How to Earn FREE Casino Cruises
Free Casino Cruises: Everything You Need To Know
I get asked many questions every day, but one that I hear the most is, "How do you afford to cruise so often?". Call me old-fashioned, but I was raised to never ask about anyone's finances or income, so I find this question to be a bit, well, forward.
But I generally operate transparently and try to be an open book, so I'm happy to answer. I also don't gatekeep, much to the chagrin of other cruisers who have tapped into the secrets of cruising for free. I think they're afraid that if too many people figure this out and do it, it will ruin things for those of us who already know the "secret" of getting free cruises. And that is tapping into the casino programs.
Understanding how to cruise "free" by leveraging cruise casino programs seems easy at first glance, but before wading into these potentially dangerous waters, it's important to take the time to really learn the ins and outs of what's involved with doing this.
I’ll explain what free casino cruises are, which cruise lines offer free casino cruises, and whether or not they’re truly "free." We’ll also discuss how much you need to spend to earn these offers, how casino "coin-in" value works, and even how you can leverage casino matches for even more cruise deals. I’ll also share some changes happening in this space and give you key tips to make the most of casino cruising.
What Are Free Casino Cruises?
Let’s start with the basics: What are free casino cruises?
Essentially, free casino cruises are special offers given by cruise lines to their casino guests. If you gamble at the casino on board a ship (or sometimes even, you may receive an offer for a discounted—or even completely free—cruise. These offers are part of the cruise line's loyalty programs to encourage you to return, gamble more, and keep spending money at sea.
Now, you don’t have to be a high roller to qualify. Even casual gamblers can score these offers if they play smart. It’s similar to land-based casino comps where gamblers earn free hotel stays, meals, and tickets. On a cruise, instead of a hotel room, you’re getting a cabin on a floating resort. Not bad, right?
What's interesting is that cruise lines operate inderdependently with their casino programs, meaning that they work closely together, but aren't exactly the same. So even if you have top tier loyalty status with a cruise line, that means nothing in terms of the types of casino offers you get if you play.
Related: Watch "How to Get FREE Casino Cruises (The Secrets)"
Which Cruise Lines Offer Free Casino Cruises?
Most of the major players, including Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line, Carnival, MSC Cruises, and Holland America Line, have casino loyalty programs that allow you to earn free or discounted cruises.
However, not all cruise lines offer casino rewards. Disney Cruise Line, for instance, doesn’t have casinos on board, so no comps there (sorry).
While most cruise lines have casinos, and casino programs, they're all different. Even when sailing with a cruise line that shares the same parent corporation, like Carnival and Holland for instance, you'll often find vast differences in how the programs for those two lines are run.
Not all cruise lines' casino programs are as sophisticated as others. As a new player in the cruise industry, Virgin Voyages hasn't quite figured out the best way to run a casino program. While I love this cruise line in general, I find their casino program to be, well, baffling and frustrating.
Are Casino Cruises Really "Free"?
Now, let’s address the million-dollar question: Are casino cruises really free?
Well, yes and no. The base cruise fare might be covered, but you’ll still have to pay port fees, taxes, and gratuities. Additionally, you'll incur -of course- costs for extras like wifi and drink packages. However, sometimes casino offers may include things like these as perks (although those are usually reserved for the high rollers).
Cruise lines count on this additional spending to compensate for the comped fare. So, while the offer might seem like a free ride, there are costs involved, and depending on your spending, in and out of the casino, these costs can add up quickly. It’s essential to keep that in mind to avoid blowing your budget.
How Much Do You Have to Spend to Get a Free Casino Offer?
Next comes the question with no good or straightforward answer: How much do you need to spend in the casino to get a free cruise offer?
No one knows the exact formula, and cruise lines aren’t exactly transparent about it. They track your gambling through a system that combines factors like the total amount wagered, the type of games you play, and how long you play. And every cruise line has its own system.
Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises’ Club Royale program is the most transparent, telling cruisers exactly how many points they need to earn a free cruise and at what level. For example, reaching a specific point threshold might qualify them for an interior cabin, while higher points can get them a balcony or suite.
However, the system remains a bit of a mystery for other cruise lines.
What Is "Coin-In" Value and How Is It Calculated?
Now, let’s talk about "coin-in" value. This is a key metric casinos use to track your play.
For slot machines, "coin-in" is the total amount you’ve bet over time. So, even if you start with $100 and keep re-spinning your winnings, you might rack up several hundred dollars in coin-in value, even though you only "invested" $100. Many cruise lines use either a $2 or $2.50 coin-in value, meaning that you earn one point for every $2 or $2.50 circulated through the slot machines.
For table games, it’s a bit more complex (well, a lot more complex... and more mysterious). The casino tracks factors like your average bet size, the type of game you’re playing, and the length of time you play, but this relies on manual tracking. And to the frustration of some table players, it's not always accurate.
Cruise lines use this data and another metric called ADT—or Average Daily Theoretical—to determine your value as a player. The higher your ADT, the better your offers will be.
