Carnival Cruise Line left some of its most dedicated guests frustrated earlier this summer, and now its luxury sister brand is making waves of its own.
In June 2025, Carnival Cruise Line overhauled its VIFP (Very Important Fun Person) loyalty program, shifting milestone eligibility to a spending-based model and reducing some of the perks longtime cruisers had come to expect.
The move sparked backlash from loyal fans who felt the program had become harder to benefit from without significantly higher spending.
Now Seabourn, Carnival’s upscale sibling under Carnival Corporation, has announced major changes to its own loyalty program, Seabourn Club.
But it’s not bad news!
“We’re evolving Seabourn Club to make it more rewarding for more guests on every voyage,” the cruise line said. “The new program strikes a thoughtful balance of benefits, rewards, and recognition based on feedback we heard from our guests.”
The updates, shared with travel advisors on July 15, 2025, signal a shift toward simplification and faster tier progression.
Still, a word of caution: Opt-in by October 20, 2025, or start over.
The cruise line is requiring all current members to opt into the updated program by October 20, or risk losing all loyalty benefits and progress toward elite status.
New Perks, Faster Rewards
While Seabourn’s changes don’t involve shifting to a spending-based system like Carnival’s, the revamp introduces new reward thresholds, perks, and a point-based system replacing the previous “Club Days” calculation.
Club Days represented dollars spent cruising with Seabourn, so the more a guest sailed, the more Club Days they accumulated.
In some cases, bonus Club Days were awarded for booking higher-category suites, making back-to-back bookings, or booking during promotional periods.
The new “Club Points” system and tier entry have been adjusted to provide faster access to loyal guests:
- Silver status drops from 20 Club Days to 10 Club Points
- Gold status moves from 75 Club Days to 50 Club Points
- Platinum status now starts at 100 Club Points, down from 140
- Diamond and Diamond Elite tiers will require 200 and 500 Club Points, respectively, instead of 250 and 650, respectively
New Seabourn Club Members had to earn 1 point to be a member, but now, all one needs to be in the club is a simple, free enrollment.
Seabourn is also enhancing benefits. Silver Members and above will now receive a stream-level Wi-Fi package, while Gold and Platinum Members receive unlimited complimentary laundry.
Read Also: Which Cruise Lines Match Loyalty Programs?
Diamond-level guests will receive a one-time bonus of 100 or 150 Club Days when the new program goes live on October 20, 2025, depending on the tier.
The cruise line’s popular complimentary cruise awards remain intact, with the cruise line stating, “We are excited to share our signature complimentary cruises will remain a feature of Seabourn Club.”
It added that Seabourn remains “one of the most generous loyalty programs in luxury cruising.” However, the thresholds are shifting.
Members will now earn a 7-day complimentary cruise at 350 Club Days and a 14-day cruise at 460 Club Days, with an additional 7-day award offered every 110 Club Days beyond that.
Guests currently close to their next reward are being encouraged to check their Redeemable Sail Days balance and claim milestone cruises before the new system takes effect.
Those who do not opt into the revised Seabourn Club by the deadline will lose all access to benefits and future accrual.
