At the beginning of the year, I took advantage of several “free” cruise offers before my husband’s MGM Gold status had expired for good. All the links included in that post still work, by the way. My husband and I don’t gamble, so I knew it was the case of “now or never.” Keep in mind: you don’t have to agree to gamble while on your complimentary cruise.
It’s important to understand that these cruises aren’t technically free, but they are most definitely very, very cheap. Since my family enjoys cruising and the kids have been begging us to go, it was an offer(s) I simply couldn’t refuse.
But as the saying goes, all good things must come to an end. And indeed, one of the pathways to free cruises will die in just a few months. As Doctor of Credit blog first reported:
“Beginning February 1, 2025, Wyndham Rewards cardholders will no longer be able to match their Wyndham Rewards PLATINUM and DIAMOND Member Level obtained as a result of being a cardholder (as opposed to earning their member level through stays) into the Caesars Rewards program.”
For those unfamiliar, Caesars Rewards Diamond status can currently be obtained for free via match by being a Wyndham Rewards Diamond member. The way you can easily acquire the latter is by getting approved for Wyndham Rewards Earner Business card (non-affiliate link). The card itself is actually a keeper since it gives 15k points each year in exchange for $95 annual fee. The bonus was higher in the past, but right now you can get 80k points after spending $15k in the first 365 days. It’s not an earth-shattering offer, but a decent one.
Keep in mind, there is no guarantee that you will actually receive free cruise offers if you get Caesars Diamond status, so apply for the card only if you are OK with some uncertainty. Cruise lines have recently caught on to this scheme, and the reps often ask for comp offers from casinos rather than just proof of top-tier status. I recommend starting with Carnival match first, and then using it to get offers from Holland America and Princess. My relative has been able to do this recently.
I do think that if you have a legitimate business, this card is worth considering regardless. I’ve had success using Wyndham points and extracting decent value in the process. Unfortunately, Vacasa partnership isn’t what it used to be, but a few good deals remain if you are willing to look for them. Some decent properties and even all-inclusive resorts run at 7,500 points per night, which is dirt cheap.
But let’s say you can’t get approved for this card for one reason or another. In fact, I’ve tried getting it a couple of times, to no avail. There are two more options to try your luck, so to speak:
1) Getting a FoundersCard for $595 annual fee
More information here (pays me no commission). Personally, I would not pursue this option, but to each his own. The biggest appeal of this membership card is the fact that it comes with automatic Caesars Rewards Diamond status. That said, this benefit was removed for a period of time last year, but was added back. I feel like there is a good chance that the same thing will happen in a few months, so keep that in mind. But for now, you can still get the card, and potentially leverage it for some “free” cruise offers.
2) Apply for Carnival match with MGM Sapphire status
This one weird trick was discovered by yours truly a few months ago. I had suspected that Carnival matches aren’t checked too closely, if at all. To test my theory, I joined MGM Rewards program for free, which automatically grants you Sapphire status. It’s not technically an elite status, but it is a status. I then used this Carnival link and boom, a few weeks later I got a free cruise offer. I thought perhaps it was fluke, and mentioned it to a few friends. Three out of four had the same outcome.
Will you get it? I have no idea. But it costs you nothing to try. Is it ethical? Again, only you can decide. Sapphire is a real tier status in MGM program, so you are not lying when sending a screenshot. As far as I’m concerned, it’s up to Carnival reps to determine whether you are worthy of a free (or rather deeply discounted) cruise. You can then use your Carnival offer when contacting Princess and Holland America.
Final thoughts
My gut feeling is that “free cruise” gravy train is coming to an end, which is one of the reasons I’ve mentioned my special weird trick. There is a chance that Carnival will get flooded with applications, which will hasten its demise. But the writing is on the wall, regardless. Sure, there will likely be opportunities if you are willing to visit casinos in person. But not everyone is willing or able to do that.
Author: Leana
Leana is the founder of Miles For Family. She enjoys beach vacations and visiting her family in Europe. Originally from Belarus, Leana resides in central Florida with her husband and two children.
Happy that worked for you! Looking forward to hearing about it.
@Lynn It was described as “up to free balcony.” As far as I know, my friends got the same offer, though I didn’t check.
That said, balcony was only available on a few transatlantic cruises, and those are too long. I did book an oceanview cabin, and hopefully will write about it soon.
Thanks, I assume it was an inside cabin or did you wait for a balcony? Great find!
@Lynn It was a few months ago, and the free Carnival cruise offer took around two weeks to show up in my account. My friends had the same result, but not all of them. Still, three out of four is a pattern, for sure. I obviously can’t guarantee the same thing will work for everyone, but I figured I might as well write about it and let folks decide.
Thanks for the info! Wondering how long ago you joined MGM and then used the carnival link?
Great tips for getting free cruises! It’s awesome to know you don’t need elite status to qualify.
Great tips on scoring free cruises! I love how you break down the process and show that you don’t always need elite status to get great deals. Definitely some new tricks to try!
@Aleks We are actually supposed to go on Carnival Magic soon. We mostly booked it for the kids, and I hope they enjoy the cruise. My daughter has been asking me to go on Carnival, as she has really good memories of it. Done! But it’s not my cup of tea, and I’m concerned my husband may hate it. I’m determined to enjoy it, though, and ignore less than stellar behavior from fellow passengers. I’m surprised to hear you say that the food was mostly better than Holland America. That has not been my experience, but I haven’t been on Carnival ships in over a decade. Maybe things have changed, though I’ve never been on a cruise where I didn’t enjoy the food for the most part.
I do recommend you sign up for Carnival match if possible with the idea of using it towards Princess and HAL offers in the future.
Thanks for the tip. Not sure if I pursue it as my wife said she got some cruise “fatigue” after being on couple of those discounted cruises within one and a half year period. We’ve recently traveled on Carnival Magic at Caribbean, and while the itinerary was decent, the big portion of passengers were not: a lot of noise, drinking in all parts of the ship, smoking in undesignated areas, etc… Compared to Holland America clientele that was a very different experience. This was our 3rd cruise with Carnival, but now I would think twice for considering cruising with them again if ever. So won’t do matches with them in particular.
On the positive side, the food options for lunch and dinner were better (at the buffet & dining rooms) compared to Holland America. Breakfast options were totally opposite – very good at HA and super limited on Carnival. Magic ship has a nice sports deck and the Serenity area, although entertainment is close to non-existing.
Agree with you on possibility of free cruise offers to go dry soon, but it was fun while they lasted. For families with kids, I see the appeal of European cruises that stop in multiple cities and countries on one journey – a lot of ground to cover without the need of extra transportation. For seasoned travelers looking for more quiet and settled time off – a scenic or beach-oriented cruise is a better fit. So there is time to catch these options.
Happy travels!