Explora Journeys Evolves Loyalty Program

Explora Journeys Evolves Loyalty Program

Following the launch of Explora Club in April 2025, Explora Journeys has announced the second phase of the brand`s exclusive loyalty program.

The company said that Explora Club Members can now enjoy benefits and privileges while on board and view their points balance and loyalty status via their My Explora Account on explorajourneys.com.

Every night sailed onboard, eligible onboard purchases and Destination Experience bookings now contribute to earning points, unlocking an expanding collection of exclusive privileges and benefits with every journey.

For those yet to join, Explora Journeys invites guests to enrol so they can begin enjoying privileges including bespoke onboard events, value savings, surprise gifts, and elevated services designed to make every journey uniquely personal, the company said in a statement.

The brand also said it is expanding its Explora Club Status Match to include guests of Oceania Cruises, bringing the program to a total of 11 brands.

This enhancement is a direct response to guest feedback, driven by strong demand for Oceania’s inclusion. Travellers holding status with any of the eligible programs can match to the equivalent Explora Club level by providing proof of status, unlocking curated benefits from their very first journey.

Explora Club offers a seamless and intuitive, five-level structure – Classic, Silver, Gold, Platinum, and Diamond – with each level unveiling a collection of benefits, from priority access and bespoke events to personalised gifts and exclusive savings.

Explora Club Member Benefits Include:

• Thoughtful touches such as birthday gifts (Silver onwards) and special turndown service surprises (Gold onwards).
• Exclusive savings and rewards, including member offers (Classic onwards), future journey savings (Silver onwards), Journey Experience Credit (Platinum onwards), and a complimentary journey for two (Diamond).
• Pre-journey privileges like early access to new journeys, a dedicated online members area (Classic onwards), priority assistance (Silver onwards), private transfers and suite upgrades (Diamond).
• Exclusive hosted events, from cocktail receptions with ship leadership (Silver onwards) to curated President Journeys and Chef’s Kitchen experiences (Diamond).
• Enhanced onboard services include complimentary laundry (Gold onwards), a bridge tour (Platinum onwards), and personal shopping advice (Diamond).

Carnival Cruise Line to Launch New Loyalty Program in 2026

Carnival Cruise Line to Launch New Loyalty Program in 2026

Carnival Legend arriving in Liverpool, photo credit Spacejunkie2 Flickr account.

Carnival Cruise Line announced today it will launch its new loyalty program, adding new features, new ways to earn status, new reward categories and a new name: Carnival Rewards.

The new program will take effect in June 2026, providing guests plenty of time to learn about the changes while they continue to earn status in the current Very Important Fun Person (VIFP) program that will be their entry point into the new program, the company said in a press release.

Carnival Rewards is introducing a dual-earning structure where guests accumulate both Carnival Rewards points that can be redeemed on Carnival purchases and status-qualifying stars that will determine a guest’s tier status.

Instead of focusing solely on the number of nights guests sail, which is the model Carnival currently follows under its VIFP program, Carnival Rewards will offer more opportunities to earn rewards and achieve higher status levels based on spend, including cruise fare and onboard activities, the company said.

The new program will be closely tied to everyday spending on the co-branded credit card with Barclays – the Carnival Rewards Mastercard – allowing cardmembers to earn points and status even faster.

“The evolution of our loyalty program to Carnival Rewards represents our commitment to creating more meaningful recognition for our valued guests. Our current VIFP program has served us well for many years, and while we’ve enjoyed truly extraordinary growth in our loyal customer base, it has become challenging to deliver the exceptional experience our Diamond and Platinum members deserve,” said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line. “

By introducing a points-based system, we’re enabling greater flexibility so guests can personalise their rewards in ways that matter most to them. This transition honours our past while building a future where loyalty is recognised through both cruising frequency and overall engagement with the Carnival experience, bringing Carnival Rewards into the top tier of travel loyalty programs that provide our guests with ways to earn status and points through their everyday spending on the Carnival Rewards Mastercard.

Guests will earn Carnival Reward points as well as status-qualifying stars on every eligible Carnival purchase, including cruise fares and onboard purchases. The dual structure gives guests more control over their rewards and status.

• Points can be redeemed for almost anything Carnival offers, including onboard activities, spa treatments, speciality dining and even toward a future cruise.
• Stars introduce a new way to unlock higher status among the four tiers: Red, Gold, Platinum and Diamond. Status is earned over two years and retained for the following two years.

 

As part of the transition to Carnival Rewards’ launch on June 1, 2026, members’ existing status will carry over and serve as a new entry point into the program for two years through May 31, 2028.

Diamond members will retain their status for six years through May 31, 2032. This ensures that all current loyalty statuses are honoured while giving members time to familiarise themselves with the enhanced rewards. Guests will continue earning VIFP status as usual until the new program launches. In addition, upon launch of the Carnival Rewards program, current cardmembers, as well as any new cardmembers between now and the launch of the updates, will have the balance of their Fun Points converted to Carnival Rewards points in their Carnival Rewards account.

