Cruise line loyalty programs: The ultimate guide

Table Of Content

• New law forces Carnival Cruise Line to change advertised price for cruises
• Does Royal Caribbean Have Irons? [Explained]
• Learn About Credit Cards
• A beginners guide to cruise line loyalty programs
• What Does Platinum Card Mean On Carnival Cruise & Its Benefits?
• Earning points on the Carnival World Mastercard
• I tried the newest ships from Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, and Norwegian. Here’s how they compare

At the Red level, members get exclusive offers and a complimentary 1.5-liter bottle of water. At the Platinum level, members enjoy priority check-in and boarding, complimentary drinks and parties, unique pins, and free gifts on every cruise. Diamond level members get unlimited laundry, priority reservations at specialty restaurants, and a one-time complimentary meal. When it comes to perks, Carnival's loyalty program isn't as robust as the programs at some rival lines. At its highest tier, it doesn't bring anything close to the free cruise that some other lines offer to top-tier customers, or onboard perks like free drinks daily in a private lounge.

New law forces Carnival Cruise Line to change advertised price for cruises

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Carnival cruise has specified the minimum deposit amount for different cruises. A day before embarkation you have to activate the Sail & Sign card on official Carnival website. To make payment with this card you have to deposit USD at Guest services. Our expert team is dedicated to helping you plan the ultimate cruise vacation, so you can sit back, relax, and enjoy the journey.

Does Royal Caribbean Have Irons? [Explained]

Here's everything you need to know about the Carnival VIFP Club including how to become a member, how to earn points, and the benefits. Typically points are automatically applied to your account within 14 points of the end of the trip. The most common and reliable way to earn by far, however, is to sail on the cruise line. Once you have completed the first voyage with Carnival fleet, you will be eligible for the red Sail & Sign card. Be prepared to share your documentation and be patient, as it might take some time for the team to update your account and allocate the appropriate points.

Learn About Credit Cards

Elites also get unlimited free drinks from the Captain's Club menu each day except embarkation day between 5 p.m. This isn't quite the perk it used to be, though, since a basic drinks package now comes with all bookings as part of the line's new Always Included fare structure. Each person must earn his or her own VIFP status through the accumulation of points awarded after completing qualifying sailings.

When staying in a top suite, you can earn as many as 18 to 24 points per day. However, Carnival's terms and conditions state the line, at its discretion, might choose to honor the bump during the sailing on which you receive it. It doesn't hurt to ask at the guest services desk if you have questions. You'll get the best value by redeeming your FunPoints on eligible Carnival purchases and onboard amenities.

Eligibility requirements vary, so it’s best to check with Carnival before booking. As a frequent Carnival cruiser, I know that the color of my Sail Sign card represents my level in the VIFP loyalty program. Benefits increase as I move up from Blue to Red, Gold, Platinum, and Diamond.

Earning points on the Carnival World Mastercard

One of the nice little surprises of Carnival's loyalty program is that you hit the first tier level, Blue, the moment you board your first cruise with the brand. Unlike many lines, you don't have to complete a cruise to reach the first level. In fact, you can get to the Blue tier even before taking a cruise. Being able to make a single purchase (or do a balance transfer) and receive a welcome bonus helps make this card worth considering for frequent Carnival cruisers. Carnival is one of the only cruise lines that award passengers with membership status before they take their first cruise. All you have to do is sign up, and you’ll begin receiving perks as a Blue-tier member.

I tried the newest ships from Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, and Norwegian. Here’s how they compare

If you take lots of shorter sailings, it’ll take much longer to reach that level. A nice thing about the VIFP Club is that it’s very simple and straightforward. You don’t have to keep track of points based on the stateroom category you book or the type of cruise you’re taking. But if you’re looking to get really good, usable perks as quickly as possible through a cruise line loyalty program, the VIFP Club probably isn’t your best bet.

Your blue Sail & Sign card will, therefore, become something of a memento for you – an item to celebrate your first time with the cruise line. The Platinum level of the VIFP Club is where your loyalty to Carnival finally starts paying off. You can bring a third and fourth guest, but you'll pay for their fares. You'll also pay for all taxes, fees and service charges (including gratuities).

Another good, but one-time-only perk of Diamond status is a complimentary meal for two at a specialty restaurant of your choice. One of the nice little surprises of Carnival's loyalty program is that you hit the first tier level, Blue, the moment you walk on board your first cruise with the brand. Unlike many lines, you don't have to complete a cruise to get to the first level. At the Two Star level, customers get all the above plus a 5% discount on shore excursions and beverage packages (again, the latter discount does not apply to the line's All-Inclusive Fares). They also get a $50 per person onboard credit for every cruise they take. The entry-level tier (Gold) is very limited in what it brings.

The third tier of the program, the Platinum level, extends the pre-booking windows even further. Platinum members can make advance bookings for onboard cruise activities up to 120 days before sailings. That's 15 days earlier than Gold members and 30 days earlier than Silver members. They can also book new Disney cruise itineraries three days before the general public. Earning status in Disney Cruise Line's Castaway Club loyalty program is about as simple as can be — even after a recent upgrade that brought an all-new tier. You get a credit for every cruise you take, whether it's three nights long or 10 nights long.

The ultimate perk for Latitudes Rewards members comes upon reaching the top Ambassador tier. You'll get a one-time, complimentary seven-night cruise in a balcony cabin. You can pick any destination, but you can't select a holiday sailing (Christmas and New Year's). The Latitudes Rewards program is one of the more robust cruise line loyalty programs, with some decent perks available to almost all members.

The ultimate perk for Crown & Anchor Society members comes upon reaching the top Pinnacle Club tier. You'll get a complimentary seven-night cruise to the Caribbean in a balcony cabin. The most alluring benefit at the entry-level Gold tier is the exclusive rates available to members for specific sailings of specific ships. Alas, there isn't a truly spectacular perk in the entire Captain's Circle menu. Still, the Captain's Circle's top Elite status tier does come with a few enticing benefits.

Unlike Royal Caribbean and some other lines, for instance, it doesn't give members a free cruise upon reaching this pinnacle of loyalty status. Priority boarding means that you'll get on board the ship more quickly than other passengers, giving you more time on your first day to enjoy its offerings. If you always book seven-night sailings, you'll reach the Gold tier after three cruises. That's right, while the Gold tier requires 25 points, you can reach it after sailing three seven-night cruises. The Gold tier adds a single free drink that only can be ordered on the last night of a cruise (and only on cruises of five nights or longer). Gold level members also get a Gold VIFP pin on every sailing.

When you sail with Carnival, you’ll be given a Sail & Sign card. This is your room key, but it’s also the card that you’ll charge any onboard spends to, whether that’s drinks at the bar, or paying for something in the onboard stores. Such "forever status" is one of the great allures of cruise line frequent cruiser programs. Most airline frequent flyer programs, by contrast, require loyalty members to requalify for status each year. You earn one point for every day you cruise on a Carnival ship.

The welcome bonus is a decent offer, considering that the card has no annual fee, and you can make one small purchase (like a pack of gum) and get an easy $200. That said, given it’s free to join, there’s no real reason not to sign up. At the very least you can get a few freebies, while passengers that sail Carnival regularly can see some even bigger perks. There might be times where points don’t apply automatically or there might be cruises you took in the past that haven’t been added.