This major cruise line's loyalty program is getting a big upgrade
Celebrity Cruises is giving its most loyal cruisers more reasons to get on board.
The line has expanded its Captain's Club loyalty program with five new milestone levels to reward frequent cruisers on the way to, and beyond, the line's coveted Zenith status.
The changes, which take effect June 11, unlock new perks once Captain's Club members accumulate 1,500, 2,250, 3,000, 6,000 and 9,000 Club Points, filling a longtime gap between the program's Elite Plus and Zenith tiers and gilding the program for members who already have achieved Zenith status.
Captain's Club members reach Elite Plus status — the fifth of six tiers in the program — once they accumulate 750 points. Top-tier Zenith status doesn't kick in until a customer hits 3,000 points.
Captain's Club points are earned based on cabin category and cruise length, with higher-category staterooms and longer sailings earning points faster.
For Elite Plus members, the new milestone levels offer valuable perks
At the new 1,500 points milestone level, Elite Plus members will get 480 minutes of premium Wi-Fi, plus 20% off specialty dining, a complimentary photo and a surprise in-room amenity.
At the new 2,250-point milestone, the number of free Wi-Fi minutes climbs to 720, and members also get 25% off dining, two photos and a surprise amenity. Plus, where available, at this new milestone level, members will get access to Extend Your Stay, Celebrity's late checkout program that lets you stay onboard after the standard disembarkation time, which is a small perk that frequent cruisers tend to love.
The biggest upgrade may be at the very top of the loyalty ladder
One of the most iconic perks of reaching Zenith status at 3,000 points is a complimentary seven-night Bermuda or Caribbean cruise in a Veranda stateroom. Now, this milestone level also brings a 35% specialty dining discount, three complimentary photos and another surprise amenity on the milestone sailing.
Related: The 5 best destinations you can visit on a Celebrity Cruises ship
Celebrity is also introducing two new recognition levels above Zenith.
Guests who reach 6,000 points in the program — effectively a "Double Zenith" milestone — will receive all of the 3,000-point benefits plus a complimentary specialty lunch on embarkation day of each sailing, a specialty dinner during the milestone sailing and a bottle of Champagne delivered to celebrate the loyalty achievement.
Members who reach the new 9,000-point "Triple Zenith" milestone will receive the same complimentary seven-night Bermuda or Caribbean cruise awarded at Zenith, but upgraded from a Veranda stateroom to a Sky suite, with access to suite-exclusive amenities. "Triple Zenith" members will receive all of the benefits from the 6,000-point and 3,000-point milestones as well.
Bottom line
For Captain's Club members, Celebrity's changes mean additional perks on the path from Elite Plus to Zenith, and even more recognition for the line's most loyal cruisers after they get there.
These changes come as Celebrity's parent company, Royal Caribbean Group, continues to expand loyalty benefits across its three main cruise brands, Royal Caribbean, Celebrity and Silversea Cruises.
Earlier this year, the company introduced Points Choice, which allows members in its loyalty program to choose where they want their points to go: Celebrity's Captain's Club, Royal Caribbean's Crown and Anchor Society or Silversea's Venetian Society. The move followed the rollout of a status-match program that aligns tier recognition across the group's cruise lines.
Related reading: