As the end of 2024 approaches, eager Carnival Cruise Line guests who have reached the Platinum level of the cruise line’s loyalty program have just a few days left to collect the wildly popular VIFP pins to commemorate their voyages.

These pins are customized with each ship’s name and the year of the sailing, making them fun collectibles that showcase a guest’s individual sailings.

Yet on at least one Carnival cruise ship, some loyal guests are disappointed as they are unable to collect the appropriate pin for their VIFP status.

The issue has been noted aboard Carnival Liberty, currently homeported from New Orleans, Louisiana. Multiple guests have recently reached out to Carnival Cruise Line’s brand ambassador, John Heald, about the missing gifts.

“I’m currently on the Liberty and become Platinum on this cruise. I went to get my Platinum pin and was told ‘Sorry, it’s the end of the year, all we have are gold pins,'” one guest explained.

The shortage has been going on at least since the beginning of December, as another guest also contacted Heald with their disappointment.

“Just returned from our first Platinum cruise. Was a 14 Panama aboard the Liberty,” the guest said. “Was very disappointed that they had none of the Platinum pins to give out with the ship name.”

Carnival Liberty‘s most recent Panama Canal sailing departed New Orleans on December 1, 2024. The ship is currently sailing a 7-night Western Caribbean voyage that departed on Sunday, December 15, and will visit Roatan, Belize, and Cozumel.

It should be noted that the Gold VIFP pins, while the same size and general style as those offered to Platinum and Diamond passengers, do not have the name of individual vessels. This makes them less desirable as a collectible, and of course they are also gold rather than silver.

Heald responds to hundreds of guest questions and comments nearly every day through his Facebook page, where nearly 600,000 followers eagerly await his insights and assistance.

He did note the lack of Platinum pins at the end of the year and explained how he will endeavor to help the impacted guests.

“It is unacceptable and I’m so sorry that this has made such a negative impact on your cruise,” he said. “I will check with the ship and see what they can do for you and if not, we will send one to your home address.”

Because the VIFP pins are customized with each year, it is understandable that Carnival Cruise Line might only order a limited amount of the gifts so there are none left that would be wasted as 2025 arrives.

It would be necessary to estimate how many pins might be needed, but if more Platinum level guests travel than expected, the pins could easily run out toward the end of the year.

This could be especially true on vessels offering longer Carnival Journeys sailings, such as Carnival Liberty‘s Panama Canal voyages. These are tremendously popular cruises with the cruise line’s most loyal guests, meaning more VIFP passengers aboard and more gifts claimed.

Furthermore, as more and more guests reach the higher levels of loyalty status, more and more pins would be needed to recognize that achievement, and quantities are always limited.

Claiming VIFP Pins

When guests reach the loyalty status that offers a pin or other loyalty gift, they must visit the Pixels photo gallery onboard each ship to collect the gift.

Read Also: Which Cruise Lines Match Loyalty Programs?

VIFP travelers are urged to claim their gifts early in their sailings just to ensure that the items are available and have not run out. Guests must show their Sail and Sign cards when they collect their gifts, and their names are checked off a list so no one can get “extra” gifts.

The pins are always popular for guests to claim, and many Gold, Platinum, and Diamond level VIFP travelers display them on hats, bags, vests, or jackets when they attend VIFP events.

Of course, if guests prefer not to claim the gifts – such as the baseball cap that is currently on offer and somewhat controversial – they do not need to do so.

As a brand, Carnival Cruise Line deeply respects its guests who have served in the military, are actively serving, or are part of military families – which is why a Military Appreciation Gathering is held on every single sailing. 

However, one veteran – who was clearly misinformed about Carnival’s policies – took it as an insult that non-military passengers were allowed to attend the gathering to show their respect for current and past service members.

He made his anger known in a rather hostile message to Carnival Brand Ambassador John Heald on his Facebook page. 

“Having not been informed of this at the time of booking I find this extremely disappointing that Carnival Cruise Lines have made the deplorable decision to allow non serving passengers to walk into the military veterans event,” the unidentified veteran wrote.

His top complaint was that this enabled non-service members to enter the raffle for a free cruise – through which Carnival awards a lucky veteran or active service member with a free cruise on a monthly basis. All qualified guests have to do to enter is swipe their Sail & Sign card at the Military Appreciation event. 

