Cruise Line Loyalty Programs Explained

Should you be loyal to one cruise line?  Are the perks of the loyalty programs worth sticking with one cruise line to build up your status?  Or are the loyalty programs nice but not worth staying with one specific cruise line for?  Is it better to have lots of experiences across many cruise lines and forgo the perks?

Let’s take a look at the perks that come with cruise line loyalty programs and you can decide for yourself.

Keep in mind, the entry-level tiers with any cruise line have minimal benefits. You will have to cruise many-a-sailing to get to the good stuff! And keep going and you can even earn a free cruise with some programs!

Norwegian Cruise Line: Latitudes Rewards

In my opinion, this is the richest loyalty program out there!! You get so much extra once you hit the Platinum tier that really makes you want to spend time sailing with NCL to reach this level!

You will get discounts in the shops, photos and spa services during port days based on level starting at Bronze.

Priority embarkation starts at Platinum but priority tender and debarkation start at Gold.

Free laundry starts at Platinum – very nice perk!

Other benefits that start at Platinum are: discounted internet, chocolate-covered strawberries, two additional specialty dining meals, a behind-the-scenes ship tour, and concierge services. This is where the perks really kick in!! These are FABULOUS benefits!!

Free cruise at Ambassador! Grant it, you are putting in a LOT to get to this level, but NCL is one of the few cruise lines that offer this perk.

Full List of Benefits:

How to earn points

1 point per night + 1 additional point per night for suites and Haven. PLUS, you can earn bonus points for specific sailings (there is a list each month) – book one of these and no matter the cabin category you earn 2 points per night… 3 points for suites or Haven.

Royal Caribbean: Crown & Anchor Society

With the Crown & Anchor Society program, the good benefits start at Diamond.

Cabin discounts start at Platinum…nice!

Best Perk: Free drinks at Diamond – 4 drinks per day for Diamond, 5 for Diamond Plus and 6 for Pinnacle

Free cruise at Pinnacle – again, it takes a lot to get here, but what a perk!

This is AWESOME – Royal Caribbean and Celebrity will match loyalty level!! Not permanently, but if you hold a higher status with the sister company, prove your status and for that cruise, you will get the higher perks. You will still earn points separately for each cruise line.

Full List of Benefits:

How to earn points

1 point per night – can earn additional points in suites

Carnival Cruise Line: VIFP Club

In this program, the good benefits kick in when you hit Platinum which takes 75 nights of cruising to reach.  Includes a cocktail party and free laundry.  Plus priority boarding, debarkation, tenders and a dedicated line at guest services and a gift on each sailing.

Here I feel that the priority treatment and free laundry are the biggest perks for Carnival.

HUGE PERK: Being a VIFP member comes with random special offers for reduced pricing on sailings or onboard credit… or sometimes both. I say random as these offers truly are computer generated and not based on status. And I have seen some RIDICULOUSLY good offers!! The funny thing is that I, as a travel agent, have seen clients with Red status get better offers than clients with Platinum status… you never know what you will get. And you can sign up for Blue status before you even take your first cruise and get special offers!

Full List of Benefits:

How to earn points

1 point per night cruised. Cabin type or length of the cruise does not matter.

Celebrity Cruises: Captain’s Club

You will earn discounts on wifi, drink packages, specialty dining and spa treatments based on your loyalty level.

One-category upgrade request – this is pretty cool in that you can request a free cabin upgrade (one category up from what you are booked) at no extra charge!

Best Perks: Free laundry starting at Select AND

Free specialty breakfast and evening cocktail hour starting at Elite

Free cruise at Zenith, expensive to earn… but a great perk!

Full List of Benefits:

Celebrity and Royal Caribbean will status match – see above in RC…

How to earn points

Pro tip: You can also earn Power Up Point by completing surveys, sharing on social media and watching webinars. Once you are a member, you can sign up for these alerts for when bonus points can be earned.

Holland America Line: Mariner Society

Coolest benefit!  Up to $400 per stateroom onboard credit for cruises booked within 90 days of a new season launch. – All levels!!

Benefits really kick in at 4-Star with 50% off specialty dining and specialty coffees; priority boarding, tender and debarkation; free 3rd & 4th guests on select sailings and free laundry.

