Disney Cruise Line brings all the magic of Disney to sea with its fleet of colourful vessels adorned with your favourite Disney characters. The cruiseliner’s loyalty program, Castaway Club, offers additional perks after your first voyage.
So whether you’ve returned from a Disney cruise or are planning to embark on one from Australia or New Zealand in the upcoming 2025 and 2026 seasons, here’s how you can earn rewards with Castaway Club.
How does Castaway Club work?
The Castaway Club program has a simple tiered structure. The more you sail with Disney Cruise Line, the higher your member tier.
There are four member tiers:
- Silver Member – after completing one sailing.
- Gold Member – after completing five sailings.
- Platinum Member – after completing 10 sailings.
- Pearl Member – after completing 25 sailings.
Unlike some other cruise loyalty programs that operate on a nights or points structure, Disney Cruise Line’s rewards program is based on ‘sailings’ or the number of cruises you complete. You’ll automatically join Castaway Club as a Silver Member following your first sailing.
To move up the tiers or retain your membership, you need to complete an eligible Disney Cruise Line voyage within the ‘Activity Period’. This is the five-year period following the debarkation day of your last Disney Cruise Line cruise. Unfortunately, if five years elapse without an eligible cruise, your Castaway Club membership will automatically expire.
Disney Cruise Line Castaway Club member benefits
On your second voyage with Disney Cruise Line, you’ll be able to enjoy the benefits of being a Castaway Club member. While all tiers offer the benefits of early booking, the exact timeframe depends on your tier, with higher-tier members receiving earlier access.
Each Member tier offers a different set of benefits, which we’ve summarised below.
Silver Member and above
- Book new itineraries at least 1-4 days before the general public.
- Add cruise activities 90-123 days prior to sailing.
- Select port arrival time and complete online check-in 33-40 days prior to sailing.
- Exclusive cruise terminal check-in where available.
- Castaway Club Member exclusive phone number and member communications.
- Welcome back aboard gift.
Gold Member and above
- Private onboard reception on 8-night and longer voyages.
- Exclusive member discounts.
Platinum Member and above
- Complimentary dinner at adult-exclusive Palo or Palo Steakhouse.
Pearl Member only
- Complimentary unlimited digital photo package.
50+ Milestone Commemorative Display
Guests who have completed 50 or more sailings with Disney Cruise Line can commemorate this milestone by displaying their family (last) name on Disney Castaway Cay, a private island in the Bahamas that only Disney Cruise Line guests can visit.
For the full, up-to-date list of Castaway Club benefits, visit the Disney Cruise Line website.
How do I join Castaway Club?
Disney Cruise Line’s loyalty program is open to all guests who have completed at least one Disney Cruise, regardless of their country of residence. So for Australians who have sailed onboard a Disney cruise ship, or are planning one from Australia or New Zealand in 2025 and 2026, you’ll be able to join Castaway Club after you sail.
Castaway Club membership is awarded automatically after your first Disney cruise. So, if you want to join the program, you’d better get booking!
Other ways to earn rewards when booking a cruise with Disney Cruise Line
Earn frequent flyer points
You don’t need to fly to earn frequent flyer points (or be on the ground, for that matter!) With Qantas Cruises, you’ll pocket one Qantas Point per $1 spent on your ocean holiday.
Similarly, you can earn at least three Velocity Points per $1 when booking a cruise via Cruisepilot. The points earn rate depends on your Velocity Frequent Flyer status, so high-tier members will earn more.
Read our full guide on how to earn frequent flyer points on cruises.
Use a points-earning credit card
Cruises are big-ticket purchases and can set you back a hefty sum once you factor in other expenses like flights, a hotel stay the night before the cruise, travel insurance, and more. So, why not maximise your rewards from spending you were going to do anyway? There are many credit cards in Australia that allow you to earn points on everyday purchases. And by leveraging a credit card sign-up bonus, like the one below, you could be on your way to your next holiday sooner! Our Experiences articles are brimming with inspiration to put those hard-earned frequent flyer points to use.
Featured image: Adobe Stock
FAQs
How do you become a member of Castaway Club?
After your first voyage with Disney Cruise Line, you’ll automatically be enrolled into the Castaway Club loyalty program.
What are the tiers of Castaway Club?
Castaway Club has four member tiers determined by your completed sailings:
Do Castaway Club members get discounts?
Gold, Platinum and Pearl members of Castaway Club enjoy a range of exclusive discounts when sailing with Disney Cruise Line.
Does Castaway Club membership expire?
Yes, you’ll automatically lose your Castaway Club membership if you do not take an eligible Disney Cruise Line cruise in the five year period following the debarkation date of your last Disney Cruise Line cruise.
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