In addition to potentially winning big, gambling on Carnival Cruise ships has always come with additional rewards. The more time and money someone spends in the onboard casino, the more perks they receive.
One of these potential benefits is an invitation to a Carnival Premier Cruise. In the past, these have been exclusive sailings just for guests who have racked up enough points in the casino.
On Premier sailings, invitees reap benefits like complimentary welcome aboard and goodbye gifts, premier boarding, free drinks while playing in the Casino, and a chance at even more FunPlay credit, cash, and prizes.
However, guests have noticed that some of these perks are going away – including an exclusive drawing for Premier guests only – without warning. One cruiser wrote to Carnival Brand Ambassador John Heald on his Facebook page to ask what happened.
“I’ve noticed a big change in the VIFP casino offerings. I was given an email address to ask about the changes that included sharply decreased perks for rooms and drink packages and received a response from a “not so customer service friendly” young lady. Is there any info as to why such a big change? Just wondering since nothing was communicated,” the woman inquired.
Per Heald, a change was made to the Premier sailings so that guests could take advantage of their invite-only benefits on all voyages – not just exclusive Premier group sailings.
“We adjusted the way Premier works earlier this year, with guests being able to now book a Premier experience on any sailing, not just as part of a group,”Heald replied after consulting with a senior casino colleague.
“However, we still have the Premier groups that guests were able to book previously and indeed through the rest of this year and into early 2025 – on those we continue to offer all the Premier group amenities including the drawings we had before,” Heald continued.
So while the Premier benefits aren’t going away entirely, they may look a little different since Premier guests will be mixed in with the general cruise population.
Are Carnival Casino Benefits Going Away?
So, how exactly will Premier benefits change when used on normal sailings? This is what Heald’s colleague had to say on the matter.
“For guests who opt for the Premier experience on non-group sailings, they will get some great Premier gifts and recognized as such onboard. There will not be a dedicated drawing for them, but we will have our very popular Heat Wave and Fireball Raffle promotions, where guests who are under the Premier offer will be able to win double the prize money if they are selected,” Heald shared on behalf of his expert colleague.
While it’s unclear exactly how many points someone needs to earn a Premier cruise, guests earn points when they swipe their Sail & Sign card at slot machines and present it at table games to retrieve their points – which also automatically makes them members of the Carnival Players Club.
It’s the lowest level of three invitation-only cruises for casino users – with the middle-tier Ultra cruises giving guests a chance to win more than $100,000 in cash and gifts.
The top-tier Elite cruises come with extra benefits – such as invites to special events, Platinum VIFP status, and complimentary parking or local airport pickup and drop-off.
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However, another casino benefit did go away earlier this year for Carnival’s elite Diamond and Platinum guests – which may have casino fans wondering if more changes may still be coming.
In June of 2024, Carnival removed the $25 FunPlay credit that was given to its most loyal cruisers.
“Carnival Cruise Line has quietly removed a popular benefit for its Diamond and Platinum level returning guests, without notice of the discontinuation. The $25 FunPlay credit in the ship’s casino was never intended as a long-term benefit, but nevertheless, it has been a popular perk that guests have enjoyed for several years,” a cruiser noted at the time.
Once again, no notice was given for the removal of the perk – nor was an official announcement given to impacted guests – but Heald did eventually confirm the credit was no longer being offered once the buzz began.
Lately, Carnival has been on a streak of making changes, such as price increases, without giving prior notice – which has infuriated many potential and future cruisers.
