Carnival Rewards cruise loyalty program: The ultimate guide

Carnival announced significant changes to its loyalty program, set to take effect on September 1, 2024, which have sparked widespread criticism from its most loyal customers. The revamped program, renamed Carnival Rewards, moves away from its previous VIFP Club structure and introduces a points-based system heavily focused on spending rather than the number of cruises taken. This shift is a departure from the cruise industry norm, aligning more with airline loyalty programs. A major point of contention is the elimination of "status for life," a perk previously offered by some cruise lines. Under Carnival Rewards, status will now be earned in two-year increments, requiring requalification to maintain. Furthermore, the new program is perceived as more complex than the previous VIFP Club, which offered a straightforward one point per day of cruising. The company has also indicated that the requirements for achieving higher status tiers will be significantly more difficult to reach for the average cruiser, and the perks associated with these tiers will be less valuable than those previously offered. Unlike some competitors, Carnival's loyalty program has historically not offered high-value rewards like free cruises at its top tier, and the upcoming changes are seen by many as diminishing the program's overall appeal and value proposition.