“This does thin out the chances of decorated military veterans entering the win the cruise raffle when any common Joe can enter a ticket…Perhaps if you had not been a coward and had served your country when it needed you then you would be more sympathetic. Carnival in recent years has reduced its Veterans gathering to almost nothing,” continued the angry cruiser.

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Heald responded with much more respect than he was given – but made it a point to correct the misinformed guest. 

“Thank you sir and thank you for your service and for the courage you had to do so. We only allow military veterans to take part in the raffle and the winners’ military credentials are checked before we award the cruise,” Heald replied. 

Indeed, the winner of the free cruise must submit documentation to prove they have or are currently serving before Carnival hands over the award. If the person is not eligible to receive the free cruise, a new name is drawn. 

Should Non-Military Guests Be Allowed at Military Events?

As recently as the end of October, another cruiser was frustrated by what he perceived as “stolen valor” when non-military passengers attended the Military Appreciation Gathering. 

The unidentified guest was worried that regular guests would pretend to be service members or veterans to win the free cruise. 

“I am curious Heald if you are aware of something that is everywhere in these United States. Stolen Valor. This is when someone is a military imposter. He will wear a uniform to get attention because they are sick in mind and soul. My relevancy here is about your raffle for veterans to win a free cruise,” the guest wrote at the time.

Heald, of course, confirmed that proof of service had to be verified before the prize would be awarded – and likely thought he was done with the matter until the latest incident with the angry veteran.

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This latest complaint also re-raises the question of if non-military personnel should be allowed to attend the events – if only to express their gratitude to service members and their families.

“We always attend the military appreciation event when we cruise. We want to show our gratitude, respect, and pride in the sacrifices made by those who served and their families. My husband and I never served, but have had multiple family members that have,” one cruiser replied in the comments section of Heald’s latest post.

At the time of the October controversy, Heald also put a poll on his Facebook page to ask his followers if non-military guests should be allowed to attend. 

Within just about an hour of posting the poll, more than 7,000 votes agreed with the idea that “the veterans gathering should be for all guests to attend” while just over 2,100 votes preferred “the veterans gathering should only be for veterans and not open for everyone else.”

In June 2024, Carnival Corporation & plc announced that the P&O Cruises Australia brand would be dissolved, with two of the brand’s three ships to be integrated into Carnival Cruise Line.

Now, further exciting details of that integration have been released, and Australian cruisers have a lot of signature Fun! to look forward to.

As P&O Cruises Australia’s Pacific Adventure and Pacific Encounter are rebranded into Carnival Adventure and Carnival Encounter, Carnival Cruise Line will double its presence in Australia.

Carnival Adventure will sail year-round from Sydney along with Carnival Splendor, while Carnival Encounter will be homeported year-round from Brisbane. Carnival Luminosa also sails from Brisbane during the summer season, though she spends Australian winters in Alaska for the northern hemisphere’s summer.

The new fun will begin in March 2025, but there is a great deal of redesign and new fun to be brought to the ships before their first sailings as part of the Carnival fleet.

“This transition presents a unique opportunity to combine the best of P&O Cruises Australia and Carnival Cruise Line as the brand expands its footprint in Australia,” said Kara Glamore, VP of Sales and Marketing.

First, signature Carnival experiences will be brought onboard both vessels. Leading the charge will be the iconic Fun Squad, a dedicated team of activities leaders who host games, contests, trivia, dancing, and more for all travelers to enjoy.

It should be noted that as of this writing, no cruise directors have yet been assigned to the two new ships, but there is plenty of time for those positions to be filled with CDs ready to ensure every guest has a great time onboard.

Tremendously popular theme nights with energetic dance parties will also be part of each ship’s new offerings. This will include the intensely neon 80s Rock-N-Glow Party and the ultra-sensory Silent White-Hot Night. Guests will also be able to enjoy an Elegant Night, which is traditional on all Carnival ships.

To fuel up for the fun, new free, unlimited daily pizza will be available from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Guests should note that outside those hours, an additional charge will apply for pizza.

The youngest guests aboard the newest Carnival ships will be welcomed into the Turtles program, offering special activities and enrichment for travelers under two years old. Parents are welcome, or for a small fee, can drop their small sailors off for some alone time.

Other great Carnival favorites coming to Carnival Adventure and Carnival Encounter include the Build-a-Bear activity, KultureCity sensory kits, and much more.

Returning P&O Cruises Favorites

The two ships, while they will have some familiar Carnival fun, won’t just abandon their P&O Cruises history.

