One thing Royal Caribbean emphasizes is how much they value their top tier cruisers.

During Royal Caribbean Group's latest earnings call with Wall Street analysts, CEO Jason Liberty talked a lot about how they're investing in its loyalty members.  They see repeat cruisers as an important base to leverage, in the same way a political party relies on its base to boost its agenda.

Having reached the top tier of the cruise line's Crown & Anchor Society, I've seen firsthand how much the company cares about its repeat cruisers. Crew members go out of their way to recognize our loyalty, and the perks we receive are fantastic.

Once you reach the top tiers, it's obvious you enjoy not just cruising, but are a fan of Royal Caribbean.  Therefore, there are certain cruises that I think you should prioritize because they will enhance what you can get out of them as a top tier member.

Go on a President's Cruise with other super fans

Once you realize you're a fan of Royal Caribbean, going on a cruise that celebrates other super fans is a must-try.

I went on my first President's Cruise last year and it was an eye-opening opportunity.  Royal Caribbean holds an annual sailing where cruise line executives host special activities to celebrate all things Royal Caribbean.

There are special perks for the top tier members, including invite-only events. On my sailing, we were invited to get a sneak peek of the new Royal Beach Club before it opened. Each President's Cruise has a different event.

Plus, there are freebies and opportunities to speak to Michael Bayley and other top brass. 

More importantly, if you've made it to Diamond or higher, the President's Cruise is the kind of cruise that I think would be interesting because it's akin to attending a fan event for those that love a movie trilogy, comic books, or other similar fandoms.

The next President's Cruise is scheduled for October 2026 on Icon of the Seas, and I've got my cabin booked!

Pick a longer sailing, like a repositioning cruise

Now that you're getting the best perks as a top tier member, you'll want to prioritize longer sailings.

It's no coincidence that there are always a lot of Diamond Plus and Pinnacle Club members on these sailings, because longer sailings offer more value.

Repositioning cruises stand out as the sailings you'll find higher Crown and Anchor numbers because they're a tremendous value.  They're usually priced cheaper per night because there's less demand for a longer sailing with lots of sea days.

This fact attracts people that love to cruise, but are also looking for a good deal.

Plus, going on a longer sailing is how you climb the loyalty ladder faster.  By going on longer sailings, you'll earn more points quicker.

No matter how many points you have, there's always a need to earn more.  Perhaps to reach the next tier or just to stay head of Michael Poole.  Regardless, these longer sailings are how you can jump ahead.

Visit private islands

Another priority for any cruise you book is to look for ways to maximize your perks.

Because Royal Caribbean offers so many included freebies at its top levels, I'd recommend picking cruises that visit its private islands.

Royal Caribbean has two private destinations today, with one more on the way.  Perfect Day at CocoCay and Labadee are both enclaves for cruise guests and your onboard perks work there too.

Being able to use your Diamond drink vouchers and Wi-Fi package (CocoCay only) at these places extends the value of your perks.

When Perfect Day Mexico opens in 2027, there will be a new place in the Caribbean to use them too, which means almost any Caribbean sailing will have the opportunity to get more from your Crown and Anchor membership.

How to best use your free Pinnacle cruise

If you can get to Pinnacle Club status, Royal Caribbean will reward you with a free cruise certificate. But I'd be strategic with which one you use it on.

At 700 points, you'll get a free seven night cruise to the Caribbean in a balcony cabin to use. You'll get another free cruise every 350 points after that, which means there's a good reason to keep going.  For example: 700, 1050, 1400, 1750, 2100, et al.

Here's the catch: you can pick a non-Caribbean cruise, but the value is greatly diminished.

If you try to use your Pinnacle certificate for an Alaska cruise, you'll only get $2400 value to use towards it, and no discounts.

What you should do is pick a ship sailing in the Caribbean and go with a new ship.

New ships always cost more than older ships, therefore you'll get the most bang for your buck getting a free cruise on a newer and more in-demand ship than an older one.

Cruise loyalty is changing thanks to Royal Caribbean Group's disruption of the traditional loyalty programs.

The Points Choice program was announced last month and it's now operational, meaning you can earn cruise points across different lines within the RCG family of brands.

While it's early in the Points Choice offering, already many cruisers are rethinking which cruises they'll book because suddenly they have more options available to them without compromising their climb to the next loyalty tier.

There's suddenly so many more choices of where and when you can sail because of the Silversea and Celebrity Cruise options. This is especially important to Royal Caribbean fans that have lamented the lack of new itineraries or exotic destinations.

Consumers are pondering which destinations to visit, and it seems like there's already a shift in being more agnostic to the line than ever before.

Deeping guest loyalty

It's not often you see a corporate initiative that benefits both consumer and company equally, but Points Choice seems to have that quality.

The idea is for points that can be strategically used across Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises, and Silversea, which incentives cross-brand travel and greater engagement.

During Royal Caribbean Group's fourth quarter earnings call, executives were adamant about how beneficial Points Choice will be and how they expect it to work well.

"We recently shared the next evolution of our loyalty program with Points Choice, which gives consumers the freedom to earn points on any of our three vacation brands and apply them where they matter most, regardless of the ship they’re sailing.," said Royal Caribbean Group President and CEO Jason Liberty.

