AARP Rewards Online Community Cruise Contest 2023

[AARPTeri]

Want to set sail this summer? Share some of your best tips for making cruise travel easy and fun, and how AARP Rewards can help you travel, for a chance to win!

The contest runs from July 10 through Aug. 6, 2023. We will choose three (3) winners to receive a $500 Carnival Cruise Gift Card! 

To enter, reply to this post before August 6, 2023, with your tips for cruising and how you use AARP Rewards to help you travel.  

Official Rules for the contest are posted here -   AARP Rewards Online Community Cruise Contest 2023

Example for a Post Entry:

When my family and I travel on cruises we always arrive at port at least one day earlier so we don’t have to rush the morning of and can explore the area. Last year we used AARP Rewards to purchase a discounted Hotels.com gift card to save on our hotel stay in Port Canaveral, Florida the day before our cruise.

[judithhall]

My tip is ....if you're feeling a little queasy on a cruise, eat green apples.

[twotechs81]

In case of power issues, I always take a flashlight and keep it on my nightstand! 

[MarkF404970]

Always buy the gift cards from AARP first, save the money for more fun on your cruise!

[twotechs81]

I recommend battery operated motion sensor lights that can be mounted on the bed frame or anywhere that a magnet will stick to! They only turn on when motion is detected. Great for middle of the night trips to the “potty”!

[lp70764904]

Take some magnetic clips to attach itineraries to your walls.  Easy to see and helps to organize.  

Do attend the discussions for the next day agendas.  AARP Linda

[RLIcoupon]

Best advice is to pack light. So what if you are seen wearing the same things often? Lugging and paying for extra luggage is something you won’t miss but bring along some soft empty canvas or nylon luggage bags to fill with any things you purchase. They do not take up much space in your suitcase. AARP is a good place to look for travel tips and bargains and discount offers.

[MaryH528074]

Please enter my name in the contest. Ive never been on a cruise so this would be wonderful!

[cindersga1]

I love cruising and there is nothing better than purchasing a Carnival Cruise Gift Card at a discount!  With AARP Rewards you can save 10% off a $100 or $500 gift card. What a great deal!  
So as to not be hurried, stressed, or take any chance, I recommend arriving to the port a day or two early. We’ve all raced to get ourselves packed and the last thing we need is a delayed flight, car trouble, or road work to throw us off and make us late for the gate!  Get there early enjoy a nice leisurely day or two to unwind and get some good sleep before setting sail. Once on board pace yourself. Check out all that is being offered and what speaks to your adventurous side. I love the musical productions so I know I don’t want to miss one of them. 😊

The last thing would be a well stocked first aid kit. You just never know when you might get hit with a terrible virus. Being sick on a cruise is bad enough but not having the proper meds will cost you money in the infirmary. Plan ahead so you can get ahead of the sickness. Most of all enjoy your trip and take lots of pictures to share 📸🛳️

[ch12713064]

A Carnival cruise is so much fun!  If you can handle your own luggage, you'll get on and off the ship so much faster, and keep your items under your control the entire time.  When you board, the door to the floor of your cabin may be closed but you can open it and drop off your luggage in your room even if your room isn't ready.  If you drink more than four alcoholic drinks a day, a drink package is a great deal.  It includes much more than booze.  It includes water, coffee drinks, milkshakes, sodas, smoothies and nonalcoholic drinks.  It's cheaper (10% less) if you buy it before boarding, and you can pick up cans of soda and sparkling water to store in your room for later.  It also includes the tips so you're not having to figure out the 18% gratuity. We cruised in May, and a small flute of champagne (or mimosa) was $14.  Of course you can use AARP discounted Carnival gift cards so that's another 10% too! 

[SonjaR306651]

PROTECT YOURSELF AGAINST NOROVIRUS!!

Norovirus is exploding on ships and this worries me. I'm going on a 10 day cruise with 5 elderly ladies (we're all super excited to share this special time together), so I looked up how to not get it. Since it spreads via touch and eating (i.e. swallowing the virus), the most important rule is to WASH YOUR HANDS WITH SOAP AND WATER for a minimum of 20 seconds. Do this before eating and drinking, but also after touching high contact surfaces and even brushing your teeth!!  

Think it can't happen to you? One ship this year had 13% of staff & passengers get sick. A total of 13 ships have had 2023 outbreaks as of July. Also, it spreads really easily in small spaces, so if your roommate gets it you must be extra careful. 

While norovirus isn't killed by hand sanitizer, I'll still be using mine a lot AND bring some KN95 masks along in case my roommates do come down with the virus or any illness. Being sick on a cruise is awful — I know this and my clogged nose and ears also gave me my only case of seasickness at the same time.

