Another Carnival Cruise Loses Loyalty Benefits – How Many More?
In the past few years, it has become commonplace for the most loyal of Carnival cruise guests to lose some of their most coveted loyalty benefits on unique cruises and longer sailings.
Such is now the case with the recently refreshed Carnival Miracle on her first departure from Dover, UK. Booked guests have now received a benefits update notification alerting them to the loss of multiple benefits for the 12-night cruise.
The sailing, a Carnival Journeys cruise, is the ship’s first departure during her summer homeporting from Dover. The Iceland and British Isles itinerary includes calls to outstanding ports such as Belfast, Seydisfjordur, Reykjavik, Kirkwall, and more.
Unfortunately, some of the most desirable Platinum and Diamond Very Important Fun Person (VIFP) benefits will not be available.
“Due to the high number of Diamond and Platinum guests joining us on this voyage, we will not be able to provide priority embarkation or debarkation (including at any of the ports of call),” the email stated.
These priority guests are still welcome to drop off their carry-on bags as soon as they board (but not to remain in their staterooms!), but the priority embarkation and debarkation are not the only benefits they are losing.
“Related to Diamond guests, due to capacity limitations, we cannot guarantee main dining room seating requests for dinner,” the email continued.
It is common for hundreds of high-tier priority guests to be aboard Carnival Journeys itineraries, especially such unique options. For example, while Carnival Miracle will be homeporting from Dover through early August, the ship is only offering two of these Iceland cruises over the next three months.
“These operational changes are consistent with other cruises where we have a very large number of Diamond and Platinum guests,” the email noted. “We apologize for any disappointment and thank you for your understanding.”
Different sailings that have lost high-level VIFP benefits include seasonal sailings to Greenland, the occasional cruise from Long Beach to Hawaii, Panama Canal transits, and transatlantic cruises, among others.
Other benefits, such as complimentary wash-and-fold laundry, welcome treats, logo gifts, reunion parties, and the collectible VIFP pins remain intact.
Will the Benefits Be Removed Entirely?
It is almost comically frustrating that the very benefits many loyal cruisers enjoy the most are those to be removed for the sailings most attractive to those loyal guests.
That frustration may be nearly at an end, however. John Heald, Carnival Cruise Line’s brand ambassador, recently announced that changes to the VIFP program are underway.
While no details have yet been announced, the changes are planned to be confirmed this summer. Full implementation of the new program is likely in January 2026.
Speculation has been high that new tiers may be introduced to the program, but it is anyone’s guess as to how they could be structured or what benefits may apply to which new tiers.
Read Also: Loyalty Programs – Should You Stay Loyal to One Cruise Line?
It is possible that some of these oft-removed benefits might become more restricted in the new program. For example, priority embarkation and debarkation might apply only to shorter cruises and be removed entirely from longer sailings.
It is also possible that the benefits might be moved to higher tiers, so fewer guests would qualify for each perk and the benefits could be kept intact even on the most popular cruises.
Of course, as cruise vacations continue to be phenomenally popular even more guests will reach higher loyalty levels, and these same problems might resurface again in a few years.
Another Carnival Cruise Loses Loyalty Benefits – How Many More?