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The new Mardi Gras and Carnival Celebration each have 180 suites — more than twice the number of Carnival's other recent ships. The arrival of Mardi Gras and Carnival Celebration over the past two years has marked a major turning point for the line. At around 180,000 tons, they rank at No. 15 and No. 13, respectively, among the world's largest cruise ships — the only Carnival ships to crack the Top 20. One more ship in the series — Carnival Jubilee — will arrive in December 2023. However, for many years it chose not to follow rivals such as Royal Caribbean and MSC Cruises in building ever-bigger ships. Mardi Gras and Carnival Celebration are now the only Carnival ship on the list of the 50 biggest cruise ships.
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In short, once you're at the Platinum level, you'll suddenly find yourself bumped to the front of the line from the moment you arrive at a ship until the moment you leave. Priority boarding means you'll get on the ship more quickly than other passengers, giving you more time on your first day to enjoy its offerings. Priority access to restaurant reservations means you'll get the best table times. With higher status, a passenger earns perks and rewards, including everything from special fares to freebies on the ship to expedited boarding and much more.
Is Carnival’s VIFP Club Worth Joining?
Here is TPG's guide to the cruise line loyalty programs at 10 of the most popular cruise brands, with an overview of their main attributes. For more detailed information on each of the programs, click on the links in the text below that will take you to our main loyalty guide for each of the brands. Cruise line loyalty programs are typically about “what’s in it for me? ” but Diamond cruisers on Carnival can help others just by cruising. The benefits are generous once you reach the Diamond level (200 cruise days or more). One of the most unique perks is a $100 donation made in your name to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
Next Norwegian Ship Will Sail with New Restaurants
Carnival also uses its big theaters for lots of interactive shows that involve you, the passenger, getting a little silly. They include Lip Sync Battle Carnival — a shipboard adaptation of the Paramount Network TV series — and Hasbro, the Game Show. Every Carnival ship has one big theater where you'll often find flashy, fast-paced production shows that string together a medley of loosely related tunes.
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While it doesn't offer as many perks as other cruise line loyalty programs, Castaway Club does offer special member booking offers, merchandise discounts and in-cabin amenities. Enrollment is automatic, following your first completed cruise. The best part of the VIFP Club is that it's free to join, and even first-time Carnival cruisers reap some rewards. Benefits start with a free bottle of water and progress to include priority check-in, boarding, debarkation, tender boarding, and restaurant and spa reservations. Azamara's Le Club Voyage is a five-tier cruise loyalty program, in which past passengers earn points based on prior cruise length and cabin category. Members earn points for each cruise night sailed, with inside cabins starting at two points per night.
7 things I liked better about Royal Caribbean cruises than Carnival - Royal Caribbean Blog
7 things I liked better about Royal Caribbean cruises than Carnival.
Posted: Fri, 15 Dec 2023 08:00:00 GMT [source]
From there, each status level comes with more benefits for your cruise. All guests who take their first cruise with Carnival Cruise Line are enrolled at the Blue level. However, it’s advisable for members to create an online account on the Carnival Cruise Line website to manage their VIFP Club membership and stay informed about their benefits. With VIFP Club, you don’t need to worry about different earning levels, cabin categories, or different types of booking.
VIFP Club members keep their points at the end of each year and continue to accrue points indefinitely. That means that someone who hits Diamond status will remain at that top tier level forever (or until Carnival makes a change to the program). It should be noted, however, that counting days is a distinct improvement over Carnival’s former policy, which counted cruises only. Yacht Club members at all four tiers get a 5% discount on fares when booking a cruise. That's a great perk, as it amounts to real money in your pocket. But it gets even better if you book a cruise while on board a Windstar ship or within 60 days of departing one.
Diamond Plus status also brings a 50% reduction in the single-supplement charge for solo travelers — albeit only after your points total in the program hits 340 points. If you're a solo traveler, this is a big deal, as it will save you considerable money when sailing Royal Caribbean. Once you reach Diamond Plus, you'll get all the aforementioned benefits plus priority access and seating at main theater shows, ice shows and AquaTheater events, which is a great perk. For more details on Princess's Captain's Circle, including a full list of benefits at every tier, see TPG's ultimate guide to Princess Cruises' Captain's Circle program. For more details on Norwegian's Latitudes Rewards program, including a full list of benefits at every tier, see TPG's ultimate guide to Norwegian Cruise Line's Latitudes Rewards program.
What If I Reach a New Status During a Cruise?
You cannot combine this discount with promotions available on board, and it is not available for spending on tobacco products and electronics. That prompts us to downgrade the value of this perk considerably. Note that every person in your cabin will earn points for the cruise based on the chart above.
In today’s live stream, Heald shared that we would see a new program before the end of the year. What is the difference between Past Guest and the VIFP Club membership? However, membership in the VIFP Club provides for additional valuable benefits. Even if you’ve never cruised with Carnival before, join the club today — the benefits begin today. The Platinum level of the VIFP Club is where your loyalty to Carnival finally starts paying off.
In general, Carnival ships are among the most affordable at sea. It's not uncommon to find Carnival voyages to the Caribbean, Bahamas or Mexico starting well under $100 per person, per night including all taxes and fees — at least in the offseason. In other words, if you are sailing seven-night cruises, you will be Gold level on your fourth sailing, as you will be passing the 25-day mark on that sailing. All vessels operate on a "cashless system," with any onboard purchases you make posting automatically to your onboard account. You'll receive a Sail & Sign card that you can use to make charges.
Extra points are also offered to suite or Haven bookings, sailings booked nine or more months in advance and trips booked using a Latitudes offer. Cruise loyalty programs are the ocean equivalent of airline frequent flyer programs, where repeated business earns loyal customers extra perks and rewards. Enrollment is generally free, and perks can include booking discounts, members-only events, free Internet and complimentary dining at specialty restaurants. The Peninsular Club is P&O's six-tiered cruise loyalty program for past passengers. Structured on a point system, cruisers are eligible for membership once they've accumulated 150 points, where each cruise night on P&O counts for 10 points. Member perks include discounts on cruise bookings and onboard purchases, exclusive member events and complimentary drinks and services.
For example, in today’s program there is very little to differentiate between Platinum and Diamond Tiers. Then, once you get to the top tier, there’s not a lot of incentive to keep you coming back. Sure, the free laundry is definitely a nice perk, but take a look at some of the top-tier benefits on the other cruise lines and you’ll begin to see why people are looking for change. We definitely appreciate the free cabin upgrade (or third-and-fourth passengers sail free offer) that comes with first reaching Diamond status, although we're disappointed this is a one-time-only benefit.
Specifically, you can make reservations for newly announced itineraries four days before the general public. You can also book activities up to 123 days in advance of sailing. Being loyal to Celebrity really starts paying off when you reach the Elite and Elite Plus levels. When staying in the most basic cabins, such as windowless "inside" cabins, you'll earn 2 points for each day you sail. When staying in a top suite, you can earn as many as 18 to 24 points per day.
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