"Our loyalty programs are now with that coming with Points Choice, we’re seeing more and more high quality demand from our guests." 

Royal Caribbean Group believe Points Choice improves demand quality, not just participation.

Mr. Liberty is fond of one of the catchphrase they are building a "lifetime of vacations" ecosystem, and Points Choice is integral to this.

"Together, these elements reinforce our lifetime of vacation ecosystem, attracting new guests, driving more frequency and long-term loyalty that translates into sustainable growth."

Booming business of loyalty

Cruise line loyalty has changed a lot over the years, but it's clear RCG sees its repeat cruisers as a core part of their business strategy.

During the earnings call, Mr. Liberty acknowledged that the amount of repeat business is rising, "We're seeing an increase in the percentage of our guests that are loyalists."

Points Choice is about giving those repeat customers more options and ways to come back.

By attracting repeat cruisers, the hope is they'll cruise more and spend more. On the earnings call, executives linked the rise in loyalists and the launch of Points Choice to "higher quality demand," suggesting they see loyalty as a driver of stronger, more durable bookings.

"This will definitely make me more likely to try Celebrity"

For anyone that is trying to get to a higher loyalty tier, Points Choice is making that easier.

Royal Caribbean message board user VC22 posted, "This will definitely make me more likely to try Celebrity.  I was going to hold back on Celebrity until I hit Diamond Plus (likely in a few years time)."

"I may now consider Celebrity for 2027, especially since they seem to offer more varied itineraries."

This post exemplifies many others sentiments that now they can try a new line, but still get their Crown and Anchor Society points.

• RCIFan1912: "I want to sail Celebrity but wasn't going to till we for to Diamond plus but now the points can just be directed to C&A. That is just awesome!
• JimnKathy: "This will allow Kathy and I to test out Celebrity (and perhaps SilverSea?) and keep adding points while we chase down Diamond Plus status over the next several years or so."
• whitsmom: "This is Good News for me!!  We are on a B2B with Celebrity in August 2027."

Prior to Points Choice, a cruiser might think twice about trying another line because they wanted to reach a certain level with Royal Caribbean first, such as Diamond status.

Now, they can have their cake (from the Crown Lounge) and eat it too.

One of the best changes for cruisers happened this week when Royal Caribbean Group announced it would make it easier to earn loyalty points, but there is a lot to digest in this big announcement.

The idea is simple enough: go on any of the three brands and earn points for your preferred loyalty program.

But questions remain and there are a lot of bullet points to cover with this new change.  

The good news is cruisers seem near unanimous in their admiration for Points Choice because it gives them something more than they had prior to this change. After all, who doesn't want another excuse to cruise more?

In digging through all of the Points Choice details, here are some takeaways you should know before the program begins on January 30th.

You have to act quickly to make the conversion

Probably the biggest surprise to me was you have to actively request the points to be converted for each sailing.

I assumed you'd select which loyalty program you prefer and then any subsequent cruises you took would have the points switch over. Just shows how bad I am at predicting anything.

Nonetheless, you'll need to make the request quickly after you get home.  Point conversions need to be made within 14 days of the conclusion of your cruise.

Concierge and Aqua class will transfer as 2 Crown and Anchor points

The first thing the Internet noticed was how lucrative it is to sail on Celebrity Cruises in Concierge or Aqua Class and convert those points over to Crown and Anchor Society.

Concierge and Aqua Class will transfer as two Crown and Anchor points per night, which is the same amount of points you'd get for being in a suite on Royal Caribbean.

While those two classes sound fancy, it's basically a balcony cabin with a few added perks.  And in practice, they're often priced lower than a standard veranda category room on Celebrity or a Junior Suite on Royal Caribbean.

If you're going to leverage Points Choice to chase a higher Crown & Anchor level, sailing Celebrity in one of these types of rooms might be a smart strategy.

You can choose to convert points (or not)

Depending on your points strategy, you don't have to convert your points over.

You'll need to request the points be converted after each sailing, instead of it being an automatic function.

This may be of use to someone who strategically wants to move points, but not for every sailing. Frankly, I don't know why, but it's possible!

You can't convert points from past cruises

Unfortunately, you won't be able to get any points from past cruises on other lines.

The new program takes effect on January 30 and applies to any cruises from that point forward.

I can't say I'm terribly surprised by this policy, but I suppose it makes sense that the company wants to encourage new bookings with Points Choice.

When they announced it last year, it was within the context of promoting customer loyalty and boosting cruise bookings from loyal guests.

Point exchange rates will be updated each year

Each cruise line has its own point conversion chart, and they'll be updated annually.

How much you earn from a particular cabin and then convert it could change down the line, which means a strategy you carve out today may need to be altered later.

It doesn't apply to casino programs

If you were curious if your Casino Royale status might get a boost too, the answer is no.

Points Choice only applies to the Royal Caribbean Crown & Anchor program, the Celebrity’s Captain’s Club program
and Silversea Venetian Society program.

