Carnival Cruises will introduce a new Carnival Rewards spending-based loyalty programme in June 2026.
Instead of earning rewards based on the number of nights guests sail, which is the model Carnival currently follows, Carnival Rewards will require passengers to earn rewards and achieve higher status levels based on spend, including cruise fare and onboard activities.
The new loyalty programme will automatically status-match members of the current Very Important Fun Person loyalty programme.
The new spending-based earning mechanism has received backlash, with many cruisers writing complaints to the cruise line on social media. This prompted the cruise line to issue a response based on the feedback.
“Please know we are reading your comments and taking in your feedback. To be clear, no changes will be implemented until June 1, 2026, nearly 12 months from now. We will be answering all your questions well in advance of the programme launch,” said Carnival.