Posted by PeterGreenberg.com
You’ve heard of loyalty programs for airlines and hotels. But cruise loyalty programs? They’re out there, and if you’re a regular cruiser, it’s worth knowing about.
Windstar Cruises automatically enrolls you in their Yacht Club loyalty program after your first cruise. That gets you a five percent discount on your next cruise, upgrades and other on-board benefits.
And what’s cool is that Windstar’s loyalty program also gets you perks with partners like Country Walkers, The Broadmoor resort in Colorado and Kingsmill Resort in Williamsburg, Virginia.
Norwegian Cruise Line‘s Latitude Club has four tiers, earning one point for every night and additional points if you book premium cabins. Being a member can get you access to unpublished rates that aren’t available elsewhere.
And Carnival has its own program: VIFP, or Very Important Fun Person. You can’t make up a name like that.
Although the perks for lower-level members are minimal, the higher you go, the more you get: like free drinks, priority check-in, and exclusive parties on board. You have to be a frequent cruiser for these programs to pay off, but they’re definitely worth knowing about.