino
Cruisers asked, and Royal Caribbean answered. The cruising community is looking for more non-smoking casino access, and their wish is the cruise line’s command.
On Royal Caribbean’s more modern cruise ships, the smoking and non-smoking sections of the casino are separate venues entirely. For many, this is a welcomed change from simply splitting two sides of the main Casino Royale into smoking and non-smoking sections – as the smell can travel.
However, the non-smoking casino on vessels like the 6,988-guest Wonder of the Seas has proven to be a bit too small for the demand – which means it’s time for an expansion.
However, space on a cruise ship – even if it happens to be on the third largest in the world – is still finite. This means that other venues have to close at least temporarily for the expansion to take place.
“As of June 1, 2025, the casino onboard Wonder of the Seas is being expanded into the existing Crown Lounge on Deck 4,” Royal Caribbean announced.
For context, the Crown Lounge is an exclusive haunt onboard for Diamond, Diamond Plus, and Pinnacle Club members of the Crown and Anchor Society – which is Royal Caribbean’s loyalty program.
If you’ve never stepped inside the venue, it is known for offering light bites and drinks and is home to a private concierge for elite loyalty club members.
The Crown Lounge will be closed on June 22, 2025, before re-opening in a new location on Deck 16 on June 29, 2025.
“During the transition, the Crown Lounge will be closed June 22-28, then reopen on June 29 on Deck 16,” the cruise line confirmed.
The casino expansion for the 236,857-gross ton ship also follows a similar expansion that was undertaken onboard the 2024-launched Utopia of the Seas earlier this year.
In this case, the Crown Lounge and the Attic Comedy Club were both transformed into additional non-smoking casino space. In turn, the comedy shows were then relocated to the main Royal Theater.
Additional Venues Close Temporarily
Unsurprisingly, the non-smoking casino onboard the Oasis-class ship – known as the Golden Room – will need to close for the duration of construction. After all, guests can’t safely play the slots with a construction crew working around them!
The conference rooms that are located on Deck 3 of the ship below the casino on Deck 4 will also be temporarily unavailable.
“The Golden Room non-smoking Casino will close June 22 and reopen on July 13 as part of the expanded non-smoking casino space on Deck 4. During the construction period the conference centers will be unavailable for guests,” the announcement continued.
Additionally, the Social100 space that is located on Decks 16 and 17 will also be closed until June 29 – which is the same day the new Crown Lounge will re-open on Deck 16.
The plans for the re-located Crown Lounge have not yet been unveiled, but it’s possible that it will become part of Social100 in some capacity.
Read Also: Can You Smoke on a Cruise Ship – What to Know
As the main Casino Royale will remain open throughout construction – where smoking is allowed – no significant compensation is being provided for guests sailing during the transition.
The only exception is that elite Diamond and Diamond Plus guests will automatically get extra cappuccino credits loaded on their Seapass cards, which can be used to purchase a variety of specialty coffee and espresso drinks at Cafe Promenade.
Additionally, cocktail hour drinks that would normally be redeemed in the casino can be redeemed at any bar or lounge onboard during the expansion process.
But know that while this change may cause some mild annoyance, the bigger and better non-smoking casino will likely make up for any inconvenience.