There's no equivalent Points Choice option for casino players to go on a Celebrity Cruise and play in their lovely non-smoking casinos and then convert the points back to Casino Royale.

Move over Carnival, this is how you manage loyalty

Points Choice is not just a win for Royal Caribbean fans, it's also a boost at time when rival Carnival went in the opposite direction.

Carnival Cruise Line announced last year sweeping changes that stripped away loyalty benefits and made it more difficult to keep status.

Since then, Royal Caribbean Group leadership has repeatedly talked about how they value the business from their repeat cruise customers and avoid changes that remotely resemble what Carnival did.

Now that we see the full details behind Points Choice, it's a clear winner for loyalists that prefer Royal Caribbean Group brand ships.  It enables more cruising without losing your pace of progress towards a higher tier.

If this sounds like a fan boy response, it is, but it's also the reality of how one company is doing more for its customers when another is trying to reduce incentives.

Royal Caribbean is about to make it even easier to earn loyalty points while cruising on any of its brands of cruise ships.

Beginning January 30, the new Points Choice program will allow cruisers to earn loyalty points when cruising on any cruise line within the Royal Caribbean Group family.

This means you can take a Celebrity Cruise, but earn points in Crown and Anchor Society.

It's a major upgrade for cruisers because it makes it easier to expand your choices in where and how you cruise while still attaining status and climbing the loyalty ladder.

For the cruise company, the goal is to 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.

Points Choice provides more choice and more value

Beginning January 30, Points Choice will allow cruisers to sail on Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, or Silversea and earn points back to the preferred loyalty program of their choice.

It will be available on sailings departing on or after January 30, 2026.

The program was initially announced in October 2025 when Royal Caribbean Group CEO Jason Liberty revealed plans for the program.

"Points Choice is designed with our guests at the center," Mr. Liberty said in a statement today.

"Points Choice gives every guest the power to direct their loyalty points within our family of brands where they will have the biggest impact for them"

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

After your sailing completes, you have up to 2 weeks to complete an online form to request the points be transferred.

Up until now, you could only earn loyalty points under the program of the cruise line you sailed on.  Going forward, you'll have the option to transfer those points to another loyalty program, 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 exchange rates

Points will be converted using brand-specific exchange rates.

Exchange rates will be reviewed and published annually on our branded websites. 

Royal Caribbean International

Celebrity Cruises

Silversea

How you earn points if you're a solo cruiser

When you cruise solo, how many bonus points you earn depends on which cruise line’s loyalty program you apply those points to.

• Celebrity Cruises awards double points to solo travelers.
• Royal Caribbean gives solo guests one additional point per night.
• Silversea does not offer bonus credit for solo cruising.

For example, a solo guest sailing with Royal Caribbean in a balcony stateroom on a 7-night cruise would earn 14 points total—one base point per night, plus one additional point per night for traveling alone.

If that guest chose to transfer those points to Celebrity Cruises, they would receive 42 Captain’s Club points. That total reflects three base points per night under the exchange rate, plus three bonus points per night for sailing solo.

If the same points were transferred to Silversea, the guest would earn 2 VS days, based on the exchange rate, with no added solo bonus.

The same principle works in reverse. A solo traveler sailing with Celebrity Cruises in a veranda stateroom on a 7-night cruise would earn 42 points—three base points per night, plus three bonus points per night for traveling alone.

If those points were transferred to Royal Caribbean, they would convert to 14 points total, based on one base point per night under the exchange rate, plus one extra point per night for sailing solo.

If transferred to Silversea, the guest would again receive 2 VS days, with no solo travel bonus applied.

How to convert points

Points Choice will apply to sailings that depart on or after January 30, 2026.

After each eligible sailing ends, guests will have 14 days to submit a Points Choice request if they want to move their earned points to a different program:

• Through the Royal Caribbean app
• Royal Caribbean website

If no request is submitted within that window, the points will automatically remain with the brand sailed, just as loyalty points do today. 

There is one important requirement: you must already be enrolled in the loyalty program you want to apply points to.

For example:

• If you sail Royal Caribbean but want the points applied to Celebrity’s Captain’s Club, you must already be a Captain’s Club member.
• If you sail Celebrity and want points applied to Crown & Anchor, you must already be enrolled in Crown & Anchor.

To enroll, log in to your app and navigate to the Loyalty Match section to complete your enrollment.

A separate request form must be submitted for every sailing when you wish to apply points to another program. 

Allow up to 30 days after your cruise is completed and you submit your request.  Once submitted, requests cannot be changed, and points can only be transferred once between brands.

The cruise line plans to introduce a preference center later this year that will enable you to make your selection once for all future sailings. 

Lastly, you cannot apply loyalty points to another member.

No change to how you earn Crown and Anchor points

The big difference with Points Choice is you can now earn Crown and Anchor Society points by taking other cruises within the Royal Caribbean brands.

Nothing is changing as it relates to how many points are earned by cruising on Royal Caribbean.

Guests will continue earning points based on:

• Stateroom category
• Length of the cruise

Points Choice is about enabling fans of one line to be able to sail on another line while still moving up the loyalty ladder.

In addition, there's no change to any of the loyalty rewards and benefits. 

