Among the many world’s greatest cruise traces, Princess Cruises has one of many extra modest loyalty packages.
Not like rivals Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line, Princess does not provide its loyalty membership members a free cruise after reaching the highest tier. There are not any onboard credit for top-tier members, like some traces provide (though a change in 2021 did convey reductions for shore excursions and spa remedies at high tiers).
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Nevertheless, the Captain’s Circle, because the Princess Cruises loyalty program known as, does convey a couple of worthwhile perks at its higher-level tiers, together with discounted web service and complimentary laundry providers.
The Princess Cruises Captain’s Circle loyalty program can be one the place it’s comparatively simple to succeed in a high-level tier. For those who love Princess, take note of factors incomes so you may rise by the ranks to snag the perfect Captain’s Circle loyalty program advantages.
Methods to earn factors
The purpose-earning system for the Princess Cruises Captain’s Circle loyalty program is a bit convoluted, because it includes two separate tracks — both of which can mean you can rise by its tiers.
For starters, members earn 1 “cruise credit score” for every cruise they take. However, additionally, members earn 1 “cruise day” for each evening spent on a ship. So, on a typical seven-night cruise, you’ll earn 7 cruise days along with 1 cruise credit score.
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Simply to make issues a bit bit extra sophisticated, Princess additionally doubles your cruise credit score earnings should you sail in a full suite (mini-suites, Membership Class suites and upgrades to suites are excluded) or sail solo. Nevertheless, it does not double your cruise day rely.
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So, on a seven-night cruise, you’ll earn 2 cruise credit and seven cruise days should you sail in a set.
Whereas convoluted, this technique really works to your benefit, as you may have two methods to succeed in larger tier ranges within the Captain’s Circle loyalty program. As we’ll clarify beneath, you may qualify for elite standing both through your cruise credit score rely or your cruise day rely, whichever quantity will get you to your aim first.
Princess Cruises loyalty ranges
There are 4 tiers to the Captain’s Circle program:
- Gold (after your first accomplished cruise)
- Ruby (out of your fourth cruise credit score, or 31 to 50 cruise days)
- Platinum (out of your sixth to fifteenth cruise credit score, or 51 to 150 cruise days)
- Elite (out of your sixteenth cruise credit score on, or 151-plus cruise days)
Attending to the primary tier of this system, Gold, is easy. You simply have to finish one cruise. It does not matter what number of cruise credit or cruise days you earn on that first crusing.
Nevertheless, beginning with the second tier, Ruby, you will must regulate your progress in accumulating each cruise credit and cruise days. Relying on what kind of cruises and cabins you e-book, it’s possible you’ll rise by the ranks quicker utilizing one metric or the opposite.
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Princess Captain’s Circle advantages
As is typical for cruise line loyalty packages, the entry-level tier (Gold) of the Captain’s Circle loyalty program does not convey all that a lot when it comes to really worthwhile rewards. Probably the most alluring advantages at this degree are the Preferential Pricing Presents for choose sailings that the road extends to Captain’s Circle members, and early reserving reductions referred to as Captain’s Circle Launch Financial savings.
As well as, Gold members get:
- Invites to members-only onboard occasions
- Entry to a Captain’s Circle onboard host
- A members-only journal
- A recognition pin
Upon reaching the second tier of this system, Ruby, you obtain a couple of extra perks. But this tier is a bit ho-hum, too. Along with the Gold-level rewards, you get a brand new recognition pin, entry to a shoreside Captain’s Circle Assist Desk telephone line, and an improve to Princess’ Platinum Trip Safety plan once you buy a Princess journey insurance coverage plan at the usual price.
The latter could appear fascinating, however right here at The Factors Man, we do not suggest you purchase journey insurance coverage by your cruise line. We choose insurance policies purchased by third-party insurers, which frequently cowl issues that cruise line insurance policies do not. Because of this, we do not put any worth on that final profit.
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Reaching the Ruby degree may be finished in as few as one cruise if it is a cruise lasting 31 days or extra. Nevertheless, a extra typical cruiser crusing seven-night journeys in customary cabins would want to take 4 cruises to succeed in the Ruby degree.
The elite degree that makes a distinction
Being loyal to Princess lastly begins paying off in a significant manner when you attain the Platinum degree of the Captain’s Circle program. Even right here, although, the rewards are nonetheless comparatively modest.
