Royal Caribbean announced today that it is partnering with MGM Resorts International to create a strategic relationship that will offer members of both loyalty programs opportunities to more rewards.

Members of Royal Caribbean's Crown & Anchor Society and MGM's M life will receive new offers and benefits starting in January 2013.  

Crown and Anchor Society member will receive M life offers and benefits such as pre-sale access to tickets for A-list concerts and championship boxing matches, priority reservations, priority hotel check-in, room upgrades, VIP services and more, based on Tier Level.

Likewise, M life members will receive offers with a range of benefits when sailing with Royal Caribbean.  As members advance to the next M life Tier Level, their cruise offers and benefits will grow.

Royal Caribbean executive vice president of Global Sales and Marketing, Lisa Bauer, commented on the deal, "Whether on land or at sea, Crown & Anchor Society and M life members will enjoy unprecedented recognition for their dedication to our brands. We are delighted to be an M life preferred partner and welcome M life members aboard to experience our world-renowned Gold Anchor Service, innovative cruise ships, unexpected onboard amenities, and unforgettable itineraries to exciting destinations.”

Royal Caribbean has changed its rules and will now allow children in its exclusive concierge lounges aboard its ships in the evening.

Previously passengers under the age of 21 were not allowed in the lounges between 5:00pm and 8:30pm because of the open bar that was available.  In addition, Royal Caribbean is relaxing the dress code from "formal or evening attire" to "smart casual" after 5:00pm.

Concierge lounges aboard Royal Caribbean are reserved for those staying in a suite as well as the top tier of loyal passengers (based on their status in the Crown and Anchor Society).

Just like your favorite airline or hotel chain, Royal Caribbean has its own customer loyalty program called the Crown and Anchor Society.  But what is it? And why should you join?  Let's answer some questions about this club.

What is Royal Caribbean's Crown and Anchor Society?

The Crown and Anchor Society is a free customer loyalty and rewards program that Royal Caribbean has offered to its guest for many years.  While the programs exact details have changed over the years, the basic premise remains: the more you cruise with Royal Caribbean, the better the rewards you receive.

Can I join the Crown and Anchor Society?

The only eligibility requirement to join the Crown and Anchor Society is you must have completed one cruise with Royal Caribbean.  So if you're brand new to Royal Caribbean, you will need to wait until you finish your first cruise.  But once you return from your trip, you can enroll online or via the phone.

How does the Crown and Anchor Society work?

Royal Caribbean has created different levels of levels in the Crown and Anchor Society.  Each  level is separated by points and you earn a specific amount of points for each cruise you take.  Shorter cruises get less points than longer cruises, with the idea that longer cruises cost more and therefore are worth more.  

You earn one cruise point for every night you cruise with Royal Caribbean and if you stay in a suite cabin, then you accumulate double or two points per night of your cruise.

The levels of the Crown and Anchor Society are as follows with the points required to achieve that level in parenthesis...

1. Gold (3)
2. Platinum (30)
3. Emerald (55)
4. Diamond (80)
5. Diamond Plus (175) 
6. Pinnacle Club (700)

What do you the levels of the Crown and Anchor Society get me?

The exact perks vary from level to level but in general, Crown and Anchor Society members receive coupon books in their staterooms upon embarkation on their cruises, a members only welcome back party, and onboard booking bonuses.  In addition, from time to time Royal Caribbean offers complimentary stateroom upgrades to its members with those with the highest points offered first.

There are many more benefits such as your own robe, gifts, tours, lounges and more for those in the higher levels of the Crown and Anchor Society.    You may view a full list of benefits on the Royal Caribbean Crown and Anchor Society members benefits page.

How do I get to the higher levels faster?

Crown and Anchor Society membership favors those that take longer cruises and spend more on their cabins.  Taking cruises longer than seven nights and staying in a suite will get you to the top of the Crown and Anchor Society fastest.  While the perks of the higher levels are nice, they are simple that - perks.  They're nice incentives to staying loyal to Royal Caribbean but these perks aren't really major cost savers or amazing opportunities.  They're simply a nice way to thank Royal Caribbean's customers for returning aboard.

Should I join the Crown and Anchor Society?

There's really no reason not to join once you've cruised with Royal Caribbean before.  The club is free and does offer some nice benefits once you amass enough credits.  Basically, you're only missing out on benefits that you would otherwise pass up by not joining.  In simpler words, you've got nothing to lose by joining.

If you're looking to get away this summer on a Royal Caribbean cruise, there may be a cruise on sale for you.

The "Bring a Friend" offer allows curent Crown & Anchor Society members to bring guests new to Royal Caribbean with them on a cruise and receive $25 onboard credit per stateroom, up to five rooms per sailing.  You must book by July 31.

Royal Caribbean has placed select ships on sale as well, most notably Voyager of the Seas' Adriatic Sea sailings where the 7-night itineraries in July and August 2011 can get you  $2,000 of ChoiceAir credit for a Suite stateroom, $500 for a Balcony stateroom, $400 for an Ocean View stateroom, and $300 for an Interior stateroom.

In addition, there are deals on four, five and seven night sailings in the Western Caribbean on Jewel of the Seas, Voyager of the Seas and Mariner of the Seas.  These ships sail out of Tampa, New Orleans and Galveston and prices start at $896 per quad-occupancy stateroom from November 2011 through April 2012.

Seven night cruises to Alaska on the Radiance of the Seas are also available at $649 per guest from August 5 through September 9, 2011.

Design Squared, the marketing firm Royal Caribbean hired to make Crown and Anchor Society promotional materials, was in search of a family to put on an upcoming promotional material for Royal Caribbean's Crown and Anchor Society during Allure of the Sea's inaugural cruise.  They found their match in Scott and Terri Lynn Crutchfield of Sebring, Florida.