PRO TIP!! Use AARP's gift cards to pay for the cruise. I saved $450 on my Princess, but beware they're only good for purchasing your cruise — not onboard. 

Links to read more:

https://www.cnn.com/2023/07/11/health/norovirus-outbreaks-cruise-ships-wellness/index.html

https://www.health.com/norovirus-outbreak-cruise-ships-7561243#:~:text=%E2%80%9CThe%20most%20importa...

[kpowell71462]

The way I use AARP Rewards for my cruise travel is by purchasing the discounted AARP Rewards Carnival gift cards for paying off my cruise and for my onboard account. Some of my tips for cruise travel are if you're flying to your embarkation port be sure to arrive the day before. There's too big of a chance for missing your ship when you fly in the day of. You'll also likely overpack but remember that there are onboard laundry rooms and also laundry service you can use. Pack any meds you may need and bring plenty of sunscreen, it is expensive to buy these onboard so it is nice to be prepared.

[TimothyM745240]

I have a couple of hints for people that haven't been on cruises before.  We like to see the shows onboard, and we see as many as we can.  They are every bit as good as shows that you see in the big city.  Also, if you get motion sickness at all, try to find a room nearest to the center of the ship as you can.  The front and the rear of the ship move the most with the waves, so the middle is best.  One of the most important hints:  Relax and forget about everything for a while!  These will be the memories that you will remember the rest of you life.

[p38424]

If you're a drinker buy the drink package in advance to save. Also, consider buying discounted Carnival Cruise gift cards through AARP and use them to save when paying for your cruise!

[Darnea]

i would love to go on my first cruise, no tips now but oh you just wait i will tell you everything about my cruise if i win. would also be my first time using my aarp card as well. i'm new to all of this

[cindersga1]

I hope your dream comes true soon. 

[MarinaK888769]

I’ve cruised many times. I now will try to cruise with one cruise line since you could build loyalty points and I use a personal planner. I try to book about a year early and if the price goes down, your personal planner will usually get you the savings as on board credit. I usually fly down a day before also, for peace of mind. If you get motion sick, my recommendation is to stay on the lower decks in the middle of the ship (has been a problem for me in the past). This year, I’m getting some of the Carnival gift cards from AARP to save an extra 10%.  

[ralphymeister]

Going on my first Carnival cruise in 2024. my second cruise ever. 

Save on the cruise line itself as well as travel and hotels through AARP. It helps more than you'd think.

tips:

1. pack more bathing suits, socks and underwear than you think you'll need. 

2. download the app for your cruise line beforehand. it's a necessity!

3. research ports beforehand and compare prices for excursions, you can book them directly rather than through the cruise line to save money. 

4. triple check all travel documents leading up to and the day of. 

5. have fun and relax! you're on vacation

[JessicaL536993]

Some of my best tips for cruising are related to staying healthy and saving money! One is to avoid alcohol consumption beyond the healthy legal limit for adults ( one for women and two for men) This tip allows you to avoid 1. costly taxes and fees associated with consuming more alcohol than what is included in an inclusive package and 2. consuming more than what is healthy which costs you in time spent feeling dehydrated, tired, or cranky during the trip. To help with this, splitting food and alcoholic beverages as well as other high calorie foods can allow you to enjoy the flavors available without paying the cost of poor health and unwanted weight gained later. There is a saying that a person gains an average of 9lbs on a one week cruise. You can break this trend by considering these tips and by staying active throughout your journey! 

[FrancisV936342]

I always check the excursions before leaving and buy them online through local guides; it's much cheaper than buying the cruise's excursions. ALso you can find more interesting excursions this way because they don't have them all on the boat. ANother thing that I do is I I bought some magnetic hooks online (amazon or such) and stick them on the cabin walls, which are metallic. I can hang my hat, some light clothes etc instead of putting them in the cabinets. Third thing is I bring my own bottle of water and fill it up at the buffet where the water fountain is free. No need to spend more buying bottle water on board.

[cameronmay]

My boyfriend and just booked for Celebration in March for his Birthday & our anniversary, after I was just on Mardi Gras this past January with my mom! He has never been on Carnival and is so excited. 

Pay for your cruise through AARP gift cards - No matter if you are sailing carnival or another line. We are saving over $250 on our 2024 cruise just through gift cards through AARP. Not just the lump sum total either, you can use the gift cards to pre pay for wifi, dining, beverage packages, excursions, spa trips and more. I can't believe the cruises I went on prior to joining AARP (this will be my first) that I didn't know this was an option! Saves so much money for us who need it. 

