Will Other Cruise Lines Follow Carnival's Lead?

 Carnival's new reward program doesn't even start until June 1st of 2026 and it has been received so badly that people are canceling upcoming cruises. Socials are filled with angry "loyal" customers looking for answers. But John Herald even admitted on his Facebook page that the kinks aren't worked out. Some angry people have stooped to name calling and threats. That only makes things worse and never helps any situation.

But, would other cruise lines follow this new strategy? Yes and no, and not yet. 

Trust me, they are all watching closely and it's going to take at least a year (until when this plan starts) or even 2 to see if people really leave Carnival or accept it.

What could happen? Carnival ignores the haters and plows forward like they found the next best thing to sliced bread, OR they cave a little and tweak the plan to feel more like it actually cares for the title "loyalty". I am guessing the latter. 

Carnival should (needs to) find that sweet spot where the piss off less people. 

My first suggestion is to understand the spending limits of their base first. It's Carnival, not Cunard. And adjust those points accordingly. The gap between gold, platinum, and Diamond is way to wide for the average avid Carnival cruiser. Key here is avid. The average does not cruise 2 to times a year, but the avid does. Make people want to cruise more not leave the brand. 

Second, use new names for the reward program.  Something like Captain, Commander, Admiral or whatever? The card can have a logo or not being crew can tell once swiped if you meet a reward level. And keeping the current VFIP colors is a slap in the face. 

Third, don't retire VFIP. Turn it into just a status for sign and sail card color. No perks, just a lifetime thank you for being loyal to the brand.


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