If you're planning to take to the seas on a Carnival Cruise ship, the Carnival Rewards Mastercard can defray some of your travel costs. Issued by Barclays, the card has a solid welcome offer that you can put toward an upcoming cruise, and a 0% promotion on Carnival cruise fares.
When paired with a membership in the Carnival Rewards loyalty program — which is free to join — cardholders can find even more ways to earn points. Overall, it’s a decent card for Carnival loyalists.
Here are five things to know about the Carnival Rewards Mastercard.
» MORE: Best credit cards for cruises
1. Boost rewards and status by joining the Carnival Rewards program
Holders of the Carnival Rewards Mastercard are automatically enrolled in Carnival’s loyalty program, and that’s a good thing because by doing so, they earn double the rewards on eligible Carnival purchases.
The card earns the following rewards, which aren’t capped and never expire:
- 6x Carnival Rewards points on eligible Carnival purchases — 3x points from the card, plus 3x points by belonging to Carnival Rewards.
- 2x Carnival Rewards points at restaurants and grocery stores (excluding Target and Walmart).
- 1x Carnival Rewards point on all other purchases.
- 1 Status Qualifying Star per $1 spent on purchases.
Carnival Rewards members get an additional 3 Status Qualifying Stars per $1 spent on eligible Carnival purchases, including gratuities, and 1 Status Qualifying Star for every Casino Point earned (even if already redeemed onboard).
The number of stars in your Carnival Rewards account determines your level within the loyalty program of which there are four: Red, Gold, Platinum and Diamond. Status perks include free beverages and complimentary laundry.
2. Point values vary based on redemption option
Redemption options include future Carnival cruises, onboard experiences, shore excursions, dining, drinks, spa treatments and onboard WiFi. There’s no redemption minimum. However, the amount of points needed for each redemption option may vary, according to a Barclays spokesperson.
3. Earn points through spending — and cruising
Carnival Rewards Mastercard holders have several opportunities to earn a boatload of points at once:
- Welcome offer. As of September 2026: Cardholders can earn 50,000 Carnival Rewards points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first 90 days of account opening.
- Anniversary bonus. Cardholders get an additional 2,500 points every card anniversary after spending $2,000 on the card in a year.
- Milestone rewards. Milestone recognition begins at 50 days sailed with Carnival. The most frequent cruisers can receive up to 10,000 extra points.
4. Avoid interest charges with two 0% promotions
The Carnival Rewards credit card offers two ways to save on interest, the first through a balance transfer offer and the other on eligible Carnival cruise fares.
As of September 2026, new cardholders get a 0% introductory APR on the first 15 billing cycles on a balance transfer made within 45 days of account opening. (A balance transfer fee of the greater of $5 or 5% of the transfer amount applies, which is on the higher end.)
If getting out of debt is your goal, though, consider another credit card with a longer interest-free window and a lower balance transfer fee, such as the Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card.
5. It's relatively fee-fee
As a Mastercard, the Carnival Rewards credit card is well equipped for travel abroad, as it will be widely accepted by merchants everywhere. Plus, it doesn’t charge annual or foreign transaction fees, which will save you money on every international souvenir purchase on your voyage.
» NEXT: Best travel credit cards
