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Carnival casino offers, explained

Carnival Players Club has no published tiers. Offers and event invitations go to players based on their play, mostly by email, and each one is booked with its own rate code. Here's what Carnival publishes about them, what's only reported by players, and what you still pay.

Short answer

You earn Casino Points on rated play (1 per $2 on slots, 1 per $5 on video poker), and Carnival uses your play to decide which offers to send: discounted or free cabins, FunPlay, Drinks On Us and invitations to event cruises such as Premier, Ultra and Elite. Carnival publishes the benefits of each invitation but not the points needed for any of them. A free cabin covers the cruise fare only. You still pay taxes, fees, port expenses and a deposit, plus gratuities of $17 a day per guest in standard cabins.

Casino offers are separate from Carnival Rewards, the line's new loyalty program, but casino points feed it: every point earns a status star, and points you don't spend on FunPlay become Carnival Rewards Points after the cruise.

Terms with a dotted underline are explained when you tap or select them.

How offers arrive

Carnival doesn't have a separate casino offers portal like Royal Caribbean's. Its casino pages say invitations are "delivered directly to your inbox" and that you can also find them in your personalized offers on carnival.com.

EmailThe main channel. Carnival's casino sign-up form promises offers "zapped right to your inbox", so your email address and marketing opt-in need to be current.
Personalized offersWhen you're logged in, carnival.com/cruise-deals shows the deals on your account. Carnival's casino FAQ says to confirm an offer you received by mail or email there, through your travel advisor, or by calling 1-866-299-5859.
Offer termsThe full terms of a deal sit with the deal itself. Carnival's Fun Match terms tell you to visit carnival.com/offers, enter your Carnival Guest Number and select the deal.
On boardCasino hosts give comps based on your play. Carnival's FAQ lists drinks, spa treatments, logo items, steakhouse invitations and wine at dinner. Players also report free or discounted cabin offers handed out on the last night or emailed weeks later; see end-of-cruise comps.
Already bookedOcean Players Club, the casino service Carnival's pages link to, has a "Verify Casino Offer" form for a booked cruise. It says offers can't be combined and that "if you have already taken advantage of a casino offer, no additional offers will be extended." It can't change reservations or offers; for that you contact Carnival.

Not getting offers? Our casino accounts guide covers the online sign-up form, your Carnival Guest Number and keeping one record per person.

Invitation levels

Carnival describes these as event sailings you're invited to: "Keep playing to get invited!" They aren't tiers you hold for a year. Each invitation is for a set list of sailings.

Invitation	What Carnival publishes	What it doesn't publish
Players Club offers	"Discounted or free" rooms, excluding taxes, fees, port expenses and deposit. Drinks On Us while playing, event invitations, tournaments.	Points needed for any offer.
Premier	Welcome gift, Drinks On Us for you and a companion (select offers; in the casino or shipwide), chances at FunPlay, cash and prizes, Premier Boarding.	Qualifying play.
Ultra	Cabin gift, Drinks On Us in the casino for you and a companion, a welcome party, Ultra-only events, a door plaque and an Ultra drawing. "More than $100,000 in total cash and gifts."	Qualifying play.
Elite	Free parking or local airport pickup, Carnival Rewards Platinum for that cruise, Drinks On Us everywhere on board for two, a free shore excursion for two, Elite hosts, waived room-service charges, a Wi-Fi plan.	Qualifying play.
Limited Edition	Themed sailings with Platinum status for the cruise, Drinks On Us everywhere on board for two, and a chance at up to $100,000 in FunPlay and prizes, including a $25,000 prize per cruise.	Qualifying play.
Treasure Chest Voyages	Sailings with Treasure Chest Coins: 1 coin per 100 Casino Points, redeemed online for merchandise within 90 days. Changing to a different rate code forfeits the coins.	Qualifying play.
SEA Cruises	"Sailings Exclusively for Adults," 21 and up, by invitation, with more casino days and events.	Qualifying play.
$1 Million Slot Tournaments	Book with your Players Club offer if you have one, or with a published "Open Access" offer that includes a seat and Drinks On Us for two.	Not needed for Open Access.

What players report

Without official thresholds, the numbers in circulation come from players. A 2019 URComped article put Drinks On Us in the casino at about 1,000 points on cruises under five days and 1,500 on longer ones, and Premier invitations at 7,500 points on one sailing. A 2025 Come Cruise With Me column said shipwide Drinks On Us for two typically took about 7,000 to 10,000 points a cruise, in the writer's experience. These are reports, not Carnival's figures, and may be out of date.

Per sailing, not per year

Casino Points count per voyage. Carnival's FAQ says points, FunPlay, Drinks On Us and your Player Bank don't roll over to the second cruise of a back-to-back. There's no program year to chase, unlike Club Royale or Blue Chip.

The full benefit lists are on our Carnival page. Daily casino charge limits also rise with the invitation: $5,000 a day on regular sailings, $7,500 on Premier, Ultra and tournament cruises, and $10,000 on Elite cruises, per Carnival's casino FAQ.

