Carnival’s New Loyalty Program Is Here, and Fans Aren’t Going to Like It

June 18, 2025 Randy Young

For years, Carnival Cruise Line has been teasing updates to its loyalty program, the VIFP Club. Now, the wait is over. The cruise line has officially unveiled the revamped program, and it’s making loyalty feel a lot less rewarding.

Previous Loyalty VIFP Program

Carnival’s old loyalty program was simple. Your status was based on the number of nights you sailed over your lifetime. You earned one point for every night onboard, slowly working your way through the tiers: Blue, Red, Gold, Platinum, and finally, Diamond.

Many guests wore their status like a badge of honor, proudly displaying their level on their Sail & Sign cards and lanyards.

But all that’s about to change. Carnival’s new program launches in June 2026 and ditches lifetime status for a short-term, spend-based model. The program is called Carnival Rewards.

New Carnival Rewards Program Gets Rid of Lifetime Benefits

The biggest shift? Your status is now based only on your activity over a rolling two-year period. Your long history with Carnival won’t matter anymore; it’s all about what you’ve done lately. (There is a grandfather period; see below.)

Carnival Rewards Adds Points and Stars

Points

Points can be redeemed for perks like cruise fare discounts, spa treatments, specialty dining, and shore excursions. You’ll earn:

3 points for every $1 spent on Carnival purchases, including cruise fare, shore excursions, specialty dining, and drinks.
1 point for every casino point earned.

There are also milestone rewards:

After 50 nights sailed, you’ll get 5,000 bonus points and a special Sail & Sign card.
After every 100 nights, you’ll receive 10,000 points, a commemorative gift, and a specialty card.

Stars

Stars determine your status level, like in the previous VIFP program. Like points, you earn 3 stars per $1 spent on qualifying purchases, but these stars are only valid within a two-year window. Stars reset every two years, so you’ll have to consistently spend to maintain your tier.

Rewards Points Calculator

You know a loyalty program is complex when it needs its own calculator. Carnival provides a tool to estimate how many points and stars you’ll earn based on your cruise.

Based on how I cruise, if I book a 7-day sailing every 2 years, I’d receive Gold Status.

Try Carnival’s Point Calculator

Carnival Rewards Starts June 1, 2026

The new program goes into effect June 1, 2026. If you have status under the current VIFP system, it will carry over for two years through May 31, 2028. Diamond members will receive an extended grace period and retain their status through May 31, 2032.

What Does Carnival Rewards Give You?

Carnival hasn’t released the exact redemption values for points yet, so we don’t know their worth. But they have outlined the Star-based benefits, which are more familiar status perks. Here’s what’s changing:

Red

One complimentary 1.5L bottle of water

Gold

One complimentary 1.5L bottle of water
One complimentary beverage on cruises 5+ nights
No longer includes a VIFP Gold pin

Platinum

Collectible member pin
One complimentary 1.5L bottle of water
Two complimentary beverages
Complimentary wash & fold laundry
Priority dining reservations
Priority main dining time
Early online check-in (16 days before sailing)
Priority embarkation
Priority debarkation
Removed: VIFP Club party, $5 arcade credit for minors, welcome treat, and VIFP logo gift

Diamond

All Platinum benefits
Guaranteed main dining time
Invitation to a special event hosted by the captain
Removed: VIFP Club party, $5 arcade credit for minors, welcome treat, VIFP logo gift
Removed: first-time Diamond benefits, including free specialty dining, complimentary cabin upgrade, and luggage tag set

Click here to see the Carnival Rewards FAQs

My Take: It Doesn’t Pay to Be Loyal

Let’s be honest. Most cruise loyalty programs aren’t that valuable unless you cruise frequently. I’ve been sailing with Carnival since 2004, and I’m currently a Gold member. That status earns me a 1.5L bottle of water and one free drink, totaling about $25 in value. Am I going to pick a vacation based on that? Not a chance.

But many cruisers love being loyal. They love the recognition and the small perks that come with it. For them, this change is going to sting.

That said, it’s easy to understand Carnival’s logic. Under the old program, someone booking a suite and spending thousands onboard got the same perks as someone in an inside cabin who stuck to the buffet. Cruise lines are shifting their focus to onboard spending, not just the number of nights sailed. They’re regularly sailing full ships—they don’t need to reward frequency; they want to reward spending.

Unfortunately, many of Carnival’s most loyal guests, those who sail often but don’t spend a lot on board, are likely to feel the biggest impact.