Teri West
When it comes to cruise loyalty programs, change is the only constant - at least, that's how it's seemed in the last few months.
The latest update was last week, when Royal Caribbean Group shared that passengers next year will get to choose which of its three cruise lines' loyalty programs they want to dedicate new points to, regardless of which line they sailed with.
About a week prior, Seabourn Cruises also rolled out a significant update to its loyalty program, Seabourn Club, and it offers another perspective on how some lines are approaching and communicating loyalty changes.
One of the most significant adjustments to Seabourn Club was related to the program's most valuable offering: a free cruise. Previously, guests earned their first seven-day cruise after accruing 140 days at sea, what Seabourn called Sailed Days. They could earn a 14-day cruise by accruing 250 Sailed Days.
Under the revised program, Seabourn changed the name of Sailed Days to Club Days. Earning a seven-day cruise requires 350 Club Days. The Club Days also are subject to expiration unless guests sail within three years of their last cruise, while Sailed Days were only subject to expiration after guests had earned 250 days.
Essentially, earning that first free weeklong cruise requires sailing for more than twice as many days as previously required and requires cruising with Seabourn at least once every three years.
Updates to lower-level rewards in the program include new or additional benefits, like an upgraded WiFi package for those in the Silver tier of the program and unlimited complimentary laundry beginning at the Gold tier. And there are also now lower thresholds to achieve each tier, and a new points system that enables guests to accumulate points through spend.
Seabourn president Mark Tamis told me that guest feedback had inspired the decision to add the WiFi and laundry benefits to the lower tiers and to lower the thresholds.
"These enhancements reflect what our guests have told us matters most," he said, and the responses to the program update have been "generally positive.
"That said, we recognize that changes to any loyalty program, especially one with such a devoted following, may naturally prompt some questions and feedback, particularly from our most frequent travelers," he said. "We've listened carefully to the feedback and are committed to continually refining the program to ensure it remains meaningful, valuable and aligned with the elevated experience our guests expect from Seabourn."
Seabourn is not alone in promising program reviews and refinements.
When Carnival Cruise Line announced an updated loyalty program over the summer, it became the subject of robust online discourse. The cruise line proved to be true to its word about listening to feedback and being open to adjustments. It returned lifetime status for its most elite program members three months after the initial announcement of the program change.
It will be interesting to see if Seabourn will feel pressure to reform its program, or if the ultraluxury space proves more malleable.
Regardless, Tamis said Seabourn is viewing this "as an ongoing journey rather than a one-time update."
"We will continue to evolve Seabourn Club using guest feedback, data-driven insights and emerging trends in luxury travel," he said.