Full List of Benefits:

How to earn points

1 point per cruise day plus double points for suites. AND bonus points for onboard spending (example: $300 = 1 point).

Princess Cruises: Captain’s Circle

NICE PERK: Benefits for all tiers – discounts on cruises & special offers!

The best perks start at Platinum – priority boarding, Platinum & Elite Lounge, discounts on spa and photos.

Elite benefits add early access to new itineraries, discounts on shops and shore excursions, priority tender and debarkation, complimentary wine tasting, complimentary mini bar set-up, complimentary afternoon tea in your cabin and complimentary laundry.

Full List of Benefits:

How to earn points

1 point per cruise day plus double points for suites

MSC Cruises: Voyagers Club

THIS IS INCREDIBLE!!! MSC will loyalty match to one cruise line – one time offer – NO OTHER CRUISE LINE DOES THIS!!

Every tier earns a 5% discount!  Up to 10% if booked 6-9 months prior to sailing.

Silver: you get a $50 onboard credit per person and can earn double points when booking in advance (9-12 months out)

Gold: you get priority tender and 1- hour free access to the thermal spa suite

Diamond: you get priority boarding and debarkation, free dance class, Diamond party and a free specialty dining tasting menu.

Full List of Benefits:

How to earn points

Points are determined by the length of the cruise and the cabin experience booked. There are special offers to collect bonus points at booking.

Disney Cruise Line: Castaway Club

Benefit highlights – being a past guest gives you early access to book new itineraries as they become available. With such a small ship fleet, this is a nice perk.

And at Platinum you also get a complimentary dinner at Palo.

Full List of Benefits:

So what is the verdict??

This is going to be a personal preference… some people really love one specific cruise line and building loyalty is important to them.

For us, it is not. The perks when you get to the higher levels are nice, but for us having different experiences across multiple cruise lines is better than the perks offered.

Pro tip: These programs can build up over YEARS. So you don’t have a certain time frame to get to a certain level. You can build points with multiple cruise lines at the same time. So variety can be the spice of life

Are you ready to plan your next cruise?

Whether you want to stick with a cruise line you have sailed with or are ready for a change, let us help you plan that next adventure! Having EECC Travels as your travel agent will cost you nothing and you are getting the planning experience of a travel professional.

Check out this video on YouTube:

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Giveaway #1 – Cruise themed giveaway

We picked up several items on Cozumel on our last cruise that really feel like we have brought a piece of the Caribbean home with us.  Our entire family spent a good deal of time swinging peacefully from hammocks on the beach at Passion Island (Isla Pasion).  So we thought it would be perfect to buy one to come home with us to share.  Also included from Cozumel are a maraca and a small jar of white sand from the beach.  From the Carnival Dream, we have a deck of Carnival playing cards, a bandana from the ‘America Rocks’ show and Cameron & Colby wanted to include a couple of rubber ducks from their favorite arcade machine.  Last but not least is a palm tree lanyard for your cruise card.

Doesn’t that hammock look relaxing???

Giveaway #2 – Disney themed giveaway

A hobby of mine is making Mickey ears to wear on our trips to Walt Disney World and Disneyland.  I have some that are pretty unique in that they are all floral, I really haven’t seen anyone else wearing ears like this.  Also, one of my favorite pairs is my LSU ears.  What a better representation of two of my favorite things… Disney and LSU!  But of course, I can make traditional character ears as well!  

On our last trip to Walt Disney World, I made each of the boys an autograph hat.  It was so much fun to interact with the characters and have them sign their hats instead of an autograph book.  And the hats look pretty cool in our house too!  It’s a great keepsake.  

The winner of this giveaway will get a custom set of ears – anything I am capable of making – as well as an autograph hat – color of choice.  You will be all decked out for your next trip!

