Carnival Cruise Line To Launch Dual-Earning Loyalty Program – Carnival Rewards

Carnival Cruise Line announced today it will launch a new loyalty program, adding new features, new ways to earn status, new reward categories and a new name: Carnival Rewards. 

The new program will take effect in June 2026, providing guests plenty of time to learn about the changes while they continue to earn status in the current Very Important Fun Person (VIFP) program that will be their entry point into the new program.

Carnival Rewards is introducing a dual-earning structure where guests accumulate both Carnival Rewards points that can be redeemed on Carnival purchases and status qualifying stars that will determine a guest’s tier status. 

Instead of focusing solely on the number of nights guests sail, which is the current model, Carnival Rewards will offer more opportunities to earn rewards and achieve higher status levels based on spend, including cruise fare and onboard activities. 

The new program will be closely tied to everyday spending on the co-branded credit card with Barclays – the Carnival Rewards Mastercard – giving cardmembers the opportunity to earn points and status even faster. More details on the credit card will be announced later.

“The evolution of our loyalty program to Carnival Rewards represents our commitment to creating more meaningful recognition for our valued guests,” said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line. “Our current VIFP program 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.” 

Duffy says a points-based system will enable greater flexibility so guests can personalize their rewards in ways that matter most to them. 

“This transition honours our past while building a future where loyalty is recognized through both cruising frequency and overall engagement with the Carnival experience, bringing Carnival Rewards into the top tier of travel loyalty programs that provide our guests with ways to earn status and points through their everyday spending on the Carnival Rewards Mastercard,” Duffy added.

Guests will earn Carnival Reward points as well as status qualifying stars on every eligible Carnival purchase, including cruise fares and onboard purchases. The dual structure gives guests more control over their rewards and status.

Points can be redeemed for almost anything Carnival offers, including onboard activities, spa treatments, specialty dining and even toward a future cruise.

Stars introduce a new way to unlock higher status among four tiers: Red, Gold, Platinum and Diamond. Status is earned over a two-year period and retained for the following two years.

As part of the transition to Carnival Rewards’ launch on June 1, 2026, members’ existing status will carry over and serve as a new entry point into the program for a two-year period through May 31, 2028. 

Diamond members will retain their status for a six-year period through May 31, 2032. This ensures that all current loyalty status is honoured while giving members time to familiarize themselves with the enhanced rewards. 

Guests will continue earning VIFP status as usual until the new program launches. In addition, upon launch of the Carnival Rewards program, current cardmembers, as well as any new cardmembers between now and the launch of the updates, will have the balance of their Fun Points converted to Carnival Rewards points in their Carnival Rewards account. 

To learn more about Carnival Rewards and explore what’s to come, click here. 

Carnival loyalty members will receive emails throughout the transition process ahead of the June 2026 conversion with the latest updates. Carnival will provide detailed information, tools to track status, point balances and tips to maximize rewards under the new system.