Advice on Cruising:

1. Pre purchase everything! You save money rather than buying on board pretty much everything. It is so nice to get off the ship on debarkation day and not have a hefty bill to pay. 

2. Don't forget sunscreen! They will have it available for purchase on board but at a much higher price point. 

3. Pre book dinner reservations so you can dine at the time you want!

4. If you are flying to the port, plan on arriving a day early and stay at a hotel (using AARP rewards to save on that too!) - if your flight gets canceled or delayed, they will not wait for you. Better to have peace of mind!

5. Join a facebook group for your specific sail date, so you can connect with other cruises before embark day!

[LauraV235807]

Tip:  always plan ahead, you get better deals that way.   Put the gratuity in with your monthly payments so you don't have to worry about it at the end of your cruise.   I used the AARP rewards to purchase discounted carnival cruise gift cards that I applied to pay down my cruise package.

[ma5549]

So you've decided to go on a cruise! Good for you--you have the health and the means to enjoy a vacation to a new and exciting place. I've been on 4 sea cruises and two riverboat cruises and I have a few tips for you. 

1. Do some research on the places you'll visit so you'll know what to see and expect on your shore excursions. (I just returned from a river cruise in Europe and didn't realize that the small town on our stop had not one, but two UNESCO World Heritage sites. Luckily our guide showed us the way!)

2. Don't overpack. With each cruise, I pack less and less, learning to use the ship's onboard laundry service and wash undies as needed. Did you know dental floss can also do double duty as a clothesline?

3. Be kind to other passengers and staff. Hey, we're all in this together. Treat others the way you want to be treated. A "Good morning, how are you?" goes a long way, as does courtesy in assisting and relating to other passengers. Line budgers are the worst!

4. The staff is there to help you, so don't be afraid to ask for their help. When my sister got her fingers pinched in a door, our cruise director George called a taxi and arranged for us to go to a hospital in Strasbourg, France, for X-Rays. We had some new, free experiences with the French health system, and learned it wasn't that different from the American health system (except it's free) AND her fingers weren't broken! Your staff is trained to find answers--use them with politeness. 

5. Save up your AARP rewards for $ off on cruises, as well as airfare, hotels, restaurants, and gas which you may need to pay for going to and from your port. 

6. Roll with the punches. One of my favorite phrases as I travel: IT IS WHAT IT IS! You may encounter delays, travel sickness, rudeness, or bad weather, but that's part of life, and part of travel. We all have strategies to deal with stress. Pull those out of your hat and use them!

[newcombd]

My husband and I love to cruise!  Prior to the cruise we check online to make sure the ship has a laundry.  If so, we pack only half as much clothing as we will need.  We do the laundry halfway through the trip and we have fresh clothes.  This saves us the amount of clothes to pack by 50%.  AARP Rewards Tips are very helpful to us.  We follow the fitness suggestions so we are always physically ready for any excursions offered on the cruise.

[MarthaB182013]

Haven't been in along time. Would love it

[judycole47]

My tip is to arrive at least one day early, gives you wiggle room if something happens. Just relax once onboard and enjoy the trip. I enjoy reading other tips. Have not used the Carnival cards but planning for the future. Thanks to AARP for all the tips.

[TerryT407788]

Unpack as SOON as you get access to your cabin. You can store your suitcases under the bed for more room to move around. An extension cord and extra plugs are a great idea, especially if you sleep with a c-pap like I do. I have had to run extension cords under the bed (and around those suitcases!) in order to get to the ONE plug in. If you have extra plugs (I’m’ not sure you can bring a plug strip) you can charge your electronics over night and still have that c-pap running. 

[KennethN187050]

Never been on a cruise 🤧

[mm89567366]

to enjoy cruise, be organize, every night is a program in paper or electronic in your phone to see all activities next day, include the menu for lunch and dinner, all event all day you can select what you want, also in Carnival cruises you can take 2 bottle of wine 750ml, for cabin, not inside the luggage, take in your back pack , not problem a all, go to Cucina del Capitano in lunch time, dinner is for a charge, also for Asian jiji's, is the same way, and if you buy spa for day, try to go after dinner, i'm always go after dinner a 6, , so 7;30 to 10 the spa is only for you, nobody in there, so enjoy that 

[RebeccaS19701]

This will be my first cruise. I have utilized social media to get ideas from other members to help me have the best experience on the cruise with savings. One thing I learned through online media is utilizing AARP to buy discounted carnival gift cards to help reduce the costs. Another is to eat green apples to help with sea sickness. 

[MaryH211774]

if u are prone to seasickness pick a cabin in the lower part of ship. The higher the deck the more the motion.