Among the many best-known cruise manufacturers, Disney Cruise Line has one of the modest loyalty packages — even after a current improve that introduced an all-new tier.
In contrast to the packages of such cruise operators as Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line, the Disney Cruise Line Castaway Membership, because it’s known as, doesn’t provide members over-the-top perks akin to a free cruise after reaching a prime tier. There aren’t any massive reductions on shore excursions and spa therapies for members, like some traces provide.
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Nonetheless, Disney Cruise Line’s loyalty program does deliver a couple of worthwhile perks at its higher-level tiers, together with early entry to new itineraries and onboard actions.
This system additionally makes it comparatively straightforward to achieve a high-level tier.
Methods to earn
Incomes standing within the Castaway Membership loyalty program is about so simple as might be. You get a credit score for each cruise you are taking — whether or not it’s three nights lengthy or 10 nights lengthy. That’s it. No muss, no fuss. Your standing, as we’ll clarify beneath, relies upon totally on what number of cruises you are taking.
Program tiers and advantages
There are simply 4 tiers within the Castaway Membership program, together with a brand new prime tier simply unveiled in February 2023:
- Silver (after one cruise).
- Gold (after 5 cruises).
- Platinum (after 10 cruises).
- Pearl (after 25 cruises).
When you attain the primary tier of this system (Silver), you may be entitled to precisely seven perks. Maybe essentially the most notable of those is the flexibility to e book upfront for onboard cruise actions akin to ticket-only character greetings and specialty restaurant dinners as much as 90 days earlier than sailings. This can be a massive deal on this planet of Disney cruises, the place a few of the hottest actions on ships promote out rapidly.
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Silver members also can e book new Disney cruise itineraries someday forward of most people. That won’t seem to be a lot of a head begin, however it may be an actual benefit when attempting to snag the right cabin on a sizzling new itinerary. Disney followers are recognized to grab up the very best cabins — if not all of the cabins — on distinctive new sailings in a short time.
As well as, Silver members get:
- Unique Castaway Membership communications.
- A members-only direct telephone line to name for info and help.
- A members-only check-in line on the cruise terminal.
- A welcome-back-aboard present.
- Early entry to pick out port arrival instances (this perk was briefly paused through the COVID-19 pandemic and has but to be reinstated).
Upon reaching the Gold stage, members get all of the above perks with two notable upgrades. For starters, they’ve the flexibility to e book onboard cruise actions as much as 105 days earlier than sailings. That’s 15 days sooner than Silver members. They’re additionally in a position to e book new Disney cruise itineraries two days forward of most people.
As well as, Gold members get:
- A non-public reception on sailings of eight nights or longer (this perk additionally has been briefly paused because of the COVID-19 pandemic).
- Particular reductions on voyages.
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The third tier of this system, the Platinum stage, extends the pre-booking home windows even additional. Platinum members are in a position to make advance bookings for onboard cruise actions as much as 120 days earlier than sailings. That’s 15 days sooner than Gold members and 30 days sooner than Silver members. They’re additionally in a position to e book new Disney cruise itineraries three days forward of most people.
As well as, Platinum stage members are entitled to a free dinner at Palo, the upscale, adults-only Italian eatery on Disney ships — extra on this in a second.
The elite stage that makes a distinction
It isn’t actually till you hit the brand new Pearl stage of the Castaway Membership that the perks begin to get attention-grabbing. The large perk at this stage is which you can e book new itineraries sooner than everybody else. You even have the earliest doable entry to order onboard actions.
Particularly, you can also make reservations for newly introduced itineraries 4 days earlier than most people. You may also e book actions as much as 123 days upfront of crusing.
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On the planet of Disney, this can be a very massive deal. As talked about above, Disney followers are recognized to snag all the great cabins for a preferred crusing the second a visit goes on sale. Ditto for onboard actions.
As well as, Pearl standing additionally brings a complimentary limitless digital photograph package deal, which is a notable perk.
Disney has numerous official photographers on board its ships to snap pictures of you and your children with princesses and the like. Nonetheless, it would not provide these pictures without spending a dime. Paying for even a comparatively small variety of pictures taken by these onboard photographers — even in digital kind — usually can value lots of of {dollars}.
Observe that whereas the brand new Pearl tier and its perks have been unveiled in February and are posted on the road’s web site, the tier will not formally change into a part of this system till Might 1. So, in case you’re crusing earlier than then, you will not essentially obtain the tier’s advantages.
Finest elite perk
In contrast to some traces, Disney doesn’t provide any actually over-the-top elite perks, such because the free cruise that top-tier members of Royal Caribbean’s Crown & Anchor Society get. It’s additionally skimpy on handing out massive reductions on shore excursions, spa therapies and different cruise line-sold companies to elite members — one thing another traces do. Nonetheless, there are a couple of perks that get us at the very least modestly excited.
Essentially the most attractive providing, in our view, is the free dinner that comes with Platinum standing at Palo, as famous above.
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The invitation extends to the elite member and some other grownup passenger staying in the identical cabin. Assuming there are two of you, that’s a $90 worth. Palo usually prices $45 per particular person.
Backside line
Disney Cruise Line presents a handful of first rate perks to members of its Castaway Membership loyalty program, together with early entry to new itineraries and onboard actions.
Nonetheless, the Castaway Membership loyalty program isn’t practically as strong because the frequent cruiser packages of many different well-known manufacturers, akin to Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line. If you happen to’re going to sail loads with Disney, you’ll wish to do it since you love the model, not since you count on plenty of onboard recognition to your loyalty.
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