Carnival Cruise Line has officially launched Carnival Rewards, replacing its long-running VIFP loyalty program with one of the biggest changes to its loyalty system in years.
The new program took effect on September 1, 2026, after an earlier June launch was delayed.
For repeat Carnival cruisers, the changes go well beyond a new name. The way status is earned has changed, several familiar perks have disappeared, milestone rewards now work differently, and new Platinum and Diamond loyalty pins have been introduced.
Some of the biggest differences will not fully affect members until the current transition period ends.
Loyalty Status Now Has an Expiration Cycle
Under VIFP, Carnival loyalty status largely reflected how much time a guest had spent cruising with the line. Carnival Rewards takes a different approach.
Eligible spending now generates stars, and those stars determine a member’s tier during each two-year earning period. For most cruisers, that means status is no longer something that simply builds forever. Members will need to earn enough stars during each cycle if they want to remain at the same level.
There is one major exception. Carnival confirmed in September 2025 that guests who had already earned Diamond status under VIFP would keep Diamond for life. That decision came after criticism of the original Carnival Rewards plans, which had raised concerns among some longtime Diamond members.
Guests whose VIFP status transferred into Carnival Rewards will keep that level through December 2028. The first major status recalculation will happen in January 2029 and will be based on what members earned during the opening Carnival Rewards period.
Platinum members will also receive help at the start of the next cycle. Carnival will give them 10,000 stars, which means they will begin at Gold rather than dropping all the way back to the entry-level Red tier.
Some Familiar Carnival Perks Have Disappeared
Carnival Rewards still includes tier-based perks, but the benefit package is not identical to VIFP.
Every status level receives a complimentary 1.5-liter bottle of water, while Gold members also receive one complimentary beverage on cruises of five days or longer.
Platinum members get two complimentary beverages, along with a limited amount of complimentary wash-and-fold laundry. They also receive selected priority or preferred access for services including online check-in, embarkation, debarkation, dining times and other onboard processes.
Diamond remains Carnival’s top loyalty tier. Diamond members receive additional complimentary laundry, although the service is no longer unlimited. Other benefits include guaranteed main dining time selections, retail concierge services and an invitation to a special event hosted by the Captain.
However, several VIFP perks have not carried over. The previous Platinum and Diamond VIFP parties offered on selected sailings are gone, along with VIFP-branded gifts, welcome treats and complimentary stateroom upgrades.
So while Carnival Rewards keeps a number of status benefits, longtime cruisers may notice that some of the extras they were used to receiving are no longer part of the program.
Stars and Points Serve Different Purposes
One part of Carnival Rewards that can be easy to mix up is the difference between stars and points.
Stars are used for status, while points are what members can actually redeem.
Eligible Carnival purchases can earn points, and qualifying Carnival Rewards Mastercard holders can also earn them through card spending. Those points can be put toward a cruise deposit or cruise fare, as well as eligible onboard purchases including shore excursions, spa treatments, drink packages, specialty dining and onboard shopping.
Carnival says there is no minimum balance required before members can redeem their points. That gives guests the option of using a smaller number of points instead of having to wait until they reach a fixed redemption threshold.
Milestone Rewards Now Follow Days Sailed
Carnival has kept milestone recognition, but the way it is measured has changed.
Under Carnival Rewards, milestones are based on total days sailed rather than the number of cruises completed, with previous sailing days carrying over for enrolled members.
Recognition begins at 50 days, then continues at 100 days and every additional 100 days after that.
At the 50-day mark, members receive 5,000 Carnival Rewards Points and a special Sail & Sign card. From 100 days onward, rewards can include 10,000 Carnival Rewards Points, onboard recognition, a special Sail & Sign card, a commemorative coin and milestone onboard credit.
Additional commemorative gifts are available once a member reaches 500 days.
That is a notable change from the old VIFP milestone setup, which focused on the number of completed cruises rather than the total amount of time spent sailing.
Carnival Has Unveiled New Platinum and Diamond Pins
Carnival has also refreshed one of its most recognizable loyalty collectibles.
Brand ambassador John Heald revealed the first Carnival Rewards Platinum and Diamond pins on August 31, with the new designs intended for qualifying cruises beginning September 1.
Heald originally wrote:
“Here are the images of the Carnival Rewards Platinum and Diamond ship specific pins which can be collected from the photo gallery on cruises that start from September 1 onward,”
He later updated the post to say the pins would instead be delivered to guests’ cabins.
The new pins remain ship-specific and include the year. Both designs feature the relevant Carnival ship in the center, with Carnival Rewards branding and the cruise line’s funnel logo positioned above it.
The Platinum version uses silver-colored framing and includes red, gold and platinum markings around the design. The Diamond version adds a larger diamond-style marking while keeping the other tier colors.
Carnival has changed loyalty pin designs annually in the past, although it has not confirmed whether the new Carnival Rewards versions will also get a completely different design each year beyond the date itself changing.
One eligibility change is already clear: Platinum and Diamond members can still receive ship-specific loyalty pins, but Gold members no longer qualify for one.
Pin Distribution Appears to be Changing Again
How Carnival hands out the new pins is also worth watching.
Before the pandemic, loyalty pins were delivered directly to passengers’ staterooms. When Carnival returned to service in 2021, that changed, and eligible guests were instead asked to collect their pins onboard, typically from the Pixels Photo Gallery.
Heald’s original August 31 announcement suggested that same collection method would continue for the new Carnival Rewards pins. However, he later updated the information and said the pins would be delivered to cabins instead.
If that remains the policy, it would effectively return Carnival to the pre-pandemic system.
Carnival’s own published Rewards information confirms that ship-specific pins remain a benefit for Platinum and Diamond members, but it does not currently spell out exactly where the new pins will be distributed. For now, Heald’s updated statement is the clearest guidance available.
Supply issues may still affect availability. Earlier in 2026, shipping delays involving VIFP pins meant some guests were unable to receive theirs during their sailing. At the time, Heald advised affected passengers to contact customer service after the cruise and request that a pin be mailed to them.
The Rollout Has Not Been Completely Smooth
The transition from VIFP to Carnival Rewards has also come with some early teething problems.
In the days before the September 1 launch, some passengers reported inconsistencies between their previous VIFP information and the stars or points showing under the new system.
Carnival also took its website and Rewards systems offline for a planned 18-hour maintenance period ahead of the change. That downtime began on the evening of August 29 and continued until around midday on August 30.
Now that Carnival Rewards is live, the first earning cycle is underway and runs through December 2028. From January 2029, most members’ loyalty status will be based on what they earned during that first cycle, making the next two years especially important for cruisers hoping to maintain or improve their status.
Related Posts:
- Carnival Rewards Explained: How the New 2026 Loyalty Program Works
- 7 Things Carnival Does Better Than Other Cruise Lines
- Carnival’s New Rewards Program vs Royal Caribbean’s New Points Choice: This Is Where Cruisers Get Tripped Up
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