Cruise Loyalty Programs & Perks Explained: What Older Women Really Need to Know
Are you a fan of cruises? Have you been on several cruises, or are you just starting to explore cruising? No matter your level of experience with cruises and cruise lines, one thing is for sure: you should not neglect looking into the cruise loyalty programs for older women and the perks that come with them.
Cruise loyalty programs don’t mean free cruises and VIP treatment, and the perks differ whether you go on a cruise once every 5 years or if you go on a yearly cruise with the same cruise line.
Let’s take a look at how these loyalty programs work and where we can benefit from them.
What Is a Cruise Loyalty Program
Many cruise lines reward repeat guests with tiered programs. Every time you sail, you get points added to your loyalty program. Depending on the cruise line, these points are typically earned based on the number of cruise days, your fare rate (or cabin), or on-board purchases. The more points you earn, the more you level up and uncover more perks.
Of course, as you can imagine, the more points you earn, the better the perks.
Read more: Cruise Clothes for Older Ladies.
Perks that Matter and Those that Don’t
As you accumulate points and move tiers, some perks are definitely worth it, and some are truly not necessary.
Perks That Are Worth It
These are among the most popular perks offered by major cruise lines:
- Priority boarding and disembarkation.
- Cabin upgrades.
- Credit or discounts on onboard services and shops.
- Free or discounted laundry service.
- Discounts on specialty dining and events.
- Free or discounted Wifi.
Perks That Are Less Worth It
These are perks often offered by cruise lines that are less valuable than those mentioned above. They are nice, but not essential.
- Welcome cocktails.
- Loyalty pins and branded trinkets.
- Members-only receptions.
How Many Cruises Do I Need to Do to Be a Member of a Loyalty Program?
Most cruises will register you for the loyalty program after your first cruise with them. Make sure to ask when booking your cruise and understand the tiers of the particular cruise line that you are sailing with.
Here are 3 of the top cruise lines in the USA, along with a brief overview of their loyalty programs:
Celebrity Cruise Lines
Celebrity Cruises offers a loyalty program called The Captain’s Club. The program has 6 tiers, from Preview to Zenith. You can enroll in the loyalty program upon your first cruise with them.
Princess
Princess has the Princess Captain’s Circle loyalty program. You automatically become a Circle member once you complete your first cruise with them. They have 4 tiers, from Gold to Elite.
Consult this file to learn about all the benefits and perks each tier offers.
Virgin Voyages
Virgin also sets you up on their loyalty program after your first sail with them. The Virgin Voyages Sailing Club loyalty program is set like this: “Complete one eligible voyage and you’re automatically entered into the Sailing Club. Complete two voyages and you unlock Blue Extras to enjoy on your third voyage. After four completed voyages, you’ll unlock Deep Blue Extras to enjoy on your fifth.”
Each cruise line has its own loyalty program. You can find all the details about each program on the cruise lines’ websites. If you are booking through a travel agent, make sure to ask about the program and how to join. Also, don’t forget to ask if the agent has cruising perks that they can stack on top of the cruise’s loyalty program.
Read more: 8 Tips for Choosing a Cruise You Will Actually Love!
Do You Have to Stay Loyal to One Cruise Line?
No, of course you don’t have to cruise with the same cruise line. But remember that each has its own loyalty program, and the more cruises you take with the same cruise line, the more perks you accumulate.
Reasons to Stick with One Cruise Line?
- This may be useful for you if you cruise frequently, 2 cruises a year, for example. You’ll gain access to higher tiers and better perks.
- You prefer a specific ship style and culture.
- You enjoy familiarity and predictability.
Reasons to Try New Cruise Lines
- You go on 2 cruises every 5 years, for example. You won’t benefit much from the loyalty program.
- You enjoy a variety of destinations.
- You value comfort over status.
Also, it’s worth noting that some loyalty programs may expire and need to be reset or restarted if not used within the program’s timeframe.
Read more: 5 Best New Cruises for Solo Women Over 50.
Before You Commit to a Cruise Line
Here are a few questions to ask yourself before deciding to be loyal to a single cruise line:
- How often do I cruise?
- Do I value flexibility over familiarity?
- Will perks reduce stress or simply look good on paper?
Will You Go Cruising this Year?
Bottom line, cruise loyalty programs reward frequency, not loyalty in spirit. Accruing points and advancing through tiers may be interesting for you and worthwhile if you cruise frequently.
Read more: 6 Best Adults-Only Cruises.
Let’s Have a Conversation:
Are you an avid cruiser? How many cruises have you been on? Do you take advantage of the cruise loyalty programs, and what are your favorite perks? Are you looking into booking your first-ever cruise this year? Tell us about it in the comments below.
Tags Senior Cruises
Good article! I love cruising. These days with prices of everything going up I am finding that the loyalty rewards are becoming less and harder to achieve. Many cruise lines are calculating your rewards by how much you spend on board, and not how much you cruise. Booking the cheapest inside cabin, not buying the drink packages or not patronizing the specialty restaurants and other extra cost services won’t help with rewards on some of the cruise lines unfortunately.