We've all heard stories of cruisers lucky enough to earn free drinks and cruises just by gambling in the casino, but have you ever wondered what it took to walk off the ship with a complimentary cruise?

Chris Wong, a crew member who has worked with Royal Caribbean for over five years, recently broke down how the cruise line's Casino Royale rewards program works. 

In a video shared on Wong's popular YouTube channel, he gave viewers a behind-the-scenes look at his daily responsibilities as a Casino Host on Allure of the Seas. 

He also shared what players need to know about the Casino Royale program, from how to earn points to what promotions are available during the casino's operating hours and what kinds of perks serious gamblers can expect. 

The Casino Royale program rewards players based on how much they gamble

Royal Caribbean's casino rewards program, which is entirely separate from the Crown & Anchor Society, is comprised of four tiers: Choice, Prime, Signature, and Masters. 

Cruisers' Crown & Anchor Society status is determined by how many nights guests have spent on Royal Caribbean ships. However, Casino Royale status is based solely on how much a guest gambles in the casino within a calendar year, which runs from April 1 to March 31. In other words, status isn't lifetime and must be earned annually.

According to Wong, there aren't any worthwhile benefits for entry-level members in the Choice tier. 

As such, most players strive to reach Prime (2,500 points). The main perks are free drinks in the casino while playing, as well as a waived 5% convenience fee for table game buy-ins with SeaPass cards. Prime cruisers also get one complimentary cruise per year in an interior stateroom. 

The next tier, Signature, requires 25,000 points. Wong says that one of the best benefits of this status level is that cruisers get one free VOOM Wi-Fi package per sailing, regardless of length. 

Additionally, the annual complimentary cruise cabin category is upgraded to a balcony. 

Read more: I got a free cruise from Royal Caribbean's casino. It was the perfect price, but I wish I had a window

Finally, Masters is the highest tier within the Casino Royale program, reserved for players who earn 100,000 points or more.

This level unlocks the most exclusive perks, including a complimentary cruise in a Grand Suite, priority access to the terminal on embarkation day, two VOOM Wi-Fi packages, dinner in the Coastal Kitchen suite restaurant, and more. 

Earning points on slot machines is more straightforward than on table games. Every $5 on a slot machine earns one casino point. However, the points earned from table games are based on a combination of your average monetary spend and the time spent at the table. 

You can start earning casino points on embarkation day. It's smart because you can take advantage of the complimentary FreePlay loaded onto your SeaPass account. 

"For the first two days of the cruise, everyone who is 18 years and older has mystery FreePlay to use [at] the casino," Wong says. 

The amount varies from $2 to $100, and it's completely random. All you have to do is go into the casino on Day 1 or 2 and visit a slot machine. 

To load the FreePlay onto the slot machine, follow these instructions:

1. Tap or insert your SeaPass card at the slot machine. You'll know it's successfully linked when the blue light turns green.
2. Select "Account" then "Personal Banker."
3. Enter the default PIN (month and day of your birthday, MMDD).
4. Reset your PIN and press "Enter" to validate.
5. Press "Transfer," then "Transfer to Game."
6. Select "Transfer Points to FreePlay" (to play your Rewards Points) or "FreePlay" (to play your promotional FreePlay).
7. Press "Yes" to continue and complete your transaction.
8. Don't forget to collect your SeaPass and log out of your Casino Royale account before leaving the machine. 

Lucky players will receive Instant Rewards Certificates (IRCs) on the last day of the cruise

Whereas your status within the Casino Royale program is based on the points accumulated throughout the calendar year, IRCs are awarded based on the number of points earned during one specific sailing. 

Wong explains, "The Instant Rewards Certificate is based on solely what you earn for the specific cruise that you are on."

The first IRC award is available upon earning 400 points. You won't earn a free cruise, but you will get $100 off a future sailing. 

From there, the rewards only get better the more points you earn. Wong says that as players continue to accumulate points during the cruise, better IRC levels unlock, which offer greater discounts, fully comped cruises, and even casino FreePlay. 

For example, if you earn 4,000 points during a single voyage, you'll receive a free cruise in a balcony cabin (or ocean-view on select sailings) and $500 in casino FreePlay — if you book your next cruise while onboard. 

"For the last few years, Casino Royale and NextCruise have started a cross-promotion where they work together," Wong says. 

As such, the bonus rewards in the third column are only available to those who place a deposit for their next sailing before disembarking. 

There's another catch: there's a select list of voyages that are available for these offers — you can't just book any cruise that catches your eye. 

"You come onboard for your cruise; you play in the casino; [and] you earn points as you play. However many points you have by the end of the cruise, you will receive an instant reward certificate in your room for either a discount off a future cruise or a complimentary cruise. And the third and final option is to pay your $200 deposit with the NextCruise [department], and this will give you a bonus award," he summarizes.

IRCs are printed by the Casino Host (in this case, Wong) on the second-to-last day of the cruise. 

Using a program called "Super-PlayMate," he can access everyone's unique folio IDs and cabin numbers to help properly address the letters. 

Then, he has to print the IRCs for eligible cruisers to deliver them to the housekeeping team, who ensures they are placed in the correct cabin on the last day. 

The offer letter is pretty self-explanatory. First, it lists your name and Crown & Anchor loyalty number. Below that is your offer code, which is just the month and year it was issued, as well as what cabin category it's valid for. 

However, the award is better explained under the offer code. In Wong's example, the IRC is for an oceanview or balcony stateroom on select voyages. 

It's important to take note of the expiration date. Although you don't have to sail by that date, you must have another cruise booked before then.

"[In] my professional opinion, the company isn't very forgiving if you forget about your reward and it expires," Wong warns. 

If you can't find a sailing that works for you, you can trade in your IRC for a discount on a cruise of your choice. 

Again, in Wong's example, rather than booking a complimentary cruise (minus the taxes, port fees, and gratuities), he could get $750 off any voyage of his choosing. 

