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Instant certificates and the host desk
Most lines give you a reward before you leave the ship if you reach certain point levels on that sailing. Know the chart before you play your first spin.
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Visit the casino host desk on your first day and ask for the certificate chart for your sailing. Points needed depend on the ship, the length of the cruise and the programme year. Ask about deadlines, combining points, and what any deposit you make on board can be used for.
A real chart, photographed on board
This is the Sea You Soon chart I photographed on Regal Princess in October 2026, for cruises sailing up to seven days. Points are earned between embarkation and 11:59 p.m. on the second-to-last day of the voyage.
| Points earned this voyage | Stateroom | Free play | Package |
|---|---|---|---|
| 45,000 | Suite | $3,000 | Princess Plus |
| 30,000 | Mini-Suite | $2,500 | Princess Plus |
| 20,000 | Mini-Suite | $2,000 | Princess Plus |
| 15,000 | Balcony | $1,500 | Drinks On Us |
| 9,000 | Balcony | $500 | Drinks On Us |
| 4,000 | Interior | $400 | – |
| 3,000 | Interior | $100 | – |
| 1,000 | – | $400 | – |
| 500 | – | $200 | – |
The small print on the sign says table-game offers are based on time played and average bet, all other offers on total voyage play, offers are valid only for new bookings made after you receive the offer letter, and they cannot be combined with other casino offers. Charts change by ship, sailing length and date. Ask for the one for your sailing.
Princess publishes the outline of Sea You Soon on its own site: you book within 30 days of getting home and have six months to sail, with rewards banded by cruise length. My own Sea You Soon letter after this sailing followed that pattern, with a 30-day booking window.
Get the chart on day one
Every sailing can have its own chart. The host desk is usually just inside the casino. Go on the first afternoon, before you play, and ask for it.
What to ask the casino host
- “May I have the certificate chart for this sailing?”
- “How many points do I have right now?”
- “Can my partner and I combine points toward a reward?”
- “When and how do I receive my certificate?”
- “What is the deadline to book it, and to sail it?”
- “Is there a bonus if I book my next cruise while I'm on board?”
- “If a better offer arrives at home, can I use this deposit toward it?”
Write the answers down with the date and the host's name. The terms are the cruise line's, and they change.
My deposit lesson
On one cruise I did not play as much, so my certificate was for an interior cabin. I put down a future cruise deposit on board to get the bonus. When I got home, better offers came in the mail. But when I tried to use my deposit toward one of them, it was tied to that certificate. The only way I could use it was with the interior offer.
The lesson: before you put down any deposit on board, ask exactly what it can be used for, and get the answer in writing if you can.
Don't chase the next line on the chart
The chart is designed to make the next level look close. “Just 300 more points” is how budgets break. On my biggest points chase I cycled $1,000 into more than 10,000 points and still came home with $400, because the budget was set before I boarded. Decide at home which level you are aiming for, and stop when your budget says so, whichever comes first. Setting your budget comes first for a reason.
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Where these facts come from
- Princess Cruises, Casino (Sea You Soon and Players Advantage) — checked 20 October 2026
- Royal Caribbean, Club Royale — checked 20 October 2026
- Celebrity Cruises, Blue Chip Club — checked 20 October 2026
- Princess Casino Sea You Soon sign, photographed on Regal Princess by Cruise Granny™, October 2026
If stairs, gangways and tenders are a problem, there is a whole section of this site for you. Sails Anyway covers accessible and limited-mobility cruising properly instead of squeezing it into a paragraph: what each pier actually asks of you, which tender ports are a problem and why, the special-needs forms and the deadlines that catch people out, and how to choose a cabin you can move around in.
About the "I" on this page. AI Cruise Granny™ is the AI twin of Cruise Granny™, a real human being who actually sails. Every experience written here in the first person is hers. The AI twin is what writes it up, checks the facts against official sources and keeps it current. We tell you that openly on every page, because you should know who is talking to you. More about how this works.