Making it easier to cruise more

Points Choice is part of the evolution of taken to offer more to cruisers that began with status matching, which allowed members of Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, and Silversea's programs to enjoy reciprocal status regardless of which brand they sail with. 

This meant you could get a one-for-one status match across all three brands once you've accrued status with just one line.

If, for instance, you're a Diamond Crown & Anchor member, you'll automatically become an Elite Captain's Club member and Venetian Society member with 250 VS Days once all of the accounts have been connected. 

That change alone has afforded plenty of new perks when trying a new Royal Caribbean Group line.

You would need to take 100 cruises for a week in order to reach Royal Caribbean's highest loyalty status, but a five year old just did it.

While sailing on Star of the Seas last week, the cruise line recognized Aydin Derakhshan as its newest Pinnacle Club member.

Similar to the airlines, cruise lines have loyalty levels that offer special rewards and benefits for repeat customers. 

For most tiers of the Crown and Anchor Society, kids under 18 years old can inherit their parent's status. However, to reach Pinnacle Club, you need to achieve it on your own by sailing enough to accrue the points.

Photo by Nora Ramadan

So yes, Aydin had to actually go on enough cruises to get his 700 points.

Aydin has now accumulated 702 points, making him the youngest person to hit the coveted status.

He reached Pinnacle in just 3 years

Photo by Twangster

Royal Caribbean holds a special event on all but the short cruises to thank its loyal customers and recognize repeat cruisers.

Whenever someone reaches 700 points, they get called up on stage to be awarded their new status.

Aydin and his family were sailing on the biggest cruise ship in the world, Star of the Seas, when he finally made it there.

The Atlanta, Georgia resident took his first cruise in 2022 and almost immediately started cruising.

The feat is even more impressive when you consider Royal Caribbean prohibits children younger than 6 months from cruising at all.  So Ayden got to Pinnacle in just while missing out on half a year of eligibility.

If you do the "cruise math", that works out to 117 suite or 234 non-suite nights per year the last 3 years.

At the Top Tier event, Aydin said his favorite ship was Star of the Seas and his favorite port of call was Royal Caribbean's private island of Perfect Day at CocoCay.

The previous youngest cruiser to reach Pinnacle was 7 years old

Royal Caribbean doesn't usually publish information about its cruisers, but according to cruise fans, Aydin beat out the record for youngest person to make it to Pinnacle by 2 years.

As of 2023, Ryan Tyson was recognized as the youngest Pinnacle member at 7 years old.

In a video he collaborated on with the cruise line, he said his favorite ship was Oasis of the Seas because it has Portside BBQ specialty restaurant.

He also loves all the activities onboard, including the SeaPlex, mini golf, and everything on the sports deck.

What you get for making it to Pinnacle

Now that Aydin has set a new record for being Pinnacle, he will enjoy a lifetime of special perks.

Off the bat, he'll qualify for a free cruise as a way to thank him for his loyalty.

Photo by Kenneth Jarvis

On any cruise he takes, he'll enjoy:

• Priority boarding in the suite line
• 6 complimentary drinks per day
• Free internet package every cruise
• Access to Coastal Kitchen and the Suite Lounge (assuming there aren't too many other Pinnacles onboard)
• A gold pin to wear around the ship
• Invitations to exclusive events
• Reciprocal status with Celebrity or Silversea

As a Pinnacle Club member myself, the amount of freebies you get is quite impressive.  The drink vouchers, Wi-Fi package, and priority embarkation are easily my favorite benefits of the bunch.

Congratulations to Aydin and his family

Achieving Pinnacle Club status is quite a milestone for anyone, but especially for kids who are brought onboard by their parents.

Being a super frequent cruiser is not just about bragging rights, but quite a fun way to see the world.  Going on that many cruises means at a young age Aydin has already visited a number of countries.

It can be argued that traveling with young kids is great for boosting their brain development, creativity, social skills, and global awareness. We don't know every port of call or country he visited, but cruising and being exposed to so many cultures is a great educational tool to "open your eyes to the world", figuratively speaking.

Welcome to the club, kid!

Virgin Voyages is offering to recognize your airline, hotel, or cruise loyalty status, so you can enjoy special benefits on an adults-only cruise. 

This means that now is the best time for elite Royal Caribbean and Celebrity members to try the cruise line without losing their hard-earned benefits. 

The all-new Sailing Club Status Match promotion is valid on new bookings made between December 9, 2025, and March 31, 2026, and submissions must be received at least 14 days before your sailing.

Guests who qualify will unlock Blue Extras perks on their first sailing, including one complimentary bag of laundry, one complimentary specialty coffee per day, and an invitation to an exclusive onboard cocktail hour. 

"Loyalty programs have gotten it backward," said Nirmal Saverimuttu, CEO of Virgin Voyages. "They ask for more, give less, and call it a reward. We’re flipping that. From the moment Sailors step aboard, we want them to feel recognized, relaxed, and reminded of why they fell in love with travel in the first place."

How to participate in Virgin's Sailing Club Status Match program

First, you must create a Sailor Account through Virgin Voyages' website. If you already have an account, you'll have to log in to access the Status Match request form. 