The Platinum degree comes with 5 strong perks:
- Precedence boarding
- 50% off MedallionNet web packages
- 10% off spa remedies
- 10% off photographs taken by ship photographers
- Early entry to Dine My Approach reservations
Precedence boarding is a superb perk because it means you do not have to attend with the vacationer hordes upon arriving at a ship and, in principle, can board extra shortly — growing the period of time you must benefit from the vessel’s choices on the primary day. We’re just a bit shocked that Princess does not provide this perk till the third tier of its loyalty program.
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We additionally actually just like the 50% low cost on web packages. This can be a new perk added in 2021 that changed an previous perk that introduced Platinum and Elite members a set quantity of complimentary minutes of web service (150 to 500, relying on the cruise size). The brand new low cost permits Platinum and Elite members to purchase a dear length-of-cruise web package deal at half the traditional price.
Some longtime Princess followers had been upset with the web perk change in 2021. They most popular having a restricted variety of free minutes to having a reduction of fifty% off a broader, length-of-cruise web package deal. Nevertheless, for anybody who likes their Wi-Fi “at all times on” in order that emails and texts arrive in real-time, the low cost on a length-of-cruise package deal will show extra worthwhile.
Platinum standing additionally brings entry to a disembarkation lounge on the final day of the cruise, the place you may have a beverage and lightweight breakfast as you wait to depart the ship.
As well as, on the Platinum degree, you will obtain a particular Platinum-level pin.
As is the case with the Ruby degree, reaching the Platinum degree may be finished in as few as one cruise, although it is not simple. You would want to take an preliminary crusing of 51 nights or longer. That is fairly lengthy, we all know, however Princess does provide some very lengthy sailings, together with around-the-world journeys that reach past 100 days.
For a extra typical cruiser crusing seven-night journeys in customary cabins, it might take six sailings to succeed in the Platinum degree.
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Greatest Princess Captain’s Circle Elite advantages
Alas, there is not a “wow” perk in your entire Captain’s Circle menu. As famous above, not like some traces, Princess does not award top-tier members really worthwhile perks corresponding to a free cruise or onboard credit that can be utilized for any kind of onboard spending (the road used to supply onboard credit based mostly on the variety of cruises taken, however it revoked this perk in 2021). Nonetheless, the Captain’s Circle’s high Elite standing tier does include a couple of engaging advantages.
Our favourite, by a hair, is the complimentary laundry service that comes with Elite-level standing, one thing that may come in useful (and prevent some huge cash) on longer voyages. Notice that this complimentary laundry service excludes same-day service.
Elite standing additionally brings:
- 10% low cost on shore excursions
- 10% low cost at The Retailers of Princess
- An unique window to preview and e-book new itineraries
- Precedence entry to ship-to-shore shuttles
- Precedence disembarkation
- A complimentary minibar setup
- Complimentary shoe shines
- In-room canapes on formal nights
- Complimentary afternoon tea in your cabin (schedule this at the very least six hours prematurely)
- Free admission to an onboard wine-tasting occasion (one per cruise)
- An Elite member pin
You may need to take 16 seven-night cruises to succeed in the Elite degree, assuming you keep in customary cabins. For those who keep in suites, you could possibly attain Elite standing in simply eight sailings. Nevertheless, in principle, you additionally might attain Elite standing in simply two sailings in the event that they had been among the many longest sailings on the Princess schedule. You want 151 cruise days to get to the Elite degree.
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Notice that, as is usually the case with cruise line loyalty packages, Princess prospects wouldn’t have to requalify for standing every year. Captain’s Circle members hold their factors on the finish of every yr and proceed to accrue factors indefinitely. That signifies that somebody who hits Elite standing will stay at that high tier degree endlessly (or till Princess makes a change to this system).
Such “endlessly standing” is without doubt one of the nice allures of cruise line frequent cruiser packages. Most airline frequent flyer packages, against this, require loyalty members to requalify for standing every year.
Backside line
The Princess Cruises Captain’s Membership loyalty program provides a couple of respectable perks within the high two of its 4 tiers, together with closely discounted web service and complimentary laundry service.
Nevertheless, the Captain’s Circle program isn’t practically as strong a frequent cruiser program as these provided by such rivals as Royal Caribbean and Norwegian. This can be a little bit of a shock to us, as we all know that Princess has a variety of very loyal followers who’ve sailed with the road dozens of instances. As we have written about earlier than, the road has some prospects who’ve spent years at sea on Princess ships.
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