Do you love champagne? Do you love cruises? Do you love saving money? If you answered yes to all these questions, then this article is for you. Below, I will show you how to drink champagne for free on a cruise.
Yes, you read that right. Free champagne. Sounds too good to be true, right? Well, it’s not. There are actually some easy and fun ways to score free champagne at a cruise. Cheers! Also, below I’m sharing my cruise port day bag packing list as a free printable.
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How to Get Free Drinks on a Cruise
1. Attend Art Auctions
One easy way to get free champagne at a cruise is to attend the art auctions. Art Auctions are a sure way to score free champagne.
From my personal experience, they always serve free champagne when you attend art auctions so you can browse the artworks while sipping on champagne! There is no obligation to buy anything, and the champagne is free for everyone who attends!
2. Sample Free Liquor
Another way to drink for free on a cruise is to attend the liquor tasting seminars at the gift shop. They will usually give out different samples of spirits.
3. Attend Captain’s Loyalty Parties
Another way to drink for free on a cruise is to attend the Captain’s Loyalty parties. These are invite-only parties for cruise passengers with loyalty status. If you get invited, don’t miss it!
Enjoy the free champagne and the open bar at these parties, which are usually held before dinner. A good tip is to order an extra round of drinks toward the end of the event and take them with you to dinner!
4. Attend Captain’s Welcome Aboard Receptions
Another way to score free champagne at a cruise is to attend the Captain’s Welcome Aboard party. These parties are open to all cruise passengers and sometimes they give out free champagne, depending on the cruise line.
You never know if they will have free champagne or not, but it doesn’t hurt to check it out. I find that any parties or events that have the “Captain” in it are more likely to have free champagne!
5. Attend Bartending Demonstrations
Bartending demonstrations are a great way to get free drinks. These are demonstrations where they teach you how to mix cocktails or bartending contests where they compete for the best drink. Sometimes they give out free drinks (rare) or they might raffle off the drinks. If you are looking for free drinks at a cruise, I’d attend these bartending demonstrations, it’s fun and you might get a free drink out of it!
6. Use a Travel Agent to Book Your Cruise
One way to get free champagne or wine on your cruise is to book your cruise through a travel agent. Travel agents are known to surprise their customers with freebies. Who knows, they might give you a bottle of free champagne during the cruise especially if you are there to celebrate a special occasion.
7. Celebrate Your Birthday or Anniversary
Another way to get a free champagne from the cruise is to celebrate a birthday or anniversary. Some cruise lines will give free champagne to celebrate, especially if it’s a milestone birthday or anniversary. Otherwise, the waitstaff might sing Happy Birthday at your table or you might get a special shout out on the cruise TV.
8. Bring 1 bottle of wine or champagne per adult on embarkation day
Another way to drink for “free” on the cruise is to bring your own wine or champagne! Many cruise lines, such as Carnival, will allow you to bring 1 bottle of wine or champagne (750 ml) per adult on embarkation day only. This will save you some money since alcohol purchases can add up.
You can enjoy your wine or champagne in your cabin. Do keep in mind that if you bring your wine to dinner, they will typically charge a corkage fee.
Remember, this only works if you bring your wine on embarkation day. If you buy wine, liquor, or beer in the ports, they will confiscate your alcohol and store it for you during the duration of the cruise and give it back to you when you leave the ship.
9. Book the Cruise Beverage Packages
Although, not a way to get free drinks. I find that buying cruise beverage packages is a great way to save money on drinks. This is a good option if you drink a lot, as you can enjoy unlimited drinks for a fixed price.
The beverage package usually includes alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, as well as specialty coffee and smoothies. Some beverage packages are packaged with other extras, such as gratuities, free photos, or free internet, which make them a great deal.
Also, make sure to buy your beverage package online before boarding the ship because that’s when the cruise line will offer the biggest discounts. And after buying your beverage package, keep checking the cruise website to see if there are any flash sales. When that happens, you can cancel your original beverage package order and get the lower price!
10. Order the Drink of the Day
Although this is not a way to get free champagne, I’m adding it to the list because you can save money if you order the drink of the day. Most cruise lines offer a daily drink special, which is usually a tropical cocktail that costs less than the regular cocktails on the bar menu.
You can check for the drink of the day on the daily newsletter or at the bar. You can also be on the lookout for drink deals, such as happy hour specials or beer bucket specials. You will save money on your cruise by taking advantage of these beverage offers.
Cruise Essentials
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Cruise Lanyard
Bring cruise lanyards; to make your life easier so you are not constantly looking for your cruise card!
Towel Bands
Towel bands are great in keeping your beach towels in place! So, they are slipping off the pool lounge chairs!
Power Strip
Definitely bring a cruise-approved power strip so you have more outlets for charging your devices. Cruise cabins never have enough outlets! Please double-check with your cruise line, as some do not allow power strips and will only allow USB charger cubes.
Packing Cubes
Use packing cubes to make cruise packing easier. These cubes will help keep your clothes organized. Unpacking is easy because you just need to take the cubes out of your luggage and put them in the drawers and shelves—so easy! Assign a color for each person in your cabin so you don’t get your cubes mixed up.
Anti-Theft Cross Body Bag
This anti-theft crossbody bag is perfect for travel. It features a slash-resistant design and RFID-blocking technology for added security. It even comes with a side pocket to hold your water bottle.
Luggage Tags
For safety, make sure every luggage and bags are labeled with a luggage tag. I like these custom luggage tags that you can order and personalize with your information.
Magnetic Hooks
Bring magnetic hooks to organize your cabin and keep it clutter-free. These hooks are for hanging baseball caps, cruise lanyards, goggles, bathing suits and towels.
Detergent Travel Packets
These detergent travel packets are great for handwashing bathing suits in the sink.
Anti-Seasickness
This anti-seasickness medicine is a go-to to combat seasickness on a cruise. If you have kids, make sure you bring the chewable version. If you are looking for a natural solution, try these acupressure bands.
Hanging Toiletry Bag
Cruise cabin sinks are notoriously small. Get a hanging toiletry bag to make it easier!
Cruise Travel Planner Printable
Get our 25 page cruise travel planner to stay organized before and during your cruise. It includes pre-cruise and post-cruise itineraries, a cruise port planner, sea days planner, packing lists, cruise budget tracker and more!
Cruise Travel Insurance
It’s smart to always buy cruise travel insurance, especially if you are going on a cruise during hurricane season.
Wrinkle Releaser
Keep your clothes wrinkle-free and odor-free with these travel size Downy wrinkle releaser.
Get Your Free Cruise Port Day Bag Packing List
Sign up once and you will get access to ALL exclusive content on this website. After unlocking the printable, just save the printable image and then print it. Use it as a checklist to pack your cruise port bag so you don’t forget anything! I hope you like it!
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