We all know you can money off your future cruises if you join a loyalty club.  But are the savings really worth it?  And what else is on offer?

We’ve lifted the lid on loyalty – and found it’s true: cruisers can save thousands of dollars and even cruise for free if they stay with their favourite line.

Long-term cruisers such as Gayle and Vic Doe find themselves saving thousands through cruise fares and perks after passing 700 days sailing with Royal Caribbean after staying loyal to the brand for the last five years.

Those two cruisers now currently receive free internet, free laundry, up to six free drinks per day and hefty discounts on cruise fares.

So here’s comprehensive Cruise Passenger’s guide to what’s on offer if you pick and stick:

Royal Caribbean

Royal Caribbean’s Crown & Anchor Society offers a range of benefits and rewards, with rewards becoming extremely valuable the longer you sail for. 

There are six different tiers, based on how many nights you’ve sailed with Royal Caribbean, ranging from just three nights all the way up to 700 nights. However, your nights count double when you book a suite, or otherwise, you get one point per night of sailing. 

Three nights earns you the gold tier, which comes with special onboard benefits like Crown & Anchor offers, priority check-in, a private departure lounge with continental breakfast, and exclusive trivia. There are also cruise planning benefits with exclusive member rate offers and priority notice on new ships and itineraries. 

After 30 nights, you’ll add more onboard benefits such as an exclusive top-tier event, robes in your room, and a signature lapel pin. There are also further planning benefits such as discounts on balcony and suite staterooms, and membership benefits for some of Royal Caribbean’s other cruise lines, Celebrity Cruises, and Azamara. 

At 55 nights a couple more benefits arrive, but many more arrive after 80 days such as welcome waters and snacks, priority waiting list for shore excursions, the main dining room and spa services, diamond club access on select ships, exclusive nightly diamond event, specialty coffee, and more. 

At 175 nights, guests will also receive a behind-the-scenes tour, concierge lounge access, priority entertainment access, and more. 

There are many more tiered benefits between the Diamond Plus and Pinnacle Club, with extra rewards at 340 and 520 nights. 

Discounts and benefits continue to grow at 700 nights with the Pinnacle Club Benefits, with rewards like very generous discounts, drinks packages, WiFi, laundry service and more, making cruising a much cheaper, yet enhanced experience.

Celebrity Cruises

Celebrity Cruises have six different tiers of rewards, with the greatest being the ‘Zenith’ tier, at 3000 Captain’s Club Points. You earn points per night of sailing, with different amounts of points for different categories of rooms. 

Inside and ocean view rooms earn two points per night, veranda and infinite veranda rooms earn three points per night, concierge class and AquaClass rooms earn five points per night, the sky suite and aqua sky suite earn you eight points per night, the celebrity, signature, sunset and royal suite earn 12 club points per night, the reflection, penthouse and edge villa earn 18 points per night and the iconic suite is top of the list, with 24 points per night.

You can also earn points via ‘Power Up Points’, which is an exclusive way for Captain’s Club members to earn extra points. You’ll be emailed activities such as sharing content on socials or filling out feedback surveys and can earn points via these methods.

Classic (2-149 points)

• Special Captain’s Club Welcome Event • Access to exclusive events on specialty sailings 
• One pre-cruise category upgrade up to AquaClass® (based on availability at the time of booking) • 10% discount on Wifi Packages and upgrades
• 25% discount on any digital or print photo package at the Photo Gallery
• $100 off The Studio photo packages
• 10% discount on a drink package or on a premium drink package upgrade when purchased pre-cruise
• 10% discount at The Spa 
• 5% discount on small group discovery shore excursions • 5% discount on Hollywood Hot Glass • One complimentary scoop of gelato

Select (150-299 points)

• 25% discount on Wifi Packages and upgrades
• 30% discount on any digital or print photo package at the Photo Gallery • $150 off The Studio photo package 
• Discounted price for one standard bag of laundry (wash, dry, fold) on 12-night or longer sailing • 10% discount on a drink package or on a premium drink package upgrade when purchased pre-cruise 
• 10% discount at The Spa (excludes MedSpa and retail) 
• Complimentary wine seminar event 
• Priority status for shore excursion wait list 
• Platinum Level enrollment in Royal Caribbean’s Crown & Anchor Society

Elite (300-749 points) 

• Access to Captain’s Club Coffee Lounge for daily coffee house style breakfast • Unlimited complimentary drinks from the Captain’s Club menu at most bars and lounges throughout the ship daily, between 5pm-7pm 
• 30% off Wifi Packages and upgrades, plus 90 complimentary stream minutes • 40% discount on any digital or print photo package at the Photo Gallery 
• $200 off The Studio photo packages
• 15% discount on a drink package or on a premium drink package upgrade when purchased pre-cruise 
• Complimentary dry cleaning for one item 
• One complimentary bag of laundry during each sailing (wash, dry, fold) 
• Access to a private lounge during departure, complete with continental breakfast
• Diamond Level enrollment in Royal Caribbean’s Crown & Anchor Society

Elite Plus (750 – 2999 points)

• Two complimentary bags of laundry on every sailing (wash, dry, fold) 
• 15% discount on specialty dining cover charge 
• 35% off Wifi Packages and upgrades, plus 240 complimentary stream minutes 
• 15% discount at The Spa (excludes MedSpa and retail)
• 40% discount on any digital or print photo package 
• $250 off The Studio photo packages 
• 20% discount on drink package or 15% discount on premium drink package upgrade when purchased pre-cruise 
• Complimentary cappuccino, latte, espresso, and tea throughout the sailing

Zenith (3000 + points)