Read more: I earned a "free" cruise on Royal Caribbean's newest ship, and it saved me almost $9,000

Onboard casino promotions

It's important to check the Cruise Compass to see what daily promotions the casino is offering on your sailing. 

Wong explains a few of the common ones, including the nightly Snowball Raffle Draw, Hot Seat Promotion, and Bags of Cash. 

The Snowball Raffle Draw is offered every night on most Royal Caribbean cruises (Wong issues a disclaimer that actual promotions may vary based on the ship and sailing).

He says, "We give away $100 of FreePlay every night at 10:00pm. To qualify, everybody needs at least 100 casino points. We will use a random name generator to pick out everyone in the casino who has 100 points, and then it's going to spit out a name at random."

The Hot Seat Promotion runs from 11:00pm to midnight. Eligible active players in the casino (those with 100 points or more) are automatically entered to win anywhere from $50 to $150 in FreePlay. 

The drawings are every 15 minutes, with the prize money increasing $15 each round. 

Finally, the Bags of Cash promotion calls on three random players (again, with a minimum of 100 casino points) to select a mystery box containing a surprise amount of FreePlay. On the night Wong recorded the promo, the three cruisers won $50, $150, and $250. 

It's becoming easier to enjoy the benefits of a Royal Caribbean cruise and a land casino.

Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises have strengthened their casino loyalty partnership, which means it's easier to earn points on a ship or at a land casino.

A first reported by TheStreet, players who gamble in the onboard casinos can now earn MGM Rewards Points, tier credits, and slot dollars — not just cruise line benefits.

To take advantage, players must use their SeaPass card while gambling onboard. The points they earn in the Club Royale (Royal Caribbean) or Blue Chip Club (Celebrity) programs now count toward MGM’s rewards program too.

"Extending the opportunity to earn onboard is a true game changer for our members," Anil Mansukhani, vice president of loyalty marketing, said in a statement. 

"We're always looking to raise the stakes for our best-in-class program, and the ability for our members to earn MGM Rewards on gaming spend when vacationing at sea maximizes every dollar spent."

These changes are part of the cruise line's casino loyalty program. Royal Caribbean also offers benefits with MGM to its Crown and Anchor Society members.

Crown & Anchor Society members can take advantage of a status matching program, entitling them to MGM Rewards benefits even if it’s their first time staying at an MGM Rewards property.

A longstanding partnership with MGM

Royal Caribbean's partnership with MGM Casinos is one of many steps the two companies have taken to offer linked benefits.

The first partnership began in 2012, but it's steadily grown over the years.

MGM’s loyalty program has been upgraded across all tiers. Gold-level members, for example, now get an annual cruise benefit — a 5-night oceanview stateroom or a $750 cruise credit — a perk that didn’t exist before. Platinum members now get a 7-night balcony cruise or a $1,500 credit, an upgrade from the previous 5-night deal.

MGM isn’t the only land-based casino group working with the cruise lines. Royal Caribbean and Celebrity also have a partnership with Hard Rock International through its Unity loyalty program. Players in certain tiers, like the X card level, can qualify for cruise discounts or even certificates valued up to $2,500. Some tiers receive invite-only offers for complimentary cruises.

Both partnerships are about attracting casino players from the land casinos to try a cruise, as well as the other way around.

Deepening casino push

One trend Royal Caribbean has been pursuing over the last few years has been catering more and more to its gamblers onboard.

Not only has the cruise line expanded partnerships, they've invested more space and money on casinos.

On select ships, the casino footprint has been expanded to grow the size of gambling spaces and offer more areas for non-smokers.

On some Oasis Class ships, the Crown Lounge and Attic venue have been replaced in order to make expand the casino.

On Freedom of the Seas, the wine bar was replaced with a non-smoking casino.

Gambling is big business on cruises

Casino gaming is a major moneymaker for Royal Caribbean, and it's only getting bigger.

The cruise line doesn’t break out casino earnings on their own, but they are rolled into what's known as “onboard and other” revenue. That bucket includes everything passengers pay for beyond the base cruise fare: drink packages, shore excursions, Wi-Fi, and yes — gambling.

In the second quarter of this year, Royal Caribbean Group reported $183 million in “onboard and other” revenue across all its brands. That’s up $14 million from the same time last year.

Frequent cruisers have noticed the trend too. Many are seeing more aggressive offers from the casino, including discounted and even free cruise certificates, aimed at keeping players coming back.

If you have the means and control, one of the best deals in cruising right now is through Royal Caribbean's casino program.

Ever since I discovered how lucrative the offers can be to essentially earn free cruises by doing the thing I'd already be doing in the ship's casino, I've been taking advantage of offers coming through Casino Royale.

My luck in the casino is up and down over the course of the year, and your results may differ from mine. Please gamble responsibly.

Just like a land casino, Royal Caribbean's casino operation is big business.  They offer complimentary cruises if you gamble enough to reach certain point thresholds.

You really don't need to be a big gambler in order to benefit, and a recent change the casino program made just saved me more than any jackpot I've ever won from a slot machine.

The basics of a casino comp

There are a few ways to get a "free cruise" by gambling in Royal Caribbean's casino, but I'm going to focus on the annual free cruise you get from reaching the Prime level within the casino loyalty program.

Just like Crown and Anchor Society, Royal Caribbean's casino has its own loyalty program. However, it differs in that your status is based on how many points you earn over the course of one year.  

You'll earn 1 point for every $5 wagered on a slot machine, and if you get to 2,500 points in a gaming year, you'll get the choice of a free interior room on a cruise up to seven nights in length.

The beauty of this free cruise offer is you can earn it over the course of a year. You might earn 500 points on one sailing, 1000 on another, and so on.  You can earn it in one sailing or over multiple, and then stop and enjoy that perk later.

Plus, as a Prime member you get free drinks in the casino.

