Carnival Cruise Line is not only one of the most popular cruise lines in the industry, but it’s also one of the most affordable. With plenty of complimentary dining options, exciting entertainment each evening, and onboard thrills for the whole family, the fun begins the moment you step onboard.
The family-friendly cruise line features 27 different “FUN” vessels in its fleet with more ships on the way. In particular, the latest Excel Class ships have revolutionized Carnival Cruise Line with state-of-the-art amenities and thoughtful, modern ship designs.
However, cruise prices are on the rise across the board. Taking a cruise is more expensive now than ever due to the skyrocketing demand for cruise travel. One source from the Mastercard Economics Institute reports cruise bookings and onboard purchases have increased by 16% over the last five years.
With more people than ever wanting to cruise, it can feel like your budget is being stretched thin these days. Even still, there are some strategies to find cheap Carnival cruises that fit your travel needs, cruising style, and overall preferences without blowing your budget.
It's common for cruisers to look for advice to save money on their vacation. Posted to the r/CarnivalCruiseFans subreddit, one prospective cruiser asked others how to find cheap Carnival fares in a post titled, “Best way to get cheap offers?”
In the description, the poster asked, “How do you get these insane offers people have? My father-in-law gets offers all the time to sail for free with drinks included, only pay fees etc. He is only gold [status] also.”
Further, the prospective cruiser explained, “Me and my wife will also be gold [status] within the next cruise or two, so I am just curious on the tricks of it. We do not buy drink packages and do not drink a ton. Should we just plan on spending a few hundred dollars in the casino on our next cruise in April?”
The comment section was filled with Carnival cruisers sharing tips and advice for finding the best cruise fare deals. According to cruisers, there is one clear strategy for earning these free cruises. Here's how you can earn comp cruises with Carnival to save money, according to cruise fans.
The easiest way to earn the best cruise deals? Head to the casino
One of the most common pieces of advice shared by experienced Carnival cruisers was to try gambling in the casino to earn free cruise offers. High spenders in the casino are often targeted for free cruises by the cruise line, enticing these vacationers to come back onboard and continue spending money in the casino.
The thread's top response states, “Casino. I spent a couple hundred on my last cruise and started getting offers for very cheap cruises. Didn't even earn enough casino points to get free drinks that sailing, so didn't spend THAT much. I'm not even a Gold tier VIFP yet!”
“The casino is the easiest way. Spend some money there and you’ll start getting offers,” responded one person. Another responded similarly, “Try gambling a bit on slots in the casino & seeing what happens in the future, however, there are no guarantees so don't gamble counting on an offer."
Another Carnival cruiser echoed this sentiment, sharing how he and his wife have started earning casino offers, “Casino usage drives the free offers. We get them from Carnival - or rather my wife who gambles - gets them.”
What are casino comps?
These offers are known as casino comps, in which the cruise line offers enticing perks and either free or discounted cruises. Carnival Cruise Line’s casino program is known as Carnival Players Club and is free to join. The more you spend in the casino, the more points you earn in the program.
Of course, the more points you earn with Carnival Players Club, the more benefits you receive. This includes free drinks during your cruise, specialty dining invitations, stateroom upgrades, and private invitations to Carnival Premier Cruises and tournaments. Offers are determined based on casino spending levels for each person, which are tied to a cruiser’s onboard Sail & Sign card.
While the casino is one of the easiest ways to earn free cruises, onboard spending is another way to earn offers. One cruiser explained, “Casino is the easiest way, but otherwise spend lots of money on the ship - shops, spa, drinks, specialty dining, excursions. They track the spending of every person on every sailing.”
“They have a lot of info behind that [loyalty] number. They want people on the ship that are going to spend money. If they know you’ll spend big bucks once you’re on the ship, they don’t mind letting you pay less for the ticket to get on board.”
Read more: Carnival Cruise VIFP Status loyalty program
How much can you save with casino offers?
As many commenters suggested, spending money in the casino is one of the quickest and easiest ways to earn free cruises. There’s no doubt that casino offers and comp cruises can be extremely lucrative with Carnival. In fact, some claim Carnival Players Club is one of the most generous casino programs at sea.
One user stated, “We’ve only sailed on [one] cruise where we paid full fare. The last five have all been discounted (i.e. "free" but for taxes, port fees and gratuities), but are great deals. We had a 12-day in August from Dover, England to Dublin, Belfast, 4 locations in Iceland, and a stop in eastern Scotland. $50 each, refunded as onboard credit. Plus the taxes, fees and gratuities.”
In the end, the cruiser shared how the total out-of-pocket expenses were $980, excluding any excursions. However, this commenter clarified that they received an additional $100 credit to their onboard account. “$40.83 a day per person for food and lodging and transportation to various ports. Hard to beat that deal,” the responder concluded.
Moreover, the cruiser also shared how they received an offer for a 30-day free cruise with Carnival earlier this year. The itinerary featured stops in Alaska, Japan, Singapore, and Australia for only $50 per person.
