Cruise loyalty programs compared: which lines give you a free cruise, and which just changed the rules

Cruise loyalty programs are not all the same, and some of the best perks are hidden at the top. Royal Caribbean hands its top members a free cruise. Norwegian gives one at its highest tier. Carnival just scrapped its old program and started counting dollars instead of nights. Here is how six of the biggest programs compare, based on Lounge Frog's records of each line's official program pages.

Quick comparison

• Royal Caribbean, Crown & Anchor Society: six tiers, earned by nights sailed. Free cruise at the top.
• Carnival Rewards: four tiers, earned by dollars spent. Replaced the VIFP Club on September 1, 2026.
• Norwegian, Latitudes Rewards: seven tiers, earned by nights sailed. A one-time free seven-day cruise at the top.
• Princess, Captain's Circle: four tiers, earned by cruises or cruise days.
• MSC Voyagers Club: six tiers, earned by points. The top tier can only be earned by sailing.
• Disney Castaway Club: four levels, earned by number of cruises. No points at all.

Royal Caribbean: Crown & Anchor Society

Crown & Anchor Society is free and starts after your first cruise. You earn one Cruise Point per night, or two per night in a suite or when sailing solo at single pricing.

The six tiers are Gold (3 points), Platinum (30), Emerald (55), Diamond (80), Diamond Plus (175) and Pinnacle Club (700). Diamond unlocks the Crown Lounge. At 700 and 1,050 points, Pinnacle members qualify for a free cruise of up to seven nights in the Caribbean, up to a balcony cabin, or $2,400 toward a cruise. From 1,400 points, and every 350 points after, it rises to up to a junior suite or $3,200. Taxes and fees are not included.

Status matches across Royal Caribbean, Celebrity and Silversea. Royal Caribbean's Points Choice gives members more flexibility in how they grow their status across its sister brands.

Carnival Rewards

Carnival Rewards replaced the VIFP Club on September 1, 2026. It is the big outlier, because it rewards spending, not nights. You earn 3 Points and 3 Status Qualifying Stars for every dollar spent on eligible Carnival purchases, including gratuities.

The tiers are Red (on sign-up), Gold (10,000 stars), Platinum (50,000 stars) and Diamond (100,000 stars), earned over a two-year window. Once you reach a tier, you keep it through the following two-year period. Stars reset to zero at the end of each earning window. Diamond members get dedicated member support for sales and service.

Carnival says legacy VIFP Diamond members keep Diamond for life. Check Carnival's site for the full perks at each tier, since they vary by cruise length.

Norwegian: Latitudes Rewards

Latitudes Rewards gives one point per cruise night, plus a bonus point per night in a full-fare suite or The Haven. It has seven tiers, from Bronze (1 point) to Ambassador (700 points).

Platinum, at 75 points, is where it gets good: priority check-in, plus two specialty dinners for two per cabin, one with a bottle of wine, on sailings of five nights or longer. Ambassador members get a one-time free seven-day cruise for two in a balcony cabin. Taxes, fees and service charges are extra.

NCL members can also ask to have their tier honored on Oceania and Regent, one cruise at a time.

Princess: Captain's Circle

Captain's Circle counts cruises or cruise days. Gold starts after one cruise. Ruby needs 3 cruises or 30 days, Platinum 5 cruises or 50 days, and Elite 15 cruises or 150 days.

Booking and sailing in a full suite, or paying the solo fare, earns two cruise credits instead of one. Princess also counts the days you sail, so longer cruises move you up faster. See Princess's Captain's Circle page for the perks at each tier.

MSC Voyagers Club

MSC Voyagers Club has six levels. MSC's terms list them by points: Welcome (0), Classic (1 to 2,199), Silver (2,200 to 4,299), Gold (4,300 to 9,999), Diamond (10,000 to 24,999) and Blue Diamond (25,000 and up).

Blue Diamond, added in November 2024, can only be earned by sailing with MSC. It adds My Choice dining, a free browsing Wi-Fi package for one device, priority check-in and luggage drop-off at the MSC Yacht Club desk, and a meet-and-greet with the captain or an officer. MSC also runs a status match for members of other programs, but not for Blue Diamond.

Disney: Castaway Club

Castaway Club has no points. Silver starts after one cruise, Gold after 5, Platinum after 10 and Pearl after 25.

The main perk is getting in first. Silver members can book activities and dining 90 days out, compared with 75 days for first-time guests, and Pearl members get 123 days. Platinum and Pearl members get a free dinner at Palo, Palo Steakhouse or Palo Trattoria once per cabin, per sailing. Booking windows are set by the highest-level member in your cabin.

Which program is best?

• Most generous at the top: Royal Caribbean and Norwegian, which both offer free cruises.
• Best for big spenders: Carnival, since every dollar counts.
• Clearest point ladder: MSC, which publishes exact point ranges for every tier.
• Best for families booking early: Disney, where status gets you first pick of activities.

Perks change often, so always check the line's own program page before you book. Compare every line's program on Cruise Frog.