  Free Money on Cruises  The final night of our cruise on the
Rhapsody of the Seas, Mrs. Kuki was busy packing for
debarkation, when the bill was slipped under our cabin door. She
took a quick look and panicked. $8000!!! As the sweat poured
profusely down her brow, she feared, "what in the world has he
done now?" I suppose, given my checkered past, her worry was
justified.  No, I didn't buy my favorite cocktail waitress a
diamond tennis bracelet in the duty free shop. I was simply
taking advantage of the cruise lines' generous policy of giving
away free money.  Here's a little known fact: most major cruise
lines allow you to use your onboard charge card to purchase
chips from the casino cashier. These chips may later be
exchanged for cash. The cruise lines treat these transactions as
onboard purchases, rather than cash advances. If you pay off
these charges in full when your credit card bill arrives at
home, the cruise lines have provided an interest free loan.  OK,
so it's just been a short-term loan, but th