Carnival Cruise Line’s Carnival Rewards Loyalty Program Goes Live

Carnival Cruise Line’s all-new loyalty program Carnival Rewards has gone live, more than a year after it was first announced. 

The program, somewhat controversial when it was unveiled in June 2025, essentially functions as both a rewards program and a loyalty program, and is designed to give guests more ways to earn rewards and achieve status. However, because status is no longer permanent, it also makes it less likely that some cruisers will ever achieve meaningful status.

(The only exception is VIFP members who earned Diamond status in the VIFP program by Aug. 31, 2026. They will be grandfathered into the program with permanent Diamond status.)

Carnival Rewards introduces both Carnival Rewards Points, which are earned and can be redeemed for Carnival cruises and eligible onboard experiences, and Status Qualifying Stars, which unlock status and additional benefits.

The program also introduces the Milestone Recognition Program, which celebrates guests as they reach key sailing achievements based on the number of days sailed. Carnival Rewards Mastercard cardholders also have the opportunity to accelerate their status and earn even more Points through everyday spending beyond their Carnival vacation.

“Our past benefit structure [VIFP] was a one-size-fits-all approach,” said Carnival Cruise Line’s SVP of onboard revenue and performance marketing Jonathan Lask, during a media briefing.

Under VIFP, he said, members only earned on nights sailed and often earned benefits they didn’t actually value. With Carnival Rewards, both Points and Stars are earned on everything a guest spends money on from the cruise fare and specialty dining to spa treatments, arcade and casino play, and even everyday purchases at home (if made using the new Carnival Rewards credit card).

“Now they have points and they can redeem it on a bar package or a free shore excursion, or they can use it to pay down their cruise fare… It’s around the personalization that they get… and also around the flexibility.”

For many Carnival-loving clients, the changes are just fine. 

“Deborah and I do book a lot of Carnival. Surprisingly, we have NOT heard too much resistance to the new roll-out of the Carnival Loyalty Program,” said Isaiah and Deborah Banks, Cruise Planners franchise owners in Madison, Alabama. 

“We have had a few guests, and only a few, complain initially. We believe that while some were disappointed with the new loyalty program, they will make the necessary adjustments to continue cruising with Carnival. Ultimately, loyalty tends to follow value, and Carnival continues to deliver on that front.”

Not all clients see it that way, however. 

“We just returned from hosting a large group of Platinum and Diamond Carnival cruisers on a 10-day Alaska sailing aboard Carnival Luminosa, and Carnival Rewards was one of the most talked-about topics among our group,” said Curt and Kelly Spickler, Cruise Planners franchise owners in Camdenton, Missouri. 

“The reaction wasn’t relief that VIFP was finally getting modernized; it was worry. Nearly every platinum and below guest we spoke with was doing the math on whether they can hold onto the status they spent years earning now that it’s tied to spend and resets every two years instead of being earned once and kept for life. 

“It wasn’t really the math that bothered them most, but the message underneath it. Loyalty now gets measured in dollars spent, not years sailed. Many of our Platinum clients told us they’re planning to sail other lines to see what else is out there. That’s a hard thing to hear as advisors who have built these relationships over dozens of Carnival sailings, but we welcome the opportunity to expand their cruising experience. What it tells us is that Carnival still has some trust to rebuild with its most loyal cruisers, even with the lifetime-Diamond and Platinum star-boost concessions it has since added.”

Earning Carnival Rewards Points

For the average Carnival cruiser – who is not taking multiple Carnival cruises a year or spending thousands in the casino – the Points aspect of Carnival Rewards will be most beneficial. Guests will earn Points for everything they spend money on. However, it takes 14 days for Points to be deposited, so guests will have to wait until a future cruise to use them.

According to Carnival, the reward program puts “guests in the driver’s seat, giving them more flexibility to earn and redeem rewards in the ways that matter most to them, regardless of status level.” More details:

• Guests earn 3 Points for every $1 spent on eligible Carnival purchases, including gratuities.
• Guests earn 1 Point for every 1 Casino Point remaining at the end of a sailing.
• Points can be redeemed toward future Carnival cruises and eligible onboard experiences, including shore excursions, specialty dining, and spa treatments.
• Points are earned at the end of the sailing (posting approximately 14 days after sailing end date). Points can be redeemed as soon as they become available.
• Cruisers can boost their Rewards Points and earn extra Qualifying Stars with the Carnival Rewards Mastercard.
• Earn up to 6x Points on eligible Carnival purchases (3x Points from the card plus 3x Points through Carnival Rewards) and earn up to 4 Status Qualifying Stars per $1 on eligible Carnival purchases when combined with Carnival Rewards earnings.
• Earn 2x Points at eligible restaurants and grocery stores and earn 1 Status Qualifying Star per $1 spent on everyday purchases.
• Earn 1x Point on all other purchases and earn one (1) Status Qualifying Star per $1 spent on everyday purchases.
• (Points earned on money spent by children under 18 will be rewarded to the “responsible party” on the booking.)
• Point redemption values are not set in stone, with Carnival executives calling them “dynamic.” Nor can they be assigned a set dollar value, as Points may have a higher value depending on what they’re being used for.
• Additionally, Points expire after three years unless a guest goes on another Carnival cruise or uses the Carnival Rewards credit card.

New Path to Recognition with Status Qualifying Stars

Status within Carnival Rewards is determined through Status Qualifying Stars, which recognize guest activity throughout their Carnival vacation. Status is earned during a two-year Status Qualifying Window and enjoyed during the remainder of that period and the following two-year status enjoyment window.

In general, the new program makes it harder for the casual Carnival cruiser to earn any type of significant status.

The inaugural qualifying period will run from September 1, 2026, through December 31, 2028, giving guests an extended opportunity to earn Status Qualifying Stars for the first qualifying window.

Guests can earn:

• 3 Stars for every $1 spent on eligible Carnival purchases, including gratuities.
• 1 Star for every Casino Point earned (even if already redeemed onboard for Funplay).
• Four status levels: Red (upon enrollment), Gold (upon earning 10,000 Stars), Platinum (upon earning 50,000 Stars), and Diamond (upon earning 100,000 Stars).
• All VIFP members who have enrolled in Carnival Rewards will transition their status as of Aug. 31, 2026, into Carnival Rewards until December 31, 2028.
• Members who earned Diamond status in the VIFP program by Aug. 31, 2026, will transition into Carnival Rewards as a Carnival Rewards Diamond member for life.
• Members who earned Platinum status in the VIFP program by Aug. 31, 2026, will earn a 10,000-Star boost during each qualifying period, granting them an accelerated path to Platinum.

Celebrating Milestones

The new Milestone Recognition Program celebrates enrolled Carnival Rewards members’ lifetime relationship with Carnival based on days sailed, enabling guests to achieve Milestones faster.

• At the 50-day milestone: Members receive 5,000 Carnival Rewards Points and a special Sail & Sign card.
• At the 100-day milestone and every 100-day milestone through 500 days: Members receive 10,000 Carnival Rewards Points, onboard recognition, a commemorative coin, and onboard credit.
• At the 500-day milestone and every 100-day milestone thereafter: Members receive elevated recognition and commemorative gifts celebrating their long-term loyalty to Carnival.

Regardless of how many cruises a Carnival guest has taken prior to the start of Carnival Rewards, milestone counting begins accruing from a baseline of 0 on September 1, 2026.