We booked our next trip two years in advance and that doesn’t mean that we have not traveled for two years. Just that our next cruise is five months away “woot, woot”!! We booked the cruise two years ago, while we were cruising on the Royal Caribbean Liberty of the Seas. Below, we will share terrific tips on how to cruise for free!
The Next Cruise Program
We used the Next Cruise Program to book this cruise. We booked it with a very small deposit and received the same amount back in on board credit. Our decision really was a no brainer!
Royal Caribbean has changed their Next Program a few times since we booked this cruise. They are tweaking the program as time goes by, due to many unhappy loyal cruisers and the empty Next Cruise offices on board.
Royal Caribbean had a very generous program and many travelers took advantage of it. In my opinion, they had to make some changes to stop people from taking advantage and using the system in ways that they were not intended for.
Travel Bookings and Payments
I find that if I can book out as long as possible, so when a date becomes available, so I get the best price. Some bookings you can call and get a price reduction. Usually when you see a price drop or if using a travel agent, your travel agent will do the work for you. We were actually able to upgrade our room and get a small reduction in our price, over the last year and a half. A Win, Win!
How do you pay for your travel? There are many different ways to go about it.
- Savings in advance (vacation account), kind of like the Christmas clubs that credit unions used to offer.
- Payment plans
- Credit Card and pay later (not the best plan)
- Timeshare exchange or Gift for listening. We are going to listen to a timeshare presentation in a week and in exchange we are getting an eight day/seven night cruise from Norwegian Cruise line with 2 nights hotel stay and 2 round trip air line tickets. I can’t wait to hear what the catch is!!
- My favorite is credit card rewards.
Every 2 to 3 years, James and I have cruised for free or for as little as $150/per person including airfare. We have been on 12 cruises and have two more booked in the future. I love when other people pay for our vacations!! Let me break it down for you.
Best Travel Credit Cards
The best travel rewards credit cards right now are Chase Sapphire Preferred and Capital One Venture. They offer 2pts for $1 spent. This is on ALL purchases and not just travel/entertainment.
We have a card like this one and we have had great success traveling with it. We put all of our expenses possible on it and thanks to technology there are a plethora of apps that you can pay your bills with online.
I’ve been able to pay more bills in the past year than ever before. We put everything and I mean everything on the credit card, including groceries, gas, repairs, insurance, cell phone, cable, and oil. The only things I cannot put on the credit card are loans, car payments, our mortgage payments, and electric bills.
We earn anywhere from $80-$120/monthly in free money for using their credit card. It does have a catch though, high interest cost. We NEVER keep a balance on our credit card so for us it is not a problem. If we needed to hold a balance, we would use a 0% credit card and not one with rewards.
One of the two above credit cards is offering 50,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 in the first three months, that’s $500 in your pocket! Also, when you add an authorized user they will give you another $150 bonus. For a total of $650 of free money to travel!! This is money I have to spend anyway, so why not make a system that both works for you and rewards you!
Time To Book A Cruise
After all this research, I’m interested in some bonus points. Time for me to sign off and go sign up for a new travel credit card!!
Best of Luck with these terrific tips on how to cruise for free!! Bon Voyage and Happy Travels!! Do not forget these terrific cruise tips!!
For more cruise travel blogs, click the links:
https://lifeoftheemptynesters.com/2018/12/11/royal-caribbean-jewel-of-the-seas/
https://lifeoftheemptynesters.com/2019/02/15/royal-seas-cruise-grand-celebration/
You are a great writer!
We appreciate your kind comments and Nancy and I are so happy you enjoyed these terrific tips to cruise for free. Happy and Safe Travels!
wonderful post, very informative. I wonder why the other experts of this sector do not notice this. You should continue your writing. I’m sure, you have a great readers’ base already!
We appreciate your kind comments and yes Nancy and I will continue to publish quality and informative blog articles. Happy Travels and Best Regards.
It is best to take part in a contest for probably the greatest blogs on the web. I will suggest this web site!
We appreciate your kind comments. We always try to publish the best articles for our readers. Happy Travels!!
Awesome cruising tips. We have not tried it yet as a family and will probably wait til our younger set gets a little older. It sounds like a great way to break up the winter blahs if you can get somewhere near the equator on a beautiful boat.
Yes, we are glad you enjoyed our cruising tips. Nancy and I began cruising on our honeymoon and we haven’t stopped since. Cruising is a great way to enjoy a family vacation and the Kids Club is an incredible way to get some time alone with your significant other. We will be cruising again this year so stay tuned…
Yes, the amazing ocean sunrises and sunsets are worth the trip alone. Nancy is also an authorized travel agent of Cruise Brothers. She can make your traveling experiences worry and stress free. Nancy has access to the travel database 24 hours a day/7 days a week.
For your convenience, we are also available to book your safe flights, comfortable hotel and all inclusive accommodations, and amazing cruises. Nancy is also available on Facebook and Google at Life Of The Empty Nesters Travel.
Happy and Safe Travels!!
Hi! Would you please tell me the timeshare presentation you went to for the free cruise?
Thank you
Hi Nicole, the timeshare presentation was in Southbridge, MA. But the resort was in Vermont. The blog we wrote is a two parter. It didn’t end up as a free cruise. You pay fuel charges and extra fees depending on the ship, itinerary and date of travel. I could have booked it cheaper on my own and picked my cabin. Please let me know if you have anymore questions.
Wow, this is awesome. I have only been on three cruises mainly because they are so expensive. I really need something to look forward to. Question though, how do you get started without spending a fortune?
Nancy and I only charge what we have in our budget. The trick is to pay off your debt on a monthly basis while accruing points toward your next vacation. Try choosing a credit card that offers travel rewards like the 2 blog suggestions. Then we charge every bill in our budget that allows us to pay with the credit card. Happy Travels and let us know if you have any other questions!!!
Thanks for the question Lil, we have collaborated with many other travel businesses to offset our spending. Nancy and I have smartly budgeted our income over the years as well. Happy Travels!!