Then, you'll choose your eligible airline, hotel, or cruise loyalty program and upload proof of your status by Jan. 16, 2026. Moreover, Sailing Club Status Match submissions must be received at least 14 days before your voyage.

If you aren't at least a Platinum Royal Caribbean or Select Celebrity cruiser, don't worry — there are over 35 travel programs included in the promotion. 

As such, frequent flyers, hotel loyalists, and cruisers across a wide range of brands may qualify for the limited-time deal. 

Here's a rundown of some of the included programs:

• Royal Caribbean's Crown & Anchor Society
• Celebrity Cruises' Captains Club
• Norwegian Cruise Line’s Latitudes Rewards
• Carnival’s VIFP (Very Important Fun Person) Club
• MSC Cruises' Voyagers Club
• Princess Cruises Captain's Circle
• Holland America's Mariner Society
• Disney Cruise Line's Castaway Club
• American Airlines’ AAdvantage
• United MileagePlus Program
• Delta SkyMiles
• Marriott Bonvoy
• Hilton Honors
• World of Hyatt
• IHG One Rewards

After your status application is approved, you will be sent an exclusive Access Key via email. This must be used when making your new Virgin Voyages booking to unlock the Blue Extras benefits. 

To take advantage of this offer, your cruise must be booked by March 31, 2026. All open-for-sale revenue cruises are eligible. 

Note that the loyalty perks are only applied to the primary sailor on the reservation and can only be used once. Finally, the benefits earned through the Sailing Club Status Match offer are not transferable, non-exchangeable, and have no cash value.

Virgin Voyages vs Royal Caribbean: Why loyal Royal Caribbean cruisers should consider a Virgin cruise

Earlier this year, I embarked on my first-ever Virgin Voyages cruise after over a dozen sailings with Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises. 

Although there are areas where Royal and Celebrity shine, I would be open to sailing with Virgin again for a few key reasons. 

First, the dining is more diverse. Rather than being limited to a crowded buffet or a single dining room, Virgin Voyages offers a wide range of globally inspired options. The best part? Everything's included. 

This means that, unlike on Royal Caribbean or Celebrity, guests don't have to pay extra for the specialty Italian restaurant, upscale steakhouse, Mexican eatery, or lively Korean BBQ spot. 

Moreover, the standard buffet was replaced with The Galley, a massive food hall with multiple stalls all specializing in different cuisines. My favorites were Noodle Around and Let’s Taco Bout It. 

Moving on, I appreciated the modern touches throughout the ship. Starting with my interior stateroom, the touch-screen tablet could be used to adjust the cabin's lighting, order room service, and even operate the television. The rainfall shower was a bonus, too. 

Beyond the cabin, the ship was filled with stylish design elements that made it feel like a boutique hotel, rather than a mass-market cruise ship — think sleek lounges, ambient lighting, and cozy nooks for reading. 

Still, the highlight of a Virgin Voyages cruise is the adult-oriented experience. Although Celebrity Cruises caters more to adults than Royal Caribbean, it doesn't come close to the offerings on Virgin, including drag performances, wild late-night parties, and more. 

At the end of the day, a Virgin Voyages cruise will be different than Royal Caribbean. There aren't any Broadway-style productions, waterslides, surf simulators, or zip lines. 

Read more: I took my first Virgin Voyages cruise on its newest ship. Here are my brutally honest thoughts

However, the trade-off is an edgy, gastronomic adults-only cruise where you don't have to worry about kids splashing in the pool or running around the hallways. 

Virgin's new Sailing Club Status Match promotion makes it easier for loyal Royal Caribbean and Celebrity guests to be open to trying this unique take on cruising.  

Reaching Diamond status is a big deal for a lot of cruisers because of all the perks Royal Caribbean includes.

More cruisers than ever have made it to Diamond status, thanks to a surge in cruise demand. Cruising has not only become more accessible to the public, and a lot of people are coming back again and again.

When I reached Diamond level many years ago, I was excited for getting access to the dedicated lounge.  Since then, Royal Caribbean added new benefits, such as drink vouchers, that made it even more useful.

If you're getting close to Diamond, I think there are things I wish I knew before I made it there so that you can avoid missing out and not committing any faux pas' along the way.

The Crown Lounge is more like a social club than a rowdy spot

As a Diamond member in Crown and Anchor Society, there's a dedicated lounge for you on every ship.

One of the most surprising things about this space is it's less like a bar scene, and more like a quiet area. It's not a library by any means, but I think there's a certain expectation among many cruisers it's somewhere to keep the volume to conversation level.

This is especially true in during the day, because the lounge is where you'll find people reading, playing cards, enjoying coffee, or sitting with friends.

In the evening when cocktails are served, it gets the busiest with more guests in there to hang out.

Basically, be respectful of others in the lounge when it comes to how loud you are.  It seems to be unwritten rule not to take phone calls in there, nor is it acceptable to use it as a playground for young children. To be clear, kids are allowed and welcome in the Crown Lounge. Just like the adults, they can't be rowdy in there.

