Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises, and Silversea offer major hidden perk
Passengers may be eligible for a hidden upgrade to their cruise experience that can be accessed right after completing one simple task.
Some cruisers like to bounce among cruise lines, and others stick to where they get the benefits they care about most.
Cruisers take pride in their achieved loyalty tiers, and cruise lines reinforce the importance of reaching a new status.
On top of the benefits unlocked with each tier, Royal Caribbean recognizes its loyal members with milestone gifts upon reaching a new status. For example, when you reach its fourth-level Diamond tier, you receive a lapel pin (delivered on the following cruise after earning the new status). For cruisers with 140 points, you receive a milestone crystal block.
Related: Celebrity Cruises plans massive ship upgrades
Some of the exciting rewards that come with Diamond status are four complimentary drinks a day (up to $14 value with some exclusions).
Another sought-after perk is access to the Crown Lounge. The Crown Lounge is an exclusive venue available to the Diamond and above tiers of the Crown and Anchor Society.
The lounge provides a selection of food often including pastries, continental breakfast options, and snacks. A dedicated concierge in the lounge can also assist with any special requests.
Peak-hour restrictions may apply for Diamond members on sailings with high numbers of top-tier members (Diamond Plus and Pinnacle members).
To reach Diamond, Royal Caribbean’s fourth tier (of six tiers total), you need to earn 80 points. Cruisers earn 1 point a night, or 2 points a night if booked in a suite or traveling solo. Image source: Danielle Rosen
Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises, and Silversea quietly offer unique, widely unknown perk
It’s nice when traveling with family to be able to have the same benefits on your cruise.
For Royal Caribbean’s Diamond and above passengers, their access to the Crown Lounge may arguably not be worth it if the party they are traveling with is not permitted access.
The same idea goes for Elite and above members of the Celebrity Cruises Captain’s Club loyalty program. Elite and above members can access a daily happy hour (at most bars from 5 p.m.-7 p.m.). The perk is great, but if you are not sailing with others that have the same rewards, this may be awkward.
Related: Royal Caribbean, other cruise lines face Bahamas island problem
Royal Caribbean and its subsidiary cruise lines, Celebrity Cruises and Silversea, offer a little-known solution to this dilemma.
These cruise lines allow for status matching between spouses and for couples (or family) who live in the same household. This means if one family member holds a higher loyalty status within one of these cruise lines, their spouse or family member potentially can be fast-tracked to the same status level.
To do this, you would need to contact the cruise line’s loyalty department and provide proof of your shared address.
One Celebrity cruiser just matched his partner with only sailing 6 cruises and 32 nights on Celebrity. His significant other cruised on some Celebrity sailings with other family members and therefore gained a higher tier status quicker. The cruiser was ecstatic to be able to match his partner’s status and enjoy the same benefits.
Do this to access this little-known benefit
Make sure the cruise line has the address written exactly the same as your family member's when you call to ask the cruise line to match the status. If the address is just slightly off, they may deny the match.
Cruisers can also visit Celebrity Cruises Captain’s Club; Royal Caribbean’s Crown and Anchor Society; or the Venetian Society’s loyalty desks onboard to request their status match.
Related: Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises announce new reward benefits
You will need to show proof of address. The easiest way may be to show your ID.
The cruise lines typically will not match your points (earned from each night sailed), but will match your tier (which gives you the benefits of that tier). The highest tier, such as Pinnacle with Royal Caribbean, may be excluded from matching.
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Make a free appointment with Come Cruise With Me's Travel Agent Partner, Postcard Travel, or email Amy Post at amypost@postcardtravelplanning.com or call or text her at 386-383-2472.