Loyalty programs scramble to stay relevant

With travel at a standstill, several U.S. airline and hotel loyalty programs have taken steps such as extending status through next year, reducing the requirements to obtain status for 2021 and delaying point expirations.

Analysts, though, said that loyalty programs should also creatively and strategically leverage their resources to maintain brand awareness now as well as to spur travel when the Covid-19 crisis starts to ease.

"Loyalty programs that are built on travel, when travel comes to a halt, they need to think of ways to stay top of mind," said Nick Ewen, points and miles editor for the Points Guy.

As of April 8, Delta, United, Alaska, Hilton, Hyatt and Best Western were among the travel brands that had announced that members with loyalty status would keep their levels through 2021. United and InterContinental Hotels Group had reduced 2021 accrual requirements for those who don't already have status. Various companies, including American, Wyndham and Radisson, had temporarily halted point expirations.

But a few companies have also started to get creative with loyalty programs in order to maintain brand awareness even while people aren't travelling. Ewen pointed to Air Canada's Altitude program, which is currently awarding elite qualifying miles in exchange for donations of the program's Aeroplan points. For every five points, an Altitude member donates to a charity fighting Covid-19, that member gets one elite qualifying mile.

Another example is Russia's S7 Airlines, which is running a promotion through April 30 in which customers can earn 100 of its Priority program miles each day simply by clicking an "I'm home" button on its website.

Seth Miller, editor of the airline-focused passenger experience website PaxEx.Aero, said travel loyalty programs should also leverage partnerships while people are staying at home. By way of example, Miller said that he has made Home Depot purchases through the United app in the past in order to accrue MileagePlus points. Armed with that data, the MileagePlus program might want to push an advertisement to him about home improvements. If Miller were to then shop Home Depot online using MileagePlus points, it would give United the dual benefit of remaining relevant while moving those points off its liability sheet.

"The most important thing is that the loyalty programs aren't just about getting passengers on planes or heads into beds," Miller said. "They are really a branding experiment."

Still, when the Covid-19 pandemic ebbs, loyalty programs will be an important tool for getting people back on planes and in hotel rooms.

Just as the programs can use customer data to encourage alternative types of point to spend now, they can also use that data to spur travel during the early phases of recovery. For example, said Miller, an airline might know that a customer goes to the same destination every June and stays at the same hotel. In such a case, the carrier can push out a targeted promotion.

In a recent column on his View From the Wing website, miles and points expert Gary Leff wrote that loyalty programs will be a key to the resurgence of travel brands. Airlines, he noted, devalued programs during the several years of the boom that preceded the Covid-19 crisis. But now, with lots of empty seats to fill, carriers can more aggressively use the programs to incentivize travel, just as they have done in the past.

Leff suggested that loyalty programs use promotions to award miles to members for such activities as exercising or sharing future travel aspirations on the program's website. He also suggested that programs sell points inexpensively.

"Usually, the biggest risk of cheap mileage sales is immediate redemption for the most expensive awards, but that's mostly not an option for consumers now," Leff wrote. "Generate cash flow and dreams."

On the redemption side, Leff suggested carriers commit to lowering award pricing for a period of time while also making more redemption seats available. He even suggested that carriers take advantage of parked planes, cheap fuel and having too many employees by running and promoting redemption-only flights.

Ewen said he expects that loyalty programs will, in fact, make redemption cheaper as the Covid-19 crisis starts to lift. He also noted that Hyatt cancelled plans that had been set for March to alter its awards chart by adding peak and off-peak pricing.

Still, said Ewen, it will be important for loyalty programs to discount with caution.

"You don't want to do bargain basement, because that can shift the mindset of the consumer as to what the price should be," he said.

Norwegian Cruise Line upgrades loyalty program

Norwegian Cruise Line has enhanced Latitudes Rewards, its loyalty program. It said there are improved benefits across all tiers.

Two new tiers have been added at the top end for the most frequent cruisers. Platinum Plus applies to guests who have earned 175 points and above, while Ambassador is an elite level for guests earning a minimum of 700 points.

They will get new benefits, including dinner with the ship’s officers for Platinum Plus and Ambassador, and a complimentary seven-day cruise for Ambassador.

New complimentary benefits include a bottle of sparkling wine for all Latitudes Rewards guests, shore excursion discounts for Silver members and above, and bottled water for Gold members and above.

The program awards one point for every cruise night, one additional point for each night spent in a suite or The Haven, and one additional point per night when booking Latitudes Rewards Insider Offer.

Lower tiers are Bronze (1-29 points), Silver (30-54 points), Gold (55-79 points) and Platinum (80-174 points).

The changes are effective Feb. 3.

