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If you have sailed with Princess Cruises before, you may have heard about Captain’s Circle, the cruise line’s loyalty program. One common question is: “How do I use my loyalty points with Princess Cruises?”
The important thing to understand is that Princess does not operate Captain’s Circle as a traditional points-to-cash rewards system. Instead, your loyalty is tracked through cruises completed and cruise days, which determine your Captain’s Circle membership tier and the benefits available to you.
These benefits can include cruise savings, early access to new itineraries, onboard events, internet discounts, dining privileges, spa discounts, shore excursion discounts and other perks, depending on your tier.
Princess Captain’s Circle is the loyalty program for returning Princess Cruises guests. Membership is automatic after you complete your first Princess cruise. Princess says members should include their Captain’s Circle number whenever they book so their cruise history and benefits can be properly associated with their account.
Unlike airline frequent-flyer programs, you generally do not accumulate a balance of points that you exchange for a free cruise or a specific dollar discount.
Instead, your progress is based primarily on:
The four Captain’s Circle tiers are Gold, Ruby, Platinum and Elite.
No, not in the traditional points-based sense.
Princess uses cruise credits and cruise days to determine loyalty status, rather than giving members a conventional points balance to spend.
This distinction is important because “loyalty points” can sometimes be confused with Princess Cruise Credits, such as Future Cruise Credits or Onboard Credits. These are different from Captain’s Circle loyalty status. Princess describes Future Cruise Credit and Onboard Credit as separate forms of cruise credit with different uses.
For example:
Because Captain’s Circle is not a conventional points-redemption program, you normally use your benefits by making an eligible booking or purchase and receiving the applicable perk automatically or through the appropriate booking process.
Start by signing in to your My Princess account and checking your cruise history and Captain’s Circle information.
Princess recommends registering for a My Princess account so guests can see their cruise history and receive special offers.
If your previous cruise is missing, it is worth contacting Princess before assuming that your loyalty status is incorrect.
Your tier determines which benefits are available.
According to Princess's current published Captain’s Circle benefits:
| Tier | Qualification |
|---|---|
| Gold | After your first completed cruise |
| Ruby | After 3 cruises or 30 cruise days |
| Platinum | After 5 cruises or 50 cruise days |
| Elite | After 15 cruises or 150 cruise days |
Princess notes that members move to a higher tier on the next cruise after completing the required cruises or cruise days.
Once your Captain’s Circle status is active, check the offers connected with your account and the cruise you are considering.
Gold members can receive benefits such as:
Specific promotional savings can have additional conditions. For example, Princess's current offer terms state that some Captain’s Circle Launch Savings may not be combined with certain other discounts or promotional fares.
One of the most useful loyalty benefits for many guests is Captain’s Circle Launch Savings.
These offers can apply when Princess releases selected new itineraries for booking. Princess currently states that Captain’s Circle members can receive early access to new itineraries before they become available to the general public.
To use a qualifying offer:
Do not assume that every Princess promotion can be combined with a Captain’s Circle discount. Promotional terms can specify exclusions or restrictions.
Some Captain’s Circle benefits apply directly to onboard services, but Captain’s Circle loyalty status should not be confused with Onboard Credit.
For example, Elite members currently receive benefits including:
These are benefits attached to Elite membership. They are not a points balance that you manually deduct from your account.
If what you actually have is Princess Onboard Credit, the process is different.
Princess says Onboard Credit can be used for eligible purchases such as:
Before your cruise, eligible Onboard Credit can be used to purchase shore excursions through Manage Booking. Once onboard, qualifying purchases are added to your stateroom folio, with applicable Onboard Credit applied before your card is charged.
This is one of the most important distinctions for Princess guests.
These are based on your cruise history and membership tier.
They can include:
A Future Cruise Credit, or FCC, is a credit that can be used toward eligible future travel.
Princess says FCCs can generally be applied toward a future cruise fare and, in certain circumstances, other booking-related costs such as Princess Vacation Protection, Princess-booked flights, transfers and hotel packages.
Onboard Credit is intended for eligible expenses during your Princess vacation and can cover qualifying purchases such as excursions, beverages, spa services and shopping.
Understanding these differences prevents a common mistake: expecting Captain’s Circle cruise history to function like a monetary rewards wallet.
Gold is awarded after completing your first Princess cruise.
Benefits include Captain’s Circle Launch Savings, early access to new itineraries, preferential pricing offers and members-only events.
Ruby is reached after 3 cruises or 30 cruise days.
Ruby includes Gold benefits plus access to a dedicated Captain’s Circle Help Desk phone line and other applicable benefits listed by Princess.
Platinum requires 5 cruises or 50 cruise days.
Benefits currently include:
Elite requires 15 cruises or 150 cruise days.
Elite members receive the lower-tier benefits plus additional privileges, including discounts on eligible shop purchases and shore excursions, priority water shuttle embarkation, a complimentary wine-tasting event, mini-bar setup, afternoon tea, laundry services and priority disembarkation.
