When you cruise, you will need to pay $12.95 per person, per day, for gratuities, and the cruise line reserves the right to impose an additional fuel surcharge, up to $12 per person, per day. The cruise fare is waived, but you still have to pay government taxes and fees up front: $65 per person, when I called. Second, as you might guess, the cruise isn't actually free. It's a legitimate cruise ship - but it's owned by Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line. The ship they are offering to get you on is often Grand Celebration. These are travel sellers, not cruise lines. My offer came from Royal Seas Cruises others have been contacted by Holiday Cruise Line. First, it usually does not come from a cruise line, though the phone reps might make it sound like that's what they are. However you encounter the free cruise offer, there a few things to consider.

(Groupon offers Bahamas cruise deals, but as far as we know, they don't claim to be free and are legit.) Some people have received postcards in the mail with an 800 number to call. It's not the only way the call goes out the Better Business Bureau (BBB) has reported people receiving phone calls from radio stations like Chase 88 and Quest 102, offering a chance to win a free cruise for answering trivia questions. Who doesn't want a two-night getaway to the Bahamas on a cruise for free - or at least, cheap? I got my free cruise offer as an ad on Ticketmaster on the confirmation page for a theater ticket purchase, and I signed up online to receive a call. The free cruise scam is something of a legend among travelers, and unfortunately a siren song for the uninitiated.

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