Norwegian Cruise Line has signed a deal with Caesars International under the terms of which the first ever Millionaire Maker Slot Tournament is being hosted aboard Norwegian Spirit, which sailed from New Orleans on 13th November 2011. The tournament has been taking place for 17 years now, but it has never been held on a cruise liner. The prize money is $1 million.

There will be 263 finalists in the final round, all of whom have qualified in both land and sea based satellite slot tournaments. Every player will earn points by playing on a number of different slot machines. When the scores are added up, the one with the highest score will win the $1m prize money.

The agreement is an exciting new development for the company. Norwegian Cruise Line’s VP of casino operations, Jim Abbas, said “Gaming has always been a highlight at Norwegian Cruise Line. With the Millionaire Maker Slot Tournament finale, it has reached a new level of excitement.”

Norwegian Cruise line is, of course, no newcomer when it comes to on-sea gaming. The company’s Casinos at Sea have won the Best Cruise Line Casino award from Casino Player magazine for ten years in a row. NCL owns and operates all of the casinos on board its cruise ships. Every casino features some of the world’s top table and slot machine games.

Passengers who join the NCL’s Casinos at Sea Players Club can qualify for reward points, which can be exchanged for amenities such as shore excursions, spa treatments and specialty dinners.