Carnival fans are known for not just being fans of the cruise line, but fanatics of the line. Any change, big or small, is of interest. And in the past year or so, there have been a number of big moves by the cruise line.
From the opening of an entirely new destination (Celebration Key) to price hikes onboard, to the complete overhaul of the cruise line’s loyalty program, it’s been a year of change.
And now there’s going to be a small change the company has announced to a guest staple on the ship. At least some people, it will be a point of pride.
A New Way to Show Loyalty to the Cruise Line
To some passengers, loyalty status on cruise lines is a big deal. It’s a sign that you’re a “pro” when it comes to sailing the line and that you’ve been around the block (or the world!).
Perhaps no cruise line, however, has more passengers that like to show off that status than Carnival. In fact, step on the ship and you’ll see lots of people showing off their room keycards (also known as Sail & Sign cards) on lanyards.
These cards don’t just open cabin doors on the ship, they are also color coded to your status in Carnival’s loyalty program (red, gold, platinum, and diamond). So in a glance, those “in the know” can tell how much you’ve sailed the cruise line.
But now a change is coming…
With the launch of a controversial new loyalty program in September (you can read more about the controversy here), Carnival has also shared there will be a redesign of the room keycards.
Historically, these cards have had a horizontal orientation. A redesign shared on a video with Carnival president Christine Duffy showed the new design, now with a vertical look. It’s more than just rotating the card, however.
Carnival will also feature a prominent logo showing the number of nights sailed.
“One of the things we know is so important is that we continue to recognize our guest’s loyalty in cruising with Carnival,” said Duffy. “So now, on your card it will include the number of days that you have sailed with Carnival from your very first cruise.”
Take a look at the new design in detail here:
To many, this change may not sound like a big deal. But to the millions of people that are big Carnival fans, it is significant.
With the current Carnival loyalty program, your status is simple. You get points for each day you sail and they never expire. So if you’ve sailed 100 nights with Carnival over the past decade, then you have platinum status.
The new program is switching to a spend-based plan. Your loyalty is based on how much you spend with Carnival, and it can revert to the lowest-tier over time if you don’t continue spending.
With the new plan to include the number of nights sailed, this change to the card will still give those who care about their time spent on Carnival a way to prove their loyalty… without spending more money.
