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The new Carnival Rewards program was met with large-scale criticism from loyal fans across internet forums when announced, but after spending the summer listening to guest feedback, Carnival announced changes to improve the offering to its most loyal customers. Now that we’re less than three months from the September 1 launch, it’s worth understanding what you’re actually getting into—and more importantly, what you’re not.
The good news: Platinum-level members who reach that tier by August 31, 2026, will receive an additional 10,000 stars every two years to ensure they never drop below Gold status. The better news: if you reach Diamond status in the current VIFP Club by August 31 this year, you will retain that status for life in the new program, after an outcry from Carnival’s most loyal customers prompted the line to change its original plan.
The Fundamental Shift: Spend Over Sailing
Under the old VIFP Club loyalty program, every cruise you took over your lifetime added to your progress toward status, and each tier of status that you reached was yours for life, with no earnings window or limit to the time you kept your status. That’s ending.
The new program will no longer offer status based on the number of cruises you take—it’s now all about how much you spend, something that has become common with airline loyalty programs but is still rare in the cruise world. You earn 3 stars for every dollar you spend on cruise fares and onboard spending, including spa treatments, shore excursions, dining and drinks.
This change has real teeth. Under the new program, you will rack up stars through a two-year Status Qualifying Period, and then whatever status you earn during that period will last for the subsequent two years, after which you lose it unless you requalify during the next two-year Status Qualifying Period. The new Carnival Rewards program will have points earning requirements for higher status tiers that will be very difficult for most Carnival cruisers to reach.
Decoding the Two-Track System
Guests will earn Carnival Reward points as well as status qualifying stars on every eligible Carnival purchase, including cruise fares and onboard purchases, with the dual structure giving guests more control over their rewards and status. If you’re confused about the difference, you’re not alone.
Stars determine your loyalty status, while points determine redemption value. Think of it this way: stars get you the title and recognition; points get you the actual stuff. Points can be redeemed for almost anything Carnival offers including onboard activities, spa treatments, specialty dining and even toward a future cruise. Points can be redeemed during the booking process toward your deposit or actual cruise fare, prior to sailing on shore excursions, drink packages, wifi packages, pre-booked spa treatments, or pre-booked specialty dining, and during your cruise, points can be converted to onboard credit.
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.
The Card Stays, But Everything Else Changes
The iconic Sail & Sign room key cards are being completely redesigned with a vertical layout and will retain their signature tier colors, and now will include the number of days that you have sailed with Carnival from your very first cruise. It’s a small acknowledgment that the line still values something beyond dollars.
Instead of counting milestones by the number of cruises a passenger has taken, Carnival will recognize milestones based on the number of days sailed. This helps longer-cruise fans, but the free 100-cruise suite perk is going away.
Here’s the Real Tension
If you gamble a lot on board, spend a lot with the Carnival Mastercard or just rack up a big onboard bill with all sorts of extra spending, you could reach the Gold tier much faster. But if you’re a budget-conscious cruiser who books inside cabins and avoids premium add-ons? You’re working against the system now. Carnival’s new program provides the opportunity to advance through the tiers more quickly than in the current program because status is based on spend rather than nights sailed—but only if you’re spending heavily.
Privacy rules prevent Carnival from automatically enrolling guests, and unless you currently hold the co-branded credit card, you will need to log into your online account profile and manually accept the new terms. This is not optional. Those who opt out will not have their current status honored when the new program launches.
The redesigned Sail & Sign card may bear your cruise days with pride, but the system behind it demands dollars. For some Carnival regulars, that’s an evolution. For others, it’s a betrayal of what loyalty actually means. By September, you’ll know which camp you belong to.
