Beginning in early 2026, Royal Caribbean has said it's making its biggest loyalty change in years by giving them the chance to earn points while cruising other brands within the company.
Points Choice will allow guests to decide which loyalty program receives the points they earn on a sailing. Instead of points automatically being credited only to the brand you sailed, guests will be able to move those points to another Royal Caribbean Group loyalty program if they prefer.
This means Royal Caribbean fans can take an occasional cruise on Celebrity or Silversea and still grow their Crown and Anchor status. The company hopes it will create a more flexible loyalty ecosystem across Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, and Silversea.
Here’s a full breakdown of what Points Choice is, how it works, and when it starts.
What Is Points Choice?
Announced as "coming soon" last October, Points Choice is a new loyalty option that lets guests choose where their earned loyalty points are applied after a cruise ends.
With Points Choice, you can now earn points from the Royal Caribbean Group cruise brand of your choice, with the amount of points you earn from a cruise depending on
- Cruise line
- Number of nights sailed
- Stateroom category
The key change is what happens after the sailing is complete. Prior to Points Choice, you'd earn points under each cruise line's program.
Instead, guests will have the option to apply those points to the loyalty program they choose, including:
- Crown & Anchor Society (Royal Caribbean International)
- Captain’s Club (Celebrity Cruises)
- Venetian Society (Silversea)
If a guest is happy keeping their points with the brand they sailed, no action is required. Points Choice only comes into play if you want to redirect your points to a different loyalty program.
Points exchange rates
Points will be converted using brand-specific exchange rates.
While an exact date for a formal announcement has not been revealed, the company has said more information is to come in early 2026.
When exactly? We're not certain yet.
Win-win change for cruisers and line
When Royal Caribbean Group executives announced the Points Change program, it was clear this is meant to be beneficial to consumer and company.
For guests, it means you can try a cruise on one of the other Royal Caribbean Group brands without sacrificing points. Many cruisers want to climb the loyalty ladder to accrue better perks, such as reaching Diamond or Pinnacle Club status within Crown and Anchor Society.
Reaching higher Crown and Anchor levels garners better perks, such as complimentary drink vouchers and other discounts.
Company leadership hopes Points Choice will spur more bookings from their loyal customer base, which they see as a valuable asset.
"This initiative further strengthens the overall value of our loyalty proposition, deepening engagement across our portfolio and reinforcing our commitment to putting the guests at the center of our orbit as our ecosystem expands," said Royal Caribbean Group CEO Jason Liberty on a recent earnings call.
"It creates a virtuous cycle of demand, value and advocacy, one that drives both short term performance and enduring growth. It's a model that compounds over time, and we're just at the beginning of what it can become."
