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If you have sailed with Holland America Line before, you may wonder how to use your loyalty points on a future cruise. The important detail is that Holland America Line does not treat its loyalty balance like a traditional points currency that you can simply redeem for a cash discount.
Instead, the Mariner Society loyalty program uses Cruise Day credits to determine your Mariner status. Your status then gives you access to specific benefits, discounts, onboard perks, and special offers.
So, if you are asking, "How do I use my loyalty points with Holland America Line?", the practical answer is: you earn Cruise Day credits to reach a Mariner tier, and you receive the benefits associated with that tier rather than directly spending the credits.
This guide explains how the system works, what your credits can provide, how to check your balance, and what to do if your cruise history or credits appear to be incorrect.
Holland America Line officially calls its loyalty currency Cruise Day credits, rather than traditional loyalty points.
Members earn credits primarily from eligible cruise days. Additional credits can be earned through certain suite bookings and qualifying onboard purchases. These credits determine your Mariner Society level.
The current Mariner Society levels are:
| Mariner Level | Cruise Day Credits |
|---|---|
| Star Mariner | 1 completed cruise |
| 2-Star Mariner | 30 |
| 3-Star Mariner | 75 |
| 4-Star Mariner | 200 |
| 5-Star Mariner | 500 |
The higher your Mariner level, the more loyalty benefits you may receive.
No. Cruise Day credits are not a cash balance.
For example, having 75 Cruise Day credits does not mean you have $75 available to spend toward a cruise. Instead, 75 qualifying credits correspond to 3-Star Mariner status, which unlocks the benefits associated with that level.
This distinction is important because it changes how you should think about "using" your loyalty points.
You generally do not manually redeem Cruise Day credits.
Instead, the process works like this:
Holland America Line says guests are automatically enrolled in the Mariner Society after completing their first cruise, so a separate loyalty-program registration is generally not required. Benefits begin with the second cruise.
The basic calculation is straightforward: you receive one Cruise Day credit for each actual day sailed.
For example, a seven-day cruise produces seven Cruise Day credits under the standard calculation.
For eligible Alaska Cruisetours, Holland America Line also counts qualifying land-tour days toward Cruise Day credits, while pre- and post-cruise packages are excluded.
Guests who pay a published fare for qualifying spacious suite or penthouse accommodations can earn double Cruise Day credits.
For example, Holland America Line states that a guest paying the published fare for a qualifying suite on a 10-day cruise can earn 20 Cruise Day credits. Special paid or complimentary upgrades do not qualify for the suite bonus.
Qualifying onboard purchases can also contribute to bonus Cruise Day credits.
Holland America Line currently states that one bonus Cruise Day credit is awarded for each $300 in eligible onboard purchases, subject to the program's rules and limits. The calculation is based on combined folio charges for guests on the booking.
Not every charge qualifies. For example, casino charges, cash advances and Future Cruise deposits are excluded from the onboard spending bonus.
Your Cruise Day credits matter because they determine which Mariner Society benefits you receive.
Depending on your status, benefits can include items such as:
Benefits and eligibility can vary by Mariner level and may be subject to specific terms, exclusions, sailing restrictions, or changes by Holland America Line.
One particularly important benefit is the Mariner Society Early Booking Bonus.
Eligible Mariner Society members can receive up to $400 in onboard credit per stateroom when booking qualifying cruises within the first 90 days after a new season launches. The amount depends on the cruise length and applicable offer.
The current published offer lists:
| Cruise Type | Potential Onboard Credit |
|---|---|
| 6–9 days | $100 per stateroom |
| Alaska Cruisetours | $200 per stateroom |
| 10–20 days | $200 per stateroom |
| 21+ days | $400 per stateroom |
applicable promotion and terms should always be checked before booking because offers can have specific eligibility requirements.
Because Holland America calls them Cruise Day credits, look for your Cruise Day history rather than a conventional points balance.
You can check your:
through the My Account section on Holland America's website. Holland America specifically recommends checking your cruise history there for accuracy.
If you have not created an online account, you may need to complete the account setup process and identify yourself as a previous Holland America guest so the appropriate benefits can be connected to your profile.
If your Cruise Day credits do not look correct, do not assume that you have lost your loyalty benefits.
First, review your cruise history and supporting records.
Useful documentation can include:
Holland America Line asks guests requesting a correction to provide appropriate documentation along with their legal name and Mariner number. The cruise line says to allow seven to ten days after a cruise or Cruisetour ends before requesting Cruise Day credit adjustments.
Yes. Holland America Line states that guests receive Cruise Day credits for previous Holland America cruises and Cruisetours.
The company also explains that the suite and onboard-spending bonus features apply to qualifying sailings beginning September 18, 2009.
