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So, in our time on the high seas, we've cruised with a lot of different companies on a lot of different cruise ships. During this time we have participated in all of the different cruise line's loyalty programs (and done some deep dives into them in different blog posts and videos). But... Which one do we think is the best? Here's the reality; every cruise line has a loyalty program and some are better than others. Today let's review and get into comparing these programs and see which one comes out on top.
After accumulating all the information and going through all the different programs, we are going to judge these programs based on the perks you get once you hit certain levels. Obviously, when you first start out, you start at the bottom, so your first cruise you won't be taking advantage of these programs. However, if you continue to go on cruises you'll accumulate points and go up levels to have access to more benefits. Which program gets you the most perks at each level? Let's get into it.
We looked at Virgin, Carnival, Celebrity, Royal Caribbean, MSC, Princess, and NCL for this comparison. Let's eliminate a few right off the bat.
MSC is not going to make the cut. MSC's loyalty program is still very young and you have to spend a lot of money to get to some of the higher levels and experience those benefits. At the Diamond level here you don't get much (think, chocolates on your pillow and a "Welcome Back" cocktail.) You do get a free session at the spa and priority boarding... but, Diamond is the TOP level here. That's not much for someone who has spent a lot of money going on MSC cruises.
We are also going to slash Princess from our list. Here you also don't get many perks even at the higher levels of their loyalty program. You get little things like free laundry and priority tender, but it's nothing to chase after perks wise.
Carnival is another one that was at the bottom of the bucket. At the higher levels of their loyalty program you do get some complementary drinks, some free laundry, and some exclusive access to parties. It's not bad, it's just not enough in our opinion to chase after the higher levels of their program.
Virgin also really didn't offer anything compelling in their program. Sometimes they will match other programs, but even with that there weren't many perks offered.
This is going to take us down to the top two cruise lines still on our list that we think are the clear favorites. Remember, we are comparing these based on: ease of earning points, the variety and value of the perks, the exclusivity of the top tier benefits, and overall accessibility for people to get into the program. Our top two are: Norwegian Cruise Lines Latitude Program and Royal Caribbean's Crowne and Anchor Club.
Let's start with Royal Caribbean. Here the different levels include Gold, Platinum, Emerald, Diamond, Diamond Plus, and Pinnacle. While the perks at Pinnacle are AMAZING, let's talk about the Diamond level. To get to the Diamond level it takes 80 points, which is 80 days spent at sea. That is a decent amount of days at sea, but definitely doable for someone who is going on two or three cruises per year. You do have options to get to the Diamond level more quickly. If you cruise solo or book a suite you get double points.
At the Diamond level with Royal you get all sorts of perks:
- $5 Off a glass of wine or soda on your cruise.
- $5 Off a milkshake.
- Private departure lounge with continental breakfast.
- Free non-alcoholic beverage at a speciality dining restaurant.
- 4 Complimentary daily drinks (up to $14 per drink). Depending on how much you drink, this can be a HUGE perk and save you on buying the drink package.
- Free day of Surf and Stream.
- Access to the Diamond Event on the Cruise.
- Access to the Backstage Tour at no additional cost.
- Access to the Crowne Lounge with nightly Happy Hour.
- Extra deals (like discounts on the photo package.)
Let's shift gears and talk about the Platinum level in the NCL's Latitude Program. To hit Platinum you need 75 points and you get:
- 45% Discount on the unlimited bar package.
- 50% Discount in the shops on the cruise ship.
- 10% Discount on shore excursions.
- 30% Discount on photo packages.
- Access to exclusive parties on board.
- One free bag of laundry.
- Priority tender tickets.
- Free bottle of water.
- Priority check in for embarking and priority disembarkation.
- Chocolate covered strawberries in your room.
- 20% Discount on the WiFi package.
- Dinner for two with a bottle of wine. (This is a great perk and is work potentially $100+)
- Dinner for two at a specialty restaurant.
- Tickets to the Wines Around the World Tasting
- Tickets to the Behind the Scenes tour (worth $150 each).
- Priority seating at restaurants and shows.
Obviously as you earn more points and go up the levels you'll get more perks.
Choosing between NCL and Royal, it comes down to drinks vs. food. In the long run, we consider NCL to be our WINNER! As you continue to earn points with Royal the perks get pretty amazing and make it worth investing in this program, especially if you are going to be going on a lot of cruises. Overall, we consider NCL to be our winner not only because the general perks are amazing but also because the Platinum level that we broke down is pretty accessible to someone who plans to go on a handful of cruises. We will add the caveat that if you are looking for more drink benefits than dining benefits, Royal Caribbean is probably the better choice for you because it will give you more bang for your dollar. Whether your choose NCL or Royal, those are definitely our top two when it comes to cruise line programs.
Do you participate in any cruise line's loyalty program? What are your thoughts? Do you take advantage of the perks offered to you? We would love to hear from you! Comment below.