Carnival Cruise Line Quietly Cuts Loyalty Benefits Again—What This Means for VIFP Members

Carnival Cruise Line has once again trimmed loyalty perks for its most devoted guests. This time, passengers aboard the Carnival Miracle’s first summer sailing from Dover, UK, were hit with a last-minute email stripping away several key benefits traditionally offered to Diamond and Platinum members of the Very Important Fun Person (VIFP) Club.

Among the removed perks: priority embarkation and debarkation at all ports, as well as dining room seating guarantees for Diamond guests. Carnival cited an unusually high number of elite-tier guests onboard as the reason. However, this isn’t an isolated incident. Similar benefit rollbacks have recently appeared on extended cruises, including Panama Canal transits, Greenland routes, and Hawaiian itineraries.

While some core VIFP benefits—like complimentary laundry service, welcome gifts, collectible pins, and reunion parties—remain intact, many long-time cruisers are beginning to question the value of their loyalty. The irony isn’t lost on them: the very voyages designed to reward loyal guests are now the ones where benefits are being reduced.

Speculation is mounting that these changes are part of a broader plan. Carnival has hinted at a full loyalty program overhaul by 2026, potentially moving to a spend-based rewards system and even introducing new elite tiers. These shifts could mean that premium benefits like priority boarding will become conditional—offered only on shorter or less crowded cruises, or reserved for high-spending guests.

For travelers who have invested years and thousands of dollars earning their elite status, the changes feel like a breach of trust. While Carnival says it’s about “operational consistency,” many believe it’s a cost-cutting measure that risks alienating the brand’s most loyal supporters.

With more updates expected later this summer, one thing is clear: Carnival’s loyalty landscape is changing—and not everyone is on board.