The catch with this annual cruise offer is it's only available to book the following year, and you must use and sail it within that year. Plus, there's an exclusion list.

Each year certain dates and ships are excluded, because they're too in demand.  This means no holiday cruises and no sailings on brand new ships.

Star of the Seas, Royal Caribbean's next new ship was, as expected, on the exclusion list.

A change in the exclusion list

As I contemplated which cruise to use my free sailing offer, Royal Caribbean made a change.

Royal Caribbean message board users shared suddenly there were Star of the Seas and Icon of the Seas sailings showing up as available after previously being excluded.

"In case anyone has not booked their annual, Star is no longer excluded and there are open dates in January-March!" wrote Chart.

A brand new ship like Star of the Seas would command a premium price, and I looked into if I could take advantage of it.

Almost $9,000 in savings

I was already booked for a 7-night spring break cruise on Star of the Seas with my family in connecting ocean balcony cabins.

I booked it when the ship opened up bookings, and got two rooms for my family.  Splitting up and getting two rooms instead of one is one of my favorite cruise hacks.

The price for each room was $7095.08, including taxes, fees, port expenses, and gratuities. That's a total of $14,190.16 for both cabins.

I alerted my MEI-Travel agent to what I had seen online and asked her if we could cancel what I had booked and re-book it with my casino certificate.

She found the reports were true, and I would be able to use my certificate for one room and my wife's certificate for the other room.

We'd get the interior cabin for "free", and the cost to upgrade to connecting ocean view balcony would be $2338.34 + gratuities per room. With fees and gratuities, it came out to $2597.34 per cabin.

After some work with the cruise line, my travel agent was able to get me rebooked with the casino offer, plus the difference in upgrading the cabin back up to an ocean balcony.

I went from a $14,190.16 bill to a $5,194.68 bill, saving me $8,995.48.

Big savings, but it's still gambling

I wanted to share my experience as an example of how lucrative Royal Caribbean's casino program can be, provided you're willing to play responsibly.

To be fair, I don't have an accurate accounting of my losses in the 2024-2025 casino year to properly evaluate how much money I lost to get my 2,500 points and reach Prime status.

Of course, I also enjoyed other benefits of being a Prime member, such as complimentary drinks in the casino throughout that time and even this year too.

Gambling is addictive and inherently risky, but if you can play smart, you could net some big savings well beyond the casino floor.

MGM Rewards, MGM Resorts' loyalty program, is launching enhanced benefits with Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises. 

MGM and Royal Caribbean have had a longstanding loyalty match. If you're an Emerald, Diamond, Diamond Plus, or Pinnacle Club cruiser within the Crown & Anchor Society, you're eligible to be matched to MGM Rewards' Gold Tier. 

In addition to Sapphire and Pearl Tier benefits, Gold members receive access to an expedited reservations line, tier appreciation events, VIP line access to select nightclubs in Las Vegas, a waived resort fee when booking direct, complimentary valet parking at participating locations, and an enhanced room upon check-in. 

The 2025 upgrades take it one step further for MGM Rewards members looking to hit the high seas with Royal Caribbean or Celebrity Cruises. 

Read more: Loyalty Perks Beyond the Cruise: Using Crown & Anchor Society Rewards on Land

Onboard FreePlay

Now, all MGM Rewards members will receive a new Onboard FreePlay benefit when sailing on any MGM Rewards loyalty offer, certificate offer, or group cruise. 

The amount received is based on the member's MGM tier status. For example, entry-level Sapphire members will receive $25, while top-tier NOIR members will receive $200 in Onboard Freeplay:

• Sapphire ($25)
• Pearl ($50)
• Gold ($75)
• Platinum ($100)
• NOIR ($200)

Read more: Royal Caribbean is adding a new casino to one of its ships in an unusual spot that non-smokers will love

This benefit isn't replacing the existing onboard credit offer for Gold, Platinum, and NOIR members. Instead, it’s an additional perk that will enhance the overall cruise experience and, arguably, encourage more time spent in the ship's casino. 

The onboard credit perk is based on the member's MGM Rewards tier status and can be spent on add-ons like specialty dining, drink packages, shore excursions, and Wi-Fi:

• Gold ($125)
• Platinum ($200)
• NOIR ($300)

Note that these benefits aren't available to Crown & Anchor Society cruisers who matched into MGM Rewards, as the perks are available only to persons who earned the minimum Tier Credits associated with each level, or who were invited to the NOIR Tier Level during the Tier Status Earning Year based on spending. 

Read more: I gamble a lot on Royal Caribbean ships to earn free cruises. Here are my 10 hacks to maximize the cruise casino perks

Annual Cruise Benefit

What's a good way to encourage cruisers to visit the casino? By gifting them a free cruise, of course! As part of MGM Rewards' 2025 enhancements, more members have the chance to earn a free cruise.

Not only that, but qualifying members can enjoy upgraded staterooms, access to better itineraries, and more onboard benefits. Gold Tier members are also eligible for the benefit for the first time, and based on the tier, members can receive a set trade-in value:

• Gold: Oceanview cabin on an eligible voyage of up to five nights (or up to $750 toward a cruise of their choice)
• Platinum: Balcony cabin on an eligible voyage of up to seven nights (or up to $1,500 toward a cruise of their choice)
• NOIR: Junior Suite on an eligible voyage of up to ten nights (or up to $3,000 toward a cruise of their choice)

MGM Rewards members who have already redeemed their annual cruise can enjoy the upgraded perks by calling Royal Caribbean at 800-762-0702 or Celebrity at 855-227-2537. Have your booking number handy!

