Free Margaritaville at Sea Cruise for Military, First Responders & Educators [Offer Updated]

Margaritaville at Sea is offering a free 2-night cruise from the Port of Palm Beach to Grand Bahama Island for military, first responders, and teachers in recognition of these dedicated professions’ service over the past several years.

If you’re an eligible traveler, taking advantage of this deal will allow you to set sail for free, only paying port taxes and fees. The offer changes on October 12, requiring the passengers utilizing the free cruise offer to travel with a paying guest, so if you’re interested in the initial offer, make sure to book by October 11.

Who Is Eligible To Receive the Free Cruise?

This offer is valid for active and veteran military, first responders, law enforcement officers, government employees, and educators, and all professions are validated through the GovX ID platform. This free, easy-to-use website verifies your credentials, asks for some simple biographical information, and asks you to log in to your licensing agency’s website for verification. If you don’t already have an account, it is easy to create one and you can usually be verified in a matter of minutes.

The Deal

Under this offer, eligible travelers can receive a free 2-night cruise from the Port of Palm Beach in Riviera Beach, Florida to Grand Bahama Island on select dates through the end of 2023. To book, you’ll need to use this booking link.

There are several things to be aware of, however:

• Up to 2 verified travelers can travel together in the same stateroom. So, for example, you can have 2 police officers staying in the same room to receive a completely free room, however, if only 1 of the travelers is eligible, the other traveler would need to pay the standard cruise sailing rate.
• You can travel as a solo traveler without any issues. You do not need to have multiple guests per room.
• Capacity is limited, and you may find certain dates restricted based on bookings.
• There are only 2 blackout dates: December 30, 2022, and December 31, 2023.
• While the cruise itself is free, you will be required to pay all port taxes, fees, and port expenses. These are charged by local governments and unfortunately are not waived.
• The offer is available for qualified passengers to enjoy 1 free cruise to the Bahamas per year.

It’s worth noting that these free cruises can be booked online, but if for whatever reason you need to call customer service, you’ll likely encounter long wait times thanks to the popularity of the offer. To book under the current offer, you’ll want to secure your spot by October 11.

As of October 12, more availability is being added for cruises due to overwhelming demand, so if you don’t see a particular sailing available, be sure to check back after that date for more openings. However, in order to book after this date, you’ll need to book as a companion of a paying guest, which is different than the original offer of a completely free ticket.

Also starting October 12, guests can also take advantage of Margaritaville at Sea’s new fall offer, with rates starting at $109 and a $50 cabin credit.

Hot Tip: Consider using one of our recommended best credit cards for booking cruises when finalizing your arrangements. 

Final Thoughts

This is a fantastic and generous offer for military, first responders, and teachers, so if you are qualified you should definitely take advantage of this as soon as possible to ensure your booking. Even if you will be traveling with passengers that are not eligible for the free cruise, your trip will still be significantly cheaper.