By Jane Feehan
As Florida voters rejected gambling casinos, one-day cruises
for betting grew in popularity during the 1980s and 90s.
One of these ocean-going casinos was SeaEscape. Over several
decades, operators of the line changed, ships changed and so did home ports. This
post is not a business history of the SeaEscape; it’s somewhat convoluted. The focus will be on growth of the industry, its
challenges and the role legalized gambling played with SeaEscape’s fortunes.
They advertised as “Florida’s original one-day cruise.” SeaEscape launched in 1982 from the Port of Palm Beach. Some news sources report that the “Rahn family” was behind the new business; other news sources report Scandinavian Sun or Scandinavian World Cruises was behind the initiative. The ship’s maiden voyage hosted 732 passengers.
The line, which promised “everything for $89,” included a stop in Freeport, Bahamas, a meal, and lots of gambling. In subsequent years, their ships mostly sailed without a port stop but to international waters (or three miles offshore) where there were no restrictions on betting. SeaEscape ships also departed from Miami and Fort Lauderdale; soon after these one-day trips sailed from Tampa and Port Canaveral.
By 1992 ocean-going casinos hosted 920,000
passengers yearly (averaging 1,400 guests per trip)—"one third of SOFLA’s cruise
trade,” reported the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.
Passengers on these trips were not big-time gamblers. According
to the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, most spent an average of $9-$13 a day
and slots were the main attraction—80 percent played the “one-arm bandits.” Remaining passengers played table games. Betting
limits ranged from $200-$2,000, not attractive to high rollers who preferred
Las Vegas.
However, the concept was so popular and seemed to hold so
much promise that the report of 920,000
passengers caught the attention of Steve Wynn, then-owner of the Mirage Hotel and
Golden Nugget Casinos in Las Vegas. The gambling mogul mulled over the idea of
building a casino ship and "fancy" hotel in Port Everglades. He probably foresaw
the eventual approval of casino gambling so did not move forward with his
concept.
Competition was stiff by 1992. At one time, 47 floating
casinos operated from Florida. Meanwhile, troubles mounted for SeaEscape. The
company, no longer held by the original owners, filed for bankruptcy in 1991. They
had been dealing with competition, late or unpaid fines, port fees, taxes and
insurance problems. Several small fires
at sea called into question the validity of their insurance. At that time, Fort
Lauderdale and Miami were claimed as home ports.
In 1997, the “New SeaEscape” emerged, announcing new ships, sea
“adventures” for $29.95 and party cruises for about $25. But new problems arose
the following year when Florida’s Attorney General Bob Butterworth spearheaded efforts
to curtail questionable one-day cruise practices. Undercover agents boarded ships
to confirm gambling did not begin until at least three miles from the coast. Hidden
GPS devices proved otherwise; the New SeaEscape was hit with a $190,000 fine
for opening slots and tables before the three miles. Other problems followed with
indictments in 2003 of the then-owners for matters unrelated to New SeaEscape.
The company struggled. They advertised their remaining ship as
a wedding venue, for overnight New Year’s Eve festivities for $179 and other
parties for as little as $25. Gambling glories were slipping away.
SeaEscape’s last cruise was in August 2008 after workers
complained about not being paid. The company was unable to find financing or a
new owner. Their sole ship was auctioned off by Broward County in October 2008. The highest
bidder was investor Glenn Staub.
Gambling—blackjack—was approved in 2008. Casino gambling has
been approved in bits and pieces since 1988 until today, when most of it
resides on Seminole holdings such as Hard Rock Cafes in Hollywood and Tampa and
at the Miccosukee Reservation. The next frontier seems to be online gambling.
But it wasn’t just onshore gambling that dealt the one-day cruises
a blow. The rise of inexpensive vacation cruises with casinos as one form of
onboard entertainment also played a role in the demise of day trips. Entertainment venues and peoples’ tastes evolve.
As of this post, a one-day gambling trip is offered out of
Port Canaveral: Victory Casino Cruises.
Fort Lauderdale News, Feb. 21, 1982
Fort Lauderdale News, March 17, 1982
South Florida Sun-Sentinel, Sept 15, 1982
South Florida Sun-SentinelS, Jun. 2, 1991
The Miami Herald, Oct. 21, 1991
South Florida Sun-Sentinel, May
17, 1992
South Florida Sun-Sentinel, June 15, 1993
South Florida Sun-Sentinel, Mar. 23, 1997
South Florida Sun-Sentinel, Dec. 19, 1997
South Florida Sun-Sentinel, Dec.
20, 1997
South Florida Sun-Sentinel. June 5, 2003
South Florida Sun-Sentinel, Aug. 12, 2008
South Florida Sun-Sentinel, Oct. 7, 2008
Tags: SeaEscape, New SeaEscape, one-day gambling cruises, gambling history, Port Everglades, floating casinos
