Hilton Honors Members Can Now Use Their Points for Luxury Cruises—Here’s What the New Partnership Includes

Hilton is taking its 250 million loyalty members out to sea.

Starting on July 8, Hilton Honors members can earn and redeem points on Explora Journeys, the ultra-luxury ocean brand of the MSC Group. The move comes as cruising interest is climbing: Hilton said nearly 61 percent of its members plan to take a cruise in the next two years.

The two companies share a focus on “design-led experiences, intuitive service and personalized hospitality,” Mark Weinstein, the chief marketing officer and head of luxury brands at Hilton, said in a statement shared with Travel + Leisure. He described the deal as an invitation for members to earn and redeem points on cruises while bringing Explora guests into the company’s hotels and resorts.

The timing lines up with the debut of the Explora III, the line’s third ship, on July 23. Owned by the MSC Group and built as a standalone luxury division, Explora competes with the likes of Silversea, Seabourn, and the Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection.

On the loyalty front, Hilton members earn 10 points for every U.S. dollar spent on fares and get 5 percent off all Explora voyages. Points can be redeemed toward sailings, and spending counts toward Hilton Honors elite status.

That can add up quickly on Explora, where seven-night fares typically run several thousand dollars per person. Perks also scale with each elite level: Hilton Gold members get a welcome cocktail party with ship leadership, Diamond members receive added onboard credits, and Diamond Reserve members receive a bridge tour and private port transfers.

Each Explora Journeys ship carries about 900 guests in all-suite, ocean-facing accommodations, sailing the Mediterranean, northern Europe, or the Caribbean. Last year, Explora was a runner-up among mid-sized ocean cruise lines in T+L’s World’s Best Awards. (On a Mediterranean sailing with her husband and 10-year-old son, T+L Editor-in-Chief Jacqui Gifford found a ship polished enough for the adults and fun enough for a tween.)

Hotel and cruise loyalty partnerships aren’t entirely new. From 2019 through 2023, World of Hyatt partnered with Lindblad Expeditions to let members earn and redeem points on cruises to remote spots like the Galapagos and Antarctica. But with that deal gone, the Hilton and Explora tie-up is now the most prominent partnership of its kind.

For members, the appeal is straightforward. A single Explora cruise booking can generate tens of thousands of Hilton points, and a discount is real money off a high-end fare. It also gives Hilton Honors points a new use well beyond a hotel stay, sailing in style to destinations where Hilton doesn’t have properties.