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.

[MayleneS297704]

Avoid long lines when dining by eating your meals at off hours.

[StevenG420591]

My cruise tip is to always prepay for activities and staff tips before I cruise.  It’s one less thing to worry about, just go and not think about money.  Always check to see if AARP has Carnival gift cards available for sale at a discount. It’s a great way to stretch your dollars.

[BarthM340202]

the best time to go through you muster is as soon as you get on the boat. Most people seem to wait and the lines can be longer. Always check with AARP first, when booking your next cruise.

[BobbiD594560]

If you're into swimming. Pack or wear your swimsuit on day 1. Pools are empty and you'll have them to yourself, as well as the hot tub. Sea day pools are a nightmare!!

[OrganizedChaos75]

My cruising experience is limited to only Carnival Cruise Lines, so some of my tips/advice might be Carnival specific, but typically applies to just about any cruise.

- Take a power strip or charging hub of some kind if you have multiple devices. Electrical outlets are very limited in a ship cabin. I prefer a long (9-10 ft.) extension cord over a power strip so I can reach just about anywhere. Plus a 3-way outlet adapter.

- You can find portable mesh shower caddies on Amazon to hang in your shower. Great for soaps/shampoos, etc. because there's hardly any room for that stuff in the shower. We also take a portable clothesline to hang in our bathroom for swim trunks/suits.

- Some of the newer ships don't have light switches for the main cabin lights, but instead have a slot to insert a card, such as your Sail & Sign card (Carnival). You can also use a hotel room key card, a gift card, or even a business card for this light slot.

- There is SO MUCH to do on a cruise. Don't try to do everything that interests you. You'll likely be overwhelmed (I've made this mistake). Many activities run at the same time, so you won't be able to do everything. Pick things that most interest you or new things you'd like to try. Don't get too down if you miss something, you'll still have fun.

I use AARP Rewards to buy Carnival gift cards for 10% off. It may not seem like much for an individual gift card, but once you pay for the cruise fare and other things, you can save hundreds of dollars with the discount cards. Carnival's gift cards can be used to pay off the cruise, to make online purchases, like water bottles for your cabin, decorations & more. They can be used to purchase excursions, taken onboard to fund your Sail & Sign account. Pretty much everything. As a bonus, AARP membership gets up discounts on things like hotels & rental cars for the trip to the cruise port.

[mikeian]

The best tip is that there is a cruise ship for everyone, but not every cruise ship is for everybody!  Cruising takes planning and is not up to serendipity!  If its your first cruise, it might be a good idea to seek a travel agent to help guide you to the right cruise line or do the research yourself, check out the AARP travel section for help.  Cheaper, shorter cruises tend to be overflowing with younger adults and the more mature traveler may not be thrilled with the ambience.  Get to know the cruise lines and the individual ships.  Safe travels!

[Nadja7]

Some of my best tips for making cruise travel easy are some very basic tips that I have learned over the years.  Packing an embarkation day bag with essentials you will need before you get your luggage delivered to your cabin.  Pack sunscreen, your bathing suit, lotion, hair ties, sunglasses etc. Get your room organized.  Bring a pop-up laundry hamper for your dirty clothes.  Bring a hanging toiletry bag, as bathroom space is quite limited.  Bring a concentrated bathroom spray, bathrooms are small.  Thank me later. With all the food, drinks and high calorie food make sure you use the fitness center and note that there are fitness classes as well.  Some are included and others have an extra charge.  The best tip is getting to know your cruise line and your cruise ship.  AARP has so much information in their travel section and gift cards to purchase and possibly win in their reward section. 

[ClaireS711867]

We try to avoid a rush the last day and arrive at departure area a day in advance

[brewdon]

Use your AARP rewards points to purchase a cruise line discount!

When booking if cruising with friends, each take a stateroom on either side of the ship. That way, if someone on the port side sees something remarkable, the starboard friends come to their room for the view. Likewise, if starboard has an incredible view of something, the port side friends head over for the view.

[ThomasK116416]

Opportunity awaits us!

[ls7091]

My husband and I have never been on a cruise, but would love to try one. I've been reading some of the posts and will remember all the great tips on cruising. Thanks, everyone.

[MaryV896898]

My husband and I have cruised several years, and we love to travel with family and friends!  We try to rememeber this is a great way to see different ports on one cruise, and soak up all the culture and sites we see.  We always travel to the port of choice the day prior to boarding, so we don't have an issue with arriving on time to set sail.  We enjoy the shows, so we always book early seating for dinner.  Cruising has been an affordable way for us to travel, and get everything needed to enjoy our trips.  Exploring new and wonderful ways to make the best of every situation, while having several different likes and dislikes.  AARP has been a wonderful way to purchase gift cards for cruising at a discount, which we love, but we also get a discount on our cell phones by being a AARP member.   Not to mention the perks of many other offers, watching a movie, getting rewards for completing AARP's many topics for daily living and helpful information and tips!!

[VelmaH450031]

This is my first cruise and since it's my first I decided to be sure and go with someone like-minded as I am. We both will share in all expenses, we are ready for a fun get away, and we are celebrating our 1st Anniversary. Do this cruise is a great way for all reasons. 