Leveraging Casino Matches
The way to really maximize free casino cruises is to leverage one free offer from one cruise line to get others from competing cruise lines.
Programs like URComped allow you to take your casino status from one cruise line and match it with another. For example, if you’ve earned a free cruise with Royal Caribbean’s Club Royale, you can potentially match that with Virgin or MSC.
You simply sign up for a free account with URComped, receive an offer from any cruise line, and scan and upload that offer. You can even submit free offers from land-based casinos, and sometimes the cruise lines will even match those.
Believe it or not, even if you've never taken a cruise in your life, you could still possibly receive a free cruise offer through companies like URComped and others who match land-based casino status or offers.
Once the other lines have evaluated your profile and other offers, they'll make their own offer, opening up a whole world of new free cruise opportunities, including for cruise lines you've never sailed.
Another perk is that certain lines, like Royal Caribbean, provide additional benefits for cruisers who book through URComped. Although I am a travel agent and usually book my own travel, I book all my RCCL casino offers through URComped because I get free drinks in the casino.
Related: Find out why I became a travel agent to save money by booking my own cruises.
Even if you’re loyal to one cruise line, matching your status with others lets you cruise more frequently while exploring different ships.
Types of Cruise Casino Offers
Sometimes, newbies to this game go on a cruise, drop some coin in the casino, and leave disappointed not to get a free offer immediately. It's important to note that in casino cruising, however, there are two types of offers:
- Bouncebook Offers
- Email Offers
Bounceback offers, or "come back and sail" (or CBS) offers, are those you receive while still on the cruise. If you generate enough points, and the cruise line's casino program does their mysterious calculations, looking at your overall spending, casino spending, coin-in value and points, ADT, and all the other secretive things they consider, they may immediately decide you're a hot prospect.
If that happens, you'll receive an immediate free casino offer, usually delivered in hard copy paper format in your stateroom on the last night of your cruise. I like to call these love letters, and it feels great to get one.
But if you don't receive a love letter, don't despair. You may very well receive a free or heavily discounted offer once you're back home. This offer will come in the form of an email, sometimes not arriving until weeks or even months after your cruise.
In some cases, emailed offers may be better than your bounceback offer.
If you've really scored well in their algorithmic calculation as a high value prospect, your offer may include perks like free drinks in the casino, free drink packages for the entire cruise, or other perks. And the higher your "value," the better your stateroom offer.
Lower levels will, of course, likely get offers of free interior staterooms, but it's not uncommon for the big fish to get balcony rooms and free suites.
Recent Changes in Casino Cruises
Now, a quick update on the state of casino cruises.
As cruise demand has skyrocketed, cruise lines are cutting back on these offers. It’s becoming harder and harder to qualify for free cruises unless you gamble more.
My first experience dabbling in this was during a Holland America Line Alaskan cruise, where I was sailing free as a guest of my best friend on her own casino offer. I had never been a "casino person," but was intrigued by how she scored this cruise for free, so I decided to spend about $250 in slots during that sailing.
I wasn't even back home two weeks after that cruise before the free offers started arriving in my email inbox from Holland, and I booked a New Year's cruise, an 8-day Caribbean sailing at no cost, and two other free cruises just from that one offer. That was in 2022.
Now? I doubt someone would have the same experience. It's not impossible, but the days of spending a small amount like $250 probably isn't going to cut it. That will get you into the cruise line casino programs, of course, and at the very least likely get you discounts, but it's no guarantee you'll get an offer for a free cruise.
Some lines are also raising the bar for earning points, meaning you’ll have to increase your spending to maintain the same rewards. If casino cruising is part of your vacation strategy, this is definitely something to keep in mind as you plan.
Final Tips & Takeaways with "Free" Casino Cruises
Before venturing into the world of free casino cruises, it's important to consider some key things:
- Gamble responsibly: It’s easy to overspend in cruise ship casinos, especially since you can charge your play to your stateroom account. Set a daily gambling budget and stick to it. I consider myself a disciplined person, and I really understand the "cruise casino game," but still find myself getting carried away. It's a dangerous game, and I've many times spent more in the casino than I would have just paying for my cruise in the first place.
- Join casino cruise Facebook groups: These communities are full of experienced cruisers who share tips and updates about casino programs. Find groups for specific cruise lines and their casino programs, and you'll learn a lot.
- Focus on the experience: Casino cruising can be a great way to score discounts, but it’s also about having fun. Enjoy the journey, and don’t chase comps at the expense of your wallet.
- Ask for other comps: Once you're on a cruise and playing in the casino and have earned some points, take time to introduce yourself to the casino host, and don't be afraid to ask for comps. I've received gift shop credit, free specialty dining, free drinks in the casino, and others... just by asking!
Cruising free with casino cruises is fun and exhilarating. Not just the rush of playing in the casino, but also the excitement of feeling like you're gaming a system that typically games you. But it takes a lot of discipline, lots of knowledge, and never ever gamble with more money than you can comfortably afford to lose.
How to Earn Free Casino Cruises
