A party for top trade partners on Thursday (25 September) unveiled a range of enhanced benefits for the trade.

Agents can now earn double spending money on their own holidays onboard Allure of the Seas sailings in Europe and all cruises to Royal’s Perfect Day at CocoCay island in the Bahamas of seven nights or more.

Blue members will now receive £200 spending money, Gold members £400 and Platinum members £600 for their own holiday. This is added to members’ Club Rewards accounts and transferred to their MasterCard.

Club Rewards can also now be donated to charities including the Family Holiday Association, Southampton Children’s Hospital and WWF, with Royal matching each donation.

New digital MasterCards for Club Rewards members will enable agents to access their account via an app from early 2020. The app mirrors the brand’s consumer-facing technology so agents can already access their rewards account on the go. Royal said the app would reduce plastic and paper waste.

A new training platform, LEARN (Learn Everything About Royal Now!) was also confirmed, using artificial intelligence and intuitive learning.

Launching next month, LEARN will offer three modules: We Are Royal; Allure of the Seas; and Perfect Day at CocoCay. The platform is aimed at retail agents and homeworkers.

To mark the anniversary, 80 trade partners and top performing Club Rewards members joined the brand for an event at Stapleford Park hotel in Leicestershire, hosted by managing director Ben Bouldin and sales director Martin MacKinnon.

MacKinnon said: “Club Rewards’ fifth birthday marks an incredible milestone for the brand and our commitment to our invaluable trade partners. It wouldn’t be right to celebrate without our agent partners present – the success of the rewards programme is down to their enthusiasm, engagement and feedback.

“I’m thrilled that we are replacing the plastic MasterCard and going digital – of course, it will make agents’ lives easier, but it’s also a reflection of our Royal Caribbean ethos, which is underpinned by sustainability and digital innovation.”