In addition to the annual cruise benefit, MGM Rewards launched exclusive stateroom savings on additional cruises:

• Pearl (5%)
• Gold (10%)
• Platinum (10%)
• NOIR (10%)

Read more: Royal Caribbean rolls the dice on a new casino to address a problem cruise passengers hated for years

New land perks

Not ready to commit to an ocean voyage or planning your pre-cruise stay? Through MGM's enhancements, loyalty members can match their status to Marriott Bonvoy:

• Pearl: Marriott Silver Elite status
• Gold: Marriott Gold Elite status
• Platinum: Marriott Gold Elite status (existing benefit)
• NOIR: Marriott Ambassador Elite status (existing benefit)

MGM is also selling e-gift cards at a discount, allowing guests the chance to save on their upcoming travels. All MGM members who purchase e-gift cards valued at $300 or more by March 28 will receive 5% off. 

Royal Caribbean has made it easier than ever to prove your casino losses to the IRS, but it's also a sobering reminder for some cruisers.

Casinos on cruise ships are required to report significant winnings to the IRS, which has an impact on income taxes.

In practical terms, that means a situation when you get a slot machine jackpot or a video poker machine payout worth $1,200 or more. When that happens, the casino staff pays you cash on the spot for your winnings and you fill out a form that goes back to the IRS, assuming you're an American citizen.

Of course, you're supposed to technically report all casino winnings to the government, and deduct all loses. In practice, most people don't track their losses in such a manner until they run into a jackpot.

There's a catch: if you can prove you lost more money than you won in the casino, it can help offset those gains on your taxes.

To make that easier, Royal Caribbean made a change this year to get those gambling records much faster.

Royal Caribbean tracks your play when you use your SeaPass card, which offers possibly significant rewards if you gamble enough.

The tracking they do also allows them to provide casino players with year-end win/loss statements.

As of January 31, 2025, Royal Caribbean guests can download win/loss statements from 2020 to 2024.

You can view your own win/loss statement by going to the Casino Royale website.

Royal Caribbean warns, "Please note that this is not an official tax form."

Cruisers surprised by the numbers

Almost immediately after the 2024 reports became available, people started sharing their results, with a combination of both shock and awe.

For many, it was a surprise in how much or little they lost.  Many cruisers were in disbelief at the number provided versus their expectations.

Reddit user btm24 shared a copy of their report, indicating they lost $14,673.22 over the course of the year in the casino.

According to this person, Royal Caribbean's report was "within 20% from my figures."

For that loss, they were able to get 11 "comped" cruises (48 total nights) for the year.  That means btm24 received offers from Royal Caribbean to sail for free on select cruises 11 times.  All they had to pay was taxes and fees.

According to btm24, depending on the exact offer from the casino, what's included differs.  They claim most of the time the offers were for ocean view balcony’s for two people at no cost.

The free sailings are one of the most lucrative benefits of gambling on a Royal Caribbean ship. 

As an example, btm24 reached the Prime level within Casino Royale's loyalty program.

"Every time we sail it’s like cutting off the head of [the] hydra, we get two sailing offers on top of our monthly offers, hear offers etc. It’s inane how decent the comp system is."

In their opinion, the rewards make up for the losses, "100% this is loss not win for me. But I enjoyed it and came in under budget so it all works out."

How much you have to gamble to start getting comp cruise offers?

If you're reading this and ready to start earning "free" cruises from the casino, there's a bit of a learning curve to understanding exactly how it all works.

The simplest strategy is to gamble enough on one sailing to earn enough points to qualify for instant certificates that you can redeem for a sailing.

Basically, you get 1 point for every $5 you wager (not win or lose, just wager) and if you get 400, 600, 1200, 2500, et al points, you can get turn around and book a cruise offer based on the list of sailings at each point threshold.

So yes, to earn 600 points, you'd have to roughly wager $3,000 in one sailing.

You can view the list of cruise tiers online with a clever hack, or wait until you get on the ship and then see the list at the casino host's desk.

While this strategy is easy to accomplish, it requires you to spend enough to get enough points to qualify for a sailing.

What most people want to know is how to get offered a free sailing from Royal Caribbean's casino simply for having gambled on past sailings.

It's important to note no one knows exactly how the truly free comp offers are given out.

At the very least, you need to have gambled some in a casino on a Royal Caribbean ship at some point in the past.

No one really knows exactly how many points and even if you gamble a lot, the rhyme or reason as to why one person gets a casino cruise comp offer and not someone else is elusive.

AB3reddit posted, "Low roller here. I have never made Prime and don’t think I’ve ever made more than 500 points in a single year, but for some reason they do offer me a wealth of the “monthly” free and BOGO cruise offers (mostly just Inside and Inside Guaranty cabins)."

It's no secret that you can get a free cruise if you gamble enough on a Royal Caribbean cruise, but what are the ways to make it easier to earn perks and lose less money?

Ever since I was introduced to the lucrative offers you can get simply by playing in the ship's casino, it's changed how I cruise and I firmly believe saved me money.

Sure, gambling is risky and addictive. And there's a good chance you'll lose a lot of money.  I've never lost sight of that fact, and it's something my wife and I think about when we go into any cruise. Please gamble responsibly.

I find the casino to be a form of entertainment.  I bring a certain amount of cash with me on a sailing that is my gambling budget, and work with that.

While we have fun gambling and trying our luck, the possibility of winning a free cruise is very real and I've taken a number of cruises now that cost me very little.

I'm going on Enchantment of the Seas this week for a 4-night sailing in a balcony for just $170.30 total. To be clear, that $170.30 does not include how much I lost in the casino to earn the "free" cruise, but I'm pretty certain I'm coming out ahead.

A user on the Royal Caribbean sub reddit posted a list of tips he uses to get free cruises, and I thought it was a great assortment of advice for newbie.

Z3Ch0sen0ne is a self-described "unlucky as a....#$%^ when it comes to the casino.  I thought his advice is useful given he's not coming at it from a best case scenario of winning big in the casino.

Both he and his wife have achieved Prime status in the casino, reaching the second level of loyalty status that grants significant benefits.

Here are the 10 casino tips in his post that you might consider taking advantage of on your cruise.

