Royal Caribbean has reintroduced one of its most valuable loyalty promotions: Double Crown and Anchor Points. For a limited time, cruisers can move up the loyalty ladder twice as fast, providing a unique opportunity to reach the next loyalty level faster.
With the new Double points offerCrown and Anchor members can earn 2 points per night when staying in a standard cabin, 4 points per night when cruising alone or staying in a suite, and 6 points per night when cruising alone or staying in a suite.
For cruisers reaching the next level of loyalty, a little planning can make this promotion even more profitable. For example, choosing the right cabin, adjusting the occupancy in each room, or taking a quick weekend cruise can help you reach the next Crown and Anchor levels faster.
This promotion is valid for new bookings made between July 21 and July 31, 2026 on eligible cruises departing between September 1, 2026 and April 30, 2027. Each member can take up to two cruises with this promotion, but transatlantic and transpacific flights are not included.
The Double Points promotion may seem simple, but your booking details can significantly change the number of points you earn. If you want to make the most of this latest promotion, here are three booking strategies to consider.
How Royal Caribbean Cruise Points Typically Work
Through Royal Caribbean's Crown and Anchor Association, you'll earn points based on the number of nights you stay on the cruise. As you earn more points, you'll receive more great perks and perks when sailing on a Royal Caribbean cruise.
Under the standard earnings structure, members earn one cruise point for every night sailed. Staying in an eligible suite or traveling alone in a double cabin increases points to 2 points per night. Solo travelers staying in a suite will earn 3 points per night.
Under Royal Caribbean’s Double Points promotion, members can earn the following totals:
- Standard cabins earn 2 points per night.
- Solo travelers can earn 4 points per night.
- Guests staying in suites will earn 4 points per night.
- Solo travelers staying in a suite can earn 6 points per night.
Royal Caribbean’s Crown and Anchor Association benefits become more valuable at higher levels. Depending on their tier, top members receive a variety of benefits such as daily drink vouchers, free internet, priority service, reserved entertainment seats, free photos and access to exclusive onboard venues.
Additionally, your Royal Caribbean loyalty status does not expire, so points earned during this promotion can provide benefits for years to come. That's why cruise lines approaching Diamond, Premium Diamond, or Pinnacle status may be interested in maximizing deals.
Crown and Anchor has six announced membership levels:
- Gold: 3 cruise points
- Platinum: 30 cruise points
- Emerald: 55 cruise points
- Diamond: 80 cruise points
- Diamond Plus: 175 cruise points
- Pinnacle Club: 700 cruise points
Let’s take a deeper look at three different strategies to optimize how you earn points during this promotion.
1. Book a suite as a solo traveler
If you want to maximize the points you can earn with this offer, you should consider booking a suite as a solo traveler.
Under the usual Crown and Anchor earning structure, solo travelers staying in a suite earn 3 points per night: 1 base point, 1 point for staying in the suite, and 1 point for cruising solo. With the new Double Points promotion, your earnings will double to 6 points per night.
This means a 7-night single suite cruise will earn you 42 points! By comparison, the same cruise in standard cabin, if shared with another guest, would typically only earn 7 points.
Earning 42 points can have a significant impact on your Crown & Anchor status. For example, a Gold member with 3 points will eventually earn 45 points and achieve Platinum status. Likewise, a Platinum-class cruiser with 38 points will eventually gain 80 points and become Diamond-class.
Of course, this strategy doesn't work for every budget. Suites are already expensive, and booking one individually adds to the cost. Additionally, for most cruisers, it’s not worth paying thousands of extra dollars just to get more points.
However, if you’re already considering booking a single suite, this sale will make your decision even more meaningful. It also helps to justify the upgrade when the price difference between a balcony cabin and a junior suite is reasonable.
2. Book a cabin alone for the Family Points Leader
Families traveling together can also take advantage of the promotion to help one person reach the next loyalty level faster. One strategy is to book a separate cabin for the family member with the most cruise points and let that person receive an individual award.