The easiest starting point is your My Princess account.
Check:
Princess specifically recommends having a My Princess account to view cruise history and receive special offers.
If the information appears incorrect, contact Princess or the Captain’s Circle team before booking if the missing cruise history could affect your tier.
If a completed Princess cruise does not appear in your account, first verify that your booking was associated with the correct Captain’s Circle number.
You should have relevant booking information available when contacting Princess, such as:
This can make it easier for Princess to investigate the missing cruise record.
Yes, applicable Captain’s Circle benefits can be used when making eligible Princess bookings.
The exact benefit depends on your membership level and the offer available at the time.
For example, Princess currently lists Launch Savings and early access to new itineraries among Gold-level benefits.
However, always check the terms of a specific promotion. Some offers may not be combinable with other discounts or promotional fares.
This depends on the specific benefit and its terms.
Captain’s Circle status is connected to the individual member, while some promotional savings may have restrictions regarding which guests in a stateroom qualify.
Do not assume that your loyalty benefit can simply be transferred to another traveler. Check the terms of the specific offer before booking.
This is particularly important for discounts, because Princess's promotional terms can specify which guests are eligible and whether an offer can be combined with another promotion.
Some benefits may be reflected through your booking or membership status, while others require you to make an eligible reservation or purchase.
For that reason, check your booking before sailing rather than assuming every benefit has been applied automatically.
If you are expecting a particular discount, verify:
Princess does not describe Captain’s Circle as a conventional points program in which members redeem accumulated points for a free cruise.
Instead, the program rewards repeat cruising through membership tiers and associated benefits.
If you have a Future Cruise Credit, however, that is a different type of credit and may be applied toward an eligible future cruise according to its terms.
Not always.
Princess's terms for individual offers determine whether Captain’s Circle savings can be combined with other discounts or promotional pricing. For example, current Captain’s Circle Launch Savings terms include restrictions on combining the discount with certain other offers.
Before paying, compare the final price rather than assuming that stacking several promotions will produce additional savings.
Use the same loyalty number whenever you make a Princess booking. This helps maintain an accurate cruise history.
Your tier can affect which benefits are available, so verify your status before selecting a cruise.
Princess provides Captain’s Circle members with early access to new itineraries, giving members an opportunity to review new sailings before general availability.
A loyalty discount may have restrictions, expiration dates or combination rules. Always check the terms of the particular offer.
If you see an amount of money in your account, determine whether it is an FCC, Future Cruise Deposit or Onboard Credit. Each has different rules.
Review your current Captain’s Circle benefits before your cruise so you know which discounts and services may be available onboard.
Princess has a loyalty program called Captain’s Circle, but it is not structured as a traditional points-redemption program. Membership tiers are based on completed cruises and cruise days.
You do not normally redeem Captain’s Circle loyalty points because Princess does not operate the program as a traditional points currency. Instead, you use the benefits attached to your Captain’s Circle tier, such as eligible savings, discounts and onboard privileges.
Sign in to your My Princess account and review your cruise history and Captain’s Circle information. Princess recommends My Princess for viewing cruise history and receiving special offers.
Elite is the highest Captain’s Circle tier. Princess currently lists qualification as 15 completed cruises or 150 cruise days.
Yes. Princess says Onboard Credit can be used for eligible shore excursions, including purchases made online before sailing through Manage Booking and qualifying purchases made onboard.
Yes. Princess states that Future Cruise Credit can be applied toward an eligible future cruise fare, subject to its terms and conditions.
Yes. Depending on your tier and the applicable offer, Captain’s Circle members can receive savings and discounts. Gold members, for example, have access to Captain’s Circle Launch Savings and preferential pricing offers. Higher tiers add further benefits.
Princess currently lists Platinum qualification at 5 completed cruises or 50 cruise days.
Elite currently requires 15 completed cruises or 150 cruise days.
Not necessarily. Eligibility depends on the specific benefit or promotion. Review the applicable terms before assuming a loyalty benefit can be transferred or shared.
Check your My Princess account first. If a completed cruise is missing or your tier appears incorrect, contact Princess with your Captain’s Circle number and previous cruise details so the record can be reviewed.
If you are wondering how to use your loyalty points with Princess Cruises, the key is to understand that Captain’s Circle is not a traditional points-redemption program. Your Princess loyalty is primarily reflected through completed cruises and cruise days, which determine your Gold, Ruby, Platinum or Elite status.
Instead of spending points, you use the benefits associated with your membership tier. Depending on your status, these can include Captain’s Circle savings, early itinerary access, internet discounts, dining privileges, spa savings, shore excursion discounts and other onboard benefits.
Also keep Captain’s Circle benefits separate from Future Cruise Credits and Onboard Credit. Those credits have different purposes and redemption rules.
For the most accurate information before making a booking, check your My Princess account and the current terms of the specific Captain’s Circle offer. Princess can change individual promotions and benefit terms, so the offer attached to your booking should always be treated as the final reference.
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