Teri West
Explora Journeys fancies itself a floating boutique hotel, so its partnership with one of the world's largest hotel companies makes sense.
Members of the Hilton Honors loyalty program can now book Explora cruises directly through Hilton, with each partner offering incentives.
Explora is eager to attract luxury travelers who have yet to spend their first night on a cruise ship. CEO Anna Nash said its most recent advertising campaign was crafted with that goal in mind.
But what's in it for Hilton? I asked Christina Jelski, my colleague at Travel Weekly who covers hotels.
Loyalty programs thrive when offering members more ways to earn and use points, she said.
"Luxury resorts and all-inclusives are already highly popular redemptions for members," she said. "Explora -- as a luxury, highly-inclusive cruise product -- fits in with that nicely."
Hilton's loyalty program has more than 250 million members. The challenge, despite having such a large membership, is maneuvering the program so that those members stay loyal.
Jelski pointed to a Phocuswright report that found that 63% of leisure travelers with a favorite accommodations brand are still booking with competitors.
"This is why we keep seeing hotel companies expanding their portfolios, perks and partnerships," she said. "They're hoping that more options will keep their members from wandering to a competitor."
Hilton Honors members now get a 5% discount on Explora cruise fares while earning Hilton points when booking. Their Hilton status can get them privileges onboard, like a bridge tour for Hilton's Diamond Reserve members.
Diamond Reserve was added as a loyalty tier last year that caters to high spenders.
Those travelers want more than a complimentary hotel night; they want experiences. That's why Jelski predicts we will see more hotel-cruise collaborations in the future: cruising is an experiential reward.
"Cruising is one more passion that hotel brands can tap into," she said.