Don't play table games if you want to earn points

He starts off with the sage advice for anyone looking to get as many points as possible of avoiding table games.

"Playing on the tables is probably the worst way to accumulate points. The math is complex and unknown to most people - something to do with time played multiplied by average bet and/or how much money you sit down with and then walk away with."

Instead, he recommends slot machines for their simplicity as well as faster method for earning points.

You'll earn one point for every $5 you wager, and because slot machines are digital, it can precisely track your play.

Convert cash before you cruise

As an Australian, Z3Ch0sen0ne advises anyone going on Royal Caribbean from outside the United States to exchange cash before the cruise.

"If you intend to convert money onboard... don't! You will get ripped 6 ways till Sunday," he claims.

What you want to do is convert your cash before you board the ship.  

If you forget or run out of cash, his other advice is to charge your gambling to your onboard account, "and let your bank handle the exchange rate."

Calling to book is sometimes confusing

Redeeming your instant casino vouchers can be confusing if you reach a person who isn't familiar with the program.

"When you call to book in a cruise with your instant cruise vouchers and get told you can’t do that over the phone. Say ok, hang up and call them again because you’re talking to the wrong person."

Yes, you can combine a casino offer with Next Cruise

Another stumbling block Z3Ch0sen0ne has run into is misinformation about booking with Next Cruise onboard your ship and getting those benefits.

"If you get told you can’t combine a Next Cruise booking and a casino offer (yes I have been told this). Hang up the phone and call again."

My advice is don't even bother calling directly.  Our friends at MEI Travel will book casino bookings for you, as well as regular bookings, with no fees!

Check your offers first, then play

I really like this piece of advice to verify what your goal is before you start gambling.

He recommends going straight to the casino on the first day and scan the QR code at the casino host desk to see which offers they have, and how many points you need to accrue.

"This is your spending limit. I have refused to play at all in the casino on cruises which didn’t have any offers I wanted - because otherwise they win."

Prime is the best status to reach...

Unlike Crown and Anchor Society, where everyone wants to reach the top levels, he doesn't see a point to go past Prime.

"Unless you get a massive windfall and love cruising and have nothing but time on your hands for holidays - Prime is about as good as you can get."

"The Cost/Benefit drops off significantly after prime for losers like me."

...instead, get your spouse to Prime too

Rather than get to Signature or Master, his advice is to get your spouse/partner to Prime status.

He doesn't see the value in just maximizing one of you, "It’s significantly better and cheaper to get yourself and your partner to Prime than it would be to get just one of you to Signature."

You can combine offers

According to Z3Ch0sen0ne, it’s possible to combine Prime offers or instant cruise certificates that coincide with your partners prime offers or instant cruise certificates to get an upgrade to a maximum of a Junior Suite. 

Here is his example:

For instance a 7 night cruise leaving Brisbane in a balcony with $250 freeplay for me and a 7 night cruise leaving Brisbane in an interior room with $100 of freeplay for her can be combined to get a Junior Suite and all of the attached freeplay. 

This can work with interior/interior to get an oceanview, or oceanview/oceanview to get a balcony or balcony/balcony to get a junior suite… so on so forth.

He added that offers must be identical, "the same ship, same date… They don’t have to be identical in terms of the rooms offered to get the upgrade."

Once again, his advice is if you call to combine offers and get told you can't do it, to call back again and talk to someone else.

Try to qualify for prime right after April 1st

To get Prime status in the casino, you need to qualify for it each year.  It's similar to airline or hotel loyalty status. 

The calendar year for Casino Royale begins April 1st and runs through March 31st.  If you accumulate 2,500 points across all your cruises in this time period, you'll get Prime Status for the year.

His advice is if you qualify immediately after the year starts, you can get two years for one.

If you accumulate 2,500 points on the 10th of April 2025, for example, you will get an instant cruise offer... then on the 1st of April 2026 you will "officially" become prime for that year and get a free 7 night cruise offer on Club Royale. 

So if you get all your points in April, you have prime for 24 months. 

If you don't spend in the casino after that, you got 2 free cruises from it (the offers will come 1 year apart) and free drinks in the casino the whole time. You could almost repeat this every 24 months.

I can verify this does work, it just requires you to cruise close to April and benefits those that cruise multiple times per year.

You can look up offers online too

Earlier, Z3Ch0sen0ne posted about going to the casino desk to check casino offers, but another Reddit user shared a hack for finding the offers online without being on a ship.

oOoOsarahOoOo posted the steps how to do it:

1. Try going to the Club Royale offer website
2. Click menu top left of the page
3. Click certificate offer code
4. Enter code (2501C03)

Code break down:

• First two 2 digits = year
• Second two digits= 2 digit for month
• Alpha code= A, C ( C includes longer cruises)
• Last two digits 01-05 =level of offer/ free play For example

January 2025 offer on 7+ day trips with 150.00 free play would look like: 2501c05. Same level with less than 7 day trips 2501a05

There's a new stipulation tied to the free cruises Royal Caribbean gives away to its casino players.

Royal Caribbean offers incentive-based cruise giveaways where passengers that earn enough points on a given sailing can qualify for complimentary sailings.

Up until now, the cruises covered the fare of two guests, and passengers had to only pay taxes and fees.

Beginning with the December offers, the Casino Royale program has made some changes to what's included.

What's different is the offer is now cruise for one guest is complimentary, while the second guest discounted. It's essentially a buy one free, second cheap offer.

What's not clear yet is how much is the discounted fare exactly. Since cruise fares vary from sailing to sailing, the exact price could depend.

In reading the terms and conditions, it appears a solo cruiser would still have to pay for the second guest, "Recipients who sail as a single passenger without a guest in a double occupancy stateroom are responsible for the payment of the cruise fare for the second passenger, at the Casino discount rate. The Discount Stateroom Offer is not applicable to single occupancy staterooms.

