Carnival Cruise Lines New Loyalty Program: A Shift in Focus or a Shift in Priorities?

Carnival Cruise Line has announced a new loyalty program, Carnival Rewards, which is set to launch in June 2026. The cruise line introduced the new program a year in advance to give passengers time to digest the details and provide feedback on the changes. However, the initial announcement of the program has caused a stir among loyal Carnival cruisers, who feel that the new approach to cruise loyalty prioritizes profits over passengers.

The new Carnival Rewards program is a radical departure from the traditional cruise loyalty program, which rewards passengers based on the number of nights spent at sea. Instead, the new program is centered around spending, allowing guests to choose the specific benefits they want to redeem at the time that works for them. Benefits can be redeemed pre-cruise, onboard, or both.

In response to the controversy surrounding the new loyalty program, Carnival issued a detailed letter to passengers, which was shared by Carnival Brand Ambassador John Heald on his popular Facebook page. In the letter, Carnival executives assured passengers that they received their feedback and that no changes will be implemented until June 1, 2026, nearly 12 months from now. They also reaffirmed their commitment to providing a fun and memorable vacation experience for all guests, regardless of their status.

Some key points about the new Carnival Rewards program that passengers should keep in mind include:

• VIFP Club members will automatically retain their current loyalty level for the next three years (Diamond members for seven years) until June 2028 and 2032 respectively. This means that with the combination of status privileges and rewards, everyone will receive greater benefits than what members are eligible for today.
• Members will continue to track the total number of cruise days earned in the new program and will receive recognition for achieving important milestones.
• The new co-branded Carnival Rewards Mastercard is not required to achieve status but is an option for those who want additional opportunities to earn status and points that can be used to purchase a cruise and offset onboard spend.

Overall, the message from Carnival is that the new Carnival Rewards program is designed to offer more opportunities and better benefits for loyal passengers. The new program is expected to reduce the growth challenges of the current program, which often results in being unable to fulfill current benefits on sailings with large numbers of VIFP Club top-tier guests.