Free Casino Cruises for Retirement Travel
What’s the Secret????
We love to cruise and it’s a significant priority for us in retirement travel. This year alone, we have eight cruises booked, and who knows, we may find a way to add a ninth or tenth? Many of our cruises are basically free through a variety of casino cruise comp promotions.
For every cruise we go on, guess which venue is jammed every night? No need to answer that! We all know how popular the casinos are.
If you love to sit down for a few hands of Black Jack, 3-Card Texas, a roll of the dice, or simply enjoy the chatter of the slots, don’t miss your opportunity to capitalize on your play. You’ll be surpised at how fast the casino cruise offers start to roll in.
Just like you should study the Black Jack or Craps playbooks, you should also follow these five simple steps to become familiar with how each cruise line tracks your play to develop campaigns to entice you to come back on a free or highly discounted cruise.
Step 1: Get on the Radar by Playing
Your first step is simple: you have to book a cruise and play in the casino. This gets your name on the cruise line’s list. To start, consider booking an inexpensive, short cruise—maybe a five or six-day trip during the off-season. An interior room is a great way to save money on this initial venture. The most crucial part of this step is using your SeaPass or cruise Casino card every single time you play. This card is how the casino tracks your activity and how you accumulate the “points” that lead to future offers.
Step 2: Understand the System
To play the game, you have to understand the rules. The casino’s offers aren’t based on how much money you win or lose, but on two key terms: “Coin-in” and “ADT.” Coin-in is the total amount of money you run through their system. For example, if you bet a $100 bill but win $500 and play that $500, you have $500 in coin-in even though you only put in $100 of your own moey. Regardless of whether you end up ahead or behind. “ADT” stands for Average Daily Theoretical, which is the amount the casino expects you to lose each day based on your play. This is the metric they use to determine the value of the offers they send you.
Step 3: Play the Right Games
Not all games are created equal in the eyes of the casino. If your goal is to earn offers quickly, slot machines are your best bet. They are the most valuable to the casino and thus offer the most points per dollar played. For some casinos, every $2 of coin-in on a slot machine earns one point. Compare this to video poker, where you might need to run $5 of coin-in to earn a single point. For table games like blackjack or craps, it’s all about developing a relationship with the pit boss. They have the discretion to assign points based on your average bet, so being friendly and engaging can make a big difference.
Step 4: Get to Know the Casino Host
The casino host is a powerful ally in your quest for free cruises. This person is in charge of the entire casino on the ship and is likely the one who will give you your first offer. We recommend introducing yourself to the host at the beginning of your cruise. This simple act can put you on their radar. Halfway through the trip, check in with them to see if any perks are available to you, such as a complimentary dinner or a discount on a future booking.
Step 5: Secure Your Free Offers
The first free offer you receive is often called a “see you soon” letter, which might be discreetly slipped under your door on the final night of your cruise. The real magic happens about six weeks later when the cruise line’s casino starts sending you email offers that are typically more generous than the initial one. You can also leverage these offers to get deals with other cruise lines. For instance, Carnival has a “Fun Match” program that will match an offer you’ve received from another cruise line like Royal Caribbean. For those who want to supercharge their offer collection, we recommend a service called “URComped” which takes your existing offers and finds matching deals from other cruise lines, leading to a flood of new options.
This simple, five-step strategy turns casino play into a powerful tool for affordable travel. It’s a great way to enjoy your retirement travel and explore the world, one free cruise at a time.
See Heather’s YouTube video on Free Casino Cruises for Retirement.
See these links for additional info
UR Comped – Get Comped on the finest cruise lines.
Margaritaville Islander Ship Tour (has a totally fun casino experience)
For more on the Cruising Lifestyle for Retirement Travel
