I'm confused about Carnivals VIFP Australian program

[Lazy_Whovian]

I'm really confused by the VIFP club.

 

Have any Australians seen any perks on the Aussie sailings? Did you have to sign up?

 

We cruised with Carnival back in 2013 and are about to cruise with them again soon so I thought i would sign up to VIFP. When i clicked on the link to join, it put me over to the America site and their system couldn't find me, so i went back to the Aussie site and put in an enquiry through the contact us link.

 

 

Here was the response:

 

"The Australia software does not recognize the Carnival past guest VIFP program from the US.

 

You will get credit for all sailings, but AU sailings do not offer VIFP perks, and cannot list your past guest numbers in the reservation.

 

You may join the Carnival VIFP program an CARNIVAL.COM to get your VIFP numbers but they cannot link to your AU reservation."

 

After that, i wondered why Australians would bother to sign up at all... It seems like a bit of hassle for little return. I'm keen to know other Aussie's experiences and if it's worth signing up, or if i should just wait and sign up if i ever book a sailing with them outside of Aus.

[Tigerlily75]

I actually signed up before it was promoted in Oz, I just went directly to the US site. I did it before my last cruise, and my VIFP number was on my sail & sign card which surprised me! Now they do promote it here, albeit via linking to the US site.

 

You do have to sign up, if you haven't signed up that's why it can't find you. You can sign up and then add your previous cruises, but not future ones - they don't show up until after.

 

I have seen Australians mention perks (if one calls a free bottle of water a perk! I assume they get better!) on the Facebook page.

 

It was easy to sign up, so I say you may as well go ahead and do it.

 

I board Legend tomorrow - we'll see if I get my free water ;)

[canadianaustralian]

Just got off spirit and yes you get a bottle of water per person, it used to be be one free cocktail at brunch but I guess too many red cards now, kids can sign up too.

[jspqld]

I would say join up regardless.

To add to the confusion, I am aware that sometimes Carnival Australia recognise an Australian customers name in their system via the customers P&O number if they already have one, & they are somehow linked to vifp for when you sail carnival if you have a vifp number as well. You'll only earn points when you sail carnival, 1 night = 1 point.

I have been Gold with carnival VIFP for a few years as I had already become gold in their old system while sailing with them overseas. Having said that I would be gold now on their new system anyway.

I know that when I sailed on the Carnival Legend out of Syd that I had my usual gold card waiting for me at checkin and a couple of weeks later the new points were added to my USA carnival account as normal, so all good there. Also, on that particular cruise there were only about 18 or so of us gold on-board and no higher, so they did throw a couple of little perks our way including an intimate cocktail party with the officers. In today's Vifp program gold customers are no longer meant to get a party. Maybe it might depend on how many gold and above are on a particular aussie sailing? Obviously there will be more and more as more aussies sail with them.

[Lazy_Whovian]

Is there two VIFP programs running side by side? Aussie and US?

[jspqld]

Is there two VIFP programs running side by side? Aussie and US?

 

As far as I am aware there is just the one vifp program

[lagoon380]

Just got off the Legend and they had the gold or higher VIFP party with the Captain & officers, only gold no higher and there was around 40 or so there.