When it comes to taking a cruise, most of us are simply looking to save money on the trip, knowing that we will definitely be spending it while on vacation. That’s one of the reasons that cruising is so popular — it’s among the best vacations to get the most for your money.
That said, what if you didn’t have to just spend money while you were on your trip? What if there was a way to actually make money while you cruise?
Truth is that there are several ways you can earn money on your trip, and they are not as far-fetched as you might think. And no, they don’t involve checking in with the office while on your vacation.
If you’re wanting to earn some extra cash while on your cruise, check out these legit ways to make money:
Play Some Bingo For Cash
Think bingo on a cruise is where you play for cheesy prizes like a souvenir beach towel or a gift certificate for a steak dinner? Think again. On cruises you can earn some serious cash playing the game. Every cruise will have regular bingo sessions, along with a “main event” one day of the cruise. Cards are typically $10 each, with much of the money going to the prize pool. In other words, the more people that play, the bigger the stakes can be.
Prizes include cash and you can also win cruises too. How much money can you make? It often depends on the number of players, but Carnival mentions a $5,000 jackpot on their website. Imagine going on a cruise and having it completely paid for — and then some — just by playing a fun game.
Sell Your Cruise Photos
Are you a good photographer? There are numerous websites that allow you to sell your photos online, where numerous people — from websites to blogs to advertisers — are looking for the perfect picture to accompany their work.
The good news? Travel is always an in-demand subject for photos and good pictures of beaches and cruise ships can be popular. The bad news? You’ll definitely need to know what you’re doing. Simply taking a few snapshots with your phone won’t cut it. Photos need to be of high quality and suitable for sale.
So how much money can you make? That completely depends on how popular your photos are with the audience. You get a cut of each sale and popular photos can sell hundreds or even thousands of times. For more on your options for selling photos, you can read this article.
Hit the Casino/Poker Tables
Ok, just to be clear you are more likely to lose money at the casino than you are to come away flush with cash. Still, there is the potential for you to make money on your cruise by playing in the casino.
Cruise casinos offer all the traditional table games including blackjack, craps, and roulette. They also offer lots of slot machines and a few games that you won’t see in a traditional casino like coin-pushing games. In addition there are tournaments for slots and blackjack where you can walk away with cash prizes.
Where you are most likely to come out ahead is the casino game based on skill — poker. Poker games are common on cruise ships and there are a number of lower-level players who try their hand. If you are a skilled player, then you are more likely to win.
Rent Your Home on AirBNB or HomeAway
Travel these days in many ways looks completely different than years past. One major difference is where people stay while they vacation. It used to be people stayed only in hotels, but now home-sharing sites like AirBNB or HomeAway have soared in popularity. The appeal is simple — travelers get a more “authentic” space versus staying in a hotel. Meanwhile, homeowners can make extra cash when they are out of town.
In fact, it’s not unusual to be able to make hundreds of dollars per day from renting out your home. Of course, you likely need to be in a place that’s popular with tourists, such as living in Florida. You’ll also want to sign up well ahead of time so that you can be vetted and placed on the websites and so that potential renters can book well before their vacation.
It may be a lot of work to get your place ready to rent while you are on your cruise, but making hundreds — or thousands — of dollars while you are also on vacation can’t be beat.
Have an idea for making money while you cruise? Let us know in the comments below.
