Carnival shares cruise loyalty news; Royal Caribbean cruiser fined

For some time now, Carnival Cruise Line has been teasing that it's working on a revamp of its VIFP (Very Important Fun Person) Club loyalty program.
In April, Carnival President Christine Duffy confirmed that enhancements to the program are indeed coming soon and will offer greater value and engagement for loyal Carnival cruisers. Details on these improvements are expected to be revealed this summer and take effect in 2026.
Related: Carnival Cruise Line unveils new system to eliminate pain point
But before the full details are unveiled, Carnival Cruise Line Brand Ambassador John Heald just shared one key thing that the updated program won't include - and many passengers are not happy.
Doug Parker shared more details on Carnival's disappointing loyalty program news and other cruise news, including a case that reminds cruisers to be mindful of laws in cruise ports of call, on the May 9th edition of Cruise News Today.
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Transcript:
Cruise News Today with Doug Parker.
Good morning, here's your cruise news for Friday, May 9th.
A U.S. cruise passenger has been fined $2,500 in Bermuda after admitting to drug possession and importation. Pamela Walker, age 60, arrived aboard the Liberty of the Seas and asked customs officials if cannabis was illegal, then admitted to them that she had some.
Now officers found over 10 grams of cannabis, a small amount of the white stuff, and other drug-related items. Walker said that the drugs were for pain relief and apologized in court. The judge reminded her that drug laws vary by country.
Related: Cruise excursion leads to illness; Princess Cruises limits drinks
And Carnival Cruise Line has confirmed it will not offer loyalty status matching across its sister brands like Holland America, Princess, Cunard, and so on, which disappointed cruisers hoping for shared benefits like Royal Caribbean.
Despite being part of the same corporate family, Carnival says each brand is run independently with different pricing and perks, making a unified loyalty program impractical. Carnival's brand ambassador John Heald says there are no plans to change this, meaning that if Carnival guests are looking to try premium lines like Cunard or Princess, they'll have to start the loyalty program from scratch.
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And a federal appeals court has rejected a lawsuit by two Filipino crew members who claimed false imprisonment and emotional distress after being kept on board a Celebrity cruise ship during the early months of the pandemic.
The 11th Circuit Court sided with the Miami-based cruise line, noting that the CDC's no-sale order delayed crew repatriation and that the company followed strict protocols once the order was lifted.
The crew members, who remained on board for months, were eventually flown home in May of 2020. The court found that Celebrity's actions did not cross the line of being unlawful.
Related: MSC cruise ship fight leads to death; cruise crew members deported
And the photo of the week comes from Jeff on Sapphire Princess in Moorea. I hope I pronounced that correctly. You can send yours in: photos@cruiseradio.net. All photos are subject to broadcast.
And cruise line stocks were all up on Thursday. Carnival Corporation: up 3 percent, 20.25. Royal Caribbean: up 2 percent, 232.84. Norwegian: up 3 percent, 17.88. And Viking: up 1.2 percent, 43.57.
If you have a lead on a story, let us know. Tips@cruiseradio.net.
Have yourself a great weekend. I'm Doug Parker with Cruise News Today.
(The Arena Group will earn a commission if you book a cruise.)
Make a free appointment with Come Cruise With Me's Travel Agent Partner, Postcard Travel, or email Amy Post at amypost@postcardtravelplanning.com or call or text her at 386-383-2472.
Copyright 2025 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved

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