The 7 Things Cruisers Hate Most About Carnival’s Loyalty Program Changes

Sometimes cruise lines announce a new feature or change to their policies and the reaction is more mixed than they hoped. But to call the reaction of Carnival’s new loyalty program, Carnival Rewards, “mixed” would be extremely generous.

“Overwhelmingly negative” feels a bit more accurate.

And there are plenty of reasons people are expressing that anger across social media – let me tell you why.

1. Long-Time Loyalty Is Being Wiped Out

One of the biggest issues people have with Carnival Rewards is how it will, eventually, wipe out many years of loyalty that people have built up with the cruise line.

Many people commented on how they’d been sailing with the cruise line for 20+ years, and had reached Platinum or Diamond status, but now wouldn’t be able to maintain it.

You can read my explainer on Carnival Rewards if you want to get all the detail of how it works, but in summary – you no longer maintain your status level for life.

Under the new program, you earn your status every two years – and then it resets.

Tiers are being grandfathered into the system, but for Gold and Platinum that’s only for 2 years. Diamond members get more, with 6 years of status protection.

But that means, if you’re a Platinum VIFP member, you’ll enjoy Platinum status from June 2026 to May 2028, while starting at zero to earn your status for the June 2028 to May 2030 period.

A lot of long-time fans aren’t happy about this because they don’t have the money to spend to maintain their status (and more on that later in the list). So they feel like the ‘work’ they’ve put in to remain loyal to Carnival is being wiped out.

And it is, essentially.

There are two very different mindsets here of course. The people who are upset believe that their loyalty deserves rewards and status.

And there are those who believe that they’re just paying for a cruise holiday, and any loyalty benefits are a nice bonus to have.

The former group are the ones who are upset, even though the actual cruise experience isn’t changing – minus a few extra perks that those guests will lose.

2. Cruisers Will Need To Spend More

Another key complaint with the new Carnival Rewards system is that it clearly incentivises spending more money – not just cruising more often.

Previously, under the old VIFP program, you earned loyalty status based on cruise nights – so the more time you spent on a Carnival ship, the better your status. It didn’t matter how much you spent onboard or how much your cruise fare cost.

Now, your status is based on how much money you spend – whether that’s cruise fare, shore excursions, drinks, spa treatments, or other onboard purchases. Even a casino flutter counts (and earns you both points and stars).

So, if you’re a budget cruiser who loves the Carnival experience but doesn’t splash out on extras, you’ll find yourself falling behind. Meanwhile, someone who cruises less frequently but spends big when they do will climb the tiers faster.

To many, that feels less like a loyalty program and more like a spending competition.

3. The Credit Card is Now More Important

Then there’s the credit card angle.

Under the new Carnival Rewards system, the Carnival Mastercard has become a much more important tool for earning points – although it doesn’t help you earn stars for status.

Still, it means that cardholders can build up points to spend on rewards like drinks or excursions, even without cruising regularly.

On the surface, that might seem like a good thing. But to many guests, it feels like a shift towards rewarding financial products over actual cruising loyalty.

Worse still, this benefit isn’t even available to everyone…

4. The New System Favours US Guests

One of the most frustrating aspects for international cruisers is that the Carnival Mastercard is only available to US residents.

So while American guests can rack up points with everyday spending – even between cruises – guests from Canada, the UK, Australia and beyond are at a clear disadvantage.

That means fewer points to spend on rewards, and less flexibility to build value within the program.

Carnival might be a US-based cruise line, but they have a huge international following – and this change makes those guests feel like second-class citizens.

Again, it’s important to clarify that the credit card can only be used on Rewards Points, not on Status Qualifying Stars.

And it’s not new – the Carnival World Mastercard already exists, and lets people earn FunPoints. Not a huge amount is really changing here.

But, because it’s all being bundled together under this new umbrella of Carnival Rewards, it does make some people from non-US countries feel like they’re not being considered.

5. The Spend Numbers Needed for Higher Tiers Are Big

Let’s talk about the cost of loyalty under the new system.

To reach Platinum status, you’ll need to earn 50,000 stars in a two-year period. That’s the equivalent of spending $16,667 on eligible purchases with Carnival.

Diamond status? You’ll need to spend over $33,000 within two years.

For frequent cruisers, those numbers might be just about achievable. Especially if you’re a casino player. But for many loyal Carnival fans, especially those on a budget or retired guests cruising more modestly, that level of spend is completely out of reach.

And because your stars reset every two years, this isn’t a one-time hurdle – you have to hit that same spending target again and again to maintain your tier.

6. Perks Are Being Removed

It’s not just that the program is changing – in some cases, guests are outright losing perks they previously enjoyed.

Many of the benefits that came with higher VIFP tiers are now harder to earn, or gated behind a higher spending threshold.

For example, complimentary laundry services – you still get it at Platinum level, but not as much. And Diamond isn’t completely unlimited either.

The Platinum and Diamond party? Gone.

The pin badge for reaching Gold status? Also gone.

The loyalty gifts are gone too, as is the Chocolate Delight treat that Platinum guests would get to try once for free.

These may sound small but they all add it, and that’s a bitter pill to swallow – especially for those who felt their past loyalty had “earned” them a level of treatment that now vanishes overnight.

7. People Feel They Aren’t Being Listened To

Finally, one of the biggest sources of frustration is the perception that Carnival isn’t really listening to its guests.

Yes, Brand Ambassador John Heald has acknowledged the backlash. And yes, there have been vague suggestions that Carnival might tweak the program based on feedback. But for many guests, that simply isn’t enough.

The announcement went ahead despite clear and immediate criticism. And even though there’s nearly a year until the new system takes effect, there’s no concrete indication that any changes will be made in response.

Carnival’s reasoning – that the old system couldn’t keep up with the number of guests reaching higher tiers – might make sense from a business point of view.

But for many cruisers, the new program feels like a betrayal of the loyalty they’ve shown over years, even decades.

Final Word

There are always growing pains when a major loyalty program changes, but Carnival’s rollout of Carnival Rewards has struck a nerve with many guests.

While some may adjust and adapt to the new system, others are left wondering if their loyalty was ever truly valued – or just a number on a spreadsheet.

The coming year will be crucial for Carnival. Whether they listen, adjust, and respond to the criticism, or stay the course, could make a real difference in how loyal their most dedicated fans choose to remain.

What do you think about these changes? Please do share your view in the comments below.

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• The Craziest Complaints From Carnival Cruise Guests
• How To Contact John Heald – Carnival Brand Ambassador
• Carnival Platinum Benefits – The Perks of Reaching Platinum VIFP Status