Who has the best rewards system on a cruise line?

So it struck me as people were saying "I'll be gold next cruise" or "I'm platinum" that if you are like me, and have not had a chance to explore other cruise lines or just have cruised with one, that you do not know or understand the other lines level of rewards or loyalty program.

I've only been on Royal and its called the Crown and Anchor Society they go from Gold>Platinum>Emerald>Diamond>Diamond Plus>Pinnacale Club

RCI changed their earnings a while ago and it goes now you get one cruise point for every night you cruise.

Carnival has VIFP and some similar and different. At work, I rarely see the Diamond colored cards

Blue>Red>Gold>Platinum>Diamond

Same thing, one point for one day cruising.

So I looked up Celebrity and Princess while I was at it. ..Celebrity and their "Captain's Club" goes Preview>Classic>Select>Elite>Elite Plus>Zenith

I found this interesting... It's first based on your cabin type and that is points then per day. The higher the stateroom category, the more points... Seems logical...

Princess has Captain's Circle. Nice little note I found "Each time you book and sail in a full suite or sail alone in a cabin in which you pay the exclusive occupancy fare we will count it as two cruises!" Their levels are minimalistic though and I would think hard to move up in ranks...

Gold>Ruby>Platinum>Elite

Lastly Can't forget Holland America and their program the Mariner society. Much simpler and easy to follow.... STARS!! One through Five stars. They call it the most generous cruise program there.

So.. I know I may have missed a cruise line, so feel free to add.... But who do you think has the best program to build status in and most generous program out there?

Tags: Princess Rewards system RCI CCL HAL Celebrity

9 Answers

NCL gives double points if you book 9 months or more out. We are Platinum with them.

Carnival changed their point system several times. At one time, they counted cruises, not nights. So a three day cruise counted the same as a 10 day cruise, which is ridiculous. So now they count nights.

Carnival does however, at their discretion, change your status during a cruise. With Norwegian, if you are due a change of status, it doesn't go into effect til your next voyage. We almost lost out because we had booked a 10 day trip instead of a B2B. We would have become Platinum on the third day of the 10 day trip, but not received the perks. On the B2B, we would receive the perks on the second leg. It was all moot because we booked a last minute 10 day getaway which put us into Platinum status. Then we cancelled the other trip anyway.

I do remember this, but it was too much to add in the post, but I do like that as well. I enjoy RCI, but looking at Celebrity, so when I do (because I'll be platinum after September) I will have similar perks!

I like RCI the best. The advantage of RCI is your level transfers to all of its lines, So if you start on RCCl when your younger and you hit Diamond, when your older you can go to Celebrity and get the same level of benefits, When you treat yourself to Azamara you will get the same benefits. They do not combine points from all lines but they do transfer your highest level. My Diamond Level on RCCL gets me Elite level on Celebrity (that I would have almost earned by the # of Celebrity days I have cruised)

We are about 3 cruises away from Carnival Platinum after our January 2017 and October 2017 cruises. We cruise for ourselves rather than the perks for the VIFP program. I just like knowing how many days we've sailed Happy

NCL also adds 1 point per night if you book more than a year in advance. Sort of a nice perk for the long planners

Princess has been super for me mainly because they count number of cruises and days. The free internet and priority check-in are the perks I like the most.

No way I can contribute to all of this. Way to much. I only have cruised Carnival and can only go one time a year. Maybe more once I pay of the car. Not to much left on that. I will be a lowly gold card with Carnival for awhile. I need I think 7 more cruises to reach Platinum. So that will be awhile.

HappyI like RCCL the best , I am a Diamond Member , they take good care of me Happy

I totally forgot about Norwegian Cruise Line! They have Latitudes Rewards Bronze>Silver>Gold>Platinum and its 1 point per night, but they add points based on if you book a suite, in advanced and from an Insider Offer.....

My apologies to NCL cruisers! There are so many to remember!!

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