Key Aspects:
- VIFP Club members must opt in to the new Carnival Rewards to keep their current loyalty status.
- Enrollment must be completed individually through a personalized email by August 31, 2026.
- Carnival Rewards will launch September 1, 2026.
Carnival Cruise Line is preparing to roll out its new loyalty program this fall, but not without adding another layer of frustration for some guests.
The new Carnival Rewards program, which is set to launch on September 1, 2026, has already faced a lukewarm reception from the cruise line’s loyal cruisers.
Now, the company has confirmed that existing VIFP Club members must actively opt in if they want to retain their current status, which could further irritate passengers already skeptical when the overhaul was first announced in 2025.
Under the new requirement, members must enroll individually through a personalized email by August 31, 2026. Without opting in, their loyalty status and sailing history could be lost, a stipulation the cruise line is blaming on privacy regulations.
“Due to privacy laws, your client’s current status progress and benefits from the VIFP Club program will carry over only by opting in and enrolling in Carnival Rewards prior to when the new program launches,” the company said in the letter.
The cruise line announced on May 5, 2026, that all loyalty members will be receiving an email with directions to “Enroll and Accept” that shouldn’t be ignored. Each message is specific to a passenger, nontransferable, and cannot be shared or completed by a third party.
That restriction extends to travel advisors, who are not permitted to accept terms or enroll on behalf of clients. Advisors are being encouraged to prepare for questions on the new Carnival Rewards program and guide passengers through the transition process.
Some passengers are already sharing their emails on social media, warning others to act.
“If you receive an email from Carnival about confirming your status, it is legit,” shared one member online, noting that users do not need to wait for the email and can log onto their accounts online to enroll.
New Rewards Structure
The opt-in is just one more hiccup in a rollout that hasn’t been entirely smooth. Carnival Cruise Line previously delayed the launch of the program and the changes themselves, which shift from cruise days to a spend-based system, has drawn criticism from guests who prefer the simplicity of the old model.
Under the new Carnival Rewards program, guests will earn benefits based on spending, which will include cruise fares, onboard purchases such as dining and spa treatments, shore excursions, and casino play.
The program will also tie into a co-branded credit card, allowing guests to earn rewards through everyday purchases.
The system will operate by points and status stars. Points will function as a redeemable currency, and passengers can use them toward future cruises, onboard purchases, and other travel-related expenses. Points will have a fixed value.
Status stars, on the other hand, will determine a passenger’s tier level. These stars will be earned based on spending and will reset on a rolling two-year basis. This is a significant change from the current VIFP Club, where status is based on lifetime cruise days and does not expire.
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The cruise line has said that existing VIFP status will carry over at launch of Carnival Rewards for those who enroll, and that level will remain in place through at least the end of 2028. After that period, guests will need to requalify under the new system.
The current tier structure – Red, Gold, Platinum, and Diamond – is expected to remain but how guests move between those levels will change. Higher tiers will be tied more directly to hose much a passenger spends rather than how often they sail.
One exception applies to guests who reach Diamond status before the transition. These loyalty members will retain that level as a lifetime designation after the new program takes effect.
