Dive Brief:
- Carnival launched a loyalty program Tuesday to replace the VIFP Club program with a new set of tiers, rewards and methods for earning status.
- Carnival Rewards members earn three points for every dollar spent on eligible purchases, redeemable for rewards including shore excursions, specialty dining options and spa treatments. Members also earn three stars, which accumulate to determine loyalty tier, per dollar spent.
- The cruise line announced Carnival Rewards in June 2025, with plans to launch the program this June.
Dive Insight:
The launch of Carnival Rewards, which correlates status with spend, marks a significant departure from the VIFP Club, where customers earned status based on days spent on a cruise.
Executives saw potential in the earnings format swap.
CFO and Chief Accounting Officer David Bernstein highlighted the potential of the program to build great engagement with guests, he said on an earnings call last June. “Most airlines introduced similar types of loyalty programs many years ago, and we know how beneficial those programs turned out to be.”
Carnival has since clarified a major difference between the programs — VIFP Club members kept their status indefinitely, while Carnival Rewards members have a two year window to reach their desired tier, at which point they will remain in that tier for another two years.
Members who had lifetime Diamond status in the VIFP Club, the highest tier, receive lifetime Diamond status in Carnival Rewards, according to a September 2025 press release.
Members who reached Platinum status, the second-highest tier, will receive 10,000 points every two years. This is enough to put them permanently in the Gold tier.
Carnival Rewards still has some rewards based on days spent on a cruise. Customers receive bonus points and perks after 50 days sailed, then earn another set of benefits after each 100 days. The recurring bonus is upgraded after 500 total days spent on cruises.
“Cruise loyalty has traditionally been built around how often guests sail, and Carnival Rewards was designed to go beyond that,” Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line, said in a prepared statement. “The new program recognizes the many ways our guests engage with Carnival, and with both rewards and status, we’re giving guests more flexibility and more value to enjoy the experiences that matter most to them.”
