18/06/2025
***From John Heald at Carnival ***
Hello everyone. Here is the latest news on Carnival’s Enhanced Loyalty program.
The new program starts June 1, 2026, so we'll have a year to learn about the new program and continue on with VIFP as it is today.
Then, the plan is that we'll all transfer over to Carnival Rewards seamlessly when it launches next year.
I'm sharing all the details from the announcement here.
Everyone in the VIFP Club will also get a letter from our Carnival president, Christine Duffy, later today, so check your email for that. I've also had a chat with Christine that I'll share video around 1pm Miami time. And do check out the carnivalrewards.com website as well, which has more details.
Most importantly, thank you for your loyalty, I mean that most sincerely and the FUN will be waiting for you once again.
John
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CARNIVAL CRUISE LINE TO LAUNCH NEW
LOYALTY PROGRAM IN 2026 DUBBED ‘CARNIVAL REWARDS’™
A Cruise Industry First, the Program will Introduce a Points-Based System Featuring Personalized Perks and New Ways to Earn Status, Including Credit Card Spend
MIAMI, June 18, 2025 – Carnival Cruise Line announced today it will launch its new loyalty program with a cruise industry first, 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 model Carnival currently follows under its VIFP program, 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. 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,” said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line. “By introducing a points-based system, we're enabling greater flexibility so guests can personalize their rewards in ways that matter most to them. This transition honors 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."
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 honored 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, guests can visit carnivalrewards.com and current 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.
