Everything you need to know about the Costa Club, Costa Cruises' loyalty program
On April 21, 2022, Costa Cruises' new loyalty program goes into effect; find all the details here. Also [...]
On April 21, 2022, the Costa Cruises' new loyalty program, find all the details here.
In this article:
Cruise companies, like airlines, also have their own loyalty program. But it should be specified right away, unfortunately, there is no comparison between the two products at the moment.
In the airline industry, companies have formed alliances, share business strategies, lounges, and award benefits to frequent flyers. In the cruise industry, on the other hand, the loyalty program is more like a points collection, meaning that the more a passenger travels with the same company, the more he or she can advance in statuses and thus attain reserved benefits.
Of course, even in this area there are huge differences between American companies such as Royal Caribbean and Carnival and those from the rest of the world, such as the "Italian" MSC and Costa.
Note, for example, how statuses have no cross-value between companies in the same group; a Diamond Pearl who decides to take a cruise on an Aida ship, owned by Costa, would not see any privileges recognized. Ditto in case one decides to go to the United States to take a cruise on a Carnival ship.
However, it is a fact that cruises are increasingly popular, or were popular before Covid-19. Therefore, it is only fair to also analyze the aspect of loyalty cards and identify the most beneficial ways of accumulating points for the passenger.
Let's make clear the fundamental difference between cruises and flights. In the first case you accumulate points that bring benefits, discounts, experiences. In the second you accumulate miles so you can fly for free.
Six statuses are provided:
- Amber, which is the entry level that you get as soon as you enroll.
- Aquamarine, up to 2,000 points
- Coral, 2,001 to 5,000 points
- Pearl, 5,001 to 13,000 points
- Gold pearl, 13,001 to 26,000 points
- Diamond pearl over 26,000 points
Point accumulation is not fixed, but varies based on three factors:
- How far in advance do you book your cruise
- The typology of the cabin
- The duration of the cruise
Let's give some examples:
If I take a cruise booked one week before departure in a balcony cabin, I will earn 175 points for each night spent on board. If the same cruise was booked a year earlier, for the same cabin I will earn 525 points per night. A very big difference since at the end of the cruise in the first case I would be Aquamarine, while in the second case I would be Coral, but very close to the Pearl level.
In addition to points for nights on board, there are also extras, which are earned through spending on board (2 points for every euro spent) and flights taken through the company to reach embarkation or after disembarkation. Here, for example, a passenger who books a Northern European cruise a year in advance in an outside cabin could find himself at the end of the cruise directly in Pearl status.
What are the benefits of statuses
While in the world of air travel, statuses bring few but definite benefits, in this case the list is very long and they are distinguished between those that are obtained at the time of booking (discounts on some departures from 20% upwards depending on status) or cabin upgrades.
You can also enjoy pre-departure benefits such as priority boarding, access to the VIP lounges in the Savona and Barcelona cruise palaces, and, for Perla Diamante only, baggage pickup and return directly to your home.
Then there are the benefits to use during the cruise, and here the list is really endless, from cake in case of a birthday on board, to little pampering in the cabin. Of course, the higher you go, the more important and exclusive the benefits become.
As with airlines, statuses must be maintained, points last 3 years, and every June 15 they reset, before starting with the new 3-year period.
Analyzing the various levels, we can say that interesting benefits come from the Pearl level and above, with Pearl Gold and Diamond it is possible, for example, to get credit to spend on board, receive upgrades in business class on charter flights, dinners in exclusive restaurants, and many others.
Earn points without surfing
Currently, you cannot earn points without being on board, likewise there are no Costa Cruises branded credit cards that give away status or benefits as is the case with airlines.
Have you ever taken a cruise? Tell us about your experience in the comments
