Among the many world’s largest cruise traces, Princess Cruises has one of many extra modest loyalty packages.
Not like rivals Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line, Princess does not supply 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 supply (though a change in 2021 did bring discounts for shore excursions and spa treatments at prime tiers).
That mentioned, the Captain’s Circle, because the Princess Cruises loyalty program is known as, does convey a number of useful perks at its higher-level tiers, together with discounted web entry and complimentary laundry providers.
The Princess Cruises Captain’s Circle loyalty program can also be one the place it’s comparatively simple to succeed in a high-level tier. Not like with some cruise line loyalty packages, you possibly can rise to the 2 prime tiers of the Captain’s Circle loyalty program, which have the most effective advantages, by taking comparatively few cruises — notably for those who usually take lengthy cruises.
Methods to earn factors
The points-earning system for the Princess Cruises Captain’s Circle loyalty program could be complicated to newcomers to this system, because it entails two separate tracks — both of which can help you rise by way of its tiers.
For starters, members earn 1 “cruise credit score” for every cruise they take. However members additionally earn 1 “cruise day” for each day spent on a ship. So, on a typical seven-day cruise, you’d earn 7 cruise days along with 1 cruise credit score.
Word that for these reserving a land-and-sea “cruisetour” with Princess, solely the times which are a part of the cruise portion of the journey will rely towards your cruise day rely. The land tour portion of those journeys is not going to get you cruise day credit.
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Simply to make issues a bit bit extra sophisticated, Princess additionally doubles your cruise credit score earnings for those who sail in a full suite (minisuites, Membership Class suites and upgrades to suites are excluded) or sail solo. Nonetheless, it does not double your cruise day rely.
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So, on a seven-night cruise, you’d earn 2 cruise credit and seven cruise days for those who sail in a collection.
Whereas a bit sophisticated, this method really works to your benefit, as you’ve gotten two methods to succeed in greater tier ranges within the Captain’s Circle loyalty program. As we’ll clarify under, you possibly can qualify for elite standing both by way of your cruise credit score rely or your cruise day rely, whichever quantity will get you to your purpose 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.
Nonetheless, beginning with the second tier, Ruby, you will want to observe your progress in accumulating each cruise credit and cruise days. Relying on what kind of cruises and cabins you e-book, you could rise by way of the ranks sooner 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 Gold tier of the Captain’s Circle loyalty program does not convey all that a lot when it comes to actually useful rewards. Essentially the most alluring advantages at this stage 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.
Moreover, Gold members get:
- Early entry to new itineraries
- Invites to members-only onboard occasions
- Entry to a Captain’s Circle onboard host
- Entry to Circle Heart On-line, a web based space for Captain’s Circle members
- A Circle Financial savings Account
Upon reaching the Ruby tier, you obtain a number of extra perks. But this tier is a bit ho-hum, too. Along with the Gold-level rewards, you get entry to a shoreside Captain’s Circle Assist Desk cellphone line and an improve to Princess’ Platinum Trip Safety plan while you buy a Princess journey insurance coverage plan at the usual price.
The latter could seem fascinating, however right here at TPG, we do not advocate you purchase journey insurance coverage by way of your cruise line. We want insurance policies purchased by way of third-party insurers, which regularly cowl issues that cruise line insurance policies do not. Consequently, we do not put any worth on that final profit.
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You possibly can attain the Ruby stage by taking only one cruise if it lasts 31 days or extra. Nonetheless, a extra typical cruiser crusing seven-night journeys in commonplace cabins would wish to take 4 cruises to succeed in the Ruby stage.
The elite stage that makes a distinction
Being loyal to Princess lastly begins paying off in a significant manner when you attain the Platinum stage of the Captain’s Circle program. Even right here, although, the rewards are nonetheless comparatively modest.
The Platinum stage comes with 5 strong perks:
- 50% off MedallionNet web packages
- Early entry to eating reservations
- 10% off spa therapies
- 10% off photographs taken by ship photographers
- Entry to a Platinum and Elite member lounge
The early entry to eating reservations is a superb perk, because it permits you to snag the most effective occasions for tables earlier than different passengers.
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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; it changed an outdated 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 an expensive length-of-cruise web bundle at half the traditional price.
Some longtime Princess followers have been upset with the web perk change in 2021. They most well-liked having a restricted variety of free minutes over having a reduction of fifty% off a broader length-of-cruise web bundle. However for anybody who likes their Wi-Fi “all the time on” in order that emails and texts arrive in actual time, the low cost on a length-of-cruise bundle will show extra useful.
As is the case with the Ruby stage, you possibly can attain the Platinum stage by taking only a single cruise, although it is not simple. You would wish to take an preliminary crusing of 51 nights or longer. That is fairly lengthy, we all know, however Princess does supply some very lengthy sailings, together with around-the-world journeys that stretch past 100 days.
For a extra typical cruiser crusing seven-night journeys in commonplace cabins, it might take six sailings to succeed in the Platinum stage.
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Finest Princess Captain’s Circle Elite advantages
Alas, there is not a “wow” perk in your entire Captain’s Circle menu. As famous above, in contrast to some traces, Princess does not award top-tier members actually useful perks similar 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, but it surely revoked this perk in 2021.) Nonetheless, the Captain’s Circle program’s prime Elite standing tier does include a number of engaging advantages.
Our favourite, by a hair, is the complimentary laundry service that comes with Elite-level standing, one thing that may turn out to be useful (and prevent some huge cash) on longer voyages. Word that this complimentary laundry service excludes same-day service.
Elite standing additionally brings:
- A ten% low cost at The Outlets of Princess
- A ten% low cost on shore excursions
- Precedence entry to ship-to-shore shuttles
- Free admission to an onboard wine-tasting occasion (one per cruise)
- A complimentary minibar setup
- In-room canapes on formal nights
- Complimentary afternoon tea in your cabin (schedule this a minimum of six hours upfront)
- Precedence disembarkation
- Complimentary shoeshines
One caveat to the Elite-level low cost perks at The Outlets of Princess and for shore excursions is that they cannot be mixed with another low cost or promotion provided on board. There are comparable restrictions for utilizing the ten% low cost for onboard spa providers and picture providers that include the Platinum stage.
You will need to take 16 seven-night cruises to succeed in the Elite stage, assuming you keep in commonplace cabins. For those who keep in suites, you may attain Elite standing in simply eight sailings. Nonetheless, in concept, you additionally may attain Elite standing in simply two sailings in the event that they have been among the many longest sailings on the Princess schedule. You want 151 cruise days to get to the Elite stage.
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Word that, as is usually the case with cruise line loyalty packages, Princess prospects shouldn’t have to requalify for standing every year. Captain’s Circle members maintain their factors on the finish of every 12 months and proceed to accrue factors indefinitely. That implies that somebody who hits Elite standing will stay at that prime tier stage ceaselessly (or till Princess makes a change to this system).
Such “ceaselessly standing” is among the nice allures of cruise line frequent cruiser packages. Many 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 gives a number of first rate perks within the prime two of its 4 tiers, together with closely discounted web entry and complimentary laundry service.
Nonetheless, the Captain’s Circle program is just not almost 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 occasions. 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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