Free Cruise Giveaways To Enter Right Now

If the idea of a free cruise sounds appealing, right now might be a good time to pay attention. This month, during what cruise lines call “wave season,” travelers can pick up some of the best cruise vacation values available. To promote those exceptional seasonal values to new travelers, some of whom may have never been on a cruise before, cruise lines are teaming with everyone from television program producers to airline operators to give away free cruises.

“Wave Season” unofficially runs from January through March and features what cruise lines and travel agencies promise to be some of the best values of the year. Whether those values are something to get excited about or not, with snow on the ground and winter cold freezing travelers inside, many look to cruise vacations for relief.

Researching, looking, dreaming or buying, cruise travelers probably won’t do better than “free” when it comes to pricing. Let’s take a look at contests going on right now.

Who Wants To Be A Millionaire” is giving contestants and one lucky home viewer the chance to escape the winter blues with a Disney Cruise Vacation!

This week, during “Cruise In and Win Week,” airing January 7 – 11, a cruise vacation will be attached to one “Who Wants To Be A Millionaire” question in each contestant’s game. Answered correctly, the contestant as well as one lucky winner at home wins the money attached to the question as well as a Disney Cruise Vacation for four aboard the Disney Fantasy.

One randomly selected grand prize winner will choose a cruise vacation on either the Disney Magic or the Disney Wonder, sailing from Galveston, Texas.

US Airways Cruises – Million Miles Dream Getaway Sweepstakes will give one grand prize winner 500,000 Dividend Miles and a seven-night Caribbean cruise for two.

To enter, just sign up to receive US Airways weekly cruise emails by January 31. Signing up for just about any travel service provider’s priority email newsletters or offers is a great idea anyway. Those subscribed often get first notice of special pricing, value sailings and more.

Don’t want your email inbox filling up with what might otherwise be seen as junk? Have a special email address just for this reason.

Five other prize winners will receive 100,000 Dividend Miles

The Smooth Jazz Cruise has sailed annually since 2004, bringing together fans of Jazz music and top jazz musicians. Promoter Entertainment Cruise Productions is giving away a free cruise valued at $5,600 on Holland America Line’s m/s Westerdam, January 13 – 20, 2013, or January 20 – 27, 2013, for The Smooth Jazz Cruise.

On board will be jazz great George Benson along with David Sandborn, Bob James, Alonzo Bodden, Rick Braun, Richard Elliot and others.

Alaska Magazine has teamed up with adventure cruise line InnerSea Discoveries for a Cruise Alaska Sweepstakes.

Valued at over $11,000, the grand prize is seven nights on board 86-guest Safari Endeavour, departing from Juneau, Alaska. Included are all onboard meals, spirits, wine and microbrews, exclusive transfers and baggage handling, taxes and port fees, entry fees to national parks/preserves, all from-the-boat activities and equipment, sauna, hot tub, yoga classes and a complimentary massage.

Enter between now and January 31, 2013.

Looking for other sources of free cruises? Travel agencies often have free cruise contests as we see in this video:


[Photo Credit- Flickr User Peter Nijenhuis]

Cruise line granted access to protected Alaska park

American Cruise Lines operates a fleet of small ships and offers more than 25 unique itineraries along the inland waterways and rivers of the Pacific Northwest, the Mississippi River System and East Coast of the United States. This week the line announced that it has been awarded a contract to enter Glacier Bay National Park making it the newest cruise line granted access and one of only a few cruise lines permitted to tour the area. Known for its abundant wildlife, spectacular blue glaciers and for being a highlight of any Alaska adventure, Glacier Bay is a highly sought after destination for Alaskan cruisers and travelers. American Cruise Lines will offer seven-to-eleven night cruises including round-trips out of Juneau.

“As one of the few places where people can still view the world as nature intended it to be, we wanted to make sure we could take our passengers there to experience it for themselves.”
said Timothy Beebe, Vice President of American Cruise Lines.
Designated a World Heritage Site and Biosphere Reserve, Glacier Bay is a nature wonderland. Ships visiting are joined by a National Park Service Ranger and a Native Cultural Interpreter who will provide narration and insight into Glacier Bay, as well as help spot wildlife such as mountain goats, whales and brown and black bears.

“Here we can return briefly to a time that doesn’t exist anywhere else,” noted renowned photographer, Mark Kelley’s award-winning book, Glacier Bay National Park: Alaska.

Cruise ships commonly stop in Glacier Bay then gently spin around to allow unparalleled viewing of glaciers.

Beginning next summer in June of 2012, American Cruise Lines will offer several different Alaskan itineraries, including round-trip cruises departing from Juneau, Alaska, and one-way cruises between Juneau and Seattle, Washington. New and returning passengers can expect all the modern on-board amenities including over-sized staterooms and bathrooms, private balconies, and elevators to all decks, along with exceptional locale-inspired cuisine and highly personalized service.

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