Kathy Watrous, Design Squared's managing partner, approached the couple and asked them to be in a photo shoot. After signing media release forms, they were told they would be contacted if and when their photos were selected for use.

After combing over 15 other couples that Waltrous took photos of, the Crutchfields were selected.

"This was fun and we were kind of caught up in the moment," she said. "We never thought we would hear from them again."

The Crutchfields were notified via email and were sent photos that would be in the brochure for the Crown and Anchor Society.  About one million brochures have been created and will be distributed around the United States and Canada.

"We were happy they chose us," Terri Lynn said. "It is kind of an honor."

Royal Caribbean is updating its customer loyalty program, the Crown & Anchor Society, offering guests new ways to earn points and new advantages. Starting today, members accumulate points based on the number of nights of their cruise and not according to the number of cruises they've taken. In addition, the program now has two new levels of membership: Emerald, between Platinum and Diamond, and Pinnacle Club - an exclusive club for guests who traveled more than 100 times with Royal Caribbean - after the Diamond Plus.

These new changes to the Crown & Anchor Society take effect for sailings on or after January 21, 2011.

Thus, every night on board ship, Royal Caribbean is equivalent to a point in the program and double cabins higher the score. All current members of the program will be transferred automatically to the corresponding level according to the accumulated number of nights and no associate will lose their current status.

Moreover, innovations also include new benefits, such as a free automatic upgrade to associates; customization preferences; States may indicate a "friend" to go out and earn the same $ 25 onboard credit.

"These latest enhancements to the Crown & Anchor Society will further help recognize our loyal guests when they sail with us," said Betsy O'Rourke, senior vice president of Marketing, Royal Caribbean International. "We continuously listen and respond to our members' feedback and have updated our loyalty program to provide a more equitable way for our members to advance to the next level.  This program evolution is part of the Royal Advantage, our dedication to innovate our amazing ships and unprecedented programs to offer guests the best cruise vacation. It's important to understand that Crown & Anchor Society members will continue to enjoy all of their current program benefits and status, plus having the opportunity now to advance to the next tier even faster than before. For this one-time conversion, we have grandfathered everyone's status in the program."

To celebrate the incredible loyalty of program members, Royal Caribbean is introducing a limited time offer: 'Bring a Friend' and receive $25 to spend onboard. Members will be rewarded for introducing new guests to Royal Caribbean International for new bookings made between January 12 and April 30, 2011. The promotion will offer a $25 onboard credit per stateroom to Crown & Anchor Society members when sailing with their 'first to Royal' friends or family, for up to five staterooms per sailing, depending on the length of their cruise. Full details, terms and conditions and registration for promotion can be found online at www.RoyalCaribbean.com/BringaFriend.

For members of Royal Caribbean's Crown and Anchor Society, there is a special event for you.  Royal Caribbean will be recognizing its most loyal cruise guests in the month of December 2010 with its second annual Crown & Anchor Society Diamond Celebration.  During December, Diamond and Diamond Plus members who are sailing on any Royal Caribbean ship will receive...

• Special recognition
• Benefits
• Commemorative gifts
• Exclusive events
• "new Crown & Anchor Society enhancements"

In addition, Diamond and Diamond Plus guests can attend nightly events, during which Crown & Anchor Society members can mingle with senior ship officers and staff, and with each other. As a special gift to Diamond and Diamond Plus members, Royal Caribbean Gold Anchor staff  and crew  will recognize these loyalest of members with commemorative gifts and other onboard elements. Members also will receive one additional cruise credit for sailing during December.

In a post from the Royal Caribbean CEO Adam Goldstein, a few updates were announced for policies all around Royal Cariibean

• Complimentary Internet access for the purpose of allowing guests to enroll in the Crown and Anchor Society via iCafe while they are onboard so they can be eligible to book onboard and take advantage of the onboard booking discount.
• On European cruises, those who wish to remain onboard longer on departure day may sign up in advance of the cruise for Late Departure Program. Sign up online under Shore and Land Excursions for the port of call where the cruise terminates.
• Oasis of the Seas is testing a an Extended Stay program that allows the Oasis guests to store their luggage and enjoy a day in Hollywood, FL in and around the boardwalk. This opportunity encompasses shopping, dining, going to the beach, riding the trolley and/or relaxing at our hospitality center. This opportunity is also available as a shore excursion under the port of call, Ft. Lauderdale, for all guests sailing onboard Oasis of the Seas.
• Royal Caribbean now accepts bookings at specialty restaurants for parties of 10 or fewer guests. Previously they only accepted bookings for parties of 6 or fewer. 

Royal Caribbean is putting on the full court press with it's marketing department by sending our mailers to inform their Crown and Anchor members about the recent changes to their loyalty program.

On June 1, 2010, Royal Caribbean announced updates to its customer loyalty group, the Crown and Anchor Society.  Here's a run down of these changes...

• New "exclusive" on-board booking privileges
  From now on, only Crown & Anchor members will be able to book future cruises on its ships with special bonuses available for rebooking onboard.
• Combinable booking credits
  Crown & Anchor members can now combine the onboard booking credits with their credits from Crown & Anchor Society Savings Certificates
• Additional on-board staff dedicated to members
  An extra Loyalty Staff member will be added to every cruise ship in their fleet
• Priority notification of Royal Caribbean news, deals and special events
  Via email, Crown & Anchor members will receive advanced notice of announcements from Royal Caribbean
• An expanded benefit booklet
  The booklet of savings that Crown & Anchor members receive will feature some new discounts on various items

The changes seem to be for the best, as of now.  There were no indications that other benefits were being removed, so it seems as though Royal Caribbean is trying to simply entice their customers to book their future cruises with Royal Caribbean with these new benefits.