Giveaway #3 – Louisiana themed giveaway

We are proud to be from the great Southern state of Louisiana and to be able to share our culture.  One of the best things about Louisiana is the food!  So we have gathered up some of our favorites for a lucky winner.  We have included: Cafe Du Monde beignet mix, Zatarain’s Jambalaya Mix, Zatarain’s Dirty Rice mix, Zapp’s Voodoo chips, Bernard’s Cajun honey, Slap Ya Mama Cajun seasoning and Tony Chachere Cajun seasoning.  It isn’t Louisiana without hot sauce… so we have some Zatarain’s hot sauce, Dat Sauce and the famous Tabasco.  We also picked up a spoon rest on our last trip to New Orleans.  I have a fantastic recipe for pecan pralines that I will be happy to make a batch for the winner too

How to win – the rules…

Here are the rules to win one of our great giveaways:

• Must be subscribed to our YouTube channel
• Must be subscribed to our eecctravels.com newsletter
• Leave a comment either on this post or the YouTube video on which giveaway you want to win
• For extra entries… share on social media!  Share to Facebook, Twitter or Instagram with the #eeccgiveaway and please tag us so we know you shared it!

This giveaway will be open for three weeks with the winners announced on November 14, 2017.

Good luck to everyone!

Alisa, Jason, Ethan, Cameron & Colby

EECC Travels

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Here are the questions for the Wanderlust Tag:
1. Where was your first plane to?
2. Where have you traveled that you would love to visit again?
3. You’re leaving tomorrow, money is no object, where would you go?
4. Preferred method of travel: planes, trains, or cars?
5. Favorite travel website?
6. Where would you travel just to eat food?
7. Is there a place you would never travel again?
8. Can you recite your passport number by memory if asked?
9. Do you prefer the window, the aisle, or the middle seat on an airplane?
10. How do you pass the time on an airplane?

We were tagged by The Magic Geekdom, check out their channel!

We tag Mouse Eared World and ParoDeeJay

Hope you enjoy our answers!

YouTube EECC Travels – Wanderlust Tag

If you have enjoyed this post, please share!  Also, sign up for our emails so you have every new post delivered right to your inbox!

Thanks,
Alisa
EECC Travels

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What is opening on May 27th – 28th:

At Animal Kingdom, you will now be able to stay late and enjoy the new nighttime spectaculars:

Finally, on the following evening, May 28, Guests will be able to experience the new and temporary nighttime show called The Jungle Book: Alive with Magic, which is inspired by the hit live-action film Disney’s The Jungle Book. The nighttime shows will feature memorable moments from the film, including the iconic Shere Khan, and will be filled with music and special effects that celebrate the movie and classic songs, infused with an Indian influence.

Star Wars: A Galactic Fireworks Spectacular: 

Epcot’s Frozen Ever After and Royal Sommerhaus:

These two attractions, both located in the Norway Pavilion will give Guests a chance to experience the Frozen story in a whole new way. 

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YouTube EECC Travels – Marc Broussard Live at Alex River Fete

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Here are the date and pricing info for Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party as well as Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party:

• September 2, 8, 11, 13, 16, 18, 20, 23, 25, 29, 30
• October 2, 4, 6, 7, 10, 11, 13, 14, 16, 18, 20, 21, 23, 25, 27, 28, 30, 31

Passholder Rates available 9/2, 8, 11, 13, 16, 18, 23, 25, 29, 30; 10/2, 6 : Rates are $67-80 (depends on night) plus tax. DVC members have discounts on additional nights (in addition to all APs dates) 10/4, 10, 11, 13, 16, 18, & 20 can be purchased at a discount ranging between $62-83.

• November 7, 8, 10, 11, 13, 15, 18, 27, 29
• December 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 9, 11, 13, 15, 16, 18, 22

Passholder Rates available 11/7, 8, 11, 15; 12/1, 10, & 13 : Rates are $74-$84 plus tax depending on night. DVC members also discounts on additional nights (in addition to all APs dates) 11/10, 13, 18, 27, 29, & 12/6 can be purchased at a discount ranging between $74-89 plus tax.

Can’t wait to see what happens next week!

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While this is not a fully comprehensive list of all of the announcements from last week, these are, in my humble option, the best and most exciting!!!

• Frozen Ever After to open in Epcot in June – There has been much speculation over the last few months on when this attraction would open, and while we don’t have an exact date, we know it will open in June.
  
• Soarin’ Around the World in Epcot and Disney’s California Adventure to open/re-open on June 17th – this attraction will make its world debut at the opening of Shanghai Disneyland and then will be released to the USA the next day.  I LOVE Soarin!  I loved the original over California and I am sure I will love this version as well.  It is one of the most spectacular rides from the soft swaying of the glider, to the visuals to the wind in your face and smells in your nose.  Can’t wait!!!
  
