If you are planning a family cruise vacation with Carnival, you might be wondering about the loyalty program. Do your children earn VIFP (Very Important Fun Person) points just like you do? The short answer is: Yes, kids absolutely earn Carnival VIFP points!
Carnival is famous for being a family-friendly cruise line, and their loyalty program reflects that by allowing every single guest—regardless of age—to accumulate points for their time at sea.
How Do Kids Earn VIFP Points?
Children earn points exactly the same way adults do. For every day they sail on a Carnival ship, they earn one VIFP point. If you take a 7-day cruise, your 5-year-old earns 7 points.
It is incredibly common for children who cruise frequently with their parents to reach Platinum or even Diamond status before they turn 18!
Do Kids Get the Same VIFP Perks as Adults?
This is where things get a little tricky. While kids earn points at the same rate, they do not always receive the exact same benefits as adults, simply due to age restrictions.
- Free Drinks: Gold and Platinum members receive a complimentary drink. For adults, this can be an alcoholic beverage. For children, Carnival will substitute this with a free soda or mocktail.
- Casino Perks: Platinum and Diamond members receive casino buy-one-get-one deals and tournament entries. Since guests must be 18 to enter the casino, children will not receive these specific benefits.
- Priority Boarding: This is a massive perk for families! If a child is Platinum, but the parents are only Gold, usually the entire family booking can utilize the Platinum priority boarding lane. (Note: Policies can vary slightly by port, but Carnival generally extends boarding perks to the entire immediate family traveling in the same cabin).
How to Check Your Child’s VIFP Number
Every guest is assigned their own unique VIFP number. Even infants on their first cruise will get a number generated for them when the booking is made.
If you have cruised with your kids before but don’t know their numbers, you can easily look them up. Read our Complete Guide to Finding a Carnival VIFP Number to retrieve their loyalty details and see how close they are to the next tier!