Holland America Mariner Society: Star Levels, Credits and Perks

Mariner Society counts days, with two bonuses on top. All three add up to your Cruise Day credits.

• Days sailed: 1 credit per actual day sailed. Each overnight aboard counts as a day, so a 7-day cruise earns 7 credits. Inside, ocean view and balcony cabins all earn the same.
• Suite bonus: double credits when you pay a published fare for a suite or penthouse. Paid or complimentary upgrades do not qualify. 3rd and 4th guests in the suite also get the suite bonus.
• Onboard spending bonus: 1 bonus credit for each $300 of eligible onboard purchases, calculated on the combined folio for all guests on the booking, regardless of who signs each charge or pays the bill. Only the first two guests on the booking earn it, with a limit of one bonus credit per day sailed. 3rd and 4th guests do not earn it.
• What counts toward the spending bonus: onboard purchases including the Crew Incentive Charge, Beverage Service Charge, taxes, shore excursions and gifts bought online or through Ship Services.
• What does not count: all casino charges, cash advances, Future Cruise deposits and associated fees.
• Alaska Cruisetours: you get credit for the total tour days, including land days. Pre- and post-cruise packages do not count.
• Bookings that earn nothing: prize, charity, familiarization and working sailings earn no days or bonuses.

Everyone is enrolled automatically after their first completed cruise. Guests who have sailed Carnival, Princess, Cunard, Seabourn or Costa are enrolled as 1-Star Mariners when they first book Holland America. Credits cannot be transferred, and later star levels count only Holland America sailings and spending. Records can take 7 to 10 days to update after a cruise ends.

Sources: Holland America's Mariner Society page and Mariner Society FAQ.

Five levels, set by your total Cruise Day credits. The day counts below are the minimum days sailed at each earning rate, without the spending bonus.

Separately, Holland America awards medallions on cruise days alone (suite and spending bonuses do not count): Bronze at 100 days, Silver at 300, Gold at 500 and Platinum at 700 or more.

Sources: Holland America's Mariner Society page.

Each level keeps the perks of the levels below it, except that at 4-Star the 50% dining and bar discounts, the free 3rd and 4th guest fares and 15% off logo clothing replace the smaller discounts from 3-Star and below. Benefits start with your second cruise, and a new level takes effect on your next Holland America cruise (on a Grand Voyage, for the rest of the current voyage).

• Everyone on a booking gets the benefits of the highest-level Mariner on it. Guests sharing a stateroom on separate bookings each get their own level's benefits.
• Specialty dining discounts do not apply to already discounted dining packages, special events, theme dinners, pop-up restaurants, Morimoto by Sea or restaurant packages.
• Discounts are not available on certain reduced fares, such as employee or vendor rates.

Sources: Holland America's Mariner Society page. Perks are paraphrased; check the page for the full conditions.

A couple takes a 7-day cruise in a balcony cabin, booked together. Their drinks, Beverage Service Charges, shore excursions and the Crew Incentive Charge all land on the booking's combined folio. Each guest earns 7 credits for the days sailed; the bonus depends on the folio total.

Two things follow. First, the spending bonus can double a standard-cabin cruiser's pace, from 7 to 14 credits per 7-day cruise. Second, casino spending never counts, so money spent in the casino does nothing for Mariner status.

Sources: Holland America's Mariner Society page.

Four patterns, all 7-day cruises, for one of the first two guests on a booking. The "full spending bonus" columns assume at least $2,100 of eligible spend on the combined folio each cruise. Taking one cruise a year, the number of cruises is also the number of years.

The takeaway: 2-Star and 3-Star arrive within a few years for a regular cruiser, 4-Star is a long-term goal unless you book suites, spend onboard or take long voyages (a 28-day voyage earns 28 credits in a standard cabin), and 5-Star takes decades for a once-a-year cruiser.

Sources: Earning rates and thresholds from Holland America's Mariner Society page.

Status does not appear to expire. Holland America's Mariner Society page lists no requalification rule, and The Points Guy reported in October 2024 that "Holland America customers do not have to requalify for status each year." Credits keep adding up across every Holland America cruise you take. Holland America's terms say it may modify or end the program, change benefits or end a membership at any time, with or without notice.

An overhaul was flagged in 2025. In a May 9, 2025 interview, The Points Guy reported that president Beth Bodensteiner called the current tiering system "outdated" and said the line planned to work on changes that year. No specific changes or dates were given.

As of October 15, 2026, we found no announced overhaul. The official page still shows the same five levels at 30, 75, 200 and 500 credits, the same earning rules and the same perks. If you are planning cruises around a status goal, recheck the official page before you book.

Sources: Holland America's Mariner Society page. Lifetime status and the president's remarks come from the press reports linked above.

The casino has its own program, Holland America Players Club, which is free to join: keep your card in the slot machine or hand it to the dealer at a table. It does not earn Mariner Society credits, and casino charges are excluded from the Mariner spending bonus.

• Slots: 1 point for every $2 played.
• Video poker: 1 point for every $5 coin-in.
• Table games: points depend on the game, your average bet and how long you play. No fixed rate is published.
• What points unlock: Free Play, complimentary drinks, spa treatments, wine with dinner and more. Private offers range from Free Play to free or discounted staterooms, which exclude taxes, fees and deposit.
• Levels: VIP (dedicated host, Welcome Aboard event, gift), Ultimate Games (a chance at $25K in Free Play and prizes, casino host, free casino drinks) and Prestige (Prestige host, free drinks in all bars and restaurants, a complimentary select shore excursion). Holland America does not publish the points needed for each.
• Checking offers: log in with your Mariner ID, visit HollandAmerica.com/deals or call 1-800-207-3549.

Holland America Match (HAL Match)

Holland America's casino match runs on Ocean Players Club, which describes itself as Carnival Corporation & PCL's global casino rewards program. You submit your loyalty tier at other casinos, and Holland America may send an offer.

• Open to legal residents of the 50 US states and DC aged 21 or over.
• Offers may include free or discounted cruises with drinks included, on select sailings.
• The offer covers the 1st and 2nd guests only; 3rd to 5th guests pay prevailing rates.
• Free deals exclude the deposit and taxes, fees and port expenses.
• Eligible guests are emailed in about 7 business days, and you must book within 60 days of the offer.
• The page is dated 2024 and shows no end date; the program can be changed or ended at any time.

A "free" casino cruise still costs the taxes, fees, port expenses and deposit, and change fees and cancellation penalties can apply. Gambling more to earn an offer rarely beats paying the fare. Carnival runs a similar program; see our cruise casino programs comparison for every line.

Sources: Holland America's Casino Action page, Ocean Players Club and the Holland America Match terms.

There is no status match with Holland America's Carnival Corporation sister lines. Guests who have sailed Carnival, Princess, Cunard, Seabourn or Costa start as 1-Star Mariners when they first book Holland America, and higher levels count only Holland America sailings. Compare the sister programs in our Princess Captain's Circle guide and Carnival Rewards guide, or see every line side by side in the cruise loyalty programs comparison.