Carnival Cruise Line has rolled out a new loyalty program called Carnival Rewards, which the company positions as the first program of its kind among cruise lines.
Rather than basing recognition solely on how frequently a guest sails, the program combines a points-based rewards system with a separate status track, along with a milestone system tied to lifetime days sailed. A co-branded Mastercard tied to the program is also being introduced.
Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line, addressed the departure from a frequency-based model.
“Cruise loyalty has traditionally been built around how often guests sail, and Carnival Rewards was designed to go beyond that,” she said. “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. Simply put: Your cruise, your rewards, your way.”
On the points side, members accumulate three points per dollar spent on eligible Carnival purchases, a category that includes gratuities, along with one point for each remaining casino point at the close of a sailing. Accumulated points can go toward booking future cruises or paying for onboard offerings, among them shore excursions, specialty dining and spa services. Rather than posting immediately, points become available roughly 14 days after a sailing concludes, at which point they can be redeemed.
Status operates independently through a metric called Status Qualifying Stars. Guests collect three stars per dollar spent on eligible purchases, gratuities included, plus one star for every casino point earned, a calculation that applies whether or not those casino points were spent onboard through Funplay.
Four tiers make up the status structure: Red status is granted at enrollment, Gold requires 10,000 stars, Platinum requires 50,000 and Diamond requires 100,000. Stars accumulate over a two-year qualifying window, after which the resulting status carries over into a following two-year enjoyment period. The first such qualifying window is set to run from Sept. 1, 2026 through Dec. 31, 2028.
Separately, the Milestone Recognition Program credits members based on their total accumulated days sailed with Carnival, marking progress as guests cross various sailing thresholds over time.
The newly introduced Carnival Rewards Mastercard gives cardholders a way to build toward rewards and status through spending unrelated to an actual cruise. New cardholders who spend $1,000 within their first 90 days receive a 50,000-point bonus. On Carnival-related purchases, cardholders can earn as much as six times points, a combination of three times points issued directly through the card and up to three times points through the base Carnival Rewards program, applicable to cruise fares, shore excursions, onboard activities, spa services and specialty dining. Restaurant and grocery purchases earn two times points, while all other purchases earn a standard one time point.
On the status side, cardholders can accumulate as many as four Status Qualifying Stars on Carnival purchases when the card's stars are combined with those earned through the core program, and one star on purchases outside that category. The card carries a promotional 0% annual percentage rate for six months on Carnival cruise bookings, along with a 2,500-point bonus awarded each year on the card's anniversary provided the holder has spent $2,000 in that period.
Editor’s Note: This article was generated by AI, based on a press release distributed by Carnival Cruise Line. It was fact-checked and reviewed by a TravelAge West editor.
