Premium cruise line rewards compared: Disney and Holland America are both overly simple. Holland America to receive needed improvement.

Disney Cruise Lines

The Disney program appears to be stuck at level one. Guests are automatically enrolled in the Disney Cruise Lines' Castaway Club after their first Disney cruise. Castaway Club guests enjoy special perks and amenities. For cruise bookings there is a dedicated phone line. When arriving at a ship you get priority check-in and boarding. Onboard you are invited to an exclusive party with the ship's captain and officers and you receive special gifts during and after the cruise. If you book certain other cruises while onboard, you can receive a shipboard credit of up to $200 on that future sailing.

Here are the Castaway Club details:

Priority Planning:

• Early booking through disneycruise.com for shore excursions, Palo (the restaurant), Vista Spa & Salon, youth activities and Flounder's Nursery
• A dedicated toll-free phone number to ask questions or to book your next vacation
• Exclusive check-in area at the Castaway Club desk in the port terminal

Onboard Exclusives:

• A complimentary Castaway Club lanyard
• A Castaway Club gift in your stateroom
• An invitation to an exclusive Castaway Clubhouse party where you can meet some of the ships' officers and crew, as well as other Castaway Club members
• An exclusive offer available if booking your next cruise with an onboard sales agent
• Exclusive Castaway Club merchandise not available anywhere else but on onboard

Back on Shore Benefits:

• Access the members-only area at disneycruise.com/castawayclub for the latest news, behind-the-scenes information and more

Holland America Line

Holland America's Mariner Society Rewards Program has just been updated and will be in service as of Oct. 18, 2009. It provides past guests with new benefits including onboard discounts while sailing and special rates on select cruises and reduced or free third and fourth rates when booking future cruises

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These Mariner's Society benefits are tiered and vary based on a guest's cruise history.

The new Mariner Society Rewards Program offers a four-level progressive membership. All guests who sail with Holland America Line are automatically entered into the Mariner Society. Level of membership is based on past cruises recorded as cruise days. Guests automatically collect additional "cruise days" or cruise day credits based on their onboard spending or through the purchase of one of the premium line's suite options.

Star Mariner Guests who complete their initial cruise with Holland America Line are automatically enrolled in the Mariner Society's first level, and will earn cruise days towards higher levels as they continue to cruise with Holland America. Star Mariners receive:

• Welcome Back Embarkation Lunch in the dining room (from 12:00pm to 1:30pm) as well as a complimentary Mariner Champagne Brunch
• A special collectible gift presented to you on board
• A free subscription to the print or digital version of Mariner magazine
• Offers to special sailings hosted by a representative of the Mariner Society
• Special offers on select sailings
• A 50% cruise fare discount on the 3rd/4th guest staying in your stateroom on select sailings

2-Star Mariner Collect 30 Cruise Day credits and you�ll be elevated to a 2-Star Mariner, which entitles you to:

• Welcome Back Embarkation Lunch in the dining room (from 12:00pm to 1:30pm) as well as a complimentary Mariner Champagne Brunch
• A collectible gift presented to you on board
• A complimentary photo of the ship
• A 10% discount on Holland America Line logo clothing sold in onboard signature shops (may exclude already discounted merchandise)
• A 15% discount on merchandise from www.shophollandamerica.com
• A free subscription to the print or digital version of Mariner magazine
• Offers to special sailings hosted by a representative of the Mariner Society
• An annual cruise planner
• Special offers on select sailings
• A 50% cruise fare discount on the 3rd/4th guest staying in your stateroom on select sailings
• A special recognition lapel pin

3-Star Mariner When you collect 75 Cruise Day credits you become a 3-Star Mariner, which means you�ll receive:

• Welcome Back Embarkation Lunch in the dining room (from 12:00pm to 1:30pm) as well as a complimentary Mariner Champagne Brunch
• A collectible gift presented to you on board
• A complimentary photo of the ship
• A special recognition lapel pin
• A 25% discount on specialty restaurant surcharges, wine packages, beverages in the Explorations Café and all mini-bar purchases
• A 10% discount on Holland America Line logo clothing sold in onboard shops (may exclude already discounted merchandise)
• A 15% discount on merchandise from www.shophollandamerica.com
• Discounts on select treatments from the Greenhouse Spa & Salon
• A free subscription to the print or digital version of Mariner magazine
• An annual cruise planner
• Advance information on new itineraries
• Offers to special sailings hosted by a representative of the Mariner Society
• Special offers on select sailings
• A 50% cruise fare discount on the 3rd/4th guest staying in your stateroom on select sailings
• A waiver of air deviation fees

4-Star Mariner Guests who collect 200 or more Cruise Day credits join our elite group of 4-Star Mariners. These premier travelers will receive all the following benefits:

• Welcome Back Embarkation Lunch in the dining room (from 12:00pm to 1:30pm) as well as a complimentary Mariner Champagne Brunch
• A collectible gift presented to you on board
• A 50% discount on specialty restaurant surcharges, wine packages, beverages in the Explorations Café and all mini-bar purchases
• A complimentary winetasting session
• Complimentary laundry and pressing services
• A 15% discount on Holland America Line logo clothing sold in onboard shops (may exclude already discounted merchandise)
• A 15% discount on merchandise from www.shophollandamerica.com
• Discounts on select spa treatments from the Greenhouse Spa & Salon
• Priority disembarkation
• Priority tender
• Priority check-in
• Early notification of shore excursions available for prebooking
• A complimentary photo of the ship
• A special recognition lapel pin
• A complimentary one-year subscription to Travel + Leisure or Food & Wine magazine (one per household)
• A free subscription to the print or digital version of Mariner magazine
• An annual cruise planner
• Advance notice of new itineraries
• Offers to special sailings hosted by a representative of the Mariner Society
• Special offers on select sailings
• Waiver of air deviation fees
• Complimentary cruise fare on 3rd/4th guest in your stateroom on select sailings

Continue Article >> Oceania Cruises and Princess Cruises loyalty rewards programs (Part 6)

Page 1: Introduction to Cruise Loyalty Programs Page 2: Mainstream Lines, Carnival, NCL Page 3: Royal Caribbean Page 4: Premium Lines: Celebrity and Azamara Page 5: Disney and Holland America Page 6: Oceania, Princess & Windstar Page 7: Luxury Lines: Crystal Page 8: Cunard Lines Page 9: Regent Seven Seas Cruises Page 10: Seabourn, Silversea and Rating all Reward Programs