Cruises as far back as 1999 can be credited toward a VIFP Club account. Even if you weren’t a member, so long as you can provide your name, name of the ship and embarkation date for your past journeys, you can collect past credit for cruises with Carnival.
Generally speaking, members earn 1 VIFP point per day cruised. In limited cases, more points may be offered as part of a special promotion, such as when you book a suite or cruise by yourself, paying an individual surcharge.
Points earned on cruises generally post to your account within 14 days of returning to port. Given that many cruises can last 7 days or longer, especially if you are interested in repositioning cruises that can provide spectacular value on extended journeys across the Atlantic or through the Panama Canal, you may find yourself earning enough points to graduate from one level to the next mid-cruise.
In some cases, and at their discretion, Carnival may bump you up to the next level of status early, so that you can enjoy your new benefits right away. Carnival refers to such instances as Crossover Cruises. If you cruise regularly enough for status to matter to you, you can ask a booking agent for more information if such a scenario arises.
Image courtesy: Jared