If you’re a casino player, most cruise lines have opportunities to earn free (comped) cruises. If you play at land-based casinos, such as those in Las Vegas, you’re probably familiar with the concept that gamblers regularly get comped hotel rooms and other perks. The same idea applies to cruise lines, where players are enticed with free cruises, in the hopes that they’ll come on board and spend money in cruise ship casinos.
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But Royal Caribbean is unique in that it offers three very different ways to do it. Here’s a rundown of the different ways you can get a free cruise on your next Royal Caribbean voyage and which could be the best option for you.
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The three ways to get a free Royal Caribbean cruise
1. Royal Caribbean annual free cruises
All Royal Caribbean casino players are initially awarded Choice status in the Club Royale casino loyalty program. But there are three higher tiers they can reach, based on cumulative points (tier credits) earned from April 1 through March 31 each year:
Prime is reached with 2,500 pointsSignature status requires 25,000 pointsMasters is the highest level and is achieved with 100,000 points
Each level unlocks some valuable benefits. For example, at Prime and above, players get free drinks at the casino bar, even if they aren’t actively playing. Signature players get free internet for one device.
Additionally, Club Royale players who attain one of the elite status levels get an annual complimentary cruise. Prime members get an interior cabin, while Signature and Masters-level players get a balcony room and grand suite, respectively.
For reference, one “point” on a Royal Caribbean cruise is earned by $5 of play on slot machines. As an example, if you play $5 per spin on a slot machine, hitting the spin button 200 times would get you 200 points, regardless of how much money you win or lose.
Royal Caribbean’s casino players earn points.
Image source: Daniel Kline/ComeCruiseWith.com
2. Royal Caribbean Instant Certificates
Royal Caribbean allows casino players to earn free or discounted cruises immediately, based on their play on a single cruise.
There are lists for various points levels, and higher point totals offer a wider range of free sailings and a greater selection of cruises. For example, if you earn 2,000 points on a cruise, you might have a selection of interior and oceanview cabins on a list of cruises, while the 3,000-point list might offer oceanview and balcony cabins.
$5 played through a slot machine equals 1 point, while the same number takes putting $10 through video poker. Table games have different, generally lower, rates.
3. Royal Caribbean Targeted offers
Last but certainly not least, Royal Caribbean regularly sends targeted promotions to casino players, with a selection of free cruise offers based on your level of casino play. These are also the most mysterious of the three, as the formula Royal Caribbean uses to determine and target these offers is a well-kept secret.
It’s worth noting that all of your Royal Caribbean offers, including your annual free cruise, instant certificates, and targeted offers, can be viewed (and booked) at clubroyaleoffers.com.
What is the best way to earn a free Royal Caribbean cruise
Which of these three ways of earning a free cruise is the best way? The short answer is “it depends.”
As a general rule, Casino Royale players who attain status gradually over a series of cruises are likely to get the best value from the annual free cruise certificate.
For example, if you earn 400 tier credits on each of seven cruises, you aren’t likely to get many free offers in the mail, and your Instant Certificate for each 400-point cruise is not much — a $100 discount on a future cruise.
However, this rate of play will earn Prime status, which will get you a free cruise on an interior room on most sailings once the earning year is over.
(The casino year is July 1 through March 31).
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On the other hand, if you cruise infrequently but earn quite a lot of points when you do, the instant certificates and targeted offers you earn are likely to provide more value than your annual free cruise. Instant Certificates can also be particularly beneficial, as you can view the lists while on board and can adjust your level of play accordingly if there’s a cruise that you’d like to take on a particular list.
In my personal case, I only cruise a few times each year and tend to get the best value from the targeted offers that land in my mailbox.
But Come Cruise With Me’s Executive Editor Dan Kline, who cruises far more often than I do, regularly takes advantage of the annual cruise benefit of his tier.
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