What This Means
That is the right combination of factors. You get a meaningful free play step, balcony access, and a strong Alaska itinerary on a ship that repeatedly shows up as the top performer across tiers.
The tier is also broad enough to be useful. It has 1,543 sailings, with Caribbean volume still dominant at 1,035, but with enough Mediterranean, Asia, Australia, and Alaska inventory to give players options beyond the standard short Caribbean list.
The 9,000-point tier sits at the point where the certificate stops feeling like a volume play and starts feeling like a value play. Below it, the free play ladder is smaller and the cabin mix is more limited. Above it, the free play increases, but the incremental value is less efficient unless you specifically want the premium cabin and longer itinerary profile.
This month’s best sailing is not an outlier. The top Alaska balcony sailings repeat across the tier, which is a sign that the value is supported by the whole tier, not just one lucky departure.
If you are choosing one target tier in 2606A, 9,000 points is the one to watch. It is where the certificate gives you the strongest combination of free play, cabin quality, and itinerary quality.