PORT CANAVERAL, Fla. – Gloria Roundy lives in Daytona Beach. But, once or twice a week, she shows up at Port Canaveral's Cruise Terminal 2 for a day aboard the Victory I gambling ship.
"I love it," Roundy said. "I like the people. They are so considerate."
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And the thrill of winning doesn't hurt, either. Once, she recalls, she hit big on a slot machine, winning $1,400 on a bet of less than $1.
It's customers like Roundy who have helped Victory Casino Cruises approach a major milestone -- 1 million passengers sailing from Port Canaveral within their first four years of operating at the port.
The company expects to hit that number on March 21, Local 6 News partner Florida Today reported. It will have a big celebration aboard the ship that evening that will include a chance to win $10,000, an amount that was picked because it is the equivalent of 1 million pennies.
Victory Casino Cruises Chief Executive Officer Lester Bullock says the company has worked hard at "building the brand" since its first gambling cruise from Port Canaveral in July 2011. That includes:
•Spending $2 million to $3 million a year in advertising in newspapers, on television and radio, and on billboards, among other approaches.
•Offering shuttle bus services to the port from a number of locations in Florida.
•Upgrading the food and entertainment quality on the ship.
•Carefully choosing the slot machines their customers want, some of which can cost $25,000 apiece.
•Emphasizing a personalized approach to customer service, so that, for example, people are welcomed aboard the ship by a group of staff members, then thanked for coming when they leave.
Bullock's approach to running the gambling ship is to make it a value to customers, even at $10 per ticket to board. He said his business model is successful, when other casino ship operators who offered free boarding failed, because of that $10 fee and his ability to give patrons a high-quality experience.
He's particularly proud of the slot machine offerings -- the bread-and-butter of his business.
"When you see our casino floor, I'll put it up against anyone's," Bullock said, including the land-based casinos in Florida and Nevada.
Bullock's Port Canaveral ship has 620 slot machines, and is looking to redesign the casino space to add 60 more.
He has analysts evaluating which slot machines are most and least popular, then adjusts the lineup to get the more of the most popular machines. He also attends casino industry trade shows every year to find out "what's the latest and greatest."
Other gambling options on the ship include 27 table games, including such popular casino offerings as craps, roulette and blackjack; bingo; and wagering on sports events.
The Victory ship has been a win for Port Canaveral, as well, as it attracts more people to the area. Bullock said his company tracks the hometowns of its customers, and finds that about 80 percent of them come to Port Canaveral from more than 50 miles away. The port also has received $10.4 million in passenger, parking and other fees from Victory since the ship began sailing from there.
Reaching 1 million passengers, Bullock says, "shows that this product has a place in Central Florida and Port Canaveral. People have been voting with their attendance."