How to earn and redeem Marriott Bonvoy points while cruising with The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection

Considering a cruise with The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection, the latest venture from Ritz-Carlton? The good news for those looking to minimize expenses is that it’s one of the few cruise lines where you can use points to cover your trip costs.

Additionally, it’s one of the select cruise brands where you can earn points when paying with cash.

This is possible because The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection is part of the Marriott Bonvoy loyalty program.

Marriott Bonvoy members can earn and redeem points on The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection cruises while also enjoying elite status perks during their travels. This is particularly beneficial, as some exclusive Ritz-Carlton Reserve properties are not part of the Marriott Bonvoy program, and Ritz-Carlton hotels do not provide the same level of benefits for elite members as other luxury Marriott brands.

However, the earning and redemption rates, along with elite perks for Bonvoy members booking cruises with The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection, vary significantly from those associated with Ritz-Carlton and Marriott hotel stays. Below is a comprehensive guide to what you need to know.

Accumulating Marriott points and elite status on The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection

Marriott Bonvoy members earn 5 points for every dollar spent on cruise fares when reserving trips with The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection. Points can also be accrued on hotel packages at participating Marriott Bonvoy properties booked through the brand.

It’s important to note that members do not earn points on incidental expenses, and elite members will not receive their usual points bonuses on their spending. Everyone earns a standard rate of 5 points per dollar.

While earning 5 points per dollar is decent, it’s not particularly impressive. In contrast, most Marriott hotels — including Ritz-Carlton locations — provide 10 points per dollar on stays, which also covers on-property charges like dining and spa services.

The usual exception applies to Marriott's long-term stay brands, such as Residence Inn and Homes & Villas by Marriott, where members generally earn 5 points for every dollar spent.

Additionally, holders of Marriott cobranded credit cards earn the same points bonuses when reserving a cruise with The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection as they do on qualifying purchases at Marriott Bonvoy participating hotels.

Beyond the base earning rate, here’s how many points you can earn on The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection cruise fares based on your Marriott credit card type:

• Marriott Bonvoy Bold Credit Card: Earn 3 bonus points per dollar on eligible purchases.
• Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card: Earn 6 bonus points per dollar on eligible purchases.
• Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card: Earn 6 bonus points per dollar on eligible purchases.
• Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card: Earn 6 bonus points per dollar on eligible purchases.

With fares for The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection sailings starting at $4,600 per person for five nights, this could significantly enhance your earnings.

Bonvoy members booking a cruise with The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection earn one elite night credit for each night spent on board, in addition to award points. Plus, the cruise fare and hotel package count towards the annual spending requirement for achieving top-tier Marriott Bonvoy Ambassador Elite status.

Using Marriott Bonvoy points for The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection cruises

The process of redeeming points for The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection cruises differs greatly from that of traditional hotel stays. Points maintain a fixed value, meaning there are no "sweet spots" available. Additionally, you aren't required to have enough points to cover the full cost of your trip.

Here's the breakdown: You can use a minimum of 180,000 points for a $1,000 discount on the cruise fare. Beyond that, you can redeem increments of 90,000 points for a $500 discount, up to the total cruise fare. Like paid bookings, reservations must be made over the phone.

That's a significant number of points! If you opt for the least expensive sailing available on The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection at $4,600 per person, you'd need over 800,000 points to fully cover the trip—this is calculated per person, not per room—and it's for the basic accommodations on the ship.

For premium cabins on longer sailings, prices can soar to $30,000 per person or even higher. To book one entirely with points, you’d require 5.4 million points or more, again calculated on a per-person basis.

This redemption value is roughly 0.55 cents per Marriott point, which is notably lower than TPG's valuation of 0.84 cents per point, yet aligns with what you would receive when redeeming points for vacation homes through Homes & Villas by Marriott.

Marriott also provides the option to redeem points for cruise bookings via its Cruise With Points program. Here, redemptions start at 63,000 points for a $250 credit, resulting in an even lower value of 0.4 cents per point, ensuring luxury cruisers fare better than that.

Recognition for elite members

While Bonvoy elite members may not accrue bonus points during their voyages, their status does grant them exclusive perks on board. These benefits differ from those typically provided by hotels, as cruises are generally all-inclusive.

Here’s a summary of the benefits categorized by status level. These perks extend to the elite member and any companions sharing the same suite.

It's encouraging that Marriott has considered how to reward elite members on The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection with benefits like early dining reservations and free laundry. However, from TPG's perspective, it would have been more impressive to see suite upgrades or personalized services included for top-tier Ambassador Elites.

Final thoughts

The earning and redemption rates for cruises with The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection may appear somewhat unimpressive when compared to the hotel stay rates within the Marriott Bonvoy program. Nonetheless, it's positive to see the brand involved in this program.

At the very least, Marriott Bonvoy members can earn points during their voyages and have the chance to redeem them for discounts—albeit at a lower value. Additionally, elite members enjoy some concrete benefits.