Thanks, Velma

[JeffreyL490704]

Always select the early dining time slot.  Gives you time the be ready for the midnight buffet 😋. A cruise is a time to be pampered and spoiled with anything you want. Don't worry about a thing; be open to meet new friends and enjoy all they have to offer.  

[dpnyc]

I've always cruised solo and have the best memories! Thanks to social media, it's easy to connect with fellow solo cruisers in advance by joining (or creating) a Facebook group for the date of your cruise, or checking the daily onboard newsletter for solo meetups (NCL does this best). (Fun fact: solo does not mean "singles," just people who are traveling solo!) And if you're not solo but want to connect with fellow cruisers, Cruise Critic dot com has Roll Call pages for each cruise. Enjoy!

[TemraB196574]

i've always heard to plan your excursions early and have a 'runner up' just incase. additionally, a day in town before and after port will allow you to be less stressed and of course -- utilize your aarp membership whenever and wherever possible!

[AntionetteB291260]

I haven't had a chance to use the AARP rewards because I am a new member. Would be excited to use on my next cruise. I recently just saw that it was even a thing and mentioned it to my friend just last week. 

[GaynorM588477]

My husband and I love to cruise but find its best to “temper our expectations”. Not every ship is the same (or even every cruise line). Some have better service, nicer decor or offer more amenities. Take each voyage as it comes. Every cruise has something that makes it special!

[SteveB67904]

Cruises are great fun. Concentrate on enjoying every day, as all of a sudden, it's the last day of the cruise. Be bold, get in the pools w/ others you don't know & talk w/ them, or casually chat with others you don't know - you can meet some amazing people from all walks of like that you weren't expecting to strike up a conversation with or have something in common withe. NOTE: it is far too easy to overeat, so be somewhat selective in the foods you eat, especially the desserts, as you will probably want to try several in one sitting - but the calories will build up & you will likely waste a lot of food. Have lots of fun!

[p242142f]

Just cruise to your heart’s content. Relax and let it all hang out! AARP travel is the best at finding and getting your vacations booked.

[ps8891]

We have been using, and are fans of the AARP gift cards, they save you money, are easy to use and saves me time as I can use them on the ship or to book a reservation as well as the perfect gift. AARP also just started a new program with on board credit with Holland America, free money for members, what a savings !!. When I travel I also enjoy the discounts on AARP travel site to book my hotels and car, as we like to fly in early and explore the area. Thanks AARP for being my cruise travel partner.

[ea5732]

Pick a cruise with the private island on the last day.  It is relaxing and you will need this time after all the touring that you will do on the other days.  Make sure you take the tours that are available on your cruise. 

[Hathily]

Cruise on a ship that holds your interest, whether it is the ports that you'll visit, or the ship itself.  Make sure that the ship has everything (or almost everything) that your heart desires on a cruise!

[happymam1012]

Many times on our cruises, my wife and I were not interested in excursions so we headed to the pools.  This is the perfect time to spend a few hours with far less people than usual around the pool.  So enjoy this quiet pool time. 

[KarenE149653]

Bring your ukulele and pickleball paddle to guarantee that you meet new friends and have a blast!

[CharlaG730057]

A short 3-4 day cruise was the perfect mixture of fun, relaxation and peacefulness that helped me bounce back from being sad lonely and depressed after losing both of my parents within 12 months. My girlfriend invited me (and the price so low I couldn’t say no) and I attempted to back out at the very end but she wouldn’t let me. Cozumel was great and the spa and comedy and food and casino were all fun activities that reminded me LIFE IS STILL WORTH LIVING after the death of your loved ones. 🥰

[RobertS384863]

Never tried Carnival; only always went RCL or NCL and LOVED cruising with them, but would love to try Carnival! Cruising is a wonderful way to see the world, and the food is unbelievably delicious!

Always remember to use your AARP card for discounts and special offers on car rentals, hotels, and restaurants before, during, and after the cruise!

[SheilaM756268]

Take advantage of buying gift cards for your cruise at AARP, or even better enter to win a Carnival gift card.  Also read the great travel tips on the site, you’ll be glad you did

[lynnempow]

Carnival Cruises are meant to be fun! Relax, get in the Conga line (even if you're embarrassed). And pack less than you think you need! Pre-plan your ashore trips, but remember to mix match outfits so you can wear many of the same clothing articles more than once. And have fun!

[SaraL27952]

My #1 tip about cruises is don't go 8 months pregnant !!! LoL ! I've been on one cruise, and I was 8 months pregnant..although I tried very hard to enjoy myself, a lot of the experiences were so hot and, honestly, miserable. We booked a cruise a year in advance and during that year I became pregnant with my first child. My doctor gave me the ok, so we decided to go ahead and go. We also booked excursions a year early, which we were not able to cancel. We swam with dolphins, which was amazing and very interesting being pregnant. The dolphins knew I was pregnant and they were very curious and all wanted to come around me and see what was in my belly! It was an amazing experience. We also booked a excursion to the city of Atlantis (in the Bahamas) which was miserable because I was pregnant. It was a very long and very hot walk. 

So, I would say def don't go on a cruise pregnant! 

I would say, enjoy the food! You are able to enjoy so many different types of food and some in a cafeteria style and then they usually have the fancy dinner night, with amazing food. Take advantage of all the food and sweets you can, you never know you might find a new favorite!!

Thanks for this amazing opportunity @AARPTeri  !!