Celebrity Cruises has announced some major changes to its loyalty program, Captain’s Club. The highlights of the changes are:
- The addition of two new elite levels, Elite Plus and Zenith
- New benefits depending on your elite level like discounted internet, laundry services, and drink packages
- Pretty big changes in the way you accrue points towards elite status
Captain’s Club will now include six levels of status.
I think the biggest change is in how Celebrity will now calculate the points needed to attain elite status. Previously, this was awarded based on cruise credits – one cruise = one credit with bonuses for higher tier stateroom accommodations, etc. Now, the points system will be reflective of both the level of stateroom accommodation and the number of nights spent on board according to Celebrity as below:
For those exploring the Galapagos Islands aboard Celebrity Xpedition, points earned are as follows:
Now, the new elite levels.
Elite Plus members will receive enhanced recognition including:
- Complimentary 200-minute Internet package
- Complimentary cappuccino, latte and espresso
- 10% discount on any Beverage Package
- 15% discount on any Specialty Restaurant
- Private shipboard departure lounge with continental breakfast
- Access to a coffeehouse style breakfast and Evening Cocktail hour
- Invitation to the Elegant Tea event
- Complimentary access to Persian Garden (on one port day of your choice, while the ship is in port)
- Two complimentary bags of laundry (wash, dry, fold) on all Celebrity cruises
- Complimentary dry cleaning of one item
- Ability to enroll in Royal Caribbean’s Crown & Anchor Society Diamond Level (Elite status reciprocity which I covered here)
Please click here to read the latest terms and conditions as well as any disclaimers.
Zenith members, Celebrity’s new top tier, will receive an impressive array of benefits:
- Access to Michael’s Club Lounge, including Embarkation Day
- Complimentary 1600-minute Internet package
- Complimentary laundry
- Complimentary Beverage Package
- 25% off Specialty Dining
- Priority Seating in Theater (on formal and production show nights, seats released 10 minutes prior to curtain call)
- Priority embarkation while the ship is in port
- Upgraded bath amenities
- Complimentary lunch at Bistro on Five (when sailing consecutively)
- Complimentary Extend Your Stay (where available stay onboard longer on disembarkation day)
- Complimentary Luggage Valet service from ship to final destination airport (where available, airline fees still apply)
- Upon reaching the Zenith tier, Captain’s Club will make a charitable donation in the member’s behalf
- Upon reaching the Zenith tier, receive a complimentary 7-night Caribbean or Bermuda cruise (in a Veranda stateroom only)
- At 6000 Club Points and every 3000 Club Points thereafter receive a complimentary 7-night Caribbean or Bermuda cruise (in an AquaClass®stateroom)
Click here for the latest details from Celebrity on their highest level of elite recognition.
MJ’s Take
While I tend to favor the KISS method in anything, including loyalty, I applaud Celebrity for managing to remake their program, enhance benefits for its most frequent customers, and not take anything away from existing customers at lower elite levels. Enhanced internet, and complementary beverage packages at the Zenith level are a real perk in my opinion and I really love the idea of Michael’s Club lounge access on embarkation day for Zenith level customers. If only I could cruise more! 🙂
What’s your take on the new program?
-MJ, November 26, 2013
Bryan: Actually, under the old system cruises over a certain number of days earned an extra credit.
I’m a little peeved over the change. We are new to Celebrity and have only cruised them once. It was a 14-day Asian cruise in Concierge class, for which we got 3 credits (1 for the cruise, 1 for being 14 days, and 1 for Concierge class)
For our upcoming 7 day cruise in February (which is past he final payment deadline), we upgraded to Concierge class to give us the extra credit needed to hit 5. (We know the Select level doesn’t give much but it’s something)
Under the new system we will be a few points shy. We seem to have 90 points in our account now (I’m guessing they gave 30 points per credit). The cruise in February will only earn us 35 credits, meaning we will still be 25 credits shy of Select.
I plan to write Celebrity and ask to be credited the extra 32 credits after our cruise. They of course have the right to change their program, but as Bob said it is unfair to those who have already paid for cruises under the old system.
MJ, I am a loyal celebrity customer and I do like the changes. More options and more benefits. However, there are two negative points that no one has mentioned. First, no notice of the change. It is here and now. If you have booked and paid for several cruises the new system gives you no time to prepare for a change. Second, the conversion rate from the old to the new points system is not apples to apples. As a matter of fact, I find that I am now screwed by the conversion rate and will not be making a status upgrade anytime soon when under the old system, I was only 3 cruises away from a status upgrade. Why couldn’t they grandfather customers in who had already paid for upcoming cruises under the old system?
@Bob, I’d been hearing rumors about changes for weeks, but nothing official until it was done. Did they give you a 30 point boost? Just curious. Many, including myself, got one if they were close to the next level. Not sure how “close” was defined though.
Like you, it is not likely that I advance to the next level, unless I completely blow off cruising anyone else except Celebrity….ever. Fine by me….I’m happy with the treatment I receive from Celebrity….and I actually could make Pinnacle with RCL, so I think that’s where I’ll focus.
i wonder how the conversion will come into play for people that got elite status from rccl.
for example, i am diamond and i only cruised once as an elite with celebrity. will i have to start accruing the points from 0 or 300 to get to elite plus?
I was Elite before, and I’m Elite after. They even gave folks that were close to the next level 30 bonus points to push them over.
I was very alarmed when I first saw this, but I think it makes sense now. Before you got no benefit from a long cruise – a 21 day cruise counted as much as a 3 day cruise, as long as the cabins were in the same category. Now you get points per day. Also, as you said, there are some very nice benefits at the upper end of the scale, but man it would take a looooong time to get to 3000 points!