Rate codes and offer terms

Carnival books casino offers by rate code. It doesn't publish a list of codes or explain how they're built, so judge an offer by its own terms.

Quote the codeA 2019 casino offer whose terms are still on carnival.com ("Exclusive Casino Rate + $1,000 in FunPlay + Drinks On Us!") told the invited member to call Carnival and "request Rate Code P2W." It named one ship and sail date and a book-by date.
Codes in linksCarnival's tournament page links its Open Access offer to a cruise search filtered by rate code PZC.
Changing the codeThe Treasure Chest FAQ says moving a booking to a different rate code forfeits the coins that came with the original offer. Expect other perks tied to a casino rate to work the same way, and ask before you change.
Named member must sailThe P2W terms: valid only for new bookings by the member named in the offer, "must sail to redeem," no name changes, not combinable with any other offer.
Can be withdrawnCarnival and Carnival Players Club reserve the right to change or cancel offers at any time.

The P2W terms are from 2019, so treat them as an example of the format, not current rules. Your own offer's terms are what count.

Fun Match

Fun Match is Carnival's casino status match. You fill in an online form, share your loyalty cards from other casinos, and Carnival decides whether to send you a deal.

Who can applyLegal residents of the 50 US states and DC, 21 or older. The program runs until at least December 31, 2026.
The answerAbout seven business days after you submit, Carnival emails you "if (and only if)" a deal is available. No reply means no deal.
What a free deal coversCruise fare for the invited guest and the second guest. Third to fifth guests pay prevailing rates.
What you payRequired Cruise Fees & Expenses of up to $411, Government Taxes & Fees of up to $175.99, and a $100 non-refundable deposit per person. The deal includes $100 onboard credit per person, up to $200 per cabin, varying with cruise length.
RulesNew bookings on select sailings, capacity controlled, not transferable and not combinable. Change fees and cancellation penalties apply. The deal expires if you don't book within its timeline.

The terms give the "approximate value of free room" as $300 to $7,000. That's Carnival's figure for the cabin, not what the trip is worth to you. How Fun Match compares with other lines' matches, and how independent hosts and agents fit in: matches, casino hosts and travel agents.

FunPlay

FunPlay is Carnival's name for free play (Promotional casino credit for the machines. The credit itself can't be cashed out, but what you win with it can.). It shows up in offers, in event drawings and as something you can buy with your own Casino Points.

From your pointsCarnival Rewards terms describe redeeming Casino Points "for free casino play" on board. Carnival doesn't publish the conversion rate; ask the casino host.
In offersThe 2019 P2W offer said FunPlay "may be issued in the form of cash, Free Play, onboard credit, or non-refundable onboard credit," at Carnival's discretion, and required the original mailer at the casino cashier with ID.
Use it on that cruiseFunPlay doesn't roll over on back-to-backs, and Treasure Chest raffle FunPlay must be used on the same sailing.

Spending points on FunPlay lowers the Carnival Rewards Points you get after the cruise, but not your status stars. See Carnival Rewards below.

Drinks On Us

Carnival's casino FAQ says complimentary drinks go to eligible players "once you have reached a certain level of play" and to see the casino host for details. The level isn't published.

Where"While playing in the casino" on standard offers. Premier offers may cover the casino or the whole ship; Ultra covers the casino; Elite and Limited Edition cover everywhere on board, each for you and a companion.
Age21 or older for alcohol.
Embarkation dayBecause of state laws, including Texas and New York, the benefit may not start for several hours on embarkation day, or until the next day.
Not ashoreIt doesn't apply at land-based locations, including Carnival's Paradise Collection destinations, unless your offer says so.

The reported thresholds (about 1,000 points under five days, 1,500 on longer cruises) and the cost of reaching them are in free drinks in cruise casinos.

What you still pay

Carnival's Players Club page footnotes its "discounted or free" rooms: "Excludes taxes, fees, port expenses and deposit." Everything you spend on board is extra too.

Cost	Official figure	Where it's from
Taxes, fees and port expenses	Per guest, set by itinerary. Fun Match deals: Required Cruise Fees & Expenses up to $411 and Government Taxes & Fees up to $175.99.	Fun Match terms, Oct 21, 2026
Deposit	Fun Match deals: $100 per person, non-refundable. Other offers state their own deposit.	Fun Match terms
Gratuity for Team Members	$17.00 per guest per day in standard staterooms, $19.00 in suites, for guests 2 and older. Prepay or have it added to your Sail & Sign account.	Carnival help center, Oct 21, 2026
Service charge	20% on beverages, specialty dining and other for-pay food.	Same page
Third or more guests	Prevailing cruise rates (Fun Match deals).	Fun Match terms
Casino funding	No fee at slots and, since February 9, 2026, none at tables or the cashier. Up to $5,000 a day on Sail & Sign on regular sailings.	Carnival casino FAQ, Oct 21, 2026

Worked example: two guests, seven nights

A standard cabin for two on a 7-night cruise: 2 × 7 × $17.00 = $238 in gratuities. Add taxes, fees and port expenses for both guests, the deposit, and any drinks outside the casino with their 20% service charge. This is our arithmetic from Carnival's published rate; the taxes and fees are only known when you price the sailing.

