What benefits do prior sailors get on a cruise line?

[Sandie5]

When you book your cruise, they ask if you've booked with them before. What type of perk might one get?

I'm booked for my first Princess cruise but would like to book another cruise many months after that. I can't say I've sailed with them before but I will have by the time I sail on the second cruise.

 

So what kind of perks do the different lines offer? 

[navybankerteacher]

16 minutes ago, Sandie5 said:

When you book your cruise, they ask if you've booked with them before. What type of perk might one get?

I'm booked for my first Princess cruise but would like to book another cruise many months after that. I can't say I've sailed with them before but I will have by the time I sail on the second cruise.

 

So what kind of perks do the different lines offer? 

Usually insignificant until you reach some threshold - such as 25 days.

[Heidi13]

19 minutes ago, Sandie5 said:

When you book your cruise, they ask if you've booked with them before. What type of perk might one get?

I'm booked for my first Princess cruise but would like to book another cruise many months after that. I can't say I've sailed with them before but I will have by the time I sail on the second cruise.

 

So what kind of perks do the different lines offer? 

 

With Princess, on your next cruise you will receive an invite to a gathering where they offer a limited supply of watered down drinks.

 

Realistically, the perks are insignificant until at least Platinum. Even at the Elite level with included laundry and wifi, it isn't enough to convince us to suffer Princess again, and I used to work for them.

[Sandie5]

Sounds like it's not worth losing sleep over those perks. 😄

[Aquahound]

7 minutes ago, Sandie5 said:

Sounds like it's not worth losing sleep over those perks. 😄

Definitely not. Unless you’re going to become a very frequent cruiser, the perks aren’t much to speak of.  Just stick with the lines you like and let the perks eventually come to you. 

[ColeThornton]

The various cruise lines list the "loyalty rewards" on their web sites.  For example, here is from Carnival.com:

 

https://www.carnival.com/vifp/overview.aspx?icid=ccl_vifp_footer_0414

[crystalspin]

Holland America:

https://www.hollandamerica.com/en_US/mariner-society.html

[LHT28]

Different cruise lines offer different Loyalty  Perks  some are better than others

our favourite line

https://www.oceaniacruises.com/oceania-club-benefits

[new_cruiser]

Windstar is the line I've sailed on most. Having sailed with them at least once you get 5% off future bookings and a Yacht club cocktail party (they have wine ready but you can get a cocktail if you ask for it) on each cruise. Also 5% off on laundry and wifi. Higher levels add some OBC and discounts on beverage packages and shore excursions. 4-star gets free wifi and laundry (but everyone gets free laundry on cruises longer than 14 days). 4-star is 90 points - 1 point per night for regular staterooms, 2 for premium suites. 

[Charles4515]

4 hours ago, Sandie5 said:

Sounds like it's not worth losing sleep over those perks. 😄

Try four or five cruise lines before settling on one you might prefer. Then you can think more about the loyalty programs. 

[KreinKrunker]

8 hours ago, Sandie5 said:

When you book your cruise, they ask if you've booked with them before. What type of perk might one get?

When you are on the cruise, you can purchase a Future Cruise Deposit for $100.  This can be used as a deposit on your next cruise, thereby reducing your deposit to $100.  Plus, you will get On Board Credit, starting at $50.  Not a lot, but that's a 50% return on your money.

[SPacificbound]

IMHO the most important thing is itinerary, itinerary, itinerary.

[Hlitner]

The perks can become decent when you have a lot of days.  For example, we are now on a longer Seabourn cruise where we get two free bags of laundry per week.  That is worth over $100 per week and nice on a longer cruise.  Celebrity has free cocktail hours for frequent cruisers which is nice for those who do not purchase drink packages.  HAL gives free laundry and discounted or free meals in their alternative restaurants.  Bottom line is that each line has their own perks, but the best ones go to those with hundreds of cruise days.

 

Hank

[navybankerteacher]

15 hours ago, Charles4515 said:

Try four or five cruise lines before settling on one you might prefer. Then you can think more about the loyalty programs. 

