Brands: Carnival Cruise Line • Princess Cruises • Holland America Line • Cunard • Seabourn • Costa Cruises • AIDA Cruises • P&O Cruises (UK)
The big caveat: Carnival Corporation is the one major cruise family that does NOT offer loyalty status matching between its brands. Each brand runs an independent program, and Carnival has publicly confirmed (via Brand Ambassador John Heald) that it has no plans to unify them. A top-tier Carnival cruiser starts at the bottom with Princess, and vice versa.
Carnival Corporation intentionally keeps each cruise line's loyalty program independent. Loyalty is earned with the individual brand you sail rather than across the corporation as a whole.
Carnival Corporation at a Glance
| Cruise Family | Cross-Brand Loyalty |
|---|---|
| Carnival Corporation | ❌ No |
| Royal Caribbean Group | ✅ Permanent status match |
| Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings | ✅ Per-cruise status honoring |
| MSC Cruises | ✅ Permanent recognition with Explora Journeys |
Limited exceptions: - Holland America automatically enrolls past guests of Carnival, Princess, Cunard, Seabourn, or Costa as a Star Mariner (entry tier) on their first HAL booking - Casino loyalty is separate from cruise loyalty. Carnival Players Club "Fun Match" and the Princess/Holland America Ocean Players Club may match eligible casino status from land-based casinos and competing casino programs. These offers do not transfer cruise loyalty status, cruise points, or cruise-tier benefits.
Carnival Rewards tracker
Where does your next cruise leave you?
Carnival Rewards replaced the VIFP Club on September 1, 2026, and it pays on spending, not nights: 3 Stars for every eligible dollar. Enter your Stars and your next cruise to see your tier.
Your old VIFP tier on August 31, 2026
Carnival Cruise Line — VIFP Club → Carnival Rewards
The old VIFP Club (retired August 31, 2026)
Earning: 1 point per day sailed.
| Tier | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Blue | 1st cruise |
| Red | 2nd cruise |
| Gold | 25 days |
| Platinum | 75 days |
| Diamond | 200 days |
Benefits highlights (as VIFP ran them): - Red/Gold: Member-only offers and a 1.5L bottle of water. Gold added a free drink on cruises of 5+ days. - Platinum: Priority check-in, boarding and debarkation, priority dining and spa reservations, free wash-and-fold laundry, a welcome treat on request, and the Platinum/Diamond party on 5+ day sailings - Diamond: All Platinum perks plus a guaranteed early or late dinner time, unlimited wash-and-fold, a Captain's event invitation, a one-time free cabin upgrade (or 3rd-5th guests sail free) and a one-time specialty dinner for two
Transition Note: Carnival Rewards replaced VIFP on September 1, 2026. The VIFP level you held on August 31, 2026 carries through December 31, 2028. Check the status shown in your Carnival account.
Carnival Rewards (live since September 1, 2026; first planned for June 1)
Earning: 3 Status Qualifying Stars and 3 redeemable Points per eligible $1, gratuities included. Stars buy status. Points buy things.
| Tier | Stars needed | Perks (as reported) |
|---|---|---|
| Red | On enrollment | Earn and redeem Points, member-only offers, 1.5L bottle of water |
| Gold | 10,000 | Water, plus one free drink on cruises of 5+ days |
| Platinum | 50,000 | Two free drinks, limited wash-and-fold laundry, priority online check-in, embarkation, debarkation and onboard services, collectible pin |
| Diamond | 100,000 | Platinum perks plus more wash-and-fold (no longer unlimited), guaranteed main dining time, retail concierge, a Captain's event invitation, dedicated Diamond support |
- What earns: Cruise fare, gratuities and onboard spending on eligible Carnival purchases. Casino play counts too: 1 Star per Casino Point earned, and 1 Point per Casino Point still unused at the end of the sailing.
- What doesn't: Taxes and fees. Coverage of the terms also lists cancellation fees, parking, donations and onboard credit used as payment.
- Points: They post about 14 days after you sail. There's no minimum to redeem, and you can use them on fares, deposits, excursions, spa, specialty dining and drink packages. There's no fixed cash value. Rates vary by what you redeem for.
- Qualifying window: Status is earned over two years and kept for the rest of that window plus the next two. The first window runs September 1, 2026 to December 31, 2028. Stars start over each window.
- Old VIFP members: VIFP Diamonds as of August 31, 2026 keep Diamond for life. VIFP Platinums get lifetime Gold and a 10,000-Star boost every two years toward Platinum. The Blue tier is gone.
