Carnival Cruise Line Infuriates Passengers With Reward Program Changes

Initially launched in 2012, Carnival Cruise Line’s tiered Very Important Fun Person (VIFP) loyalty program has lengthy been standard with its most loyal cruisers. However after years of hints and speculation that Carnival would update its loyalty rewards program, the cruise line has lastly gone and finished it; it has created an all-new program, named “Carnival Rewards,” with out the VIFP branding.

Many long-term, loyal company of the cruise line have been on edge, ready for this new rewards program, which Carnival has remained very secretive about over the previous few years. Though loads of keen company are excited concerning the modifications, a noticeable variety of others are left feeling bitter, having taken to social media to precise their frustration.

Furthermore, the adverse response to the corporate’s loyalty program revamp comes solely weeks after Carnival angered passengers when ambassador John Heald confirmed it would not offer a combined loyalty program across all its affiliated brands—so this double disappointment just isn’t the information its most loyal cruisers wished to listen to. We’ll clarify what Carnival’s new Carnival Rewards program entails, the way it compares to the coming-to-an-end VIFP program, when the modifications will start, and why some loyal passengers are fairly livid about it.

Carnival Cruise Line Launches The New Carnival Rewards Program

Attributable to rising congestion with the Very Vital Enjoyable Individual (VIFP), particularly within the higher tiers, Carnival simply launched the long-awaited Carnival Rewards program, which is formally approaching 1st June 2026. Since 2022, the variety of Platinum VIFP passengers has doubled. In the meantime, Diamond standing holders have quadrupled on the similar time, therefore Carnival’s determination to vary its loyalty program just isn’t completely surprising; it is to seemingly fight its long-standing overcrowding drawback with the purpose of enhancing its incomes potential, rewards accumulation, and customization for its most loyal members.

“The evolution of our loyalty program to Carnival Rewards represents our dedication to creating extra significant recognition for our valued company,” Carnival Cruise Line president Christine Duffy defined. “Our present VIFP program has served us effectively for a few years and whereas we’ve loved actually extraordinary development in our loyal buyer base, it has change into difficult to ship the distinctive expertise our Diamond and Platinum members deserve.”

So, how does the brand new Carnival Rewards program work, precisely, and why are some company sad concerning the modifications?

How The New Carnival Rewards Program Works vs. The VIFP Membership

Beneath the present VIFP Membership system, members earn loyalty standing based mostly on the variety of nights they sail. Nevertheless, underneath the brand new Carnival Rewards program, loyalty will likely be strictly based mostly on cash spent, and it will run as a dual-earning, points-based system to reward frequency of journey with the cruise line along with how a lot company spend onboard Carnival ships. In essence, the brand new system is formatted to spice up worth and reward loyalty in a number of methods whereas serving to loyal cruise company higher customise the rewards they personally favor.

“This transition honors our previous whereas constructing a future the place loyalty is acknowledged via each cruising frequency and total engagement with the Carnival expertise,” Duffy mentioned in a press release.

Visitors can earn loyalty by spending cash on every little thing from cruise bookings to pre-cruise add-ons like airport transfers, in addition to onboard spending and spending via the Carnival Rewards Mastercard.

Visitors’ incomes chance excludes flights booked via the cruise line.

How Carnival Rewards Factors Work

Passengers will earn three factors for each $1 spent on eligible Carnival purchases—with some restricted exclusions. Visitors might also earn Carnival Rewards factors via on line casino play at 1 level per 1 on line casino level ($2 wagered) earned. Factors will also be gathered when making non-cruise purchases with the Carnival Rewards Mastercard.

With regards to redemption, passengers will be capable of redeem earned factors for numerous onboard perks, together with the next:

• Further-charge actions
• Shore excursions
• Drinks
• Specialty eating
• Spa therapies
• Credit score in direction of future Carnival cruise holidays

How Carnival Rewards Stars Work

The Carnival Rewards program additionally allows company to earn “stars,” which decide their loyalty tier, with the identical earnings of three stars per $1 spent on Carnival. The cruise line may also do away with its entry-level Blue tier, however different ranges, Crimson, Gold, Platinum, and Diamond, will keep. Carnival company at the moment within the Blue tier will likely be transferred to Crimson underneath the brand new Carnival Rewards, as will any new passengers. Carnival’s president, Christine Duffy, outlined the rationale for this shift:

“As we went via it, there have been too many ranges,” Duffy instructed Cruise Critic in an unique interview. “We didn’t must differentiate between the Blue and the Crimson,” she added.

Listed below are the variety of stars required to succeed in every tier underneath the brand new system:

Standing is earned over two years (and retained for the next two years thereafter), and the celebs will stay for 2 years as effectively. Plus, status benefits would be the similar because the previous VIFP program. Nevertheless, one of many largest modifications that has upset many company is that this: the “lifetime” standing of Carnival Cruise Line loyalty will likely be eradicated, and passengers should re-qualify each two years. Which means passengers who do not sustain their standing or who’re inactive over a three-year interval will lose it (and their stars).

