“No way!” you say. How can a luxury cruise vacation with five-star service, sumptuous cuisine and fascinating ports of call be free? It must be on a leaky old dinghy or tied to some time-share deal, right? No! Most of the world’s best cruise lines actually have free cruises available.

“How?” you say. That sounds too good to be true and everyone knows anything that’s free is not worth much. Well, not in this case! Have you ever heard the story of the Pied Piper who had many followers? If you can be like the Pied Piper and muster a group of friends, family and associates to come along with you on a cruise, your berth can be discounted or even FREE!

The number of participants required to earn a free berth varies by cruise line, but typically when you organize a group of eight double cabins to sail together (sometimes even less!), you can qualify for a free cruise. In addition, your group may earn a complimentary private party, group photographs or shipboard credits for each cabin, depending on the specific sailing.

By now you are probably thinking, “Hmm, where can I gather enough group participants to get a free cruise?” You may be surprised at how easy it is to get a group together. One of the best sources is to invite your extended family to cruise together for a vacation or a special celebration. You could also put all of your Facebook connections to good use and talk up a reunion trip for old friends. Or think about your civic, religious or social organizations and choose a cruise with a theme or destinations that would appeal to their interests and promote it to the membership. Tap the enthusiasm of ball room dancers, yogis, bridge players, historians, Rotarians, art enthusiasts or golfers and bring them together to learn, play and explore their passions.

All you have to do is be a Pied Piper and lead your merry band of followers to the cruise of your choice. It’s a win-win situation since the group gets the camaraderie of fellowship on a luxury cruise and you get a free berth (taxes and airfare are normally not included) while Covington Travel takes care of all the reservation and payment details. If you would like to explore your free cruise options, let Covington’s Master Cruise Counselors give you more details.