The new "complimentary for one, discounted for the second" offering only applies to the 2,000 point and lower tiers. The 3,000 point and higher tiers are still listed in the traditional manner.

There's no word why Royal Caribbean has made this change.  There's no doubt Casino Royale's popularity among cruisers has been quite high, and it's arguably the best deal in cruising right now.

A positive change to the casino offers are free cruise offers at just 400 points, which is a significantly lower tier than ever before.

Royal Caribbean recently introduced an 800 point tier, but at 400, it makes the barrier to entry much easier.

Moreover, it appears there are newer ships and dates further out to book at the lower tiers.

How instant cruise reward certificates work

If you gamble in the casino on a Royal Caribbean ship, you can earn points for your play.  All you have to do is have your SeaPass card logged in before you start playing at a machine or table game.

Every Royal Caribbean ship features a casino equipped with table games, slot machines, and video poker. While the selection of games may differ slightly from ship to ship, and the size of the casinos can vary, their overall layout and offerings are generally consistent across the fleet.

Joining Club Royale is simple because every passenger is automatically enrolled, you just need to use your SeaPass card when playing.

For every $5 you wager in the casino, that is roughly equivalent to 1 point. On Video Poker, it's every $10. 10 points per hour playing $10-$15 blackjack.

The more you play and wager, the more points you earn.

There's a sheet at the casino host desk that lists all the cruise offers and point tiers available. You'll see two columns: money off or bonus offer.

The key is to earn enough points for any of the tiers, and make an open booking at NextCruise while you're still onboard.  That enables you to call Casino Royale after the cruise and book one of the sailings.

You need to book an open booking with NextCruise while onboard to be eligible for the bonus offer that's listed in the second column.

Instant certificates are typically valid for redemption within 30 days after your cruise. Sometimes, the casino will provide a physical certificate with a partial list of available cruises delivered to your stateroom. In other instances, the offer may not be available until after your cruise concludes.

Even after you get home, you can verify your instant certificate offer on the Casino Royale website.

Different from a targeted cruise offer

It's important to note the difference between an instant certificate earned from your play onboard versus an offer Royal Caribbean mails to you at home.

After playing in a Royal Caribbean casino, you may receive offers for free cruises. While the cruise line doesn't reveal exactly how these offers are determined, they are generally influenced by the number of points you earned during your last cruise and an assessment by the cruise line's system of your potential value as a guest if offered a complimentary stateroom.

It's impossible to anticipate who will get an offer, and the exact offerings will vary.  No matter what offer you get, you should book quickly because there are limited cabins available on a sailing at the casino rate.

There's no indication yet that these targeted offers have changed similar to the instant certificates.

Looking to earn a free cruise by gambling? Royal Caribbean just made an important policy change.

Royal Caribbean passengers can earn free cruises with enough plays in the casino, but there's been a change to ensure the free cruises given out are actually taken.

Those that gamble a lot on Royal Caribbean cruise ships can qualify for free cruises and other incentives within the Club Royale rewards program.

You earn points every time you play and eventually gain rewards based on your status in the program. 

One of the best benefits offered is a free annual 7-night cruise for members of the program who have received at least 2,500 points. 

Their stateroom category depends on their level in the loyalty program: Prime members earn an interior room, Signature members can stay in a balcony cabin, and Masters get access to a suite.

Read more: I Scored a Free $1200 Room on a Royal Caribbean Cruise by Gambling in the Casino

Although this is a great benefit for passengers, Royal Caribbean wants to prevent people from not showing up for their free cruise.

"No-shows" happen too late for the cruise line to place a paying customer in the cabin, wasting the price of the cruise.

Cruisers booking their complimentary sailing will now pay a deposit

To prevent this loss of income, Royal Caribbean is implementing a new policy for Club Royale members.

In the future, each passenger booking their free annual cruise must pay a $200 deposit.

Casino winners who've been no-shows on past free cruises received an email on August 22nd, 2024, informing them of this change. 

The email reads: “We’re reaching out to let you know that in the past 12 months, you have canceled within two days of sailing or not shown up at the pier for your Casino Reservation(s)."

The email goes on to explain that the policy will become effective on September 5th, 2024.

“Under our new Casino Royale Cruise No-Show & Cancellation Policy, effective September 5, 2024, you will be assessed a $200 USD deposit on all active Casino Reservations, sailing on or after September 5, 2024."

If a Club Royale member does show up to their cruise, the deposit will be converted into a $200 onboard credit.

And if plans change, and they do need to cancel the cruise, the deposit will be refunded as long as they cancel with at least seven day's notice.

If the cruise cancels within seven days before the sailing or does not show up at the pier, they forfeit the deposit. 

What benefits are included in the Club Royale program?

The exact number of points earned from each play varies depending on how much you've gambled, the game, and wins and losses.

As soon as you enter the Club Royale program, you'll be placed in the Choice tier. Rewards for this status include:

• Point Redemption towards onboard expense account credit or as FreePlay in the Casino
• Instant Cruise Rewards Certificates
• $200 credit at Regalia Fine Jewelry and Effy Boutique
• Exclusive Casino Offers
• Access to Club Royale VIP Events

Members who've earned 2,500 points climb to the Prime tier, earning:

• Point Redemption towards onboard expense account credit or as FreePlay in the Casino
• Instant Cruise Rewards Certificates
• $250 credit at Regalia Fine Jewelry and Effy Boutique
• 10% Vitality Spa Discount
• Waived Convenience Fee for Cashless Wagering on SeaPass card
• Complimentary Drinks in Casino Royale
• Discount on VOOM Surf & Stream Internet Wi-Fi Packages
• Exclusive Casino Offers
• Access to Club Royale VIP Events
• Tier Priority Contact Number
• Exclusive Rates for Family and Friends for Additional Staterooms
• Special Offers with Partnership Casinos
• Interior stateroom on the Annual Complimentary Cruise

Read more: I gambled enough in Royal Caribbean's casino to get free drinks and a cruise

