Start here: Princess Captain's Circle — membership, member number, cruise credits and loyalty tiers

Step 1: What Captain's Circle is and who it suits

You will learn: what Captain's Circle is, what you accept by taking a benefit or a membership number, and which travelers the program is built for.

The Membership Benefits page describes Captain's Circle as a thank-you for guests who choose Princess "again and again" [2]. The terms state that your acceptance of any Princess Cruises Captain's Circle program benefit or membership number constitutes your acceptance of those terms [1]. Membership is at Princess' sole discretion, and Princess reserves the right to refuse membership or rescind membership and privileges and status to anyone at any time [1].

Princess reserves the right to terminate the program, change the terms and conditions of participation, and terminate or change benefits in whole or in part at any time, without notice, and states that it is not liable for refunds or for damages resulting from any change to any aspect of the program [1]. Membership is subject to the terms of the Princess Passage Contract, and to the extent of a conflict the Passage Contract applies [1]. The program is void where prohibited by law [1]. The terms also contain separate liability, warranty, arbitration and personal-data paragraphs [1]. Because credits come from cruises taken on Princess and from the listed P&O Australia sailings, the program suits travelers who sail with Princess [2].

Go deeper: cruise past-guest programs and how they differ, loyalty tier thresholds across cruise lines.

Step 2: Becoming a member and using your number

You will learn: how membership starts, where your Member Number comes from, and whose job it is to make sure the right number is on the booking.

The FAQ opens with "You don't have to do a thing!" and states that you become a member once you complete your first cruise [3]; the Benefits page states that you automatically become a Circle member once you complete your first Princess cruise [2]. There is one stated exception: residents of the EEA are required to enroll to be Captain's Circle members and receive their loyalty benefits by registering on princess.com and creating a My Princess account [2] [3].

The FAQ calls the membership number "the key to unlocking your new benefits" [3]. Look for it in the emails that help you prepare for your cruise, and you will receive an email welcoming you to Captain's Circle once you complete your first cruise with Princess [3]. Share it with your Travel Advisor or Princess when you book your next cruise [3], and include your Captain's Circle number each time you book to earn membership benefits [2]. To receive credit toward membership status, the member must provide his or her correct Member Number at the time of booking [1]. Each member is solely responsible for providing the correct Member Number and for advising Princess of address or name changes, and Princess has no liability for a member's failure to provide the correct Member Number or for misdirected mail or email [1]. Registering for a My Princess account gives access to special offers and the latest information [2].

If you are already booked and your membership status is not reflected, the Benefits page asks you to call [2]: United States 1-800-PRINCESS (1-800-774-6237), Canada 1-800-LOVEBOAT (1-800-568-3262), United Kingdom 0344 3388 674 and New Zealand 0800 780 717 [2]. The Australian number is printed as '1300 551 853' in the Terms & Conditions [1] and as '13 24 88' on the Membership Benefits [2] and Membership FAQ [3] pages; both are shown here as printed. United Kingdom calls are charged at local rates, and calls may be recorded for training purposes [1] [2]. For benefit details you can also check with your Circle Host on board [1].

Go deeper: claiming missing cruise credits, the first-cruise checklist for cruise loyalty.

Step 3: Which cruises count

You will learn: which sailings build your Captain's Circle total and which fares and bookings are left out.

Only cruises taken on Princess and sailings operated by P&O Australia count, up to and including sailings on Pacific Explorer on 7 Feb 25, Pacific Adventure on 10 Mar 25 and Pacific Encounter on 8 Mar 25 [2]. P&O UK cruises are no longer eligible [2]. The land portion of a cruisetour does not apply [2].

Eligible cruises exclude reduced rate fares, such as "Friends and Family," affiliate, travel agent, and journalist fares, other promotional fares or sailings as Princess may designate from time to time in its sole discretion, and cruises booked through the Special Bookings Desk [1]. Captain's Circle promotional fares are issued from time to time and are one of a number of discounts that may be available at any particular time [1].

Go deeper: what makes a cruise a qualifying cruise, cruise loyalty earning metrics compared.

Step 4: Tiers and how to climb faster

You will learn: the four tier thresholds, when a new tier takes effect, and how a sailing can earn two cruise credits instead of one.

The tiers are Gold after your first cruise, Ruby after completing 3 cruises or 30 cruise days, Platinum after completing 5 cruises or 50 cruise days, and Elite after completing 15 cruises or 150 cruise days [2]. Loyalty levels are based on the number of completed cruises or days sailed, whichever comes first [3]. Members are eligible for a higher tier level on the next cruise following completion of the necessary cruises and/or cruise days [2]. Each voyage moves you closer to the next loyalty level, and because the number of days you spend with Princess is also tracked, longer cruises can give you a boost too [2].

Book and sail in a full suite, or pay the exclusive occupancy fare when traveling solo, and you receive two cruise credits instead of one [2]. The double credits are effective with sailings beginning on or after December 7, 2008, and cruises only, and not cruise days, are doubled [2]. The exclusive occupancy fare is for solo guests occupying a stateroom alone and who paid "the single traveller supplement" [2]. P&O Australia sailings in suites and exclusive occupancy are not eligible for double credits [2].

The two pages word the suite condition differently. The Benefits page footnote prints it as "full suite (mini-suites excluded)" [2], while the FAQ excludes "mini-suites, Reserve Collection suites and paid upgrades to a full suite" [3]. Both are shown as printed.

Go deeper: tier thresholds compared across cruise lines, earning metrics compared, the cruise solo supplement.

Step 5: Using benefits on board

You will learn: what the FAQ states about three onboard benefits, and what happens to a benefit you do not use.

• Disembarkation Lounge (Platinum). Anyone sharing your stateroom can join you, and because space is limited you are asked to bring no more than three others in your group; if you would rather stay together, you can join your group in their designated lounges [3].
• MedallionNet discount. When you log on to the Wi-Fi on board, it will recognize you as a Platinum or Elite member and display your discount [3]. The discount is for Platinum and Elite members only and can't be exchanged or transferred to another person [3].
• Elite mini-bar. You can make changes on board through CrewCall Chat or by dialing room service; mini bottles of liquor can be exchanged for either the same size of a different type of liquor or beer on a one-to-one basis, and the entire setup can be exchanged for a bottle of wine, sodas only or waters only [3].

Unused benefits are not refundable or transferable and do not roll over from one voyage to another [1]. For benefit details on board, check with your Circle Host [1].

Go deeper: cruise Wi-Fi and internet packages.

Step 6: Your first concrete action

You will learn: the five actions that turn the rules above into something you can do today.

• If you live in the EEA, register on princess.com and create a My Princess account to be a Captain's Circle member and receive loyalty benefits; everyone else becomes a member on completing a first Princess cruise [2] [3].
• Give your correct Member Number to your Travel Advisor or Princess at the time of booking, and keep your address and name up to date with Princess, because that responsibility is yours [1] [3].
• Look for your membership number in the emails that prepare you for your cruise, and in the email welcoming you to Captain's Circle after your first cruise [3].
• Count your completed cruises and cruise days to see which tier applies from your next cruise [2] [3].
• If you book a full suite or pay the exclusive occupancy fare, check the sailing against the double-credit conditions: sailings from December 7, 2008 onward earn doubles, cruises rather than days are doubled, and P&O Australia suite and exclusive occupancy sailings do not qualify [2].

Next: read the official Captain's Circle Terms & Conditions and the Membership Benefits page before you book, then work through the first-cruise checklist for cruise loyalty.