Frankly, I think the Crown Lounge has a stuffy feel to it, but it's largely been that way ever since I first got access to it.

You need to specify when using your Diamond drink vouchers

Without a doubt, the best benefit of Diamond level is the four drink vouchers you get everyday.  You'll want to take full advantage of this "mini-drink package" in a few ways.

I think it's incredible that Royal Caribbean gives all of its Diamond members four free drink vouchers per day to use on pretty much any drink.

First, make sure you tell the bartender or waiter when you order the drink that you want to use your voucher.

If you don't say anything, they may charge your SeaPass account for the beverage.  So be sure to mention when ordering the drink that you want to use your Diamond voucher.

Second, be sure to also specify the liquor you want in the cocktail so you get full value from your voucher.

If you ask for an Old Fashioned, they're going to likely use the well liquor that is the cheapest option.  But you can ask for a brand name liquor and it's still included in your voucher value.

Lastly, don't let your daily vouchers go to waste!

If you don't use all four of them every day, you should order extra bottles of water.  Stock piling bottled water in your stateroom is a good idea so you have access to it when you need it later, or to bring them on shore excursions.

You can't bring friends into the lounge

As neat as the Crown Lounge is, you cannot bring friends or family that aren't Diamond yet.

Over crowding in the lounge is bad enough as it is just among the Diamond, Diamond Plus, and Pinnacle Club members.  So Royal Caribbean prohibits non-Diamond guests from coming in.

When you make Diamond, your spouse and kids under 18 also get your Diamond status too.  So don't worry about having to leave them behind.

However, if you're cruising with friends or family that are not Diamond yet, then the lounge is not available to them.

This is part of the reason why the cruise line switched to offering vouchers for drinks to be used at any bar.  You can enjoy this benefit anywhere else on the ship, so you can spend time with others and not lose out on vouchers.

Ask the Diamond Concierge for help with small problems onboard

I think one of the least utilized Diamond perks is the Crown Lounge concierge.

The Diamond concierge is akin to the Suite Concierge, although I'm not certain they have as much "power" in pulling strings. Nonetheless, they are still a useful option.

Basically, the Diamond concierge is a step up from Guest Services and likely has a shorter line too.

You can go there to settle billing issues, get questions answered, and even make reservations.

One adjustment to make when you get to Diamond is to stop and think if the Diamond concierge could assist instead.  It might save you time in line at Guest Services or a trek to that desk.  Or perhaps you can just combine some hors d'oeuvres with your inquiry.

The free coffee machine in the lounge is a hidden gem

You won't see the coffee machine listed on the benefits list, but so many Diamond members love having access to it.

Inside the Crown Lounge is a self-service coffee machine that makes espresso, coffee, and lattes. It's free to use and is available 24 hours per day.

There are cups there, so you can enjoy it in the lounge or take it elsewhere around the ship or back to your stateroom.

For many cruisers, this is just what they need every day. It's a step up from the complimentary coffee you get around the ship and doesn't require using a drink voucher at Cafe Promenade.

It should come as no surprise that the machine is busiest in the morning, and you'll also find an assortment of breakfast items as well.

Each morning there are various pastries and light bites that you can grab to accompany your coffee.

How the free day of internet works

A very common question new Diamond members want to know is how to use that free day of WiFi access included in your Diamond benefits.

You're entitled to a one day (24 hour) pass of internet access, and it can only be redeemed onboard the ship. You cannot apply or use it towards a pre-cruise purchase.

Once on the ship, connect to the ship's WiFi. Sign up for an internet access plan, and you should see your free day discount listed.

Is it cheaper to wait to the ship and use your free day or pre-purchase? It depends on the length of your cruise, as it can save you money if you're on a short 3-nighter. Otherwise, buy an internet package in advance.

Royal Caribbean Group announced a change to how cruisers earn loyalty points that will make it easier to cruise between its brands and earn status at the same time.

During an earnings call with investors, Royal Caribbean Group CEO Jason Liberty revealed his company's plans to introduce Points Choice.

Coming at some point in 2026, Points Choice will change how cruisers earn loyalty points when they cruise between lines.

Up until now, if you sailed with Royal Caribbean International, you would earn loyalty points within just the silo of that line.  A cruise on sister brand Celebrity Cruises would earn a separate point count.

That appears to be changing.

Introducing Points Choice

Coming soon will be Points Choice, which is the name of an expanded loyalty status match program.

In 2024, the company introduced status matching between Royal Caribbean Group's three brands: Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, and Silversea.

Points Choice will go beyond that, "Building on the success of status match, I'm excited to announce Points Choice, the next evolution, and how guests earn and apply loyalty points across our family of brands beginning in early 2026," said Mr. Liberty.

"Guests will be able to apply loyalty points to the Royal Caribbean Group brand they prefer, regardless of which brand they are sailing with."

For the first time, guests will be able to apply loyalty points earned on any Royal Caribbean Group brand toward the brand program of their choice. This applies to Royal Caribbean’s Crown & Anchor Society, Celebrity’s Captain’s Club, or Silversea’s Venetian Society, Points Choice.