After earning 25,00 points, you'll climb to the Signature level of the reward program, earning additional benefits. These include:

• Point Redemption towards onboard expense account credit or as FreePlay in the Casino
• Instant Cruise Rewards Certificates
• $350 credit at Regalia Fine Jewelry and Effy Boutique
• 15% Vitality Spa Discount
• Waived Convenience Fee for Cashless Wagering on SeaPass card
• Complimentary Drinks in Casino Royale
• Free VOOM Surf & Stream Internet Wi-Fi Package for 1 device
• Exclusive Casino Offers
• Access to Club Royale VIP Events
• Tier Priority Contact Number
• Exclusive Rates for Family and Friends for Additional Staterooms
• Special Offers with Partnership Casinos
• Balcony stateroom on the Annual Complimentary Cruise

Finally, guests who have 100,000+ points in the program reach the Masters tier. They receive the highest amount of perks from the program, such as:

• Point Redemption towards onboard expense account credit or as FreePlay in the Casino
• Instant Cruise Rewards Certificates
• $550 credit at Regalia Fine Jewelry and Effy Boutique
• 20% Vitality Spa Discount
• Waived Convenience Fee for Cashless Wagering on SeaPass card
• Complimentary Drinks in Casino Royale
• Free VOOM Surf & Stream Internet Wi-Fi Package for 2 devices
• Priority Entertainment Access and Dining Reservations
• Onboard Credit
• Priority access at the terminal
• Carry-on bag onboard drop off with priority delivery to stateroom
• Welcome lunch in Main Dining Room featuring Chops Grille menu
• Coastal Kitchen Access
• Flexible departure with à la carte breakfast
• Exclusive Casino Offers
• Access to Club Royale VIP Events
• Tier Priority Contact Number
• Exclusive Rates for Family and Friends for Additional Staterooms
• Special Offers with Partnership Casinos
• Grand Suite stateroom on the Annual Complimentary Cruise

Did you know that if you gamble enough on a Royal Caribbean cruise there is an entirely different set of loyalty rewards you can take advantage of?

I'm by no means advocating you should gamble at all, as it's a risky endeavor.  Please gamble responsibly.

For years I was aware of the Casino Royale program, but never pursued it. My wife and I were not big time gamblers by any means.  On most cruises, we'd each spend $100 per night in the casino just to have something to do to pass the time.

I never even considered trying to get to the next tier of Casino Royale's program until it became clear I had a good shot at getting there.  A few cruises later, I earned enough points to reach the Prime tier in the program, which includes a free cruise, unlimited drinks in the casino, and a few other nice benefits.

For a lot of casual gamblers, you may be unaware of the benefits Casino Royale offers if you can play enough over the course of a year to reach the first status.

While gambling for the sake of achieving benefits isn't a financially smart investment by any means, if you cruise a few times a year already and gamble a few hundred dollars per cruise, there are some seriously lucrative benefits you could enjoy with a little planning.

Thanks to Assaf Ekshtein and Greg Brockman for assistance in ensuring the information is as accurate as possible.

About Royal Caribbean's casino loyalty program

Club Royale is Royal Caribbean Casino loyalty program. Club Royale based on collecting point from playing slots machine or table games.

Club Royale has four tiers :

Choice:  0-2499 points – This is the entry level that anyone who place even one round in a slot machine or a table gets.

Prime: 2500 – 24999 points – The prime level gives benefits like internet discount, free drinks in the casino while the casino open (limited to yourself), annual tier free inside cabin cruise that can be used for any 7 night cruise excluding holiday cruises (there are some more restrictions from time to time), and waiver on cash advances in the casino.

Signature: 25000 – 99999 points – The Signature level gives you all the benefits of Prime, plus free internet for one device, ocean view balcony for your annual free cruise.

Master: 100000+ points – Master level gets all the benefits of Signature, plus a grand suite annual free cruise, priority check in, access to access to Coastal Kitchen, free internet for two device, special lunch on the first day, drop of carry on bag, added onboard credit based on length of sailing, and more.

Annual Signature and Masters cruise: The casino, at their discretion, may offer an annual complimentary cruise just for their Top Tier Signature and Masters players. For 2023, there is already a Masters Mediterranean sailing with more possible in the future. 

Unlike Royal Caribbean's Crown and Anchor Society loyalty program which has points that never expire, the Club Royale program works more like airline and hotel loyalty programs, with points that are re-evaluated each year based on passengers' activities.

The Club Royale year runs from April 1st to March 31st of the following year. The tier benefits are valid for the year in which they were reached, as well as the following year.

For example, if a passenger reaches the Prime tier on August 30th, 2023, they will be entitled to all Prime benefits from August 30th, 2023, until March 31st, 2025. Passengers' tiers will be indicated on their cabin card, and once they accumulate the required points, they are immediately entitled to the benefits. If you got to a tier in a middle of the cruise the host can give you sticker with you new tier.

It's important to know the "catch" with the free cruises given out.  First, you still will have to pay taxes, fees and port expenses. Second, the free cruise covers two people in the cabin. Anyone extra in the cabin (such as kids) will have to pay normally.

In addition to the instant cruise certificates, Club Royale can give other offers from time to time based on your last cruise play and other parameters that no one knows.

To see which offers you have, just visit the Club Royale offers site https://www.clubroyaleoffers.com/PlayerLookup.asp enter your last name and reward number (the reward number is you Crown and Anchor number).

How to earn points

Essentially, you earn points based on how much you're gambling.  Unfortunately, the exact math for how many points you earn per dollar spent is variable based on wins and losses.  Dollars spent per point will vary from player to player based on many factors. 

Your points are tracked via your SeaPass card, so be sure you're always using your SeaPass card when gambling at slots machines or table games.

Passengers can check the number of points earned from table games by speaking to the casino host.

Remember, points and benefits are only calculated based on the money you played, and not impacted at all by the money you lost or won.

