15 Cruise Value Hacks for 2026: How I Save Money on Every Cruise
Cruising doesn’t have to be expensive — especially when you stack casino offers, points, perks, credits, and miles the Lazy Girl way. As a travel expert who cruises 7–9 times a year, these are the simple, beginner‑friendly cruise value hacks I personally use to save hundreds (and often thousands) on Princess, Celebrity, Holland America, and Royal Caribbean.
These are the exact hacks I use on every cruise to maximize value without spreadsheets or stress.
Want to see these cruise value hacks in action? I’ve booked multiple Princess cruises using this exact strategy — real itineraries, real prices, real savings. You can see every cruise I booked (and how much I saved) in my Princess Cruises: See It In Action post.
This page includes affiliate links and personal referral links. If you book a cruise, hotel, or purchase something through these links, I may earn a small commission or receive a referral bonus at no extra cost to you. These earnings help support No Point Left Behind and allow me to keep creating free guides like this one.
⭐ 1. Stack Casino Offers With Points & Perks
Casino offers are one of the easiest ways to unlock:
Discounted fares
Free interior or balcony cabins
Bonus onboard credit
Reduced deposits
If you’re new to casino offers, start with my Princess Casino Offers Guide — it’s the exact strategy I use to cruise Alaska for $325 and the Caribbean for under $450.
⭐ 2. Use point.me to Find Award Flights
If you want to fly to your cruise for almost free, my point.me tutorial walks you through the exact steps I use to book flights for $11.20 round‑trip.
⭐ 3. Use Hotel Points for Pre‑Cruise Nights
I’ve stayed at multiple pre‑cruise hotels on points — you can see real examples in Pre‑Cruise Hotels I’ve Actually Stayed On Points.
⭐ 4. Time Cruise Purchases With Cashback Multipliers
Rakuten multipliers jump constantly — from 2% to 8%, 10%, even 15%.
If you want to maximize multipliers, check out:
⭐ 5. Earn Airline Miles on Cruise Essentials With Rakuten + Rove Miles
I personally use both Rakuten and Rove Miles — because they earn miles in different ways and stack beautifully with cruise prep purchases.
My full breakdown is in:
⭐ 6. Choose the Right Cabin Category
Cabins are one of the biggest value traps.
Lazy Girl rule:
Interior = best value
Oceanview = skip
Balcony = worth it on scenic itineraries
Suites = only worth it with casino offers or perks
If you want to save the most money, read my Interior Cabin Hack — it explains why interior cabins are often the best value on Princess, Celebrity, and HAL.
⭐ Bonus Hack: Work With a Travel Agent Who Actually Cares About Cabins
If the perfect cabin matters to you — location, noise, balcony type, deck, layout — I highly recommend working with a travel agent who actually thinks about those details. Not all do… but mine does.
Her name is Mary, and she’s the one who helps me:
avoid noisy cabins
avoid obstructed views
find the best balcony locations
pick the right deck for motion sensitivity
choose cabins close to (or far from) elevators
get the best value cabin for the price
catch price drops
reprice cruises
navigate casino offers
stack perks correctly
Full story here: Cruise with Mary
⭐ 7. Skip the Drink Package
My full math breakdown is in the Lazy Girl Drink Package -and for most cruisers, the drink package simply doesn’t save money.
If you still want a fun way to enjoy drinks without overspending, check out my Lazy Girl Cabin Bar Hack. It’s one of my favorite alternatives and makes sea days way more fun without paying drink‑package prices.
⭐ 8. Use Credit Card Travel Credits
These stack beautifully with cruises — especially when combined with the strategies in How I Book Cruises and Save.
⭐ 9. Book During Shoulder Season
Best value months:
January
February
May
September
Early December
Shoulder season + casino offers = the best value.
⭐ 10. Use Loyalty Perks Strategically
Princess, Celebrity, and Holland America all offer perks that stack:
Priority boarding
Free laundry
Drink coupons
Wi‑Fi discounts
Specialty dining perks
If you sail Princess, my Princess Elite: What I Actually Use breaks down which perks matter and which don’t.
11. Watch for Price Drops
Cruise fares fluctuate constantly.
Price drops + Mary = magic.
⭐ 12. Book Your Next Cruise Onboard
Onboard booking perks often include:
Reduced deposits
Bonus OBC
Lower fares
Exclusive offers
Then stack with your casino offers.
⭐ 13. Use Port‑Day Hacks
Save money by:
Walking instead of booking excursions
Using local taxis
Visiting free beaches
Eating local food
Booking independent tours
My full strategy is in Shore Excursions Guide: How I Book and Save.
⭐ 14. Use Your Cruise Line’s App
Apps often include:
Free messaging
Daily deals
Dining availability
Show schedules
OBC tracking
OnVirgin Voyages, I even discovered a spa special through the app — a limited‑time deal for Redemption Spa, which I reviewed in detail in my Redemption Spa Review. It’s a perfect example of how checking your cruise line’s app can uncover hidden offers you’d never find otherwise.
⭐ 15. Stack Everything
The biggest value hack of all:
Stack casino offers + points + perks + credits + cashback.
This is the exact workflow I teach in How I Book Cruises and Save.
⭐ Cruise Value FAQ
What is the cheapest way to book a cruise?
Casino offers + shoulder season + onboard booking.
How do I save money on cruise flights?
Use my point.me tutorial.
Is the drink package worth it?
How do I pick the best cabin?
See Interior Cabin Hack + Mary Travel Agent Post.
How do I earn miles prepping for a cruise?
See Rakuten Post + Rove Miles Post.
How do I save money on port days?
⭐ About the Author
I’m Julie, the creator of No Point Left Behind, a travel‑hacking mom who cruises 7–9 times a year and shares beginner‑friendly strategies anyone can use to cruise smarter and spend less.
If you want more cruise savings tips, points strategies, and real‑time deal alerts, come hang out in my Travel Hacking Moms Group — it’s where I share the hacks I’m using right now and help moms travel better for less.