• Complimentary Unlimited Premium Wifi Package (limited to one device) 
• Complimentary laundry throughout the sailing 
• Complimentary Premium Drink Package 
• 50% discount on any digital or print photo package at the Photo Gallery 
• $300 off The Studio photo packages 
• 25% off specialty dining cover charge 
• 20% discount at The Spa (excludes MedSpa and retail) 
• Priority seating in the theater (on evening chic and production show nights, seats are released 10 minutes prior to curtain call) 
• Access to Concierge Lunch in the Main Dining Room 
• Upgraded bath amenities 
• Charitable donation on your behalf made by Captain’s Club (See celebrity cruises.com/captainsclub/enroll#Terms for full terms and conditions) 
• Complimentary 7-night Caribbean or Bermuda cruise (in a veranda stateroom only) 
• Complimentary 7-night Caribbean or Bermuda cruise (in an AquaClass® stateroom) at 6,000 points, and every 3,000 points thereafter

Ponant

The Ponant Yacht Club offers a series of rewards to members, based on how many cruises they have sailed with Ponant. 

There are four different categories with incentives increasing over time. The first is Major, which you become a part of after you confirm your 2nd cruise, the second is Admiral which is after you confirm your fourth cruise, the third is Grand Admiral and the final category is Commodore, for those who have confirmed their 20th cruise.

Discounts begin at 5% for Major members, rising to 12.5% for Commodore members,, onboard credit also rises from approximately $90 for Major Members, up to around $350 for Commodore members. 

All categories include complimentary laundry service and the chance to join specialised loyalty cruises. All categories above Major have the possibility of a complimentary upgrade, and Grand Admiral and Commodore members have free changes of choice of cruise, without incurring costs. 

Princess 

There are four tiers to Princess’s loyalty program, Princess Captain’s Circle. After your first cruise, you become a gold member, after either three cruises or 30 cruise days you become a ruby member, after either five cruises or 50 cruise days you become a platinum member and after 15 cruises or 15 cruise days you become an elite member. 

Gold members receive 

• Captains Circle Launch Savings 
• Preferential pricing offers
• Members-only onboard events
• Access to a Circle Host on board 
• Tier-specific recognition pin
• Circle Centre Online
• Circle Savings Account

Ruby members receive the above + 

• Exclusive shoreside access to Captain’s Circle Help Desk phone line
• Princess Platinum Vacation Protection upgrade

Platinum members receive the above + 

• 50$ of MedallionNet package
• Early access to Dine My Way reservations
• Priority boarding
• 10% off Lotus Spa treatments 
• 10% of photos in the Photo Gallery
• Platinum and Elite Lounge
• Complimentary destination collection

Elite members receive the above + 

• Early access to new itineraries
• 10% discount in The Shops of Princess
• 10% off shore excursions
• Priority ship-to-shore water shuttle embarkation 
• Complimentary Grapevine Wine Tasting Event
• Complimentary mini bar set-up
• Deluxe canapé selection on formal nights
• Complimentary afternoon tea in stateroom
• Priority disembarkation 
• Complimentary laundry service and shoe polishing

Norwegian Cruise Line

For its repeat customers, NCL runs the Latitude Rewards Loyalty Program. You earn points per night of sailing, as well as additional point per night when booking a suite or The Haven, and an additional point per night when booking a Latitudes Rewards Insider Offer. 

There are seven different categories, ranging from one to 700 points, with a large range of varying benefits for each category. 

You can view the different benefits below. 

Holland America 

Holland America has the Mariner Society, which you’ll become automatically enrolled in as soon as you cruise with them. You earn cruise day credits for each day of sailing, as well bonus credits when you book a suite or penthouse, or for every $300 in eligible onboard purchases.

There are five tiers of membership, ranging from one to 500 cruise day credits.

Holland America has also recently introduced a new Marine Society loyalty benefit, which offers up to $400 onboard credit per stateroom when booking within 90 days of a new season launch.

See the different benefits and rewards below.

Cunard

The Cunard World Club has four tiers, Silver, Gold, Platinum, and Diamond. Each has different benefits, rising with the cruise experience. 

Silver (for guests who have completed their first voyage)

• Member savings & special offers
• Use of the World Club desk in all our international offices
• An onboard loyalty representative
• The Cunarder magazine.

Gold (for guests who have completed seven voyages or 70 nights) 

• A Platinum membership pin
• An additional US$35 internet credit per guest, giving Platinum members a total of US$80 to redeem against one of our on board Wi-Fi plans.
• 20% saving on Laundry/Specialist Cleaning.
• Priority check-in at New York and Southampton.
• Complimentary on board wine tasting.
• 10% saving on our White Star luggage service.
• An invitation to the senior officers’ party

Diamond (fifteen voyages or 150 nights)

• A Diamond membership pin.
• An additional US$55 internet credit per guest, giving Diamond members a total of US$135 to redeem against one of our onboard WiFi plans.
• Priority disembarkation
• A complimentary meal at one of the on board alternative dining venues.
• A priority appointment with one of the on board Loyalty and Voyage Sales Managers.
• A dedicated Diamond member contact at the World Club desk in our international offices.

Regent Seven Seas 

Those who sail with Regent Seven Seas become a part of the Seven Seas Society. There are seven tiers of membership, ranging from seven nights for the bronze category, all the way up to a massive 2000 nights for the commodore category. 

Oceania Cruises

Oceania Cruises has the Oceania Club, offering rewards to their most loyal cruises. There are seven tiers of membership, ranging from a blue member up to the president’s circle.

Seabourn

After sailing with Seabourn you become a part of the Seabourn Club. Rewards begin as soon as you start cruising, with more serious perks and savings arriving after the 140 day mark, when you receive a complimentary cruise.

There are six tiers of membership, with tiers based on Seabourn Club Points. Each day sailed earns you one point, but extra points can be earned through booking higher accommodation categories, sailing on an escorted Seabourn Journey and every spending of US$500 onboard.