But getting perks on a sailing on that “preferred” line is hardly a sufficient reason for selecting a sailing on a particular line whose cost,  itinerary or ambience does not match what else might be available at other lines.  It is rare that the value of such perks will exceed a couple of hundred dollars on any sailing - so you should not let it blind you to the real values available when you start planning a particular cruise.

[mammajamma2013]

13 hours ago, KreinKrunker said:

When you are on the cruise, you can purchase a Future Cruise Deposit for $100.  This can be used as a deposit on your next cruise, thereby reducing your deposit to $100.  Plus, you will get On Board Credit, starting at $50.  Not a lot, but that's a 50% return on your money.

This is true for Princess, we've sailed on Norwegian and Carnival as well, their perks are different.

 Sandie5 would be better off looking at individual lines' websites for the perks listings.

[ldubs]

23 hours ago, Aquahound said:

Just stick with the lines you like and let the perks eventually come to you. 

 

1 hour ago, mammajamma2013 said:

 

 Sandie5 would be better off looking at individual lines' websites for the perks listings.

 

IMO, two best comments in this thread. 

 

Every cruise line has a loyalty program of some sort.  Some links have already been provided.   Princess' loyalty program goes by "Captain's Club".   Here is a link:    

 

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwjdmoTG9baAAxWAPEQIHdCsB7kQFnoECBoQAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fbook.princess.com%2Fcaptaincircle%2FmembershipBenefits.page&usg=AOvVaw25tSYTFQyTQHAUhGDi_Glb&opi=89978449

[Charles4515]

19 minutes ago, ldubs said:

 

Every cruise line has a loyalty program of some sort.  Some links have already been provided.   Princess' loyalty program goes by "Captain's Club".

The Princess loyalty program is called Captains Circle.  

[crzndeb]

On 7/29/2023 at 9:28 AM, Sandie5 said:

So what kind of perks do the different lines offer?

It depends on if you are a solo cruiser or not. I find certain cruise lines offer better perks than others. I know many don’t care about perks, but if I get a discount on solo supplement, some drinks, internet thrown in, and reciprocal benefits,I will choose that one.

[ldubs]

3 hours ago, Charles4515 said:

The Princess loyalty program is called Captains Circle.  

Oops. Thanks.  

[donaldsc]

On 7/29/2023 at 10:28 AM, Sandie5 said:

When you book your cruise, they ask if you've booked with them before. What type of perk might one get?

I'm booked for my first Princess cruise but would like to book another cruise many months after that. I can't say I've sailed with them before but I will have by the time I sail on the second cruise.

 

So what kind of perks do the different lines offer? 

Totally depends upon the line although most of them are worthless.  You need to go on the WEB sites for each line and check.

 

DON

[KreinKrunker]

On 7/29/2023 at 9:27 PM, KreinKrunker said:

When you are on the cruise, you can purchase a Future Cruise Deposit for $100.  This can be used as a deposit on your next cruise, thereby reducing your deposit to $100.  Plus, you will get On Board Credit, starting at $50.  Not a lot, but that's a 50% return on your money.

OPPS!  Thought I was on the Princess Board.

[Charles4515]

3 minutes ago, KreinKrunker said:

OPPS!  Thought I was on the Princess Board.

OP is cruising on Princess. 

[CC4LifeHomie]

Hello. I play pickleball and was also a sailor once. I do not receive any benefits as a result of my previous sailing status, but I hope your experience is different. Thank you for posting

[crystalspin]

1 hour ago, CC4LifeHomie said:

I play pickleball and was also a sailor once. I do not receive any benefits as a result of my previous sailing status,

Welcome to Cruise Critic! It seems you are all in, from your screen name.

 

Holland America is the pickleball cruise line and has a pretty nice Mariner Society loyalty program. No benefits for a naval history though, if that is what you mean by Sailor.

https://www.hollandamerica.com/en_US/mariner-society.html

[simplelife]

Each line has its own loyalty program, with its own perks, that increase incrementally with number of cruises or number of days cruised. After your first cruise, you can sign up on their website and you will be able to access special rates and receive notices of members-only promotions.