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Carnival Cruise Line currently operates 29 ships around the world, with itineraries as far-reaching as Australia and Singapore. Over the weekend, Carnival hosted its “Carnival Innovation Itinerary” media event aboard the Carnival Celebration, sharing exciting updates about its future fleet, destinations, and loyalty program. AwardWallet was there for a front-row look.
Here’s everything Carnival announced — and what it means for cruisers.
Page Contents
New Excel-Class Ships Designed With Families in Mind
Carnival confirmed two new Excel-class ships are on the way: Carnival Festivale (arriving 2027) and Carnival Tropicale (arriving 2028).
These ships will follow the Excel-class blueprint (like Mardi Gras and Celebration) but with a few big changes. For starters, the roller coaster is out. In its place, a new top-deck water park called “Sunsation Point” will feature pools, splash zones, and night-time hours for added family fun.
The move appears to be Carnival’s answer to Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas, which also features a sprawling top-deck waterpark.
Carnival is also expanding the number of connecting cabins by over 70% compared to previous Excel ships, making these vessels more family-friendly. Additional enhancements include refreshed kids’ areas and expanded space for families on the upper decks.
Even Larger Ships Are Coming With “Project Ace”
Carnival’s next generation of ships is even more ambitious. The cruise line teased “Project Ace,” a forthcoming series of mega-ships capable of carrying up to 8,000 guests.
These will be the largest ships ever built by Carnival, rivaling the biggest in the industry. However, cruisers will have to wait a while to experience these mega ships, as deliveries are planned for 2029, 2031 and 2033.
Exclusive Destinations: Private Ports Are Getting Bigger
Private islands have been around the cruise industry for years, but the success of Royal Caribbean's Coco Cay has made an impact on the industry. And we've seen cruise lines invest more and more into their private island experiences.
Carnival has several private islands in the Bahamas and Caribbean, and private ports in several more destinations. Carnival’s newest destination, Celebration Key, is set to open in July 2025 and will feature the largest freshwater lagoon in the Caribbean, along with multiple beach zones and spaces designed for family fun and relaxation.
Carnival also announced that its private destination in Roatan, Mahogany Bay, would be renamed Isla Tropicale in 2026. The destination will add a new swim-up bar and expand its beach.
With every cruise line focused on growing more revenue from its passengers, Carnival's emphasis on private ports and destinations to keep passenger spending at cruise line-owned experiences follows the industry trend.
Carnival Loyalty Program Changes Coming Soon
Carnival’s VIFP (Very Important Fun Person) loyalty program hasn’t changed much since its launch in 2012 — but that's about to shift. President Christine Duffy revealed that major updates to the VIFP program will be announced this summer, with implementation set for 2026.
What’s driving the change? Between 2021 and 2024, Platinum membership doubled and Diamond membership tripled. Plus, more elite guests are sailing, making it harder to maintain exclusive perks like priority embarkation and reserved dining.
What could be coming?
Duffy hinted that the changes will create “greater value and engagement” for loyal guests. While no specifics were given, we expect Carnival to follow industry trends — possibly by:
- Adding a spending-based status component, like MSC’s or American Airlines’ models
- Placing time limits or activity requirements on elite status
- Shifting perks away from crowd-sensitive benefits like lounges or early boarding
We've seen devaluations across the industry as cruising exponentially in popularity. Many cruise line loyalty programs focus on on-board perks, like private lounges and reserved access. With ships sailing full and many of their most loyal members expecting better service on board, perks have suffered.
Royal Caribbean renamed its Diamond Lounges to “Crown Lounges” and limited Diamonds from accessing them during busy sailings. Some Carnival cruises needed to limit priority embarkation, debarkation, and main dining room seating guarantees for dinner on recent voyages.
To date, only cruise line MSC has a revenue-based model among major brands. Plus, the status expires after five years of inactivity on MSC. Could we see a similar model put in place at Carnival?
Final Thoughts
Carnival is making bold moves, from launching record-breaking ships to investing in more private destinations. And with more travelers reaching elite status, a refresh of the VIFP program is becoming a necessity. We’ll share full details on the new VIFP structure as soon as Carnival announces them this summer.
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