Lesson 4 of 5

The second guest

The most common surprise on a free cruise is the bill for the second person.

Video, 5 min: Casino Comp Cruise: Does the Second Guest Pay?. Free, on our YouTube channel.

What the offer covers

A Club Royale offer covers the cruise fare for the guest who earned it. The second person in the cabin is a separate question, and offers answer it in one of three ways.

• Full fare. The second guest pays the whole fare.
• A discount. The second guest pays a lower fare.
• Both covered. Both guests get the cruise fare comped. In the 13 offers we read, that was two.

Whichever applies, both guests always owe taxes, port fees and gratuities. Those are never comped, and they are charged per person.

Why people miss it

The card leads with "complimentary" or "$200 off". The second guest terms sit lower, in smaller type. Sailing alone does not get you out of it, because an offer is based on two people in the cabin, so a solo sailor can still owe that second fare. A full second fare on seven nights can run to several hundred dollars.

What this site does when the offer is silent

Most cards do not give a percentage. When yours does not, and you have not entered one, legtolegcruises.com prices the second guest at 60 percent off and says so in one plain line: the second guest percent is assumed, your offer does not say, cruisers report 55 to 65 percent, and you can enter yours to change it. A percentage you enter, even zero, always wins. The assumed number is never saved as if you had said it.

Do the sum that counts

Compare offers on what actually leaves your account:

1. The first guest's fare after the offer, often $0.
2. The second guest's fare, after any discount.
3. Taxes and port fees for both of you, and gratuities.

An offer that covers both guests can easily beat one with a better first-guest perk and a full second fare. If an offer does not state the discount, plan for the full fare until the booking page shows otherwise. A pleasant surprise beats a shock at checkout.

The details are in second-guest fees. Last lesson: booking and checking the bill.

In short: The offer covers the first guest. The second guest pays a fare unless the offer says both are covered, and both pay taxes and port fees.

The legtolegcruises.com lessons are independent and not affiliated with Royal Caribbean International or Club Royale. Fares, offers and rules change often, so confirm every detail with Royal Caribbean before you book.