'I'm a cruise expert - few passengers know about these free perks'

A respected has taken to to share a range of most ships that most passengers are completely unaware of. Whilst cruising offers passengers a wide range of free items and experiences, including , swimming pools and theatre shows, Ilana Schattauer from the YouTube channel noted that there are a number of additional perks that do not promote.

In , Ilana highlighted that one free perk that most passengers are unaware of is on-board credit, which can easily be earned by referring a friend for a future holiday. She said: "First of all, refer a friend and get free perks. Now, I'll admit that this isn't something I've tried myself but I used to work as a travel agent and some of my clients did take advantage of this."

In a bid to gain more business, many cruise lines offer promotions that reward passengers who refer their friends for a future holiday, sharing a unique code with them that they can use to book a holiday with.

Whilst the reward varies depending on the cruise line, tourists could receive up to $150 (£116), which can be spent in a variety of ways on board the ship.

These include free drinks from the many bars across the ship, meals in one of the speciality restaurants and treatments from the spa.

Later in the video, Ilana also suggested that passengers do not hesitate to say that they are celebrating a birthday or anniversary during their time on board, with passengers likely to receive a small gift.

She added: "While this doesn't have a lot of monetary value, it certainly can help to make your cruise just that little bit more special, especially if you are celebrating somebody's birthday or anniversary. And, by the way, it doesn't have to be on the actual date. If you're planning the cruise to celebrate marking that milestone, you can definitely do this.

"Before your cruise, you'll want to go on your cruise planner, the online check-in or your travel agent to let them note it on your booking. Once you're on the cruise, you can choose when you want to celebrate that occasion. They'll usually bring out a special cake or dessert, and that's completely free."

Finally, Ilana suggested that cruise passengers can often get free room service when ordering breakfast in the morning, allowing them to dine from the comfort of their balcony.

She continued: "A lot of people don't know this, but on a cruise you can get complimentary continental room service breakfasts from most cruise lines. Until a few years ago, most cruise lines offered free all-day room service, but that changed a little while back.

"That said, complimentary room service is often available, even though the cruise lines don't advertise it. I absolutely love this perk!"