Carnival to Introduce New Cruise Card Design; Updated Milestone Program

Carnival to Introduce New Cruise Card Design; Updated Milestone Program

Carnival Cruise Line is introducing a new design for its Sail & Sign cards, as well as a new milestone recognition system as part of the new Carnival Rewards loyalty program.

In a recent interview with the company’s Brand Ambassador John Heald, President Christine Duffy detailed the changes.

“We know how important it is to recognize our guests’ loyalty, and I’m excited to share that in the new program we are actually changing the way we count milestones,” she explained.

Instead of taking into consideration the number of cruises each guest has taken, the new system will be based on the number of days spent onboard.

“For people who tend to take longer cruises, it used to take them just as long as someone who has taken shorter cruises to get to the milestones,” Duffy added.

“With the new program, passengers will be able to achieve milestones faster using days sailed rather than just counting individual cruises,” she continued.

Once a guest opts in for the new program, past cruises will be converted into days, she added, noting that rewards for milestones also changed.

Passengers will receive 5,000 Carnival Rewards points once they achieve 50 days sailed with the company.

The program also offers 10,000 points for guests who reach 100 days onboard, as well as an additional 10,000 points when reaching 500 days sailed.

Carnival is also offering onboard recognitions, commemorative coins, onboard credit, and other rewards.

After the initial milestones, passengers will receive an additional 10,000 points every time they add another 100 days to their count.

As part of the changes, the company is also introducing redesigned Sail & Sign cards, which will now include the number of days passengers have sailed with Carnival.

With a vertical design, the new cards will also feature the Carnival Rewards logo, in addition to different colors for each of the program’s tiers.

Duffy also explained that passengers who are part of the company’s current loyalty program have until the end of 2030 to take advantage of unused benefits.

“They’ll still have to opt in to the new program; their number of total days will show on the card, and then they can work towards the new milestone on the new program,” she said.

First introduced by the company in mid-2025, the Carnival Rewards is set to take effect in September 2026.

The new system replaces the VIFP Club, which has been in use since 2012, and is a point-based reward loyalty program.

Duffy highlighted the new system, noting that the new points can be redeemed for “almost anything onboard,” from shore excursions to spa treatments, specialty dining and beverage packages.

Passengers can also earn points at the company’s private destinations of Celebration Key and RelaxAway at Half Moon Cay.

Users of the company’s Mastercard credit card earn points with everyday spending as well, Duffy added.

Carnival Vista Becomes First Ship to Arrive in Celebration Key

Carnival Vista Becomes First Ship to Arrive in Celebration Key

The Carnival Vista arrived in Celebration Key on Saturday morning, July 19, becoming the first cruise ship to visit Carnival’s new private island destination in Grand Bahama.

The 4,000-guest vessel docked at the new port as part of an eight-night cruise that sailed from Port Canaveral on July 12, 2025.

To mark the debut of the new private destination, Carnival held an opening ceremony attended by local authorities, travel advisors, media and partners, as well as Carnival Vista’s officers and guests.

Also present were Carnival Cruise Line’s President Cristine Duffy, who was joined by Carnival Corporation’s CEO Josh Weinstein and other members of the company’s global executive leadership team, as well as its global port destination development team led by Chief Maritime Officer Lars Loen.

“You can imagine the resources and support that it took to bring this property to life,” Duffy said, noting that the project was completed on time and on budget.

Duffy highlighted team support from both Carnival and Carnival Corporation, as well as the features of the $600 million destination, which will see further investments in the future.

Now officially opened, Celebration Key is set to welcome 20 Carnival ships sailing from 20 homeports in the United States.

The port of call was designed to host two of the company’s large ships simultaneously (and soon four) and will be able to welcome Carnival’s new Ace Class ships starting in 2029.

One million guests are expected to visit Celebration Key in 2025, Duffy said, adding that the destination will serve as an economic asset for the island of Grand Bahama.

“All of us at Carnival are proud to have hired over 1,200 Bahamians to help build and now operate Celebration Key,” she said.

Features of the private destination include the largest freshwater lagoon in the Caribbean, the largest sandcastle in the world, as well as beach clubs, bars, restaurants, and waterslides.

