Our Vacation Centre SG Pte Ltd, a subsidiary of arrivia International Operations, has taken home the Affinity & Collaboration of the Year – Singapore trophy at the Travel Daily Media Travel Trade Excellence Awards 2026 – Asia. The accolade recognises the company's work on KrisFlyer Cruise, a platform powered by arrivia that integrates cruise bookings into Singapore Airlines' KrisFlyer loyalty programme.
The win underscores a growing trend in travel loyalty: extending airline miles beyond the cabin and into the wider holiday ecosystem. KrisFlyer Cruise gives members new ways to use their miles, whether by earning on eligible cruise fares or redeeming them toward future sailings. With access to more than 40 cruise lines and tens of thousands of itineraries worldwide, the platform significantly broadens the redemption landscape for KrisFlyer's member base.
How KrisFlyer Cruise works
The platform combines KrisFlyer's established loyalty infrastructure with arrivia's cruise inventory and booking technology. Members can browse a wide range of cruise options, from river voyages to ocean expeditions, and pay using a flexible mix of miles and cash. Redemptions start at a low threshold, making it easier for members to turn their accrued miles into tangible travel experiences.
Behind the scenes, arrivia's white-label technology delivers a seamless, branded booking experience within the KrisFlyer ecosystem. This integration ensures that the process feels native to the loyalty programme, rather than a disjointed third-party add-on.
The partnership also delivers mutual benefits. For Singapore Airlines, adding cruise travel to the KrisFlyer redemption catalogue increases the relevance of its loyalty currency and opens new avenues for member engagement. For arrivia, the collaboration extends its cruise expertise and global inventory to a major airline loyalty programme, expanding its reach in the Asia-Pacific region.
Beyond the booking platform, the two organisations run coordinated marketing campaigns, targeted member communications, and cruise promotions to drive awareness and uptake. These efforts help introduce KrisFlyer members to itineraries they might not have considered, encouraging them to explore cruise travel as a viable holiday option.
The award highlights how airline loyalty programmes can evolve beyond flights to become comprehensive travel ecosystems. As more carriers look to diversify their redemption options, partnerships like this one are likely to become more common. The recognition from the Travel Trade Excellence Awards – Asia, which honours the best in hotels, airlines, airports, cruise lines, tour operators, travel agencies, booking platforms, and travel technology, underscores the significance of this collaboration.
For travel professionals, the KrisFlyer Cruise model offers a blueprint for how loyalty programmes can add value through strategic partnerships. By leveraging existing member bases and combining them with specialised inventory and technology, airlines and cruise providers can create compelling propositions that drive engagement and revenue.
Our Vacation Centre SG Pte Ltd's win is a testament to the power of collaboration in the travel industry. As the sector continues to recover and evolve, such partnerships will be key to unlocking new growth opportunities.