Here's how it works. Let’s say you have a family of four cruising together and one party has more cruise points than the other. Instead of reserving a cabin for each person, the family can book two rooms. The person with the most cruise points will book a separate cabin, while other adults and children will book a second cabin.
During the promotion, cruises with more points can earn 4 points per night in a single cabin. On a seven-night cruise, that person will earn 28 points instead of the 14 points earned when sharing a standard cabin.
Since Royal Caribbean allows eligible family members in the same household to earn equal Crown and Anchor status, achieving higher tiers can benefit the entire family. Although points remain the property of the person who earned them, related spouses or significant others, as well as verified children under 18 who share the same address, can generally achieve the same tier status.
Once accounts are properly linked, eligible family members can take advantage of the higher status and its benefits, even though their individual point totals may differ.
There are some exceptions to consider. For example, Royal Caribbean has separate rules for the Pinnacle Club, and children do not inherit Pinnacle status from their parents. You will also need to ensure that all eligible family members are properly contacted through the Crown and Anchor Society before booking.
Additionally, the cost of booking two cabins needs to be financially reasonable. If a second room adds thousands of dollars to the vacation, this strategy may be difficult to justify. However, it may work well for families who already want more space or plan to book two cabins.
For example, if you are considering booking a balcony cabin for your family, compare its price to the cost of booking two interior cabins. The total price is likely to be similar, allowing you to get the extra space and privacy while taking advantage of double the point savings.
3. Weekend boat trip
If a single suite or two-cabin family arrangement is too expensive, the easiest strategy may be to add a short weekend cruise to your vacation plans.
Royal Caribbean says members can enjoy double points savings on up to two qualifying cruises. People who are already planning to book a longer vacation can take advantage of their second chance and book a cheap 3 or 4 night vacation cruise.
Even a short cruise can be a great way to boost your loyalty points balance. For example, you can earn 6 points by staying in standard cabin on a 3-night cruise. Guests cruising alone or in a suite can earn 12 points for a weekend, while guests staying alone in a suite can earn 18 points for a weekend.
On a 4-night cruise, these totals increase to 8, 16, and 24 points respectively. While it may not seem like much, this extra boost could put the next level of loyalty within reach.
Consider a cruiser with 68 points that only needs 12 more points to reach diamond status. By booking a qualifying 3-night solo cruise during the Double Points promotion, they can earn the 12 points needed to reach the next tier.
Diamond members receive four free drink coupons each day on Royal Caribbean cruises. For some cruise lines, this benefit can eliminate the need to purchase a beverage package on future cruises and save hundreds of dollars per cruise.
Short cruises may also require less vacation time, and starting fares may be lower than a week-long trip. It's most advantageous to stay within driving distance of Royal Caribbean's homeport, as airfare and pre-cruise hotel costs can add up quickly.
Check terms before booking
Before trying any of these strategies, you'll want to review the terms and conditions of this new promotion.
Royal Caribbean’s double points offer is only available on new bookings, so existing bookings are not eligible. Members must provide a valid, verified Crown & Anchor number at the time of booking. Qualifying Points shall be issued within 30 days of the cruise upon full payment of the booking fee.
Additionally, bonus points are not transferable through Royal Caribbean’s Points Select program. Submitting a transfer request will forfeit promotional points. Free cruises, casino offers, employee cruises, seminar rates and certain travel agency discounts are also excluded. This promotion also does not apply to the Best Price Guarantee.
Luckily, the Double Points promotion can be combined with several other offers, including BOGO60, kids sail free, third and fourth guests go free, qualifying onboard points, NextCruise offers, instant savings, restricted discounts (such as seniors, military or residents), Crown and Anchor discounts, and shareholder benefits.
Ultimately, the right strategy will depend on your budget, current Crown & Anchor status, and your travel plans. Booking a single suite will maximize the points you earn on a single cruise, while booking two cabins can help those closest to the next level get to their destination faster. If neither option makes sense, a short weekend cruise can still help you move to the next level.
Since this offer is limited to two qualifying cruises, it's worth choosing these bookings carefully. A little planning now can help you unlock valuable Crown & Anchor benefits faster, allowing you to enjoy them for years to come.