Carnival Rewards Standing Perks Adjustments

Carnival may also make modifications to the perks out there at explicit standing ranges underneath the brand new Carnival Rewards program, notably Gold, Platinum, and Diamond. Perks modifications at these totally different tiers embrace the next:

Regardless of some perks being eradicated, Carnival nonetheless intends to honor milestone cruises. For instance, company will likely be awarded 5,000 Carnival Rewards factors and a commemorative Sail & Signal Card on their fiftieth night time sailed. As soon as a passenger hits 100 nights, they will obtain 10,000 factors, a particular reward, and a milestone Sail & Signal card (this additionally applies to each hundredth night time after the primary 100).

When Will Carnival’s New Loyalty Program Apply?

Thankfully for loyal Carnival followers, they don’t seem to be being dropped on the deep finish; there will likely be a transition interval. The gradual part out from the previous to the brand new will allow company to regulate to the modifications and the launch of the Carnival Rewards program, whereas guaranteeing they’ll nonetheless construct loyalty (stars and factors) on booked cruises and new sailings within the meantime.

“In the meanwhile, there isn’t a affect to the present VIFP Membership program, visitor standing, account, or how we are going to ship our current onboard expertise. The preview of the modifications is the beginning of a dialog about how Carnival Rewards will ship visitor advantages and recognition when it formally launches in June 2026,” the Carnival web site states.

Till thirty first Might 2028, present VIFP Crimson, Gold, and Platinum members will preserve their standing, whereas company with VIFP Diamond standing will preserve theirs till thirty first Might 2032. Till the beginning of the Carnival Rewards program on 1st June 2026, all members of the present and still-in-place VIFP program will keep on incomes standing as regular. Cruisers who’re enrolled in this system will retain their VIFP numbers, which is able to then be known as Carnival Visitor Numbers after the transition to the upcoming Carnival Rewards system.

Why Some Passengers Are Livid Over Carnival’s New Rewards Program Adjustments

Carnival Cruise Line’s unveiling of the brand new Carnival Rewards program is unquestionably upbeat in tone, however many long-term followers of the corporate are already expressing their anger and disappointment on-line over the modifications. A significant level of rivalry (along with the elimination of varied perks and a higher emphasis on loyalty accumulation via spending) is the lack of the lifetime standing.

Visitors work onerous over years to realize higher-level tiers (like Diamond), so the potential to be “demoted” (for lack of a greater time period) to a decrease standing is, understandably, a punch within the intestine for loyal cruisers who might not be capable of cruise as recurrently as wanted to keep up their standing underneath the brand new program. This sentiment is already evident, since many Carnival cruisers have taken to social media to voice their anger, notably on Reddit.

“So I’ve been platinum for years, and keep loyal to Carnival solely due to that standing. Apparently loyalty means nothing, and now I can select different cruise strains with out a second thought”, one Reddit person commented on a post.

In response, one other cruiser additionally expressed that Carnival’s loyalty modifications might cause them to check out different non-Carnival cruise strains.

“You nailed it. Time to expertise some strains we now have not tried earlier than that aren’t a part of Carnival household. We’re platinum on NCL so we might head again to them for a bit. The chains are off!”

In one other remark, a livid Diamond standing VIFP member declared their displeasure over the Carnival Rewards system’s elimination of the lifetime standing and two-year re-qualifying rule; they communicated their eagerness to cruise with different strains as an alternative, on condition that Diamond members appear to have had extra taken away from them then added underneath the brand new loyalty program.

“Diamonds bought NOTHING out of this besides an prolonged time frame earlier than we drop off their system. We would already given up on Carnival returning to it is former glory, so this simply cements our determination to cruise with different corporations.”

Granted, many individuals are irritated by the modifications; nonetheless, some cruisers did clock the positives within the upcoming program shift, whereas additionally acknowledging that it is probably not so perfect for vacationers who cruise much less usually.

“It is going to be good for many on line casino gamers they are going to get factors for playing and might use these factors to purchase stuff the place earlier than they did not get something. However its not nice for individuals who cruise a couple of times a yr and are already Platnium or larger,” one other Reddit person said.

The consensus amongst Carnival followers who aren’t followers of the brand new loyalty program appears to be that it isn’t value it for company who do not go on Carnival’s cruises as usually as others. The lifetime standing loss, the requirement to re-qualify for statuses each two years, and in addition the concentrate on accumulating loyalty via financial spending as an alternative of simply nights on board appear to be negatives for livid cruisers.

Nonetheless, the brand new program does give company many extra versatile methods to earn factors and loyalty standing, which some passengers will certainly be overjoyed about. As they are saying, there is no pleasing everybody, and crafting a sturdy loyalty program for tens of millions of company, a whole lot of yearly sailings, and an enormous fleet of near 30 ships touring all around the world is not any straightforward feat.