Carnival Cruise Line has unveiled plans to overhaul its reward scheme in a move that has raised concerns among some loyal passengers.
The cruise brand, which is mainly targeted at the US market but has regular summer sailings from Dover in the UK, currently lets passengers earn points under its Very Important Fun Person (VIFP) scheme based on the number of nights sailed.
However, a new Carnival Rewards programme will shift the focus to spending and could eventually reset the position of loyal passengers.
The change by Carnival Cruise Line is similar to how British Airways changed its tier status last year.
The cruise line said Carnival Rewards will offer more opportunities to earn rewards and achieve higher status levels based on spend, including cruise fare and on-board activities such as spa treatments and speciality dining.
Rather than focusing on the number of nights travelled, from 1 June 2026 passengers will be able to earn three points for every $1 spent on eligible Carnival purchases, which provides access to rewards such as drinks packages and internet plans.
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Points will also be earned through everyday spending on the co-branded credit card with Barclays – the Carnival Rewards Mastercard. This is only available in the US, though.
All guests can also earn tier status based on a star system. Guests will earn three stars for every $1 spent, which lasts for two years and provides extra perks based on their level, ranging from a bottle of water for the lowest status to early check-in and complimentary laundry at higher levels.
Passengers will need a minimum of 10,000 stars to move from the basic red tier to gold, and then 50,000 for platinum status and 100,000 for diamond.
But concerns have been raised as the scheme will eventually reset the current status among loyal passengers after a transition period.
From 1 June 2026, VIFP members’ existing status will carry over and serve as a new entry point into the programme for two years until 31 May 2028. Diamond members will retain their status for a six-year period until 31 May 2032.
This essentially means all passengers, regardless of their current level, will eventually have to monitor their spending and stars to maintain their status.
Guests have raised concerns to Carnival Cruise Line’s brand ambassador John Heald. Defending the changes on his Facebook page, he said the current scheme was becoming “top heavy” and highlighted that passengers have been given time to prepare, while there is still a year to “fine tune” the offering. He said feedback has been passed on to management.
Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line, said: “Our current VIFP programme has served us well for many years and while we’ve enjoyed truly extraordinary growth in our loyal customer base, it has become challenging to deliver the exceptional experience our diamond and platinum members deserve.
“By introducing a points-based system, we’re enabling greater flexibility so guests can personalise their rewards in ways that matter most to them.”
Carnival Cruise Line said it recognised that passengers would be concerned that their status is being removed but said there were still opportunities to maintain their position, adding: “It will, however, be tied to spending activity, consistent with loyalty rewards programs across the travel sector. We recognise that change can be difficult, but the current programme based on cruise frequency makes it difficult to properly recognise our loyal guests.”
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