Carnival Cruise Line’s Very Important Fun Person, or VIFP, loyalty program has long been the way the company rewards its repeat cruisers, basing status solely on the number of days sailed. The higher your status, the more perks you receive.

For instance, Gold members, achieved after twenty-five sailing days, receive a complimentary beverage and a collectible pin on every sailing.

Platinum status, earned at seventy-five days, significantly expands benefits to include priority check-in and boarding, a complimentary beverage at the Seaday Brunch, priority lines at the Guest Services desk, and a limited amount of complimentary laundry service.

The top-tier Diamond status, reached after two hundred days, offers the most extensive perks, such as guaranteed Main Dining Room seating, unlimited complimentary laundry, a special invitation from the Captain, and a one-time complimentary specialty meal for two.

However, a massive shift is on the horizon, as Carnival has announced that the VIFP Club will be replaced by a new program called Carnival Rewards, starting in June 2026.

This new system is moving toward a more “pay to play” model, similar to airline loyalty programs, where status will be determined not just by sailing frequency but by overall spending—a major departure from the lifetime status model that many long-time cruisers appreciated.

Under Carnival Rewards, members will earn Status Qualifying Stars based on dollars spent, not just days sailed, and status will need to be re-earned every two years. This change has understandably upset many who have been loyal to the cruise line for decades under the previous system.

A key part of the new program’s structure is a heavy push for the new co-branded credit card from Barclays, which will allow customers to earn rewards points and status-qualifying stars through everyday purchases, firmly linking spending with loyalty status.

For current VIFP status holders who feel this shift diminishes their past loyalty, there is a silver lining with other cruise lines. Both MSC Cruises and Virgin Voyages offer status match programs, allowing you to leverage your hard-earned Carnival status to receive a comparable loyalty level and its associated perks on their ships.

This provides a compelling option to experience other cruise lines without starting from the bottom tier.