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Corpus Christi: Sparkling, Bayside City

© Bob Thaxton

Many Texans of middle age or older recall a time when a trip to Corpus Christi meant water-oriented recreation – swimming, surfing, fishing, boating or beachcombing. Those activities still attract lots of visitors, but there’s much more to see and do in the Corpus Christi of the 21st century.

The newest major attraction, having celebrated its first anniversary in September 2001, is the Texas Treasure Casino Cruise, a 419-foot cruise ship that takes gamblers on 51/2 to 6 hour trips out to international waters twice every day. Although gaming cruises have not succeeded at other locations on the Texas coast, this one seems to have found a winning formula. The company plans to add a second ship in November 2001.

Built in 1968 as a British passenger ferry and now registered in the Bahamas, the Texas Treasure has seven decks, and guests are accommodated in two dining rooms, three full-service bars, the casino, showroom and a gift shop. The casino is equipped with 460 slot machines of all varieties and 28 table games including blackjack, craps, roulette, mini-baccarat, Caribbean Stud, Let It Ride and Casino War. Management claims that casino slots pay out more than $50,000 a day, and a player’s club helps gamblers who didn’t win their share of the $50,000 to get some of their money back in the form of complimentary meals, cruise tickets and other “gifts.”

Texas Treasure Casino Cruises have a two-tiered pricing structure. Fares for Sunday evening through Friday afternoon are $24.95 per person, and from Friday evening through Sunday afternoon, they’re $29.95 per person. However, senior citizens age 55 and older, who make up a large portion of the Texas Treasure’s clientele, get $5 off the fare for any cruise any time. Families hoping to take along the kids will want to keep in mind that no one who’s not 21 or older is allowed aboard the ship. This is strictly adults-only recreation.

Besides a cruise out to international waters, the fares entitle passengers to a free meal at the Texas Treasure International Buffet, free drinks while gaming and free entertainment in the showroom. For passengers whose tastes demand more than buffet cuisine, five-course gourmet meals are served in the Ocean View Fine Dining Room at a flat rate of $15 per person. During the trip back to port on evening cruises, there’s a late night buffet serving up snacks and breakfast items for only $4 a person.

Afternoon cruises depart at noon and arrive back in port at about 5:30 p.m. Evening cruises sail at 7 p.m. and dock at 12:30 a.m. Sunday through Thursday or 1 a.m. Friday and Saturday. Boarding begins one hour before departure, and since it takes almost an hour to reach international waters where gambling is legal, early arrivals will have almost two hours to while away before starting to feed coins to the machines or try their luck at the tables. This is the time to have lunch or dinner at the International Buffet, explore the ship, play free bingo or have libations while enjoying the ship’s entertainers.