4000 vs 6500 points in May 2026

The 6,500-point tier gives up some value on average free play, but it adds more depth and a cleaner premium-cabin profile. It averages $72.5 across 1,443 sailings, and the best sailing is Serenade of the Seas on a 7-night Alaska Inside Passage balcony itinerary from Vancouver on 2026-07-26 with $500 free play. That is a meaningful step up in cabin quality, even if the free play average is only modestly better than the 4,000-point tier.

The 4,000-point tier is the better pick if the goal is to keep the point requirement lower while still getting a two-guest offer and a decent free play floor. It is also the more straightforward tier for Alaska, since Ovation of the Seas appears repeatedly and the sailing count is solid.

The 6,500-point tier is the better pick if balcony access matters. Its top options are more likely to be balcony or higher-value Mediterranean and Alaska sailings, and the tier’s sailing count is larger. It is the more flexible tier for someone trying to balance cabin quality against free play.

If the question is purely value per point, 4,000 is the cleaner entry. If the question is whether the extra points buy a better cruise, 6,500 is the stronger tier. The gap is not huge on free play, but it is large enough in cabin mix and itinerary quality to justify the jump when a balcony or stronger sailing is the priority.