…and Why It’s Not What You Think.
Leveraging Royal Caribbean Casino Prime for smarter travel
Most people assume you need to be a high-roller to get free cruises. Or that “comped” trips are some kind of sketchy, too-good-to-be-true deal.
The truth? My husband and I have been cruising for years on Royal Caribbean casino comps, and it’s one of the smartest travel hacks we’ve ever leaned into. We’re Diamond Plus loyalty members, we travel often, and we’ve paid far less out-of-pocket than most people sitting at the same slot machine or eating at the same Windjammer buffet.
And no, cruising free doesn’t mean you “can’t afford to cruise.” (Yes, someone actually said that to me once. 🙄) It means you’re playing the loyalty game smarter.
🎲 What Is Royal Caribbean Casino Prime Status?
On Royal Caribbean, when you play in the onboard casino, you earn points. Play enough in a year and you can qualify for Prime status.
Prime unlocks some juicy perks:
- Free annual cruise certificate (this is the big one)
- Complimentary drinks in the casino (plus Diamond/loyalty drinks elsewhere)
- Exclusive offers throughout the year (discounted or free sailings, depending on your play)
- Instant Cruise Credit (if you earn Prime Status on 1 cruise instead of spreading it out)
It resets every April, so most comp cruisers plan their play around the calendar. I talk more about the differences between Casino Prime and Crown & Anchor programs here
🛳 How We Actually Use It
For us, the casino isn’t just about gambling — it’s about strategic play to renew Prime. My husband plays at a level that comfortably earns Prime each year, and we treat the comps as part of our travel strategy.
Here’s what that looks like in real life:
- 🔹Our upcoming Harmony of the Seas sailing out of Galveston? Comped.
- 🔹We’re using it partly to enjoy a week onboard, partly to make sure his Prime status renews.
- 🔹We don’t even plan to get off the ship — the value is in sea days, entertainment, and the casino itself.
- And let’s be honest – it’s about not having to cook or clean for a week.
We still pay gratuities, port taxes, insurance and extras. But the core fare? Covered.
💸 Is It Really “Free”?
Let’s be clear: the cruise line isn’t handing out free cabins out of charity. The casino is their profit center, and they’re rewarding loyalty the same way airlines reward frequent flyers.
But here’s the kicker — if you already enjoy playing in the casino, those dollars now stretch further because they come back to you as comped trips.
For us, it means we’ve saved thousands on cruises we would have happily taken anyway. Another way to think of it – is we are ‘prepaying’ for our cruise via the Casino.
But even if the fare is free, we never cruise without insurance.
We personally use Allianz Travel Insurance for our trips and have been really happy with the coverage. Knock on wood we’ve never had to submit a claim.
That said, travel insurance isn’t one-size-fits-all. If you’d like to compare multiple providers side-by-side, we recommend checking out InsureMyTrip, where you can see plans from Allianz and many others. I’ve personally used it and felt it was very easy to use.
🧭 Why This Works for Us
1. We cruise often. More sailings = more opportunities to use offers.
2. We know our budget. We don’t overspend in the casino chasing comps.
3. We stack perks. Diamond Plus loyalty + Prime casino = layered freebies (drinks, discounts, Wi-Fi deals).
And if you’re wondering how people can afford to cruise so much they earn Diamond Plus – they do it with casino comps! Most Diamond Plus members didn’t pay for all those cruises.
4. We’re strategic. We treat the comp cruise as part of our annual planning, not just a lucky windfall.
🛟 The Misconceptions
I’ll never forget posting once about using RCL credit card points for a free cruise, and someone replied:
“If that’s how you’re cruising, you can’t afford to cruise.”
That’s exactly backwards. The smartest cruisers maximize every program available — loyalty, credit cards, comps — so they can sail more often, for less money, in more comfort.
🚀 The Takeaway
Casino comps aren’t about being reckless or living beyond your means. They’re about knowing the system and using it to your advantage.
For us, they’ve turned cruising from a once-a-year splurge into a lifestyle — and they’re a big part of how we’re planning future adventures (yes, even a world cruise).
So the next time you hear “comped cruise,” don’t roll your eyes. Chances are, the person in that free cabin is cruising smarter than you think.
👉 Coming Next: I’ll share exactly what we do on a comped cruise — like our upcoming week on Harmony of the Seas — and how we make the most of it without even stepping off the ship
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