{"id":52908,"date":"2023-11-10T17:30:44","date_gmt":"2023-11-10T17:30:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2023\/11\/10\/the-best-cruise-booking-perks-and-which-ones-are-actually-free-the-points-guy\/"},"modified":"2023-11-10T17:30:44","modified_gmt":"2023-11-10T17:30:44","slug":"the-best-cruise-booking-perks-and-which-ones-are-actually-free-the-points-guy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2023\/11\/10\/the-best-cruise-booking-perks-and-which-ones-are-actually-free-the-points-guy\/","title":{"rendered":"The best cruise booking perks \u2013 and which ones are actually free – The Points Guy"},"content":{"rendered":"


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These days, if you book a cruise and don’t get drinks, tips or other perks thrown in for free, you’re leaving money on the table.<\/p>\n

In order to incentivize travelers to book a cruise in advance and to choose them over a competitor, many cruise lines run promotions that allow you to pick a perk \u2014 or sometimes get a whole host of included freebies. Especially during “wave season<\/a>,” the booking-heavy period between January and March, you want to maximize the free stuff you get when you reserve a cabin.<\/p>\n

Norwegian Cruise Line’s long-running “Free at Sea” promotion, MSC Cruises’ “Drinks & Wi-Fi Included” and Royal Caribbean<\/a>‘s “Kids Sail Free” deals are among the perks-promising promotions you’re likely to see. Before you choose your favorite freebie or happily take them all, you will want to read the fine print and make sure your “free” bonus is actually worth what you’ll be paying for it.<\/p>\n

For more cruise guides, news and tips, sign up for TPG’s cruise newsletter<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n

You read that right \u2014 some supposedly free cruise booking perks come with associated fees. Other times, what you get for free isn’t exactly what you were led to expect by the promotional copy on a cruise line’s homepage. By accepting the offer, you might actually be out more money than you intended.<\/p>\n

Don’t have time \u2014 or strong enough reading glasses \u2014 to search through all that fine print? Below, we list the most common “free” cruise booking perks you’ll encounter and alert you to what you are actually getting and paying when you take that bonus offer.<\/p>\n

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Open-bar packages<\/h2>\n
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