For example, if a Royal Caribbean guest is sailing with Celebrity Cruises for the first time, they can choose to apply the points earned for the Celebrity sailing to either brand’s loyalty program.

One other note, members will not have the option to apply points already earned to a different brand.

"Points Choice will be offered only on cruises departing on or after the launch date," according to Celebrity Cruises' website.

Furthermore, benefits will remain the same for Crown & Anchor, Captain’s Club and Venetian Society program.

In addition, the Status Match program is not changing. Members can still receive one-for-one tier matching across all three Royal Caribbean Group brands: Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises, and Silversea.

The program will debut in early 2026, with details on exchange rates, eligibility, and program rules to follow ahead of launch.

Making the change to combine guest demand and profitability

On the surface, it's clear Royal Caribbean Group offering point sharing between its brands matches a customer need while likely driving additional revenue.

Mr. Liberty said he thinks this change will build loyalty with its customers, "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."

He sees it a way to compel cruisers to cruise more because it allows them to get to higher loyalty status, "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."

Royal Caribbean hinted at better loyalty enhancements

Today's announcement makes comments clearer made by Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley during a fan event earlier this summer.

He was asked about improving the Crown and Anchor Society so that points could be earned interchangeable between Celebrity and Royal Caribbean.

He answered it before the Points Choice announcement, but it's clear this has been a program that's been worked on for a while, "You'll see over the coming months and year or two that things will continue to improve in terms of accessibility, simplicity, making it easier to sail between the brands, get offers, this type of thing."

"Ultimately, we have not defined this yet, but ultimately we are going to get to a one platform database of our loyalty members for Royal Caribbean Group."

"I don't have the exact timeline. And I think we've had this discussion before, and we've maybe over the last couple of years, we started this journey with loyalty two years ago."

"Now this is awesome news!"

News of Points Choice spread quickly among cruisers, and most of our readers seemed excited for the change.

Renne Patterson posted, "Now this is awesome news!," she shared on Facebook because it will allow her to move up the loyalty ladder even if trying another line.

"This will definitely impact our choices positively! Might even result in us cruising a bit more!"

Michael Lewis wrote, "This is how you keep your loyal cruisers, unlike Carnival." His comment alludes to changes Carnival Cruise Line made to its loyalty program that have been received poorly by fans.

Luke Wallace added, "Yes, I've been thinking they should do something like this for a while! I was hoping it would be a system where you earned points on every loyalty program at the same time, but maybe with status match this is effectively the same. Time to book a Celebrity cruise!"

Jenny Schuber posted, "Finally! This has been stopping me from trying Celebrity. Nice they status match but I want the points to count towards overall nights across the board."

Carnival Cruise Line announced a massive overhaul to its loyalty program, and it appears Royal Caribbean won't make the same change.

While speaking on Utopia of the Seas during the line's annual President's Cruise event, Royal Caribbean International CEO Michael Bayley was asked about the future of the loyalty program.

He took the opportunity to mention Carnival's changes and then call it out as a direction he doesn't want his cruise line to take.

"Carnival announced changes to their loyalty program," Mr. Bayley said at the event, which was met with a chorus of boos from the audience.

"And that is exactly what we're trying to avoid," he then said, and that was met with a round of applause.

His comments come after Carnival's change sparked a great deal of concern that Royal Caribbean might do something similar.

What Carnival is doing

Beginning June 1, 2026, Carnival will implement a new  loyalty system that will change how points are earned and status retained.

In short, it will move to a more dynamic, spending-based model similar to airline frequent flyer programs. 

Known as Carnival Rewards, guests earn stars based on cruise and onboard spending, as well as purchases made through the Carnival Rewards Mastercard.

Moreover, status is no longer lifelong. Tier levels will reset at the start of each new two-year earning period.

Since then, Carnival walked back some changes, likely due to negative customer feedback.

Loyalty matters

The reality is loyalty to Royal Caribbean works for both customer and company.

During Royal Caribbean Group's second quarter earnings call earlier this year, Jason Liberty, President and CEO of Royal Caribbean Group, talked about how Royal Caribbean is doubling down on its commitment to its guests, stating that loyalty is a "two-way street." 

"Loyalty is very important. I think people want to be recognized. They want to not just be recognized for their spend today, but be recognized for all that they have done in the past," said Liberty.

Working on improvements to the program

Mr. Bayley's comments about Carnival's changes came after a cruiser asked him about improving the Crown and Anchor Society so that points could be earned interchangeable between Celebrity and Royal Caribbean.

He explained how there is a leadership team within the company that regularly reviews the program and works on solutions for the future.

"You'll see over the coming months and year or two that things will continue to improve in terms of accessibility, simplicity, making it easier to sail between the brands, get offers, this type of thing," he said.

He admitted there isn't yet a clear vision for if or when they'll get to one program across both brands.

"Ultimately, we have not defined this yet, but ultimately we are going to get to a one platform database of our loyalty members for Royal Caribbean Group."

"I don't have the exact timeline. And I think we've had this discussion before, and we've maybe over the last couple of years, we started this journey with loyalty two years ago."

Not tipping over the apple cart

While simplifying loyalty programs may seem like a good idea, he also said their team is concerned with making changes that cause more problems than they solve.

