Carnival cruise passengers are fuming over another ‘money grab'
One of the biggest complaints Carnival passengers have about its recently announced Carnival Rewards loyalty program is that it appears to be designed to reward passengers for spending more than sailing.
Replacing the cruise line's current VIFP Club loyalty program that rewards passengers simply for the amount of time they spend at sea, the new loyalty program rolling out in June 2026 will work more like airline rewards programs.In a first-of-its-kind move for the cruise industry, Carnival Rewards will link status to spending, rewarding passengers more for higher spending than for the time they spend sailing with the cruise line.
Many passengers have called it a 'money grab,' insisting that Carnival has turned its back on true loyalty in favor of higher profits.
Although Carnival had a valid reason for changing up its loyalty program, the cruise line seems to have gone too far by turning the program on its head.
With the current VIFP Club program, Carnival learned the hard way that a program based solely on frequency isn't sustainable long term as they struggled to properly reward the huge number of passengers who earned top-tier status in recent years.
Now, the cruise line is also learning that its passengers won't back down easily from a fight when they feel betrayed.
The new loyalty program has made some passengers hyperaware of other new steps the cruise line is making to boost profits at the expense of passengers — like not allowing passengers to use their drink packages at its new exclusive destination in The Bahamas, Celebration Key.Carnival cruise passengers question Celebration Key drink policy
Some Carnival passengers booked on summer cruises to Celebration Key, which opens July 19, have recently expressed frustration that Carnival has decided not to allow passengers to use their Cheers and Bubbles beverage packages at Celebration Key.
'Please explain to everyone why the drink package isn't valid on the island? We've already paid for our drinks,' Andrew Wood commented on one of Carnival Brand Ambassador John Heald's recent posts about Celebration Key.
For many passengers, Celebration Key seems equivalent to Royal Caribbean's private island, Perfect Day at CocoCay, or Norwegian's Great Stirrup Cay, where drink packages are valid.Carnival is using a technicality to justify charging extra for beverages on Celebration Key.
'This is not an island. It's part of the Grand Bahama and in the same as Grand Turk and Cozumel and other places that you go with our ships, the Cheers program is not part of those locations and it's not part of this one,' Heald explained.
The brand ambassador suggested walking back to the ship to use your drink package as an alternative to buying drinks separately at Celebration Key.Carnival passengers say Celebration Key beverage policy is another 'money grab'
For Wood and other passengers, the island technicality isn't a good excuse. The fact that Carnival passengers can pay for drinks and other items with their onboard Sail & Sign accounts shows that Carnival could honor drink packages at Celebration Key, if the cruise line wanted to do so.
'It should have Cheers included. What a cop out explanation. If your Sail and Sign card is good there, the Cheers program should be good there too. More money grabbing like the new rewards (not) program. Cast the people aside who made Carnival the most popular cruise line,' David Tuthill replied.For many Carnival passengers, it looks like the cruise line has simply found a way to charge passengers again for drinks that they already paid for with the Cheers and Bubbles beverage packages.
'They are still selling alcohol in Carnival-owned venues. Carnival is receiving the money for the food and drinks purchased. None of the other cruise lines own the island their private area is on and they are all on a Bahamian owned island, yet the pre-paid drink packages work on the private 'island.' Carnival is simply double dipping,' Carol Lee added.
(The Arena Group will earn a commission if you book a cruise.)
, or email Amy Post at or call or text her at 386-383-2472.
This story was originally reported by TravelHost on Jul 11, 2025, where it first appeared.
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