Slot machines

Every $5 you spend (accumulated) gets you 1 point. On Video Poker, it's every $10.

You can track your number of points in every slot machine while your card is inserted. Please note if you want to know the exact points you will need first to exist (or tap again until the machine button becomes from green to white/blue) and enter again.

Table games

How you earn points at table games is far more vague, and even Royal Caribbean's casino would tell you that you'll earn fewer points at table games compared to slots.  Part of the reason for this is that a slot machine is easier to track since every transaction is digital.

Points are awarded at table games based on the number of hands/time played and the amount of money wagered. However, tracking these points can be challenging, as they are recorded by the pit boss.

It's a good idea to introduce yourself to the casino staff, as they can help ensure the points are accurately recorded each day. 

Note that playing Texas Hold'em cash/tournaments does not earn points.

What do I get for points during my cruise?

As you earn points, you can qualify for short term and long term benefits.

During the sailing you're on, if you earn enough points, you can qualify for free play onboard as well as discounts on a cruise, or even a free cruise.

Using the points you earn on a sailing for free play or redeemed as onboard credit does not impact you tier points or benefits !

Discount/free cruise

By accumulating a certain amount of points in a single cruise, you can get an instant reward certificate during the cruise.

As you might imagine, the more points you have, the better discount/free cruise offers you get .

For example if you accumulate 2500 points in one sailing, you can get a free cruise in an interior cabin and $150 free play; 4800 points will get you a free balcony and $500 free play.

Please note, the exact benefits change from time to time and even from ship to ship, so always check with the casino host first. They will have a sign on their desk with the different options.

If you are not sure that which cruise you want to book, you can always book a “book later” cruise with $200 down payment.

No later than  7 days from the end of the cruise (in some cases it is now 30 days), you need to call the Club Royale number (or use your travel agent) and book the cruise using the Next Cruise certificate and the casino instant certificate.

Free Play/Onboard credit

At the end of the cruise, you can use casino points earned on that sailing as free play or to pay for several things with Royal Caribbean onboard credit.

If you decide to use it for free play, you can go to a slot machine and go to the “Personal Banker” option on the machine.

Note you need to play all the amount you took from free points before you can cash it out , so if you took $20 you need to play $20 and then you can cash out whatever you won at that point.

If you choose to redeem the casino points to used on your on board account, you need to go to the host and ask him on the last night for the same. The casino host can also apply your table points in the same manner.

How I got to Prime and started enjoying benefits

Since I cruise quite a few times per year, a little bit of gambling across all my cruises eventually earned me enough points to pass the 2,500 threshold and earn Prime status.

It occurred on a Wonder of the Seas cruise in December 2022. This meant I qualified for Prime status for the 2023-2024 year, and I got to enjoy onboard benefits immediately.

As soon as the casino host confirmed my yearly points total had reached 2500 points, I was given a sticker to place on my SeaPass card and I could get complimentary drinks in the casino.

The free cruise and other benefits would commence until April 1, 2023 when the 2023-2024 year began.

Even before April 1, I started earning cruise discount vouchers to use on new bookings.  The amounts were commensurate with how much I played, but I was able to get a $100 off and $250 off certificate in my early sailings of the year.

Once April 1 hit, Casino Royale begins the process of issuing your free annual cruise.  The certificate to redeem for a free cruise in an inside room doesn't become available immediately.  It takes a few weeks, but by the end of April, I had my free cruise.

I even got an offer for 15% off room rates at participating MGM Rewards destinations in Las Vegas. Plus, up to a $100 Food & Beverage credit to indulge in during your stay. 

How will this change my cruising habits?

It was never my intent initially to get to Prime status, but I have to admit now that I made it, the benefits are quite nice.

By far the most lucrative benefit for me, besides the free cruise, is the free drinks in the casino.

Combined with my free Diamond Plus daily drink allotment, I stopped purchasing a Royal Caribbean drink package because I had sufficient free drinks to make up for any extras I ended up buying.

Considering how expensive a drink package purchase has gotten, being able to combine 5 free drink vouchers a day from Crown and Anchor Society along with unlimited drinks in the casino is a very attractive proposition.

I haven't redeemed my free cruise yet, but that's one less cruise I have to pay for out of pocket.  

The surprise to me are the limited time offers Casino Royale gives out.  Even $100 off a new booking is a great perk, and it certainly has me rethinking how I book some cruises.

Of course, I've had to remind myself many times that while the Prime benefits in the casino are great, reigning in my gambling is still important. 

Bottom line

It's easy to get carried away with points and casino status, especially if you start eyeing the upper tiers of the program. It makes no economical sense to play in the casino with the notion you'll make money either through your winnings or through casino tier benefits.

I never play with more than I intend to lose, I would advocate not to play simply to earn points. Given the inevitable losses you'll rack up in the casino, the "freebies" you get come at a cost.

If you have the means to afford to gamble and cruise a lot, there's no reason to not at least enroll in Casino Royale and see what happens.

The important thing is to know your limits and not play purely to earn status. There are some very nice benefits, but don't put yourself in an economic bind simply to get free cocktails.

The comped cruises are great if you're a solo cruiser or sailing as a couple. Families will find the free cruises still costing them plenty in extra costs. Then again, every dollar saved in the grand scheme of things is still money they didn't have to spend.

Casino Royale may be the least well-known program among cruisers and there are a few gray areas of how it all works that stifle even the people that gamble the most. 

Personally, the fact I am lucky enough to cruise as often as I do gives me more opportunity than most to earn enough points to make it to Prime. 

Now that I've made it, it's very nice being able to redeem these rewards and enhance my overall cruise experience. If you enjoy gambling in the ship's casino, it makes sense to get to know your casino host and keep track of your points total.  But if gambling seems irresponsible or a poor decision, then skip the program entirely and rely on cruise booking tips and tricks to get a great cruise ship deal.