The full list of costs, and the expected cost of the play that earns an offer, are worked through in what a free casino cruise really costs.

Carnival Rewards and your casino points

Carnival Rewards replaced the VIFP Club on September 1, 2026. Carnival's FAQ is direct about the casino side: "Carnival Players Club benefits and offers are completely separate from Carnival Rewards." Casino play feeds it in two ways.

Points: what's left

At the end of a sailing you get 1 Carnival Rewards Point for every Casino Point left after any FunPlay redemption. Carnival's own example: earn 1,000 Casino Points, redeem 400 for free play, and you receive 600 Carnival Rewards Points. Carnival says points are available about 14 days after the cruise; on back-to-backs on the same ship, casino points and stars may not be awarded until 14 days after the final voyage.

Stars: everything earned

You get 1 Status Qualifying Star for every Casino Point earned, whether or not you redeemed it. In the same example that's 1,000 stars. Status levels are Red, Gold from 10,000 stars, Platinum from 50,000 and Diamond from 100,000. The first earning window runs September 1, 2026 to December 31, 2028.

Casino charges don't earnCasino charges on your folio are excluded from the 3 points and 3 stars per $1 on other spending. Play earns through Casino Points instead.
Some fares don't earn"Third-party casino group cruises" are among the fare types that don't count as qualifying cruise tickets.
Status on event cruisesElite and Limited Edition offers include Platinum status and benefits for that cruise, applied individually and only for guests enrolled in Carnival Rewards.
Enroll to collectCarnival Rewards is opt-in. Both casino sign-up forms now include enrolling in it.

Carnival doesn't say whether a casino offer's free fare earns points or stars. Carnival Rewards status doesn't change which casino offers you get, as far as Carnival's pages say.

Age rules

18To join Carnival Players Club and play the tables and slots. Under-18s aren't allowed in the casino at any time.
21To drink, including Drinks On Us; to apply for Fun Match; and for SEA Cruises.
Under 21 on a dealFun Match deal terms say invited guests under 21 must travel with a relative or guardian 25 or older.
Carnival RewardsAge of majority where you live; under-18s can't participate.

We didn't find a separate Alaska casino age from Carnival, so check before you sail there.

Before you book

Read the deal's termsOn carnival.com/offers or in your personalized offers: rate code, sailings, book-by date, deposit and who's covered.
Book it as offeredChanging ship, date or rate code can cost you the offer or its perks. Ask first.
One offer per cruiseCasino offers don't combine with other offers.
Price the extrasTaxes, fees and port expenses for each guest, the deposit, gratuities by the night and anything for a third guest.
Use perks on boardFunPlay and Drinks On Us end with the sailing, and you must cash out your Player Bank by the last night.
Keep recordsOcean Players Club handles win/loss statements and tax forms; see casino winnings and taxes.

An offer is only worth something if you'd take the cruise anyway, and playing to earn the next one usually costs more than it returns. Set a budget before you board.

Sources

Everything on this page comes from Carnival's own pages unless it's marked as reported. Several Carnival pages load their text by script; we read them in a browser.

Carnival — Carnival Players Club (accessed Oct 21, 2026)
Carnival — Carnival Players Club (onboard activities) (accessed Oct 21, 2026)
Carnival — Casino and Carnival Players Club FAQ (accessed Oct 21, 2026)
Carnival — Players Club cruises: Premier, Ultra, Elite, Treasure Chest, Limited Edition, Tournaments (accessed Oct 21, 2026)
Carnival — Treasure Chest Voyages FAQs (accessed Oct 21, 2026)
Carnival — SEA Cruises: Sailings Exclusively for Adults (accessed Oct 21, 2026)
Carnival — Carnival Players Club offer sign-up (accessed Oct 21, 2026)
Carnival — Fun Match program (accessed Oct 21, 2026)
Carnival — Fun Match terms and general free deal terms (accessed Oct 21, 2026)
Carnival — Exclusive casino rate offer terms, rate code P2W (2019) (accessed Oct 21, 2026)
Carnival — Help center: Gratuity for Team Members and Carnival Rewards FAQs (accessed Oct 21, 2026)
Carnival — Carnival Rewards program terms (valid from Sep 1, 2026) (accessed Oct 21, 2026)
Carnival Rewards — Status and program updates (accessed Oct 21, 2026)
Ocean Players Club — Verify casino offer and contact (accessed Oct 21, 2026)
URComped — Carnival Players Club (Jun 11, 2019; reported)
Come Cruise With Me via AOL — Carnival casino drink offers (Mar 4, 2025; reported)

Last checked October 21, 2026

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