“Don't know how they did it. Right now, any offers are $100 each, but you still get onboard credit for that [same] amount. We already have two other cruises booked for February and April,” commented the user.
In a similar thread online about Carnival casino offers, one person commented they typically receive a free interior cabin, casino drinks, and $500 onboard credits for their comp cruise. “If they would give me free drinks anywhere, all of my vacations would be cruises,” argued the cruiser.
“I get [a] free suite, drinks anywhere on ship, and $1,000 free play [in the casino]. I cruise about four times a year,” shared another Carnival gambler.
Similarly, one cruiser said, “[Casino offers] are not even limited to Carnival. I've received similar offers from Holland. Almost took a 28 day cruise with them on a "free cabin" offer...was repositioning from Miami, thru Panama Canal, up the west coast, ending in Seward, Alaska. Free cabin. Always join the Players Club on any cruise line.”
How much do you need to spend in the casino to receive cruise comps?
Carnival Cruise Line differs from other cruise lines by not providing a published tier system for its casino program. This lack of transparency makes it challenging to gauge how much gambling is needed to begin qualifying for complimentary cruises, discounts, and exclusive offers.
After you’ve spent enough in the casino to qualify for comp cruises, you’ll recieve communication from the cruise line. Typically, gamblers who earn enough points receive offers in the mail or via email.
One cruiser suggested in the comment section, “Earn around 12,000 to 15,000+ points in the casino and get lots of free room offers, bounce backs, comps for steakhouse, free bottles of wine, etc.”
“Just off Carnival Horizon this past Sunday, spent about $3k, and earned 5,500 points on slots, and received an ocean view room offer,” commented one cruiser in a different online forum about casino offers.
“I went on my first [Carnival] cruise in May. I planned to spend $50. I won $160 and kept playing. I left with $80 in my pocket. I got an offer 3 months later, I booked a 6-day interior room for just myself for $842 with $500 OBC. My credit card had an offer for up to 15% cash back and I got $129 back. I also had a $50 shareholder credit too,” shared one first-time cruiser.
The discrepancy in casino offers can be surprising, with different games and spending habits influencing the comps that players receive. One cruiser highlighted this variation by comparing their experience to a friend’s.
The commenter shared, “My buddy plays slots and has free suites 5 or 6 [times] a year if he wants. [This includes] free drinks anywhere and $1,000 casino credit. I play craps and poker (not that Carnival even has poker on 90% of their ships). I definitely gamble far more than he does - and I get $150 dollar offers.”
“My wife is the gambler. I put 2 twenties in the slots on our last cruise and was annoyed for the rest of the trip. I do know she doesn't go overboard, $400-$800 max unless she hits a jackpot. Then she sometimes gets carried away and spends most of that. We keep our [money] separate so she can't access mine for gambling (her idea)," stated another cruiser.
However, the lack of transparency about Carnival's comp structure is frustrating for some. For instance, one gambler said, “At the end of a 5-day sailing, I [spent] $12k and [earned] 7K in points. Not once was I greeted by a casino host, much less offered a sailing comp. At the end of the cruise, I received an ocean view room [offer] on specific sailings with only tax and port fees. Personally not impressed.”
In addition, not every benefit includes a free cruise. Some low-spending gamblers receive only discounted cruise offers after visiting the casino during their sailing.
“I am not a big gambler but enjoy going to the casino. I always set my budget ahead of time and do not spend more than I'm willing to lose - which means not much. This past year, I went on both Royal Caribbean and Carnival Cruise Line,” shared one cruiser in the comment section.
“Shortly after returning, I started getting offers from both [cruise lines]. Keep in mind that I earned between 500 and 750 points total on each cruise - not a big spender. Offers were not always for free (some are free), but 30 - 40% off, some onboard credit and free drinks in the casino," they added.
Is gambling the best way to save money on a future Carnival cruise?
When it comes to saving money on a Carnival cruise, many seasoned vacationers suggest visiting the casino onboard. Of course, there are other ways to save money on a Carnival cruise, such as cruising during the shoulder season, reserving a lower-tier cabin, skipping add-ons like drink packages, and joining their loyalty program.
For those who enjoy gambling and want to cruise for free, the casino could be the key to unlocking comp cruise offers. The more you spend in the casino, the more points you’ll earn in Carnival Players Club, which could lead to enticing benefits for future cruising. Although the exact science behind Carnival’s comp program is unclear, many people suggest even modest gambling can lead to comp cruises.
However, it’s not recommended to blow your budget in the casino hoping to earn free cruises—nothing is guaranteed. You should always gamble responsibly, especially while on vacation.
Read more: Frequent cruiser shares go-to tips for saving time and money while traveling
Allie Hubers
Allie Hubers has been cruising since she was a tiny toddler. What started as a yearly vacation with family quickly turned into a passion for travel, cruising and adventure. Allie's been on over 45 cruises all over the world. She even studied abroad on Semester at Sea, sailing the world on a ship while taking courses for college and visiting 4 continents.