Carnival Salutes America’s 250th on 10 Sailings

Carnival Salutes America’s 250th on 10 Sailings

Carnival Cruise Line has unveiled details about 10 sailings for 2026 that will commemorate America’s 250th birthday.

The sailings comprise ship meetups and unique patriotic experiences, the line announced in a press release.

The cruises include itineraries ranging from three to eight days. They will sail from six homeports: Miami, Port Canaveral, Jacksonville, New York City, Long Beach, and San Francisco.

On July 4, 2026, America’s 250th birthday, seven ships sailing from east coast homeports will meet up near Celebration Key for a celebration at sea, while three ships will unite off the west coast near Ensenada.

During the meetups, each ship will host patriotic birthday-themed deck parties. The cruises will also feature patriotic entertainment and food and drink offerings.

“We’re America’s cruise line, and we’re commemorating this milestone in a big way! Uniting our ships will multiply the fun and make America’s 250th birthday even more memorable for guests who celebrate at sea,” said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line.

From the East Coast, guests can choose from short getaways that include sailings on the Carnival Conquest or the Carnival Glory, both departing on July 3, 2026. These will offer three-day escapes to Celebration Key at Grand Bahama from Miami and Port Canaveral respectively.

Departing July 2, 2026, the Carnival Sunrise will sail a four-day Bahamas cruise from Miami, and the Carnival Elation will sail to the Bahamas on a four-day cruise from Jacksonville.

Guests looking for a longer sailing can select a seven-day Eastern Caribbean cruise aboard the Carnival Celebration from Miami, departing on June 28, 2026. They will visit Celebration Key, Nassau, Amber Cove and Grand Turk.

An eight-day Eastern Caribbean sailing on Carnival Vista from Port Canaveral, departing on June 27, 2026 – calling at San Juan and St. Thomas – is also available.

For northeastern guests, the Carnival Venezia will leave New York City on July 1, 2026, for an eight-day cruise that visits Celebration Key, Nassau, and Half Moon Cay.

Guests can join the celebration from the West Coast with three cruise options departing from California.

On July 3, 2026, the Carnival Firenze will sail a three-day Baja Mexico cruise from Long Beach over the July 4th weekend, while the Carnival Luminosa sails a four-day option, departing July 2, 2026, from San Francisco. Each feature stops in Ensenada.

On June 30, 2026, the Carnival Radiance will sail a five-day Mexican Riviera cruise from Long Beach, visiting Cabo San Lucas and Ensenada. The three ships will also unite at sea on July 4, 2026.

Cruises Cancelled as Carnival Pride Heads to Drydock in 2026

Cruises Cancelled as Carnival Pride Heads to Drydock in 2026

Carnival Pride arriving into Liverpool, photo credit Spacejunkie2 Flickr

Carnival Cruise Line has cancelled three cruises onboard the Carnival Pride to accommodate a drydock in early 2026.

According to a statement sent to booked guests, the impacted sailings were set to depart from Baltimore between March 29 and April 12, 2026.

“In our continuous effort to enhance our product, Carnival Pride has now been scheduled for drydock and we’re sorry to inform you that your cruise has been cancelled,” Carnival Cruise Line said.

The cancelled cruises were set to sail to different ports of call in the Bahamas. Sailing for seven nights, the itineraries featured visits to Half Moon Cay, Nassau, Celebration Key and Princess Cays.

Carnival is offering passengers a series of alternatives, including the option to rebook another voyage.

Guests who choose to transfer their reservations will have their cruise rate protected when sailing on a comparable sailing in similar accommodations, the company said.

Carnival is also offering a $50 per person onboard credit (limited to $100 per stateroom) for passengers who choose to rebook their cruises.

For passengers who do not wish to reschedule, the company is offering a full refund of the paid cruise fare and any pre-purchased items.

According to Carnival, the amounts will be automatically returned to the guests’ original form of payment after May 28, 2024.

Following a winter program in Tampa, the Carnival Pride recently repositioned to the East Coast. Currently sailing from Norfolk, the 2001-built cruise ship offers seven- to 14-night cruises to the Bahamas, the Caribbean and Greenland.