"I think we're incredibly sensitive to not tipping over the apple cart," Mr. Bayley explained.

"We don't want to make decisions that maybe are short term benefits and then and then upset our loyal team members."

He also said technically, it's a difficult task to merge things. Merging data between different platforms and databases with the overlap.

"Our aim is to make everybody happy and and also benefit the company in terms of the shareholders and etc., etc.. So we're going to get there and just, you know, try and be a little patient."

Royal Caribbean shares loyalty matching with its two sister cruise line brands, and it means different perks if you sail on one or the other.

When you go from Royal Caribbean to Celebrity, you don't get your Crown and Anchor benefits. Instead, you get the equivalent status benefits in Captain's Club.

Royal Caribbean Group revamped its status matching to make it significantly better, and that's enabled me to try more cruises on both Silversea and Celebrity.

I wanted to share with you the best perks at each tier, biggest differences, and who benefits most from each program.

Loyalty program overview

Before we dive into each program, here's a quick look at what each cruise line offers its most loyal guests.

Tier breakdown

When you look at each cruise line's program, the best benefits are always at the top.

One other difference is Royal Caribbean typically includes more benefits in their program than the other cruise lines because the other cruise lines include more benefits in their base fare.

Royal Caribbean Crown & Anchor Society

• Gold to Diamond
  • Benefits like priority check-in, onboard discounts, welcome events, free drinks in the Diamond Lounge.
• Diamond Plus & Pinnacle
  • Upgraded perks larger loyalty discounts, more drink vouchers, priority tendering, and suite lounge access (if eligible).
• Best Perk: Daily free drinks and access to exclusive lounges from Diamond level onward.

Celebrity Cruises Captain's Club

• Classic to Select
  • Discounts, onboard events, and priority check-in.
• Elite & Above
  • Complimentary laundry, private breakfast lounges, and cocktail hours.
• Zenith
  • Unlimited specialty dining, premium drinks, complimentary cruises for two.
• Best Perk: Unlimited specialty dining & premium drinks at Zenith level.

Silversea Cruises Venetian Society

There aren't exactly tiers with Venetian Society. There's one tier, but you earn Venetian Society days for the more you sail with them.

You get one Venetian Society day for each day you sail, regardless of the type of suite you're booked in.

• Member (after 1 voyage)
  • Invitations to member events, special offers.
• 100+ Days
  • 5% savings on future voyages.
• 250, 350, 500+ Days
  • Free voyage rewards, milestone recognition, enhanced onboard experiences.
• Best Perk: Free voyages at 350 and 500 days sailed.

How status matching works

Within Royal Caribbean Group, it's the easiest it's ever been to get equivalent status across each line.

Once you've earned status with one line, you can apply to have a status match with the others.

The key differences are the benefits between the programs are not identical and points earned on each cruise line are separate.

You can link your accounts through either the mobile app or the respective websites. Silversea doesn't have an app, so it's an online form to fill out.

Once it's processed, you'll instantly get the equivalent status. For example, a Diamond member in Crown & Anchor is automatically Elite in Captain’s Club.

It's a great advantage to be able to hop between cruise lines and have some level of recognition and benefits on your first sailing.

Key differences between the cruise loyalty programs

While each loyalty program is now potentially linked between each other, they aren't the same.

In my experience trying all three, it's clear each has its own approach to how loyalty benefits work and how it's best used. I was surprised how Silversea doesn't mention loyalty status at all on its Seapass card, but that's because it's not a focal point for their customers.

One major difference is how each line counts your points.

Royal Caribbean is one point per night, but you can earn more points per night if you're in a suite or cruising solo. Celebrity is similar, but points are earned based on cabin type and cruise length. Silversea is completely different and simply counts nights onboard and there are no tiers.

Another important difference is how each cruise line rewards their cruisers with perks.

Among these lines, Royal Caribbean includes the least with its cruise fare, so its loyalty program focuses on onboard perks, such as drinks, lounge access, and discounts. 

Celebrity Cruises is similar, but includes more emphasis on discounts for things that cost extra, such as photo packages or internet.

Silversea has all-inclusive fares, so their approach with the Venetian Society is to offer incentives to sail again. 

The top tier at each line is where you'll see some very impressive benefits.

You'll earn a free cruise after reaching any of them, and that's a substantial value before you dig into any of the additional perks.

The Zenith level in Celebrity has a free drink package, which was truly impressive to me when I tried them.

Crown and Anchor offers a blend of perks for suite guests and Pinnacle-only benefits that I always take advantage of when I sail.

A powerful way to enjoy freebies on any line

Ever since Royal Caribbean Group introduced their revamped status matching, I think it's enabled more cruisers to try the various lines.

While you don't earn points by sailing the lines interchangeably, it does allow you to take advantage of status with one line and extend it to the others.

I found it so much more approachable to try Celebrity and Silversea if I knew I'd be starting off already with some level of recognition to it. Cross-brand matching makes it easier to experiment with new cruise lines without starting from scratch.

As each line launches new ships, I think the status matching enables cruisers to try them out and get a sense of what's different and better.