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For instance, higher-tiered members receive attractive discounts on spa treatments, internet packages, and shore excursions. You get a complimentary cabin upgrade or the offer of free sailing for third and fourth passengers that come with achieving Diamond status. Your Sail & Sign card will now be diamond colored, and you’ll enjoy the best benefits and privileges available to VIFP Club members. Finally, when you’ve spent 200 or more days at sea with Carnival, you’ll reach the highest tier – Diamond.
Dramatic: Carnival Ship Suffers Fire at Sea (See the Video)
At 111,000 tons, the Conquest-class ships (and Carnival Splendor, noted above) are about 20% smaller than the newer Vista-class and Dream-class ships. All of these ships hold about 4,000 passengers each, based on double occupancy. There's also a smorgasbord of restaurants, bars and lounges on all of the vessels. As mentioned above, Carnival's ships can be broken down into eight distinct groups or classes.
VIFP Club Levels and Benefits
Carnival has been rolling out faster Wi-Fi systems across its fleet in the last couple of years, such that you can now stream video on some ships. Pricing changes over time, but the fastest "premium" service on Carnival vessels was recently priced at $21.25 per day when bought in advance ($25 per day when bought onboard). Unlike some cruise lines, the type of cabin you book does not play into how many VIFP points you receive; it’s one per night whether you’re staying in an interior stateroom or a massive suite. Similarly, the cost of your Carnival cruise does not impact the number of points earned.
Carnival Cruise Line VIFP tiers
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. They are roughly 35% bigger than the line's next-biggest ship. 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. Carnival is one of the world's biggest cruise lines by passenger capacity, with 25 ships that together offer nearly 80,000 berths.
Will other Carnival Corporation cruise lines honor my VIFP status if I sail with them?
Over the past two years, Carnival has begun operating its first two truly giant ships in years — the 181,808-ton, 5,282-passenger Mardi Gras and the 183,521-ton Carnival Celebration. Typically points are automatically applied to your account within 14 points of the end of the trip. The most common and reliable way to earn by far, however, is to sail on the cruise line. Be prepared to share your documentation and be patient, as it might take some time for the team to update your account and allocate the appropriate points. You earn VIFP Points for all qualifying Carnival cruises from March 9, 1972, onwards. Non-qualifying cruises include charter cruises and non-revenue cruises.
Diamond Tier – 200 Days or More At Sea
The social and value plans cost $18 and $23 per day, respectively, when bought onboard a ship. A few other forms of identification, such as a passport card, also are acceptable. Carnival claims to draw more children than any other cruise line.
This can be a huge plus for travelers who like to have a lot of options when vacationing. For many years, Carnival steered clear of the big ship trends in the industry. Executives thought the ever-bigger vessels being deployed by such lines as Royal Caribbean and MSC Cruises were too big to make for an enjoyable cruise experience. Instead, Carnival usually takes an incremental approach to design changes for its new classes of ships. You'll find a lot in common between the Vista class and Dream class, for instance.
The entry-level tier is Blue, and this is where you'll remain until after you've completed your first Carnival cruise, whether it's 3-nights or 7-nights. Following the Blue level is Red, which is where you'll remain until you accrue 24 points. Gold Members have between 25 and 74 points, while Platinum Members have between 75 and 199. So loyal, perhaps, that the line hasn't felt the need to offer up crazy-lucrative loyalty program perks to keep them coming back. To put this into perspective, in order to reach Platinum you need to book 11 week-long cruises with Carnival, which is quite a lot for most people.
The oldest Fantasy Class vessels have 28 suites and 26 junior suites. For the most part, Carnival ships sail relatively short voyages of three to eight nights. Carnival's biggest operations are out of PortMiami and Port Canaveral in Florida; Galveston, Texas; Long Beach, California; and New Orleans — all major cruise hubs. You'll also find Carnival ships in such secondary cruise ship ports as Baltimore; Charleston, South Carolina; Mobile, Alabama; and Jacksonville, Florida.
A Carnival passenger taking seven-night cruises will hit the Platinum level during their 11th sailing. Sail a few longer voyages, like a transatlantic sailing, and you could reach it even sooner. 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.
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If you’ve found that a past cruise with Carnival is not reflected in your VIFP Club account, don’t worry. Therefore, longer cruises or frequent shorter getaways will both contribute to your VIFP status and bring you closer to unlocking more amazing deals and perks. Even as a newbie, it’s nice to know that you’re recognized from your very first sailing. Your VIFP status will advance on your next cruise after reaching the required number of points.
One of the nice little surprises of Carnival's loyalty program is that you hit the first tier level, Blue, the moment you walk on board your first cruise with the brand. Unlike many lines, you don't have to complete a cruise to get to the first level. In fact, you can get to the Blue tier even before taking a cruise. The VIFP Club is completely free to join – you won’t be charged for being a member at any stage.
Please note that ‘debarkation day’ is not considered a ‘cruise day’, therefore, points are not earned for that day. Carnival Cruise Line’s VIFP Club—or Very Important Fun Person Club—is their exclusive loyalty program designed to reward you, for each time you set sail. The loyalty club offers exclusive perks for Carnival passengers, including coveted Diamond level benefits like priority water shuttle boarding and a complimentary dinner at a specialty restaurant.
Even when you take a few years between cruises, you’ll keep the same points balance and status level. 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 that you'll get on board 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.
Other than these two ships, Carnival's biggest vessel is the 4,090-passenger Carnival Venezia, which measures just 135,225 tons. That's about 40% smaller than the biggest ships operated by Royal Caribbean. In general, Carnival ships are large but, aside from two exceptions, they're not giants by today's standards.
As a first-time Carnival cruiser, you will receive a blue Sail & Sign card, automatically registering you in the VIFP Club program. As you cruise with Carnival and accumulate vacation days, you’ll advance through their VIFP Club and earn corresponding card colors. Wondering about the color-coded Sail & Sign cards and perks of the VIFP Club on your Carnival Cruise? From Blue to Diamond, each tier represents a new level of benefits and rewards. 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.
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