Carnival Rewards™ Mastercard®
- Best for: Travelers who sail with Carnival at least every year or two
- What Sets It Apart: 3 points per dollar on Carnival purchases on top of Carnival Rewards’ own points; points pay toward fares, deposits, and onboard extras
- Cost: $0 annual fee; 0% foreign transaction fee; 18.74% to 29.74% variable APR
- Features: 50,000-point limited-time bonus through Carnival’s site, or 20,000 through Barclays, after $1,000 in purchases in 90 days; 2x at restaurants and grocery stores; 1 Status Qualifying Star per dollar; 0% APR for 6 billing cycles on Carnival cruise bookings
- Pros: No minimum to redeem; points don’t expire while the card is open; trip cancellation and interruption coverage
- Cons: Points redeem only with Carnival; no fixed point value; points can’t pay taxes and fees
Get the Carnival Rewards™ Mastercard® if you sail with Carnival every year or two. It has no annual fee, and its 3 points per dollar on Carnival purchases come on top of what Carnival Rewards pays, but the points work only with Carnival. If you cruise rarely or with other lines, choose a general travel card.
The Carnival Rewards Mastercard is Barclays’ no-annual-fee card for Carnival Cruise Line guests, and its points pay toward Carnival cruise fares and onboard extras. Barclays launched it on September 1, 2026, to replace the Carnival World Mastercard, and moved eligible holders of the old card over, with their Fun Points converted to Carnival Rewards points.
Key Features
- $0 annual fee and 0% foreign transaction fee
- A welcome bonus of 50,000 points after $1,000 in purchases in 90 days with the limited-time offer linked from Carnival’s site, or 20,000 with the offer on Barclays’ card page
- 3 points per dollar on Carnival purchases, plus up to 3 more from free Carnival Rewards membership; 2 at restaurants and at grocery stores other than Target and Walmart; 1 on everything else
- 2,500 bonus points for each card year in which you spend $2,000
- A variable interest rate of 18.74% to 29.74%, with 0% for 6 billing cycles on Carnival cruise bookings
Pros
- Points pay toward cruise fares, deposits, and onboard extras, with no minimum to redeem
- Every dollar on the card earns a star toward Carnival Rewards status and its onboard perks, with Gold at 10,000 stars
- Points never expire while the card stays open and in good standing
- Trip cancellation and interruption coverage, plus baggage delay insurance
Cons
- Points redeem only with Carnival, never for cash back, statement credits, or other travel
- Carnival sets no fixed point value, so you can’t know what a point is worth until you price a booking
- Points can’t pay the taxes and fees on a cruise booking
- Just 1 point per dollar outside Carnival, restaurants, and grocery stores
For Carnival guests who sail at least every year or two, the card is worth it, since they’ll keep spending its points on fares and onboard extras. Travelers who cruise rarely or with other lines should pick a general travel card instead, or the Princess or Holland America card for those lines.
Learn more about the Carnival Rewards™ Mastercard® or see how it compares to the best travel rewards credit cards.
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