Is Carnival VIFP worth it?

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.



That’s an excellent question, and the answer is a classic “it depends.” The Carnival VIFP (Very Important Fun Person) Club is their free, tiered loyalty program. Whether it’s “worth it” depends entirely on your cruising habits and what you value.

Here’s a breakdown to help you decide.

The Tiers & How You Earn Status

You earn points primarily by sailing days (1 point per night). Status is for life, but you only get the benefits when you sail. Blue: Everyone starts here after first cruise. Basic benefits. Red (10+ points): First milestone. Adds a few perks. Gold (25+ points): The most common “regular cruiser” tier. Platinum (75+ points): This is where the benefits become noticeably valuable. Diamond (200+ points): Top tier with the best perks.

Key Benefits by Tier (What Makes It “Worth It”)

Blue & Red: Not much beyond a past guest rate, a member-only offer email, and a free drink voucher on your cruise if you book during certain promotions.

Gold (25+ points): Priority check-in (saves time at the terminal). A complimentary beverage (water, soda, or juice) on embarkation day. A special Gold pin and VIFP party invitation. Verdict: Nice-to-haves, but not game-changers.

Platinum (75+ points - ~8 cruises): This is the first tier where many feel the program becomes truly “worth it

People Also Ask

Whether the drink package is worth it on Carnival depends on how much alcohol you plan to drink — and which kind. Are you more of a beer drinker, or are you into wine, spirits and cocktails? Beer is generally cheaper, so it would take more drinks per day to add up to the daily value of the Cheers package.

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On every ship, there's a flyer at the casino host desk and at the cashier that shows the points required to earn discounts and free cruises. On a typical cruise recently, 800 points might earn you a free cruise on a very limited selection of cruises while 1,500 will get you access to a much longer list.

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On a Carnival cruise, you should bring around $100 cash per person for each day in port and nothing for the sea days. Obviously, peoples spending habits vary a lot but this is a good guide for first-time cruisers and should mean that you have around the right amount of cash with you.

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Enjoy the ease and convenience of paying one flat price for thirst-quenching fountain soda and juice all cruise long! Prices* are per day - an 18% gratuity will automatically be added at time of purchase of the program.

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In our buffet restaurant, special drinks dispensers provide you with coffee, tea, hot chocolate, lemonade and ice tea around the clock and free of charge. In addition, you can book beverage packages for the entire duration of the cruise on the day of embarkation.

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No sharing is permitted. Program allows for up to 15 alcoholic drinks per 24 hour period (9AM - 3AM). Once you have consumed your 15 drinks, you cannot purchase any additional alcoholic beverages.

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Carnival offers comprehensive benefits including health and wellness, paid time off, financial benefits, and employee perks based on your position at Carnival. The top perks of working at Carnival include free company cruises along with discounts to better understand the business.

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CHEERS! INCLUDES:
  • All spirits (including cocktails), as well as beer and wine by the glass with a $20.00 or lower menu price.
  • Sodas, Zero-Proof frozen cocktails, energy drinks, specialty coffee, hot tea, 500ml bottled water and other non-alcoholic bottled beverages.


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Upgrades are automatically assigned at the time of booking and are based on availability in like to like categories only (interior to interior, ocean view to ocean view and balcony to balcony). Free room location upgrade is not available on upper/lower, obstructed, and cove categories.

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Save 10% by purchasing before you sail. Cut-off for pre-purchase is 11:59 PM the day before embarkation and 9:00pm EST through call center. Additional restrictions apply, see below. CHEERS!

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Technically, on the all-inclusive lines, you could go the entire trip without opening your wallet at all! Spending anything after embarkation is up to you, as the only things not included on any cruise line would be shopping, souvenirs, spa treatments and casino gambling.

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The answer to this question varies a lot by person, their travel habits, spending preferences, length of the cruise and destination. Many people suggest $100 per day, and this has generally worked well for me in my cruising experiences, but there are a lot of variables to consider.

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On most cruise lines, sodas, specialty coffee and alcoholic beverages are an additional charge, as are certain food/drink choices. Most lines offer drink packages of various types, and some offer “all-inclusive” fares.

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