This means returning guests should not necessarily start from zero when checking their Mariner status.
No.
Holland America Line states that guests cannot buy additional days simply to reach a higher Mariner tier.
Your status is based on qualifying Cruise Day credits earned under the program's rules.
No. Holland America Line states that Cruise Day credits are non-transferable.
Therefore, your credits cannot normally be moved to another passenger's Mariner account to help that person reach a higher tier.
Yes, but the rules differ depending on how the credits are earned.
Third and fourth guests in a stateroom can receive Cruise Day credits for days sailed and qualifying Alaska Cruisetour days. They can also receive suite bonus credits when the applicable requirements are met.
However, only the first two guests in the stateroom receive Cruise Day credits from qualifying onboard spending.
Once you have reached the appropriate Mariner level, you generally use the benefits attached to that status rather than spending your Cruise Day credits.
For example:
If your status provides a qualifying onboard discount, Holland America says you do not normally need to request the discount manually. The applicable discount is automatically applied to your onboard account and reflected on your receipt.
For eligible discounts on items purchased before sailing, Holland America says the applicable discount credit can be registered when you are onboard and reflected on your onboard folio.
Eligible Mariner levels receive a Mariner Cocktail voucher that can be used during the cruise, subject to the applicable terms.
If you qualify for a Mariner Early Booking Bonus, the benefit is onboard credit, not a conversion of your Cruise Day credits into cash.
Holland America describes onboard credit as spending money that can be used for qualifying purchases and services onboard, including shore excursions, beverages, shops and Greenhouse Spa services.
Generally, no.
Cruise Day credits establish your Mariner Society status; they are not described by Holland America Line as a currency that can be exchanged directly for cruise-fare dollars.
Instead, your Mariner status may qualify you for particular offers, discounts or onboard benefits.
This is why it is useful to distinguish between:
Cruise Day credits → determine your loyalty level
and
Onboard credit → spending value that can be used for eligible onboard purchases
They are not the same thing.
Some Mariner benefits and promotional offers may be combined, while others have specific restrictions.
For example, Holland America currently promotes its Mariner Early Booking Bonus alongside certain Have It All Early Booking Bonus offers. However, the exact terms depend on the promotion and sailing.
Before assuming that two promotions can be combined, check the terms of the specific offer attached to your booking.
When you accumulate enough qualifying Cruise Day credits, your Mariner status progresses through the program's levels.
The thresholds currently published by Holland America Line are:
Higher levels can provide additional benefits. The benefits are tied to the applicable status rather than requiring you to spend your accumulated Cruise Day credits.
A quick check before sailing can help ensure you receive the benefits associated with your status.
Log in to your Holland America account and review your cruise history and current Star level.
Make sure your Mariner information is connected to your upcoming reservation.
Look for Mariner-specific fares, onboard credits and other loyalty offers associated with your sailing.
Some benefits have restrictions based on sailing, venue, booking type, or the particular Mariner level.
Save your final onboard folio and relevant travel documents in case you need to request a correction to your Cruise Day credits later.
No. Cruise Day credits are used to determine your Mariner Society status rather than functioning as cash that can be withdrawn or directly exchanged for money.
Holland America Line currently lists 500 Cruise Day credits for 5-Star Mariner status.
Holland America's published program information does not describe Cruise Day credits as a conventional points balance with a standard expiration period. They are used to establish your Mariner status.
No. Cruise Day credits are non-transferable.
Holland America Line says to allow seven to ten days after your cruise or Cruisetour ends before requesting Cruise Day credit adjustments.
Generally, no. Holland America Line automatically enrolls eligible past guests in the Mariner Society program.
No. Holland America Line states that additional days cannot be purchased simply to move to a higher tier.
Yes. Eligible onboard spending can earn bonus Cruise Day credits under the program rules. Holland America currently states that one bonus credit is awarded for each $300 in eligible onboard purchases, subject to applicable limits.
Not directly. Cruise Day credits establish your Mariner status. If you receive qualifying onboard credit through a Mariner offer, that onboard credit may be used toward eligible onboard purchases such as shore excursions.
Check your cruise records first. If there is an error, Holland America recommends submitting supporting documentation such as your boarding information or final onboard spending folio to the Mariner Society.
Holland America Line's loyalty system works differently from a traditional points-and-redemption program. Your Cruise Day credits are primarily a way to establish your Mariner Society status, rather than points that you spend one by one.
The simplest way to use your loyalty benefits is to maintain your Mariner account, monitor your Cruise Day credits, understand your current Star level, and use the discounts, vouchers, onboard credits and other benefits available to that level.
For the most accurate and current benefit details, check your Mariner Society information and the terms of the specific offer attached to your cruise, because Holland America Line can apply eligibility rules and update program benefits over time.
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