Disney Cruise Line’s Castaway Club is a great way for returning cruisers to have a little extra magic when returning on future sailings. If you didn’t know, the club is divided into three different levels: Silver, Gold, and Platinum. All first time sailers are automatically enrolled upon completion of their first cruise with Disney. The tier system works like this: silver members are guests who have completed 1 to 4 sailings, gold members are guests who have completed 5 to 9 sailings, and platinum members are guests that have completed 10 or more sailings. What I love about Disney’s system is that it goes by number of cruises rather than numbers of nights (like Royal Caribbean). Anyway, below is a breakdown of what each level is entitled to both at home and onboard.
Silver Members: Begins after your 1st completed cruise.
- Insider Exclusives: Just for members—Webcasts, info, tips and news. As well as a quarterly electronic newsletter with updates about itineraries, shows, and ship announcements.
- Dedicated Phone Number: (800) 449-3380—your direct line for info and assistance.
- Exclusive Cruise Terminal Check-In: Sail through the boarding process in a separate, members-only line.
- Welcome Back Stateroom Gift: Be welcomed back with a gift unique to your membership level.
- Special Onboard Booking Offer: While on board, enjoy special savings on future cruises.
- Silver members can start booking onboard activities 90 days prior to sailing.
Gold Members: Begins after your 5th completed cruise.
- Receive all the benefits of Silver Members
- Early Booking Opportunities: Be among the first to book our newest itineraries and ships before the general public.
- Castaway Club Onboard Reception: Meet and mingle with the ship’s officers at a private party on voyages 4-nights and longer.
- Special Onboard Merchandising Offer: Receive 10% off your purchases in the onboard gift shops
- Gold members can start booking onboard activities 105 days prior to sailing.
Platinum Members: Begins after your 10th completed cruise.
- Receive all the benefits of Silver & Gold Members
- Priority Check-In at Cruise Terminal: Enjoy concierge priority check-in at the cruise terminal. Then, receive priority boarding following concierge Guests.
- Complimentary Dinner at Palo: Available to platinum castaway member as well as all guests, regardless of castaway club level, booked in the platinum member’s stateroom. Must be 18+ to dine at Palo.
Now, most of this is directly from the Disney Cruise Line website. Yes, you could have just read it yourself. However, I am here to tell you what’s actually really helpful and what’s not so much. Starting at the top and moving down with Insider Exclusives. It’s basically just information emails that I, personally, don’t read, but the online magazine is cool to look through sometimes. The phone number, not really a big difference in wait time compared to the normal line. The EXCLUSIVE cruise terminal check in, really isn’t that exclusive. It is probably a small fraction shorter of wait time when checking in at the terminal, but don’t think you’re going to walk in the terminal and be onboard in 10 minutes. The welcome back stateroom gift is nice. It usually consists of a beach bag (gray for silver members, yellow for gold, and black for platinum), a water bottle or two, and maybe some cards or something. Gold members will usually receive some sort of stationary or journal thing in addition. On or most recent cruise as platinum members, we received this really cool photo album that held all of our photos taken by the onboard photographers. Each stateroom will only receive 1 gift regardless of number of guests. The gift will always reflect the highest ranking Castaway Club member booked in the stateroom. The special onboard booking offer is great especially if you take a cruise every year around the same time. You normally receive a 10% discount off the cruise fare, some onboard credit, and a reduced deposit. Note, this does not apply for Concierge staterooms. The early booking opportunities for Gold and Platinum guests allows guests to make reservations on new itineraries up to 5 days before they are open for booking to the general public. These advanced reservations are usually only necessary if you’re trying to book a Concierge stateroom for special cruises like Europe or Hawaii. The onboard reception is cool if you’re into meeting the officers (especially the cruise director) and other returning cruisers. The 10% off is nice in gift shops if you do a lot of shopping at sea. Now you might say, platinum members only get 2 exclusive perks for sailing over 10 times? That doesn’t seem like a lot; however, they’re some of the best perks. Priority check in is the only way to keep your time in the terminal very low. I have never experienced even a 1 person line when going though priority check in. Shoreside concierge members will have everything waiting and printed out upon you arrival. After the quick check-in, one of the shoreside concierge members will take you through a back door and straight up a priority access line where you get to not only bypass everyone waiting in line to board, but everyone waiting to have their family embarkation photo. If you want to stop and take the photo, you’ll be the next family to do so. Platinum members also receive a complimentary meal at Palo for all adults booked in his or her stateroom. If your cruise does offer brunch at Palo, you have the option of using your meal for brunch.
Let’s talk about Online Planning. As I mentioned above, Silver, Gold, and Platinum members are all allowed to start booking onboard reservations at 90, 105, and 120 days prior to sailing, respectively. Onboard reservations include: specialty dining, port adventures, spa and salon appointments, simulator reservations (Dream and Fantasy only), and nursery reservations. All Castaway Club members will also receive a lanyard reflecting their tier status upon check in at the cruise terminal.
Disney: An Urge to Splurge 