Carnival Cruise Line launched its new rewards program this week, more than a year after it announced plans to overhaul its loyalty benefits structure.
Guests will earn status and perks via dollars spent on cruise fares, casino play and other purchases through Carnival Rewards, which went live on Sept. 1. The Milestone Recognition Program also bestows benefits based on how many days passengers have sailed with the line.
“We are not dictating or asking people (to change) what they do with their vacation,” Carnival’s Vice President of Loyalty, Sidharth Krishna, said during a media Q&A session ahead of the launch. “But the way they vacation, depending on if they are purchasing more cruises or if they are spending at the spa or the shore excursions
or even playing at the casino, all of those activities will help them earn these points and achieve higher status in a new way.”
The new program is only for Carnival Cruise Line. It does not apply, nor is it reciprocal with other Carnival Corp. brands like Holland America Line or Princess Cruises.
Here’s how the new program works.
How do Carnival Rewards stars work?
Passengers will earn three stars – which count toward loyalty status – for every $1 spent on eligible purchases, and one star for every Casino Point earned. Guests will start at the Red tier when they enroll, moving up to Gold once they reach 10,000 stars, followed by Platinum at 50,000 and Diamond at 100,000.
The cruise line combined the Blue level of its previous Very Important Fun Person (VIFP) Club with the new system’s Red tier. Guests will have two years to earn status and will keep it for the remainder of that period as well as the following two years, a change from the VIFP program’s previous lifetime status and a structure more akin to airline loyalty programs than other cruise brands.
“Folks who are engaged with other programs know sometimes it's a one-year program,” said Krishna. “You earn it in the first year, and you keep it in the second. But we know cruising is not something that's as frequent as flying, and so we wanted to create a two-year window in which people will earn that status and keep it for two more years after that.”
VIFP members who earned Diamond status by Aug. 31 will keep it for life under Carnival Rewards, but guests who achieve that level following the new program's launch will be subject to the same expiration periods as other tiers. “But even if they earn it by August 31, or any sailing that's going over August 31, if they start it in August, we'll give them the days and the status,” Krishna added.
Carnival President Christine Duffy told USA TODAY in 2025 that the cruise line had outgrown the old program, and it had “become very challenging to really give so many people the benefits that come with the way the existing program was structured, which is pretty much, if you're at this status, this is what you get.”
The number of Diamond VIFP members more than tripled between 2021 and 2024, while those with Platinum status more than doubled. The initial status qualifying period for Carnival Rewards will last from Sept. 1, 2026 through Dec. 31, 2028, giving guests extra time to accrue stars.
How do Carnival Rewards points work?
Carnival guests will similarly earn three points for every dollar spent on eligible purchases, and one point for each Casino Point left at the end of their voyage. Travelers can redeem points for cruise fares, specialty dining, shore excursions and more.
In addition to stars and points, passengers will earn perks through the Milestone Recognition Program, such as an additional 10,000 points after 100 days sailed – and every 100 days through the 500-day mark – among others. Carnival previously counted milestones based on the number of cruises taken rather than days sailed.
“So for people who tend to take longer cruises, it used to take them just as long as someone who was taking shorter cruises to get to those milestones,” Duffy said in a video shared by the line in June. Redesigned Sail & Sign room key cards will display that number, as well.
Passengers with unused benefits can use them through the end of 2030.
Travelers can also earn rewards on daily spending with the Carnival Rewards Mastercard.
Losing lifetime status 'could be detrimental'
The new program prompted mixed reactions from some customers when it was announced last year. Armani Someillan, a Platinum VIFP member who has taken 21 Carnival cruises, was among those who felt frustrated.
“The reason why I have a negative viewpoint on it is, cruising in general for me is a leisure item,” the 29-year-old West Virginia resident told USA TODAY. “It's optional, and it's something that someone chooses to do for their vacation. So with that, a system that expires your loyalty can be detrimental to your consumers.”
He noted that guests may take time off cruising for a number of reasons, from an economic downturn to challenges in their personal lives.
“But eventually, they will come back to you,” he said. “You losing your status and the amount of time you've been with the company could be detrimental and could impact what company you select in the long run to continue going on vacations.”
The changes were enough to make Someillan, who typically takes two to three cruises a year, consider taking his “business elsewhere where I feel more appreciated.”
The cruise line told USA TODAY in an email that the new program is “designed to give guests more ways to benefit from their loyalty to Carnival.”
“Guests will continue to earn Stars that unlock status and benefits, while also earning Points that never expire and can be redeemed toward eligible Carnival purchases,” Carnival said. “The program combines meaningful recognition with greater flexibility, creating more opportunities for guests to receive value from their relationship with Carnival. Through Stars, Milestones and Points, guests can enjoy benefits, recognition and rewards in ways that are most relevant to them.”
Travelers can visit Carnival’s website to calculate how many rewards they could earn based on their cruise activity.
Nathan Diller is a consumer travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Nashville. You can reach him at ndiller@usatoday.com.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Carnival's loyalty overhaul is official. Here's what's changing
