By Donna Heiderstadt | Published on March 7, 2024
On Royal Caribbean ships, your SeaPass® card is your key to almost every experience while sailing on the cruise line's fleet of cruise ships — including the casino. The size of a hotel room keycard, you'll receive your SeaPass upon arriving to your stateroom. It will allow you to access your stateroom, order cocktails in the ship's bars and lounges, enjoy specialty dining, make purchases in the onboard shops and get on and off the ship while in port — but that's not all. Your SeaPass® card can also be used to play the slots or place a bet in Casino Royale℠, the gaming venue that's onboard every Royal Caribbean ship. Even better, using your card when you play offers a number of benefits that are similar to the loyalty programs of land-based casinos.
If you're age 18 or older (21 on Alaska sailings) and plan to spend time in Casino Royale on an upcoming voyage, it's worth knowing about all the bonuses, comps and VIP extras you can earn by using your SeaPass to play. Whether you plan to spin for a jackpot win or place bets at the gaming tables, when you rack up points using your SeaPass in the casino, you stack up benefits.
These incremental bonuses, which are tallied via a free Club Royale® membership, can quickly add value and enjoyment to your cruise experience — and your overall return. Every time you play the slots, spend an hour or two at the blackjack table or place a pile of chips on your lucky number at the roulette table, you'll earn reward points and tier credits that can grant you access to a plethora of benefits during your voyage and ashore.
Here's a look at the rewards, bonuses, comps and VIP extras you can earn through Club Royale while using your SeaPass during your Casino Royale cruise experience. Learning about these benefits is key if you love to woo Lady Luck while on vacation or even if you just dabble in gaming but are a frequent cruiser. You'll quickly discover that time spent in a cruise ship casino can make your vacation more enjoyable given the free perks you'll receive as a Club Royale member. All you need to do is simply insert or tap your card while using the machines or present your card at the gaming tables and you'll begin earning rewards.
Using your SeaPass to earn Club Royale points couldn't be simpler. With your card, you'll earn one point for every $5 you play on a slot machine and for every $10 you play on a video poker machine. This includes all bets, even with the replayed winnings/credits you've accrued. The longer you play, the faster you'll accrue points since they're earned based on the total dollar amount cycled through the machine.
With table games, points accrued are based on the type of table game being played, your average bet and how long you play.
Club Royale membership renews on an annual basis. The program year begins April 1 and goes to March 31 the following year. All tier credits accumulated during that period count toward your member tier status. This means if you're a frequent cruiser and you plan to hit the machines or tables using your SeaPass, it's advantageous to book a cruise and join Club Royale as soon after April 1 as possible. That way, you'll have a full year to earn tier credits and advance your membership status.
At the beginning of each program year, all members tier credits are reset to zero. If you cruise enough and visit Casino Royale frequently, you can advance to a higher tier level based on the tier credits you earn, all while enjoying some cool added benefits.
Choice members earn tier credits that can be used toward FreePlay — credit you can only use at Casino Royale — and other onboard perks. Choice members also receive a $200 credit for use onboard at Regalia Fine Jewelry and Effy Boutique as well as exclusive offers and access to special events and promotions.
Once you reach 2,500 tier credits, you'll enjoy Prime status. This level unlocks perks such as a waived casino convenience fee, a 10% discount at Vitality℠ Spa, discounts on VOOM® high-speed internet packages, a $250 Regalia Fine Jewelry and Effy Boutique credit, discounted stateroom rates for family and friends and a complimentary Interior stateroom for two on one cruise. Yes, you read that correctly: a free cruise.
Cruise and play often enough to earn 25,000 tier credits and you'll reach Signature member status. At this level, you'll enjoy free Wi-Fi for one device, a $350 Regalia Fine Jewelry and Effy Boutique credit, a 15% spa discount and a complimentary Balcony stateroom on one cruise — all in addition to all the other perks you've stacked up.
If your luck and skill earn you 100,000 tier credits, you'll reach Masters status. As a member of the highest tier, you'll enjoy Club Royale's most exclusive benefits, including a welcome lunch, access to Coastal Kitchen restaurant, a 20% spa discount, onboard credit to use any way you choose, and a complimentary Grand Suite on one cruise.
Using your SeaPass to accrue membership tier credits in Club Royale can also let you quench your thirst as you play — for free. As a Club Royale benefit, complimentary drinks are offered at the casino, during operating hours, to Prime, Signature and Masters guests. Once you reach Prime status, the casino host will reward you with a Prime sticker for your SeaPass and your drinks will be comped as you play.
With Club Royale, the benefits are immediate no matter what your tier level. Rewards points earned for play at Casino Royale can be redeemed as FreePlay gaming credits or converted to onboard credit that can be used for dining, shore excursions, spa and other activities during your sailing.
As you play, regardless of your tier status, points earned throughout your cruise can also qualify you for Instant Rewards. These rewards can include discounts on future cruises and even complimentary sailings.
To see what Instant Rewards are being offered on your cruise, visit the casino host desk, where you'll find the current month’s “Rack Up the Rewards” flyer, which details the number of points you need to earn on your current sailing to receive a discount or a free cruise. These vary by voyage and change monthly.
Instant Reward Certificates are valid for 30 days from your cruise end date, and if redeemed with Next Cruise while onboard as a Book Later reservation, you will qualify for additional booking bonuses. Booking bonuses include FreePlay, onboard credit, or even a complimentary stateroom upgrade.
Another way to earn cruise discounts and free cruises is via marketing-based offers to Club Royale members. Royal Caribbean sends these offers by both regular mail and email as well as delivering them via the Club Royale member website.
The recipients for these offers are selected based on a range of criteria — both demographic as well as the number of times they've cruised and their past casino activity. The more you play on a cruise, the better your subsequent offers are apt to be. These can range from a $100 cruise discount to a complimentary cruise in a Grand Suite, typically on a number of ships and sail dates in the future. You'll need to act quickly to take advantage of these offers.
The final perk of Club Royale membership involves some VIP treatment. Just for using your SeaPass and becoming a member, you can qualify for exclusive casino offers and invitations to Club Royale VIP events and special tournaments happening onboard your ship. Once you reach Prime tier, you'll also receive exclusive booking rates for family and friends for up to two additional staterooms — perfect if you want to cruise with siblings, kids or grandkids — as well as special offers with partnership casinos back on land.
Are cruise ship casinos rigged? The answer to this persistent rumor is no!
What about the rumor that using your SeaPass ruins your odds? It's also not true. Using a SeaPass in no way affects the outcome. Your SeaPass does not communicate with the slot machine or table games other than simply recording the amount and time of gameplay.
If you're ready to enjoy the benefits of using your SeaPass card at Casino Royale, learn more about the rewards you can stack up.