Which Matters More
If you’re a frequent cruiser with Royal Caribbean, you’ve probably heard fellow travelers brag about their Diamond Plus status in Crown & Anchor Society or their Prime status in Casino Royale. Both loyalty programs offer amazing perks, but they work very differently. So which one actually matters more – Diamond Plus or Casino Prime? Let’s dive in.
What Is the Crown & Anchor Society?
The Crown & Anchor Society is Royal Caribbean’s official cruise loyalty program. Every night you sail earns you points, with bonus points for suites or solo bookings. These points add up to higher tiers and better perks.
Royal Caribbean Crown & Anchor Levels
- Gold (3–29 points) – Welcome gifts, exclusive member offers.
- Platinum (30–54 points) – Discounts on internet packages, onboard offers.
- Emerald (55–79 points) – Bigger discounts and early access perks.
- Diamond (80–174 points) – 4 daily drink vouchers, Diamond Lounge access, priority boarding.
- Diamond Plus (175–699 points) – 5–6 daily drinks, balcony discounts, exclusive events, priority seating at shows.
- Pinnacle (700+ points) – Free milestone cruises, ultimate recognition.
How to Join Crown & Anchor
Enrollment is free and automatic after your first cruise, or you can sign up on Royal Caribbean’s website before you sail.
What Is Casino Royale on Royal Caribbean?
Casino Royale is Royal Caribbean’s casino rewards program. Unlike Crown & Anchor, which is based on nights sailed, Casino Royale is based on casino play points.
Casino Royale Levels
- Choice – Entry level; everyone starts here.
- Prime (2,500 points per year) – Free annual cruise, free drinks in the casino, priority boarding.
- Signature (25,000 points) – Two free cruises, suite offers, VIP invites.
- Masters (100,000 points) – Luxury comped cruises, top-tier recognition.
Casino Royale Perks
There are 4 parts to the Casino Royale Perks:
1. Instant Cruise Credit
As soon as you start gambling with your SeaPass card, you start earning points that can convert into onboard credits or discounts on your next sailing. Every sailing will have a list of what you can get at each point level. On the Casino Royal host deck you will see a print out of a bunch of QR codes. Take a picture of that and each QR code represents a different point value and will open a .pdf of perks you can get with those points. You can earn a free cruise with as little as 500 points sometimes.
You don’t really ‘redeem’ points because once you hit whatever point level you are, you keep those in your account for the entire casino year and can build on them toward status. But let’s say you hit 500 points and stop there. You redeem your Instant Cruise Credit for a cruise and on that cruise you earn 500 more. You now have 1000 points toward your 2500 point Prime status but you would only qualify for the 500 point instant cruise credit offerings on that second sailing.
Cruises that are offered are only for specific sailings, but I’ve found they have a pretty good selection. Exclusions usually consist of the newest ship and Holidays (Thanksgiving, Christmas, etc).
2. Annual Free Cruise Certificate (Prime+)
Once you hit 2500 points within a casino year – you will earn Prime Status and be awarded a free cruise certificate. These certificates are for specific sailings, as well. Usually the exclusions are the same as for the Instant Cruise Credit. We were able to score a 7 day European cruise on the Oasis of the Seas and use our annual free cruise certificate. The certificates are usually awarded in April.
3. Weekly Casino Promotions
This is where I think you really hit the mother load. Weekly – sometimes multiple times a week, we receive emails and paper mailers with selected free cruises. The selection is more limited but they are pretty constant, assuming you’re still an active gambler on cruises you are taking. If you stop gambling the offers sort of dry up.
There is inconsistent data on who gets what offers but I can confirm, you do not have to be Prime to receive offers. You probably get more and better offers at Prime, but even as our Prime status expired in March of this year, we are still getting offers weekly.
You can book as many of these cruises as your hearts and PTO allowance allows. If we were retired and didn’t have dogs – i can tell you we’d be doing multiple back-to-back cruises using these offers.
How to Join Casino Royale
It’s automatic once you start playing. Insert your SeaPass card at a slot machine or hand it to the dealer at a table, and you’re enrolled.
How Crown & Anchor and Casino Royale Work Together
This is where the real magic happens.
- A Diamond Plus guest already enjoys free daily drinks, lounge access, and priority perks. Add Casino Prime, and suddenly you’re also getting free drinks in the casino and a free cruise every year. That’s completely eliminated our need to purchase any drink package for soda or alcohol.
- Upgrading free cruises: Casino Royale comp offers are usually for Interior or Oceanview rooms, but you can pay the difference to move up to a balcony or suite. Totally optional, but a great way to cruise more comfortably for less. But this isn’t always true, you can sometimes snag a balcony or suite.
- Comped cruises still earn Crown & Anchor points. This is the real superpower. You’re not just cruising for free—you’re also climbing Crown & Anchor tiers faster.
🎲 High Roller Tip: If you AND your spouse both earn prime, you can combine offers for upgrades, or book two connecting rooms and have your own private suite.
Our Story: Cracking the Code
For years, we paid full price for cruises while casually spending in the casino. That got us to Diamond—but slowly, and at full cost. Once we learned that comped cruises still earn Crown & Anchor points, we leveraged Casino Royale offers and shot up to Diamond Plus with far less out-of-pocket.
Extra Perk: Status Match
Royal Caribbean automatically matches Crown & Anchor status across Celebrity Cruises and Silversea.
✨But here’s the hidden gem: you can also use your Casino Royale status to secure comps on other lines. For example, I was able to snag a free Panama Canal cruise on Holland America by showing proof of my Royal Caribbean Prime status. Carnival does something similar.
Diamond Plus vs. Casino Prime: Which Matters More?
Honestly, it depends on your style:
- 🔹If you cruise often but don’t gamble → Crown & Anchor Diamond Plus has more consistent value.
- 🔹If you enjoy the casino → Casino Prime can unlock multiple free cruises a year.
- 🔹If you do both → You’re stacking free cruises, free drinks, and status perks—it’s the sweet spot.
💡The smartest strategy? Leverage Casino Royale to reach Crown & Anchor tiers faster.
Power Tip: NextCruise Certificates
Every cruise, we buy a NextCruise (Future Cruise Certificate). It works like this:
- 🔹You pay a reduced deposit onboard.
- 🔹You get bonus onboard credit (OBC) for your next sailing.
- 🔹Even on comped Casino Royale cruises, you can usually use your NextCruise deposit to cover any port fees or upgrade cost, AND you can apply the OBC—basically turning it into extra casino play money.
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