MSC extends 'status match' loyalty scheme to the UK

MSC Poesia photo bombing 

Consumers holding loyalty club memberships from cruise lines, hotel groups and tour operators will be able to join a new MSC Cruises club which will automatically match their existing level of benefits.

Membership of the MSC Voyagers Club guarantees a 5% discount on cruise prices, with tiered ‘Classic’, ‘Silver’, ‘Gold’ and ‘Black’ rewards levels offering different on-board privileges.

The Italian line’s loyalty scheme also offers members access to special ‘Voyagers Selection’ sailings with of up to 15%.

The tier level new members are assigned will match as closely as possible with the level of benefits they are receiving from their existing scheme, according to the line.

Members can then book direct or via a travel agent.

The ‘status match’ programme has already been introduced in countries such as the US, Italy, Germany and France and is being extended to the UK from October 26.

MSC Cruises executive director UK and Ireland, Giles Hawke, said: “The status match programme has already proved to be a great success in other countries so it is great news guests in the UK can now enjoy its benefits.

“The scheme is a great way of encouraging those who have not tried MSC Cruises to join us and understand what our Mediterranean way of life is all about while retaining all the perks and privileges they are used to.

“We are sure the initiative will help our trade partners by encouraging customers to try something new.

“Selling MSC Cruises is great for agents, who benefit from best-in-class commissions, including pre-purchased extras such as shore excursions and.”

Azamara drops free Internet from loyalty program

Azamara Club Cruises has changed Le Club Voyage, its loyalty program, by adding new features but dropping others, including free Internet and laundry service.

“We expect mixed reaction to the discontinued benefits,” the two-ship cruise line said in a posting on its website. It said the change is “the right long-term decision for our guests and brand.”

Among the new benefits are more complimentary voyage nights for achieving a higher tier in the program.

Passengers earn points in a five-tier program according to number of nights sailed and cabin category. In the new program, guests staying in Club Oceanview cabins will earn three points a night instead of two, and those staying in Club Veranda cabins will earn five points a night instead of three, Azamara said.

Other new benefits include a dedicated shoreside program manager, various discounts and upgrades and a Club Voyage desk for guest inquiries.

Benefits being discontinued, in addition to free laundry service and Internet access, include a bottle of sparkling wine on embarkation, free wine tastings on voyages of 10 nights or longer and a welcome-home gift for advancing to the next tier.

The changes take effect Jan. 1.

Celebrity Cruises revamps loyalty program

By Tom Stieghorst

Celebrity Cruises has overhauled its  loyalty program, making it easier to earn additional perks and adding two elite levels to give top-tier members more to aspire to.

Celebrity is sending notifications to members of the club, which the cruise line says has about 2 million active participants.

David Brown, Celebrity’s marketing vice president in charge of the program, said guests had been asking for more in the program, which until now has had just four benefit levels.

“We wanted to recognize those guests who sailed frequently with us and kept sailing with us,” Brown said.

The previous structure was based on the number of sailings a member accumulates. So, for example, it took 10 credits to reach Elite status. Credits could be earned by taking a cruise, staying in a concierge-level suite or taking a sailing of 12 nights or more.

Going forward, the system will change to one based on cabin category, multiplied by cruise nights. So an interior cabin will earn two points, while a penthouse suite is worth 18 points.

The difference on a seven-night cruise would be 14 points vs. 126 points.

“So you can see there’s a dramatic difference based on the type of room,” Brown said.

At the same time, Celebrity is adding two more tiers, Elite Plus and Zenith, which will require more points and provide more perks. Some existing Elite members will automatically be enrolled in Elite Plus.

“We’re going to have a lot of people excited because they’re in that new level,” Brown said.

Very few members will graduate initially to Zenith, however.

“It’s not going to be easy to get to that level,” he said. “The point structures are clear. If you sail in a suite-level category for a certain amount of time, it is achievable.”

Elite status will require 300 points, Elite Plus 750 points, and Zenith will start at 3,000 points. Perks at the Zenith level include laundry service and 1,600 Internet minutes.

Celebrity studied changes in other loyalty programs before redesigning Captain’s Club. An important point, Brown said, is that no one will go backward in status as the points system changes.

There will also be no fees in the program, and points will never expire. Elite members will have lapel pins and leather luggage tags delivered to their homes starting this week.

Brown said the new system is more finely calibrated so that it’s easier to see how to get to the next level, and easier to change status by staying in a higher-level accommodation.

“It’s a really easy structure for somebody to say, if I book a little higher category of room, I’m going to increase the points for the sailing,” Brown said.

Status level in Captain’s Club will be indicated by Sea Pass card color, with Zenith members getting black cards; Elite Plus members’ cards will be burgundy.

Celebrity tested a new lounge on Infinity separate from the Captain’s Club lounge for Zenith members and high-level cabin occupants. Brown said it would begin opening the lounges on other ships next year.