How to Find the Best Cruise Discounts, Offers and Perks

Cruise lines are well known for promoting attractive fares, but the first price you see is not always the full story. From complimentary drinks packages to onboard credit and reduced deposits, there are lots of ways to get better value. In this post i’ll share some of the ways to find them.

The secret is knowing where to look and when to act. Paying more than you need to often comes down to missing an offer rather than the cruise fare itself. If you’re planning your next sailing, here is how to make sure you’re getting the most for your money.

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Look Beyond the Base Fare

When searching for a cruise, take the time to check for added-value promotions. Cruise lines frequently run limited-time offers and promotions.

Added value offers can include:

➡️ Onboard spending credit
➡️ Complimentary drinks packages
➡️ Free or discounted WiFi
➡️ Reduced fares for third and fourth guests sharing a cabin
➡️ Kids sail free offers

These promotions won’t reduce the headline/base fare, but they can significantly lower your overall holiday costs and cover come hidden costs of cruising first fie cruises forget to budget for. A drinks package or onboard credit can easily amount to hundreds of pounds in added value.

Join Email Lists and Alerts

Ok no one like having a bulging inbox full of email spam, but one of the simplest ways to stay informed about offers is to subscribe to cruise line and travel agent email newsletters. Flash sales, exclusive discounts, special announcements, early access promotions and last-minute deals are often sent directly to subscribers before being widely advertised. Text alerts are useful for last-minute deals if you have added flexibility and can cruise at the drop of a hat. This can be an effective way to bag a reduced fare.

🔖My pro tip is to set up a separate email account which you can use just to sign up to cruise email lists. That way it doesn’t clog up your normal inbox.

Monitor Prices After Booking

Many people assume that once a cruise is booked, the price is fixed. However, fares can fluctuate – something some cruise lines call ‘fluid pricing’. If you notice a price drop before your final balance is due or in the days after you pay your deposit, you might be able to as the cruise line to reprice your booking or ask for added benefits.

Policies vary between cruise lines, so it’s important to understand the terms and conditions at the time of booking. It might be worth cancelling and rebooking at the lower fare if the price drop is bigger than the deposit you paid. You could also contact the cruise lines customer service to see if you can negotiate (although it’s harder to do this if you are in the UK) – in some rare cases, you might get some extra onboard credit or a free upgrade rather than a direct refund, but you still get extra value. So, it’s always worth trying of there are significant fluctuations in the price.

Use Cashback Booking Platforms

Cashback or reward-based booking sites don’t usually reduce the upfront cruise fare, but they can return a percentage of your spend later. This may come in the form of cash, vouchers or reward points.

While these savings might not be immediate, they can help offset future travel costs or your everyday expenses. Check whether your preferred cruise line or travel agent is listed below.

💵 Get an extra £20 sign up bonus by using my links below:

➡️ Top CashBack
➡️ Quidco

Cruise Line/ Travel Agent	Top CashBack	QuidCo
Fred.Olsen	4.5% cashback	3% cashback
Ambassador	4.2% cashback	3% cashback
Marella	3% cashback	1.3% cashback
Celebrity Cruises	4.2% cashback	–
MSC Cruises	–	1.5% Cashback
Riviera Travel	8% cashback	–
Avalon Waterways	3.15% cashback	–
Cruise118.com	Up to £52.50 cashback	Get up to £37.50 cashback
My Kind of Cruise	1.05% cashback	–
Cruise Nation	Up to £20 Cashback	Get up to £15 cashback

💡If you find this article useful – please bookmark 🔖 this page or share this post with someone you think might find it useful too. Follow me on Facebook and YouTube for more helpful advice and cruise tips. Bon Voyage!

Take Advantage of Low Deposit Offers

Low deposit offers are really useful if you need flexibility. Instead of paying a large upfront amount, you secure your cabin with a smaller initial payment. If your plans change and you decide not to travel, losing a modest deposit feels far less of a risk than losing a big sum. This approach can also help you lock in a good fare early without committing a large amount of money straight away.

Look for Status Match Opportunities

If you have loyalty status with one cruise line – or even with a hotel chain or a casino, you may be able to qualify for a status match with another cruise company. This is great for unlocking benefits such as: Priority boarding, exclusive events, discounts on future sailings or additional onboard credit.  Status match schemes are not always heavily advertised, so it is worth checking directly with the cruise line.

Examples of Status Match Schemes

➡️ Virgin Voyages 
➡️ MSC Cruises
➡️ Celebrity Cruises 
➡️ Silversea
➡️ Royal Caribbean
➡️ Ponnant
➡️ Explora Journeys
➡️ Regent Seven Seas
➡️ Ocenaia Cruises

Shareholder Benefits

Many major cruise lines (Carnival, Norwegian Cruise Lines and Royal Caribbean) offer onboard credit to shareholders. If you own a qualifying number of shares in the cruise company, you can often apply for onboard spending credit on each sailing while you continue to hold those shares.

The required number of shares and terms vary with each company, but for frequent cruisers this can be a great way to receive recurring benefits. It is important to review the conditions carefully and ensure you meet the eligibility requirements. And also remember the value of the shares you purchase can go down as well as up.

Use Future Cruise Deposits and Vouchers

While onboard, many cruise lines encourage current guests to place a deposit for a future sailing. In return, they offer additional onboard credit, discounted deposits or other incentives when you eventually book. Additionally, they may offer travel vouchers or promotional credits which can be applied to future cruises. If you know you’re going to cruise with the line in the near future, then by planning ahead in this way you can take advantage of great savings.

Future Cruise Deposit Programmes

➡️ MSC Future Cruise Programme 
➡️ Celebrity Cruises Future Cruise Vacations 
➡️ Royal Caribbean Next Cruise program 
➡️ Princess Cruise Deposit 
➡️ My Next Virgin Voyage 
➡️ Holland America Line 

Have you found any other perks or discounts? Come and share them over on my Facebook page.

Finding the best cruise discounts is rarely about finding a single dramatic price cut. More often, it will involve combining several smaller discounts or perks: such as onboard credit, cashback, loyalty perks and low deposits. My pro tip is to stay informed, monitor fares and make use of available schemes. Yes, it takes a little more planning and preparation, but you’ll thank yourself for the effort you put in when you reap the rewards on your next cruise.

💡If you find this article useful – please bookmark 🔖 this page or share this post with someone you think might find it useful too. Follow me on Facebook and YouTube for more helpful advice and cruise tips. Bon Voyage!

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