Ask any avid cruiser about what they love most about their vacations. Odds are, their answers will include the food and the excursions.
And these are all great aspects (I love eating on a cruise too!). However, I think there are some overlooked perks that can make your vacation that much better.
Here are 10 of these free cruise perks that you don’t want to miss out on.
1. Chat Features
One of the downsides of cruising is definitely not having a signal when you’re out at sea.
For this reason, most passengers believe they only have two options: buy an expensive internet package or go totally offline.
But there’s a third, lesser-known option. That would be using the line’s free messaging feature.
You see, some cruise lines will let you text other passengers through the ship’s app (like the MSC for Me). This would be great for staying in touch with travel buddies without paying for wi-fi access.
2. Airfare Credits
It’s possible to book your flights through the cruise line. To incentivize you to do so, some lines provide airfare credits or cover the whole flight expense as a booking perk.
Take NCL and Viking, for instance. NCL offers free airfare for the second guest on select cruises, while Viking’s promotions include free and reduced fares.
3. Onboard Credit
Another booking perk that I love is onboard credit. You get a bigger spending budget just for booking your trip during a promotion period.
In addition, sales agents on the ship might hand out credit if you book your next cruise with them. Just head to the specific office on the ship, it’s usually called “future cruise” or “next cruise”.
4. Loyalty Perks
Depending on how long you’ve been cruising and on which line, your loyalty perks can range from a large water bottle to priority embarkation and unlimited wash-and-fold laundry.
You don’t have to cruise full-time and lose your “land legs” (that’s a real condition, by the way) just to gather enough loyalty points, either. For example, you’ll become a Disney Gold tier passenger after only five sailings.
It’s a bit more complex for Royal Caribbean and Carnival so sign up for loyalty programs as soon as possible.
5. Power Up Perks
You don’t just earn loyalty points by cruising and spending money on the ship. Some cruise lines let you gather points as you sit on your couch.
I know it sounds too good to be true, but it’s a smart marketing tactic to build passenger loyalty.
For example, Celebrity has the Power Up Points program that gives you “tasks” (like taking surveys, posting on social media, etc.), and then gives you points in return. I personally think it’s a win-win!
6. Status Matching
As we’ve seen, getting to a high loyalty tier on a cruise line comes with great benefits. So an important thing that I want to underline is that you might not have to give up these perks if you switch lines later.
Because some cruise lines really want your business, they’ll match your status for free. MSC and Virgin Voyages do it. The sister brands RC, Celebrity, and Silversea offer shared status, too.
If you’re going to try a new line for your next vacation, ask if they’ll match all (or at least some of) the cushy benefits you’re used to.
7. Pre-Caffeinating
If you’ve checked out my list of things to get for free on a cruise by asking nicely, you’ll know it’s possible to get breakfast delivered to your cabin.
The breakfast menu usually includes yogurt, jams, a pastry, and, of course, freshly brewed coffee. So, even if you’re not up for the continental breakfast itself, you could use the room service perk just to get your morning dose of coffee.
Once you’re all nice and caffeinated, you can shower, get dressed, and start your day. You could even head to the MDR or buffet for a second (heartier) breakfast.
8. Enrichment Programs
Surf simulators, zip lines, rock-climbing walls, and water slides are all popular attractions on cruise ships.
Hands-on workshops and lectures, on the other hand? Not so popular.
I think it’s mostly because first-time cruisers are looking for a “thrill and chill” vacation. Or perhaps it’s because they don’t know that there are enrichment programs on the ship.
You don’t have to go on Viking (AKA “the thinking man’s cruise”) to learn something new, either.
Sure, luxury cruises tend to have the best enrichment opportunities. However, you can still find something for you in the standard and premium segments.
For instance, some RC ships have guest lectures on trending topics. Holland America runs onboard lectures, EXC talks, and cooking demos. On Celebrity Equinox, Eclipse, and Solstice, you can even create masterpieces using glass-blowing techniques.
9. Personalized Extras
I’ll admit that the “pick your perk” type of offer isn’t common. I was reading about it from Windstar, which is a fairly niche luxury cruise line that operates with sailing ships.
They basically let you decide your perk between things like a night at a hotel (pre or post-cruise), an all-inclusive upgrade, or some other enticing perk.
If I find other similar offers from major cruise lines I will definitely let you know, so remember to subscribe to my mailing list.
10. Free Sauna and Steam Rooms
As you probably know, spa access on cruise ships usually comes with a hefty price tag.
However, on some ships, the sauna and steam rooms in the gym area are completely free. No need for a pricey thermal suite pass, just head to the fitness center and unwind.
Of course, the gym is also free and is one of the things you can do to avoid gaining too much weight on a cruise.
BONUS POINT
Another thing you might get for free are drinks and cocktails. Something you will definitely enjoy especially if you don’t have the drink package.
I explained how to get them in this article, I recommend you take a look at it.
Final Thoughts
The final thing that I wanna say is that it’s always a good idea to ask about the included perks before booking a cruise. You never know what under-advertised (but still awesome) benefit awaits!
Of course, you should check out all the popular services included in the package as well. Head to my list of must-tries if you’re not sure where to start.
I have tried several of them but these are the most durable and sturdy.