• Mickey’s Royal Friendship Faire stage show at Cinderella Castle will begin in June – as with Frozen, we do not have a specific date, but at least we know it will open in June.  Some people were very disappointed to see Dream Along With Mickey go, but we have to accept that all things will eventually change and hope that this show will knock our socks off! 
  
• Finding Dory characters will be added to Turtle Talk with Crush in May – this should be fun with Dory being forgetful and Crush, well being Crush…
• New Princess!!!  We are getting a new princess!!!  Elena of Avalor will debut at Walt Disney World in August.  She will be the first Latin princess and will have her own show on Disney Channel.

Now, let’s talk about food for a minute…  Jason and I are huge foodies, so some of the most exciting announcements of this week deal with new restaurants to open soon…

• Tiffins Restaurant in Animal Kingdom will open Memorial weekend. This should be a very interesting place to eat since the menu will be inspired by meals from Africa, Asia and South America.
• Disney Springs is to open more than 30 shops and dining locations starting in May through this summer.  I am most excited about the ATM cupcake machine at Sprinkles Cupcakes and The Daily Poutine!  Have you ever had the Poutines at LeCellier in Epcot???  Well, the steak was great, but to me the poutines were the highlight of our meal!!!  What is a Poutine?  Well they are thick cut French fries covered in gravy or cheese or other yummy goodness!  I will definitely be trying some on our next trip.

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YouTube EECC Travels – Little Mermaid Play

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First…  The update of FastPass+ on the MyDisneyExperience app. 

I am very, very, very happy about this!!!  No more finding and waiting in line at a kiosk to make additional FastPass selections…  You can just open the app on your phone, and viola, your next FastPass awaits!!!  This is fantastic as on our last trip, we spent 15 minutes in line at a kiosk in Magic Kingdom and that was in January in the off season.  Sometimes waits for these during peak times were very long indeed. 

The other important change is that not all three initial FastPass selections need to be made at the same time… or in the same park!  Previously when making the initial reservation for your first three FastPasses of the day, they had to be all chosen at the same time and be all at the same park.  And, all three had to be used (or expired) before a fourth one could be chosen.  For our family, this was never a problem, because we don’t park hop.  But for those who do, this is a blessing!

Official post from Disney:

We are committed to helping all our guests further customize their experience and making it even easier to create unforgettable memories with their families and friends. We appreciate the guest feedback that enables us to continue to enhance our offerings.

Second…  And the one I am most excited about…  Star Wars Land ground breaking! 

I love this photo Disney released of the Star Wars characters ‘helping’ with the construction!!!  Ground was official broken at both Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Walt Disney World and at Disneyland on Thursday, April 14th.  Both parks will have lands that span 14 acres and are estimated to open in 2018.  We are hoping Disney will do for Star Wars what Universal did for Harry Potter – a fully immersive land full of details – and I am sure they will do just that!

Our family has had a recent discovery of Star Wars, so this is very exciting for us.  I have three boys ages 15, 12 & 12, and up until recently Star Wars was of no interest to them at all.  Strange you say!  I know!  Jason loved Star Wars as a kid and had all of the toys meticulously arranged in his room – figures in fighting stance and all.  But for some reason, it just never clicked with our boys.  When we went to Disney World in September, I signed Cameron & Colby up for Jedi Training Academy just because I thought it would be a fun experience.  Cameron loved it, see the picture below of him fighting off Darth Vader, but Colby not so much.  So the new movie comes out in December and we decided we couldn’t go see it because the boys had not seen the other movies and it would not make sense to them.  So we started watching the six movies beginning with Episode 1.  It was a slow process and took us until February to finish them, but by the end Colby was hooked!!!   Now he even speaks Yoda, go figure.  He said, “Mom, why didn’t you make me watch these before our last trip?  I would have fought Darth Vader then!”

So we are VERY excited to see the beginning of Star Wars land!  There are a lot of changes happening at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and I have decided that I will take the stance that it is all for the better!  Jason and I said our goodbyes to Streets of America on our trip in January, and that area will be missed, but this land will be just FANTASTIC!!!

 

Official post from Disney:
 

I can’t wait to see what happens this week!!!

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