Carnival Cruise Line Launches Carnival Rewards on September 2, 2026

en.Wedoany.com Reported - On September 2, 2026, Carnival Cruise Line announced the launch of Carnival Rewards in Miami. According to the cruise line, this is the industry's first-ever loyalty program, designed to let guests earn rewards, achieve membership status, and gain recognition in more ways than ever before, covering everyone from first-time cruisers to devoted Carnival enthusiasts. Carnival Cruise Line President Christine Duffy stated that while traditional cruise loyalty programs focus on sailing frequency, Carnival Rewards recognizes the many diverse ways guests engage with Carnival; through rewards and membership tiers, the company aims to offer guests greater flexibility and more value. In her words, "Your cruise, your rewards. Your way."

The program is built on three components: Carnival Rewards Points, Status Qualifying Stars, and the Milestone Recognition Program. In terms of points, guests earn 3 Carnival Rewards Points for every US$1 spent on qualifying Carnival purchases (including gratuities); at the end of each voyage, every remaining Casino Point converts to 1 Carnival Rewards Point. Reward points can be redeemed toward future Carnival cruise itineraries and qualifying onboard experiences, including shore excursions, specialty dining, and spa treatments; points typically post approximately 14 days after the voyage concludes and are available for redemption as soon as they appear.

Membership status is determined by Status Qualifying Stars. Guests earn 3 stars for every US$1 spent on qualifying Carnival purchases during their Carnival vacation, and 1 star for every Casino Point accumulated, even if that Casino Point was already redeemed onboard for FunPlay. There are four status tiers: joining the program grants Red status, accumulating 10,000 stars elevates guests to Gold, 50,000 stars to Platinum, and 100,000 stars to Diamond. Status must be earned within a 2-year qualification period and, once achieved, is retained for the remainder of the qualification period plus the following 2-year membership validity period. The first qualification period runs from September 1, 2026, through December 31, 2028. Additionally, the Milestone Recognition Program recognizes and celebrates guests upon reaching significant sailing milestones based on cumulative days at sea.

Debuting alongside Carnival Rewards is the Carnival Rewards™ Mastercard®, which the company describes as the first credit card in the cruise industry. New cardholders who spend US$1,000 within the first 90 days of account opening will receive 50,000 bonus points. On qualifying Carnival purchases—including cruise fares, shore excursions, onboard activities, spa treatments, and specialty dining—cardholders can earn up to 6x points, with 3x from the credit card portion and up to an additional 3x from Carnival Rewards; qualifying restaurant and grocery purchases earn 2x points, and all other purchases earn 1x. In terms of stars, qualifying Carnival purchases combined with stars accumulated through Carnival Rewards can earn up to 4 Status Qualifying Stars, while other purchases earn 1 star. Carnival cruise booking purchases enjoy a 0% introductory APR for 6 months, making it easier for cardholders to plan and pay for their Carnival vacation; cardholders who spend US$2,000 per cardmember year receive 2,500 points on their account anniversary. All benefits are subject to applicable terms and conditions.

Carnival Cruise Line is part of Carnival Corporation (NYSE: CCL), the world's largest cruise company, whose brand portfolio sails to more than 800 ports and destinations worldwide. Carnival Cruise Line, which calls itself "America's Cruise Line," carries more American guests and operates from more U.S. homeports than any other cruise line. Carnival welcomes more than 6 million guests annually and, in 2023, became the first cruise line to reach a cumulative total of over 100 million guests served. Since 1972, Carnival has continuously driven innovation in the cruise industry, making cruise vacations an affordable and fun travel option. The company currently operates a fleet of 29 ships, based at 13 U.S. homeports and 2 Australian homeports, with seasonal itineraries in Europe; its ships welcome more than 95,000 guests daily and employ over 50,000 team members representing 120 nationalities. Under its fleet plan, 5 new ships are scheduled for delivery by 2033, with the 4th and 5th Excel-class ships expected to join in 2027 and 2028 respectively, followed by 3 additional ships of a new class currently in development. Celebration Key, the company's exclusive destination on Grand Bahama Island, debuted in 2025 and is part of the Paradise Collection.