Cruise Loyalty Clubs

Captains Club - Celebrity Cruises Go into any department store, supermarket or restaurant chain and when coming to pay the chances are you will be asked if you have that particular company’s loyalty card. People collect the points awarded in the hope of saving enough to get something for free, anything from free vouchers to free flights and even holidays. Everyone likes something for nothing, so what about cruise lines what do they give?

Most cruise lines operate a loyalty club. They operate under various names, Captains Club, Crown & Anchor Society, Peninsular Club, Mariners Society, MSC Voyagers Club and many more. The benefits vary widely depending on the particular cruise line and what tier you are at. In most cases you are eligible to join the ‘Club’ after your first cruise and then the more cruises or days at sea you take with that company, so you start to climb up through the various levels or tiers as they are known. So what do the ‘Clubs’ give you? P&O and MSC give discounts on purchases made on board which are very popular with their loyal passengers. There are different tier levels which have variable percentage discounts on a variety of onboard items including any drinks you may have from the mini bar in your cabin. The loyalty clubs of Royal Caribbean and Celebrity cruises give 2 for 1 vouchers to lower tier members, which is in fact a 50% saving on various venues on the ship. As you climb through the various tiers, so automatic cabin upgrades become available and at the upper levels free drinks are available each day for a limited period which can make quite a saving on your drinks bill. These are just a few of the major benefits, there are many others.

Peninsular Club - P&O Cruises As already said most cruise lines have loyalty clubs but the full list of benefits that each offers is far too long to list here. Needless to say they are all different and the loyal followers of the various cruise lines will always tell you their favourite cruise line offers the best loyalty package. It is also a case of do you actually benefit from what the ‘Club’ offers. Some do free laundry, but one lady posted on a cruise forum once that there was no way she was going to be giving her ‘personals’ to the ship’s laundry for washing. Some offer a pressing service, which I personally find of great benefit and always get my evening suit pressed to remove the creases it has gained from the suitcase. Priority embarkation is another alleged benefit. Why alleged, well I was on one cruise which had so many repeat passengers that the priority queue was huge whilst the non-priority was almost empty. Guess which one I joined. Certainly, one of the main benefits from some of the ‘Clubs’ is the free WiFi. We live in an age where everyone, well at least nearly everyone, wants to stay in contact by email and the various free telephone systems available over WiFi, so a free WiFi package is looked upon by many people as a real benefit whilst a lapel pin denoting their tier status is in the eyes of some something they would never wear.

Crown & Anchor Society - Royal Caribbean International Some give what I describe as ‘niceties’. A welcome on board lunch, a bottle of wine or champagne on ice in your cabin to welcome you, dinner with the captain or one of his senior officers, hors d’oeuvres served to you in your cabin before dinner, senior officer’s cocktail party during the cruise. Most do a ‘repeaters lunch’ during a cruise, which as the name suggests is for repeat passengers.

So do you get something worthwhile for nothing? Most passengers seem to think they do and that is what matters.

245 people found this helpful
17765

Share Article:

Alan Fairfax

Travel writer & cruise journalist

Leave a comment

*

Sign up to our newsletter to receive the latest travel tips on top destinations.

Join the club

Become a member to receive exclusive benefits

Our community is the heart of Silver Travel Advisor, we love nothing more than sharing ideas, inspiration, hints and tips between us.

Most Recent Articles

There’s something refreshingly nostalgic about the quintessential British coach holiday….

Come feel the love on a Princess cruise. You’ll enjoy the MedallionClass experience others simply can’t, and it’s exclusively for everyone. Visit incredible destinations and be involved in the best experiences around each one of them.

Experience more with Princess and connect effortlessly with the world around you, spend time away with loved ones, take a moment for yourself, and fall in love with your holiday of a lifetime, every time.

With over 20 years of experience, Wendy Wu Tours has mastered the art of creating exceptional, fully inclusive tours which showcase the very best of each destination.

Each tour is led by a world-class guide, who will highlight the very best of their homeland, and includes authentic cultural experiences so you are not just seeing the sights, but truly immersing yourself in local life.

Say hello to ease at sea. Ambassador’s purpose is simple: they want to inspire every guest to experience authentic cruising, effortlessly and sustainably. Passionate about protecting our oceans and destinations, their ships comply with the highest industry emission standards and there is no single-use plastic on board.

On your voyage, you will receive the warmest of welcomes from the Ambassador community as you sail upon the friendliest ships afloat.

This is a global co-operative co-owned by local partners using real local experts and guides, which supports local communities, environments and wildlife. It offers travellers quirky places to stay, activity holidays and learning experiences. Not In The Guidebooks gets travellers off the beaten track into local culture with day experiences and longer, immersive adventures.

From wild wellness breaks in Wales to painting in Portugal, sustainable adventures in Mauritius to food safaris in Brazil, this is immersive, exciting travel.

Seabourn’s five intimate ships carry guests to the heart of great cities, exclusive yacht harbours and secluded coves around the world, while two new purpose-built expedition ships will combine exhilarating adventures in remote destinations with the sophisticated amenities of the world’s finest resorts at sea.

From the luxury of all suite accommodations to complimentary fine wines and spirits, and a no tipping policy, Seabourn exemplifies the definition of travelling well.