Carnival’s New Credit Card Earns 6X Points and Redeems Sooner

Carnival cruisers will soon have more ways to earn points, and they won’t have to wait to begin cashing them in.

Carnival Rewards launches Sept. 1 with a revamped credit card that lets cruisers earn more points on Carnival purchases and start redeeming them with no minimum.

The new Carnival Rewards Mastercard from Barclays US earns 3 points per $1 on eligible Carnival purchases, up from the 2 FunPoints per $1 offered by the Carnival World Mastercard it replaces.

Cruisers can earn 2 points per $1 at restaurants and eligible grocery stores, excluding Target and Walmart, and 1 point per $1 on everything else.

Spend $2,000 on eligible purchases in a cardmember year, and another 2,500 anniversary bonus points are up for grabs.

Everyday purchases can bring the next Carnival getaway within closer reach.

The rewards can pile up faster when cardholders book with Carnival.

Frequent cruisers can double up on rewards when they pay for eligible Carnival purchases with the new card.

They’ll earn 3 points per $1 from the Carnival Rewards Mastercard and another 3 through the loyalty program, for a combined 6 points per $1.

Carnival Rewards points can be used for spa treatments, specialty dining, and onboard experiences. Members can also put their points toward cruise fares, taking some of the sting out of the cost of a future trip.

And they won’t have to wait to use them. Redemptions with the Carnival Rewards Mastercard begin immediately, compared with a previous 3,500 FunPoints threshold under the Carnival World Mastercard.

The card may have a new look and rewards program, but several familiar perks are staying aboard.

The Carnival Rewards Mastercard has no annual fee or foreign transaction fees. There’s no cap on how many points cardholders can rack up, and their points won’t expire while they remain cardmembers.

Carnival World Mastercard cardholders with eligible accounts that are open and in good standing will automatically receive the new card in September.

The transition will not change any existing promotional financing terms.

Their BarclaysUS.com login information will also remain the same.For online access to a Carnival Rewards Mastercard account, visit BarclaysUS.com.

Existing FunPoints won’t disappear when Carnival Rewards sets sail. Cardholders’ balances will be converted to points they can use in the new program.

Every purchase made with the Carnival Rewards Mastercard will also earn 1 status qualifying star per $1 spent toward the cardholder’s Carnival Rewards status.

Existing VIFP Club members have one step to complete, however. They must enroll in Carnival Rewards and accept its terms by Aug. 31 to carry their current loyalty status into the new program.