“P&O fans will recognise many of their favourite dining and entertainment options, while experiencing the added fun and flair that Carnival is famous for around the world,” said VP Guest Experience Deborah Cogin.

Luke’s Bar & Grill and Luke’s Burgers will remain onboard the rebranded ships, and guests can still enjoy a sweet treat with New Zealand Natural ice cream (extra charges do apply).

For thrill-seekers, the Edge Adventure Park will continue to offer zip lining, balancing, and climbing skill tests, or for relaxation, check out the exclusive Byron Beach Club available to guests in suites and selected mini-suites.

Passengers can also continue to enjoy the award-winning, glamorously vintage Blanc de Blanc show and the intoxicating energy it brings to every performance.

In 2025, Carnival Cruise Line expects nearly 600,000 guests to sail from Sydney and Brisbane combined.

“Carnival Cruise Line remains the only cruise line globally to demonstrate this level of commitment to Australia, sailing year-round and supporting thousands of local jobs while delivering unforgettable holiday experiences in Australia and the South Pacific,” said Glamore.

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Carnival Adventure will be offering diverse itineraries from Sydney, visiting Vanuatu, New Caledonia, Queensland, Willis Island and more, as well as 3-night cruise-to-nowhere sailings with comedy themes.

Meanwhile, Carnival Encounter will be offering similar itineraries but with different departure dates from Brisbane. Of particular interest will be the ship’s Barrier Reef Discovery sailings, as well as visits to Papua New Guinea and longer sailings to Fiji.

Through March 2025, bookings for both new ships can be made through the P&O Cruises Australia website or with experienced travel agents.

Is it rude to allow children and families to use smartphones and tablets while sitting at the dinner table together on a cruise?

One recent passenger sailing on Carnival Cruise Line’s 3,646-guest Carnival Dream thinks so. 

The passenger, identifying as a parent of three children aged 7, 11, and 15, shared their views in a message to John Heald, the cruise line’s brand ambassador.

“We are a good Christian family. We do not allow [our children] to take their phones or tablets to the dining room for any meal,” the parent said. 

“Seeing families all on their phones at dinner is appalling. Carnival should enforce a no-phones and no-tablets rule at the dinner table,” the guest continued. “Carnival should set a precedent that would set it apart from other cruise lines.”

The parent also emphasized the importance of fostering face-to-face communication during family meals, writing, “It’s so important for children to communicate verbally, learn eye contact, and feel like they’re listened to.”

In response, Heald acknowledged the challenges of balancing differing parental styles and said parenting “is a personal thing and not for us as a cruise line to decide if children should be allowed to use their electronics in the dining room.”

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As a parent, himself, Heald shared his own struggle with technology with his kids but also noted the difficulty of enforcing a universal rule across the fleet.

It is worth noting that no other cruise line implements a technology-free dining experience, and that all cruise lines have been implementing improvements to their Wi-Fi packages to help keep families connected through their phones and tablets.

Passengers Seemingly in Agreement

Of course, the comment sparked a debate on Heald’s Facebook page with hundreds of responses. Those who are pro-technology during dinner said they often use the family time to share photos and moments they caught while separated during the day aboard the ship.

One passenger said it’s also when they review Carnival’s FunTimes schedule of daily activities to choose what they want to do next together. “This is our time to connect with each other. How we do that is no one else’s business,” she added.

Another said, “Phones do not mean we’re not communicating. I have so many funny memories recorded on my phone and my kids’ phones and us in the dining room having a blast together on our cruises.”

Other passengers pointed out that many menus on ships are only accessible by the Carnival HUB app and that having a phone is a necessity for choosing a meal.

Plus, cruise lines – and their chefs – love when passengers take photos of the meals and anything else they may be enjoying and share them on social media. Not only is it free marketing, but it lets the ships know what guests like and what they don’t.

Cruise Boards: Wifi at Sea

Still, even those who agreed that electronics should be limited support the right of a parent to make their own decisions.

“Wonderful values you are teaching your children about those phones,” said one. “Only person who should be teaching values to our children are us, not Carnival.”

Added another, “I think no devices at the dinner table is a good policy. But a personal policy. It is not Carnival’s place to set this type of standard, not enforce it.”

The discussion follows recent bans on other technology items on Carnival Cruise Lines, including Bluetooth and portable speakers, to limit disruption to other passengers. Other cruise lines also have banned some devices, such as baby monitors and travel routers.

Guests wondering what they can and cannot take onboard a Carnival cruise will find a list of prohibited items on its website.