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Author: Rebecca Nagrant | Director of Research & Insights
The End of a Simple Formula
For decades, cruise loyalty programs followed one simple path: sail more, climb to higher tiers, and keep your status for life. In 2026, cruise lines are rewriting their programs to open new routes to status through spending, shorten how long status lasts, and lean heavily on co-branded credit cards to keep guests engaged between voyages.
Carnival’s Overhaul
Carnival made a dramatic move last month by overhauling its VIFP Club, which had been in place since 2012. With the new Carnival Rewards Program, status is no longer based on nights sailed. Instead, guests earn 3 Status Qualifying Stars for every $1 spent on eligible Carnival purchases.
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The Revamped Carnival Credit Card
The Carnival credit card now sits at the center of Carnival’s strategy. The Barclays-issued card has been rebranded as the Carnival Rewards Mastercard. It carries no annual fee, lets cardholders earn up to 6x points on Carnival purchases, and offers a 2,500-point bonus each anniversary year after $2,000 in spending. These changes send a clear message to customers that its co-brand card is now the fastest route to higher status. Another big change with the roll-out was the elimination of lifetime elite status. Members must now requalify every two years to maintain their earned level.
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Royal Caribbean’s New Cards and Tri-Brand Points
Like Carnival, Royal Caribbean put a renewed emphasis on its co-brand credit cards and loyalty program earlier this year. The former Royal Caribbean Visa Signature was replaced with two Royal ONE credit cards, issued by Bank of America. The no-fee Royal ONE card earns 3x points on purchases with Royal Caribbean Group brands. Royal ONE Plus, which costs $99 a year, earns 4x points with Royal Caribbean Group brands and adds perks such as priority suite boarding and credit toward TSA PreCheck or Global Entry.
However, unlike Carnival’s newer approach where card points count toward loyalty status, Royal ONE spending does not. Instead, Royal Caribbean Group launched Points Choice which lets members spend loyalty points across its three brands: Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises, and Silversea. The tri-brand design, a first for the industry, rewards guests who sail across the group and offers them a more flexible way to gain status with their preferred program across the brands.
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Higher Ceilings and New Tiers Across the Group
Royal Caribbean Group also refreshed loyalty programs across two of its brands. In June of this year, Celebrity raised the ceiling for its most loyal guests. Its Captain’s Club added new milestone levels and two ultra-elite tiers, Double Zenith and Triple Zenith. The top tier includes a complimentary week-long suite sailing, the most generous perk in the group’s loyalty history.
A month later, Silversea enhanced its Venetian Society, launching two new early journey milestones at 15 VS Days and 50 VS Days. The brand also added new benefits to existing tiers including a $150 shipboard credit per member at 50 VS Days and complimentary premium Wi-Fi and priority embarkation at 250 VS Days, 350 VS Days, and 500 VS Days.
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What This Means for Cruisers
What ties these changes together is a shift in what loyalty is designed to reward. Programs that once rewarded time at sea now also reward spending, and status that once lasted indefinitely must be earned again. The rewards themselves are growing more generous, especially at the top tiers. Sailing still counts, but it is no longer the only path to the top. For cruisers, that means more ways to reach elite status, along with the need to stay active to keep it.
