There’s nothing like sailing away and enjoying a day at sea under the sun, watching the waves go by and heading toward a waiting port filled with fun and excursions. And if you happened to have paid for some or all of the sailing with points, it’s that much sweeter.
Carnival actually just made it easier to get that much closer to your next sailing with the launch of the all-new Carnival Rewards™ Mastercard®.
The card is launching with a limited-time offer of 50,000 bonus Carnival Rewards Points after spending $1,000 in the first 90 days* and lets you earn points on your everyday spending directly into the Carnival Rewards program. That means it is easier than ever to redeem points for things like your next onboard cocktail, excursion, spa treatment or even an entire cruise.
Additionally, for the first time ever, spending on a Carnival Rewards Mastercard will also earn you Status Qualifying Stars toward status in the Carnival Rewards program. That’s a first, not just for Carnival, but across the cruise industry.
Plus, you’ll also get special financing for six months on Carnival bookings that you put on your Carnival Rewards Mastercard.
Here’s how it all works.
Basics of the new Carnival Rewards program
There are now two currencies to understand in the new Carnival Rewards program: points and stars.
Points are the redeemable currency. Think of them like airline frequent flyer miles. You can earn them on eligible Carnival spending and with the Carnival Rewards Mastercard, then redeem them toward everything from spa treatments and excursions to the cruise itself.
Stars work differently. Rather than redeeming them, stars are how you qualify for Carnival’s status tiers and their associated perks.
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Carnival Rewards members earn 3 stars per dollar on eligible Carnival purchases, while cardmembers can earn an additional 1 star per dollar spent on the Carnival Rewards Mastercard, both on cruises and everyday purchases.
How to earn and use Carnival Rewards points
You can now earn Carnival Rewards points both on Carnival cruises and when using the Carnival Rewards Mastercard.
- All Carnival Rewards members earn 3 points per dollar on Carnival cruises
- Carnival Rewards Mastercard cardmembers earn an additional 3 points per dollar on eligible Carnival cruises, for a total of 6 points per dollar
- Carnival Rewards Mastercard cardmembers also earn 2 points per dollar at eligible restaurants and grocery stores and 1 point per dollar on all other purchases
And with the card’s welcome offer, you can also earn 50,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on your card in the first 90 days, giving you a great jump start to lots of redemption options.
So what can you get with all those Carnival Rewards points?
That’s where the fun part comes in. Want an onboard frozen pina colada? That’s 1,357 Carnival Rewards points. Or how about an onboard Teppanyaki dinner? It’ll only cost you 2,400 points per person. (Redemption values are as of the writing of this review but subject to change.)
Are you thinking something more adventurous, like a stingray beach encounter? That’s also just 2,400 points.
Or go bigger: A three-night Bahamas cruise starts at 13,499 points for two, plus taxes and fees.
In other words, the limited-time bonus of 50,000 points can actually go a pretty long way.
Based on the sample redemptions given, Carnival Rewards points delivered roughly 1 to 2 cents per point in value, though the exact value will vary depending on how you redeem them.**
**Point values accurate at the time of writing.
What makes the Carnival Rewards Mastercard stand out
It’s not just the points you can redeem that make the Carnival Rewards Mastercard interesting; it’s also that it earns Status Qualifying Stars.
It’s the first cruise credit card to offer cardmembers the option to earn points and status just by using the card for everyday spending.
You’ll earn one Status Qualifying Star and at least one redeemable point per dollar spent. That means every time you use your card, you’re one step closer to your next points redemption and even unlocking perks like complimentary beverages and early check-in times with your next status tier.
On top of that, you can get 2,500 bonus points every anniversary year you have the Carnival Rewards Mastercard after spending $2,000 on purchases.
Earning Carnival status while not cruising
The revamped Carnival Rewards program makes earning and using points very easy. You can use as few as 1 point toward booking a cruise, redeem your points for onboard meals or drinks, or even cover an excursion.
But it is also pretty exciting to see Carnival follow a model that many at TPG already know and love from airline loyalty programs, where loyalty isn’t something that you only earn when you are on a trip.
You can now make progress toward Carnival’s Gold, Platinum and Diamond status levels while you’re using the card at the grocery store, dining out or stocking up on your favorite cruise essentials.
Gold status requires 10,000 Stars. Since the Carnival Rewards Mastercard earns 1 Star per dollar spent, you can make progress toward that threshold even when you’re not on a ship. If you earned all 10,000 Stars through card spending during the initial roughly two-year qualification period, that would work out to an average of about $5,000 in card spending per year.
Then the perks really start to ramp up at the Platinum level with goodies such as preferred dining time, two complimentary beverages and priority embarkation and debarkation, which are actually pretty great perks that help you get to the fun that much faster.
| Status | Stars required | Example perks |
|---|---|---|
Entry level | Complimentary bottle of water | |
10,000 Stars | Complimentary 1.5L bottle of water; complimentary beverage on cruises of 5+ days | |
50,000 Stars | Preferred dining time; two complimentary beverages; complimentary wash and fold; priority embarkation and debarkation | |
100,000 Stars | Guaranteed Main Dining time; dedicated Diamond member support; special event invitation from the Captain |
You have two years to earn status (from the program’s launch in Sept. 2026 until Dec. 31, 2028) and then two years to enjoy the perks while you are making progress toward the next two years’ worth of status.
Those who had Fun Points in the previous Carnival Mastercard program will have those converted into Carnival Rewards points.
Bottom line
Your next Carnival cruise may only last seven days, but you can now still easily spend your days back at home on land, racking up Carnival Rewards points and Stars.
The new program really takes rewards earning beyond just the time you are at sea and was built with the Carnival Rewards Mastercard in mind. This means the card can now play a pretty major role in not only how you earn points to use on your next Carnival cruise, but also the Stars that can help you unlock that next status level in the program, too.
This is a pretty big step for a cruise loyalty program and one that will help some Carnival cruisers unlock more rewards and perks on their future cruises.
The Carnival Rewards Mastercard is issued by Barclays Bank Delaware pursuant to a license from Mastercard International Incorporated. Mastercard, World Mastercard, World Elite Mastercard, and the circles design are registered trademarks of Mastercard International Incorporated.
Learn more about the Carnival Rewards Mastercard. Terms apply.
*Offer ends Dec. 30, 2026.