AARP Rewards Online Community Cruise Contest 2024

- Become a AARP member first, then book your Holland America Cruise. Be certain to give your AARP number at the time of booking. Check back with your Travel Advisor in about 10 days, and your lovely additional on board credit will magically be attached to  your reservation courtesy of AARP. My most recent credit was $200 for our upcoming 14 day cruise.

-Additionally, begin purchasing Holland America gift cards from AARP (at a 10% savings!). Use your AARP Essential Rewards credit card to score an additional 1% cash back. Note that there is a maximum number of HAL gift card purchases allowed per month from AARP  so plan way ahead of final payment due date to cover your cruise fare.  Be very careful - SAVE each of the gift card numbers and pin numbers, and keep them organized. If you have to cancel the cruise outside of the cancellation penalty,  the reimbursement will go back to the Holland America gift cards and you will need these numbers!!  If you purchase a good travel insurance and cancel for a covered reason inside the cancellation period, your refund will usually be by check from the travel insurance company. Check with your travel insurance provider.

By purchasing ten $500 gift cards, I am able to save $500 on my cruise! With the AARP $200 onboard credit and additional AARP savings, I am certain to have a Bon Voyage!

Book excursions early to get the most choices. It also helps you know if you need to bring special clothes or items with you. Pre and Post cruise excursions/days are sometimes available. They are a good way to extend the fun. AARP rewards can be used to reduce the costs for travel, clothes, and other items needed for your vacation. 

Pace yourself while cruising, and don't try to cram in every activity available for each day.  Leave some time to relax and "enjoy the ride!"

Bring some kind of anti-nausea see sickness medication. It’s no fun if you’re sick so just do it and don’t take a chance.

Luckily I have a close friend who cruises frequently so when AARP notified me of having won a gift card, I immediately called her.  The survey questions also have helped, (I e. cruise etiquette) so when I finally do get a chance to be in the water, I'll be set 😉

Buy gift cards using AARP Rewards.  Stay in an inside room and try to upgrade with a bid instead of paying the higher price up front.  When aboard a ship, if they have a program to put an open deposit down on another cruise, make use of it, because you will probably get some extra onboard credit once you actually book.

Check AARP rewards for gift cards on cruises or discounts on flight and cruise packages via the travel benefits. These benefits are a great way to save on your cruise! 

We buy all the travel gift cards thru AARP. Not just the cruise ones to save, but also store, dining, and lodging ones for the trip there and back, and any shopping we may need to do before the trip.

After having been on over 25 cruises, we have learned the following:

• We purchase cruise gift cards from AARP, and our local grocery store, Meijer has discounted gift card promos sometimes, too.
• Book early saver rates so you can rebook/change if the price goes down
• Carry on 1 bottle of wine per person when allowed
• Watch for price drops on excursions because many cruise lines let you cancel and re-book, and some have price-match guarantee. 

 I have cruised like three times and really can't say I have a tip or trick for cruising, but I am so looking forward to next year, celebrating our marriage of 50 years, retiring and taking our family with us on the cruise, which will be so exciting.  We have not all been together since 2008, so you can imagine the anticipation and especially to have our five grandchildren together as well!   Hoping a cruise will be the ticket for all of us to know each other better and enjoy each other.  By reading all others ideas and suggestions will be helpful and just make our cruising a trip of a lifetime!  The planning is in the works but with AARP articles and suggestions from all of you, looking forward with wide open eyes!