- Carnival Rewards Mastercard (Barclays): Up to 6X Points on Carnival purchases (3X from the card plus up to 3X from the program), 2X at restaurants and grocery stores, 1X on everything else. On Stars, it's up to 4 per $1 on Carnival purchases and 1 per $1 elsewhere. You don't need the card to earn status.
- Days-sailed milestones: These run separately from status. Reported so far: 5,000 Points at 50 days, 10,000 Points plus a coin and onboard credit at 100 days, then every 100 days after that. The old milestone free cruise and cruise discount are gone.
Sources: Thresholds, earn rates, the window, the Mastercard rates and the VIFP carryover rules come from Carnival's own releases (Sept. 1, 2026, Dec. 1, 2025, Sept. 15, 2025). Carnival hasn't put its per-tier perk chart anywhere we checked as of October 2026. The perks in the table come from Cruise Hive, Cruise Mummy and The Points Guy, and the exclusions and milestones from Cruise Critic and The Points Page. Check your own account before you count on one.
Princess Cruises — Captain's Circle
Earning: By cruises completed OR days sailed (whichever gets you there first). Suites and solo full-fare sailings count as two cruises.
| Tier | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Gold | 1 cruise |
| Ruby | 3 cruises or 30 days |
| Platinum | 5 cruises or 50 days |
| Elite | 15 cruises or 150 days |
Benefits highlights: - Gold: Member events, Captain's Circle onboard party, member savings - Ruby: All Gold perks plus early access to itineraries and offers - Platinum: Priority embarkation/disembarkation, 50% off MedallionNet Wi-Fi, priority lounge access, upgraded insurance coverage at no extra cost - Elite: Complimentary laundry and professional cleaning, complimentary minibar setup, 10% off shore excursions and shop purchases, shoe polishing, priority tender and ship-to-shore, deluxe canapés on formal nights
Holland America Line — Mariner Society
Earning: 1 Cruise Day credit per day sailed; double for suites; +1 bonus credit per $300 of eligible onboard spending (capped at cruise length).
| Tier | Cruise Day Credits |
|---|---|
| Star Mariner | 1st cruise |
| 2-Star | 30 |
| 3-Star | 75 |
| 4-Star | 200 |
| 5-Star | 500 |
Benefits highlights: - Star: Up to $400 onboard credit for bookings within 90 days of a new season launch, member events - 2-Star: 10% off Holland America merchandise, complimentary ship photo, Mariner brunch - 3-Star: Larger discounts (specialty dining, wine packages, minibar at 25%), internet perks - 4-Star: 50% off specialty restaurant surcharges, specialty coffees, and minibar; complimentary/reduced fares for 3rd & 4th guests on select sailings; free laundry perks; priority boarding - 5-Star: Complimentary specialty dinner, priority everything, bronze/silver/gold medallion recognition for 100/300/500+ days, best member pricing
Cunard — Cunard World Club
Earning: By voyages or nights completed.
| Tier | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Silver | 1 completed voyage |
| Gold | 2 voyages or 20 nights |
| Platinum | 7 voyages or 70 nights |
| Diamond | 15 voyages or 150 nights |
Benefits highlights: - Silver: Cunarder magazine, onboard loyalty team, exclusive offers - Gold: Complimentary internet credit, exclusive onboard World Club event - Platinum: Priority check-in, complimentary wine tasting, savings on laundry and luggage services - Diamond: Complimentary alternative (specialty) dining, plus all lower-tier perks - Membership never expires, even after long gaps between voyages
Other Carnival Corporation brands (brief)
- Seabourn Club: Points per day sailed (plus onboard spend bonuses); tiers from Club Member up through Diamond/Diamond Elite milestone levels; perks include onboard credits, free laundry, internet minutes, and complimentary cruises at high milestone day counts
- Costa Cruises — C|Club: Points-based tiers (Aquamarine, Coral, Pearl, and above); discounts, onboard perks, member events; Costa points don't transfer to other Carnival brands
- AIDA Cruises — AIDA Club: German-market program; tier perks include discounts and onboard benefits; no matching with sister brands
- P&O Cruises (UK) — Peninsular Club: Night-based tiers (Pacific, Atlantic, Mediterranean, Caribbean, Baltic, Ligurian); onboard spending discounts (up to 10% at top tiers), priority services, loyalty events
Bottom line for Carnival Corporation cruisers
Unlike Royal Caribbean Group, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, and MSC, Carnival Corporation does not recognize loyalty status across its cruise brands. Each line operates its own independent loyalty program, so the best strategy is to pick the brand you sail most often and build status there.
If your goal is flexibility across multiple cruise lines, Carnival Corporation is the least loyalty-friendly of the major cruise families. If you primarily sail one Carnival brand, however, its individual loyalty programs still provide meaningful long-term benefits.