NOTE: This article first appeared on PokerFraudAlert in June, 2014. Much has changed about Norwegian Cruise Line since then, including their CEO. This article was updated on February 18, 2018, providing up-to-date information, and removing obsolete advice. It will be additionally updated in the future as more things change.
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Are you ready to book your "free" Seven Stars Annual Criuse?

First off, understand that it is not FREE. There is no way that you will escape without paying at least $500, and realistically you will end up spending MUCH more than that. If you do not enjoy cruising, then this isn't a good benefit for you, as it will still cost you substantial money and you won't enjoy it.

So why bother?

Because if done right, you will get an incredible deal on a cruise that you would never be able to duplicate elsewhere.


What is the Seven Stars Annual Cruise benefit?

Caesars Seven Stars members are entitled to take one "free" (actually heavily discounted) cruise on certain Norwegian itineraries each year. Keep in mind that the "year" is not a calendar year, but actually runs from February 1 to January 31.

You are only entitled to take cruises which have an onboard casino. This means you CANNOT take the "Pride of America" Hawaii itinerary, as that one never leaves Hawaii and has no casino onboard.

There are also various blackout dates and cruises. See more information below for details.

Why does there have to be a casino? It is important to understand that this is a marketing partnership between Norwegian Cruise Lines (NCL) and Caesars. Caesars is NOT paying for your cruise. In fact, neither your host nor Total Rewards nor anyone else at Caesars will get involved in booking this cruise. It is completely independent of Caesars, aside from your Seven Stars status giving you the ability to take this heavily discounted cruise.



What Do You Get?

You are entitled to a "balcony stateroom" (category BA or lower) on all itineraries EXCEPT the Alaskan ones, where you only get an "ocean view" stateroom. This cruise is for 2 people, though you can go by yourself if you want.

Your cruise has to be 5-7 days long.

Typically the weeks of Christmas, New Years, and 4th of July are blacked out. Thanksgiving is typically NOT blacked out.

Certain cruises are also blacked out. These are usually the more expensive cruises, such as rare itineraries (Norway fjords are a good example) and brand new ships (Norwegian Bliss in 2018. for example). You won't know what's blacked out until you call.

To understand where these lie in the hierarchy of rooms on cruise ships, here is a general ranking of staterooms on NCL, from best to worst:

1) Suite. These are the best staterooms on the ship, and come with their own butler and concierge services. These tend to run around $2000-$3000 per person after taxes, though there are also some super-expensive ones that are much more than that.

2) Mini-Suite. These are MUCH inferior to regular suites, and don't come with the butler/concierge or private areas. They are basically just balcony rooms with a bigger bathroom. Still, they usually run about $1400-$2500 per person after taxes. Total misnomer. Avoid these, unless you get upgraded to them for free.

3) Balcony. This is what you usually get as part of your Seven Stars benefit. It's very similar to the inside/oceanview rooms (i.e. very small), but is a little bit bigger, and more importantly, has a balcony. The price widely varies on these, from $800-$1800 per person after taxes, depending upon itinerary and date. They are most expensive on Alaska cruises, which is why you don't get them as a Seven Stars benefit on those itineraries.

4) Oceanview. These are identical to inside cabins (the lowest category) with one major difference. You have a window to see out the ship, and let in natural light. The size and obstruction of these windows varies. These rooms run you about $500-$1100 per person after taxes.

5) Inside. This is the cheapest category. The rooms have no windows and in fact are on the "inside" of the ship. They will run you about $350-$950 per person after taxes.

These cruises are promoted as "free", but they are anything but that. In reality, you are just getting heavily discounted fares. Here is what you can expect to pay:

- Admin fees, port charges, and taxes: Right off the bat, you will be charged a $140 "admin fee" for each guest. There is no way out of this, and yes, that's a form of actual fare you're paying, known in the industry as "non-commissioned fare" (NCF). Usually this is rolled into normal cruise fare, so in reality your room will cost $140+tax per person, rather than the published fare plus tax. Still a hell of a deal in most cases, but by no means free. There are also port charges and taxes, which are itinerary-dependent. These usually run you between $120 and $250 per person, but most commonly come in near $150 or so. This means, on the typical "free" cruise for 2, you will be paying about $550-$600 right out the gate.

- Airfare. Perhaps you're fortunate enough to be cruising from near where you live, and flights aren't necessary. There are NCL ports in many places, including Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, New Orleans, Houston, and Miami. But if you need to fly (which you probably will), it will cost you airfare for two, and this is not covered at all by Caesars. However, there is one way around this -- by combining other Caesars promotions which include airfare. More on that later, too.

- Service charge. $14 per day, per person. They automatically put this on your bill, meaning 7-day cruises will run you $196 in tips for two people. They are often (inaccurately) referred to as "gratuities" or "tips". This money is supposedly shared by the entire staff, and you are not expected to tip further (though it's allowed). You can remove these charges, but they make it a pain in the ass to do so, as you have to mail in a form after-the-fact. It is my opinion that these are not actually "tips", but actually kept by NCL as a way to reimburse themselves for paying staff a fixed rate, though I have not verified this. You might want to opt out with the mail-in form and then just give cash tips to the staff onboard.

- Specialty restaurants. Most food on board is free, but the main dining room restaurants simply aren't very good. These restaurants charge you for what you order, though prices are much cheaper than you would find at a comparable restaurant on land. You can also order specialty restaurant packages in advance, making it a bit cheaper.

- Shore excursions. The boat will stop at various ports. You don't have to get off, but I think it's pointless to cruise without the shore excursions. You will end up spending money for tours of these places, taxis, or whatever. I would suggest trying to arrange your own excursions instead of booking with the ship, as you will both save money and get a more private/better experience.

- Drinks. Most drinks cost money on the ship. Basics like tap water, milk, and juice are free, but everything else (including soft drinks) cost money. You can get a "drink package" as a perk (more on this later), which entitles you to unlimited drinks (except bottled water). As a Seven Stars member, you do get a card allowing you free well/blended drinks at the casino bar only. NCL does not allow you to bring drinks onboard (not even bottled water), aside from wine, which requires a $25/bottle corkage fee.

So as you can see, you will be spending money.



In the next post, I will give you various money-saving tips for the cruise.