Key Aspects:
- A Carnival Cruise Line loyalty hoax is growing more popular through social media, offering a “lifetime tier” with highly coveted benefits.
- The way to get this lifetime Carnival status? Guests have to donate “just one” kidney to a non-existent research initiative.
- This is not the first hoax Carnival has had to deal with recently, as scams and pranks can seem very realistic with AI generation and official logos.
A not-so-new hoax about Carnival Cruise Line’s loyalty program updates is gaining strength and showing up in more and more social media groups and pages. With a legitimate (albeit copyright-infringing) look, it might easily fool those hoping for more updates on loyalty levels and lifetime status.
The hoax is circulating as a graphic promising “Big News From Carnival Cruise Lines!” and is topped by the cruise line’s official whale tail logo and name in the appropriate font, even with the registered trademark symbol.
Let’s first ignore the “Lines” as Carnival Cruise Line is singular, not plural, but it could easily be confused with Carnival Corporation & plc, the parent company that owns Carnival Cruise Line and multiple other lines.
The text of the hoax notes “We’ve Heard You… And We’re Ready to Make Waves!” It would be easy to think this is a reference to Carnival Cruise Line reviewing guest feedback about the new Carnival Rewards program.
John Heald, the cruise line’s brand ambassador, has repeatedly assured guests that the program is not yet fully refined or revealed, and that more details will be forthcoming over the next few months.
“It’s not even close to being completed yet so we will be sharing much much more information with you about this and how the rewards program will enable you to unlock more benefits and will share that as soon as we can,” he said recently.
In fact, the cruise line has already listened to frustrated guests and will now be honoring lifetime Diamond level status if guests have achieved it by the May 31, 2026 deadline. This makes the ongoing hoax seem even more legitimate, as it is “announcing” another status update.
The words “LIFETIME CARNIVAL STATUS” are prominently displayed in the middle of the hoax, sure to catch the eyes of eager guests who don’t want to lose the benefits they may have spent years achieving.
“To celebrate the launch of our updated Rewards Program, we’re thriiled to unveil the ULTIMATE UPGRADE OPPORTUNITY for our most loyal cruisers,” the announcement states.
That simple sentence, however, has two clues that this is actually a hoax. First, read it again – did you noticed that “thrilled” is misspelled? Misspellings are often an indication of fraud, spam, or hoaxes.
Second, the statement refers to “our updated Rewards Program” but the actual name is Carnival Rewards. It’s unlikely that official communication from the cruise line would fail to use that name, especially since it isn’t listed anywhere on the hoax at all.
Nevertheless, those small issues would be easy to overlook, especially for a loyal VIFP member interested in maintaining their high status. The next line is certainly eye-catching:
“INTRODUCING: The “One for the Ocean” Lifetime Tier!”
That is exciting indeed, as lifetime status has been a sticking point for Carnival’s Platinum and Diamond level guests. Reading onward, however, is where the hoax quickly falls apart.
Carnival Loyalty Hoax
“If you’re currently a Platinum or Diamond guest, you now have the exclusive option to donate one (just one!) kidney to the Carnival Medical Research Initiative,” the hoax reads.
Okay, now that’s obviously fake. While Carnival Cruise Line is an official charitable partner for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, there is no such thing as the “Carnival Medical Research Initiative” nor would any charitable organization ever solicit organ donations.
The hoax goes on quickly to offer benefits any cruiser would love, including:
- Unlimited cruises
- Permanent priority boarding
- Private stateroom lounges
- Sparkling water on demand
And my favorite perk for this offer: “A branded kidney-shaped lapel pin to show off your elite generosity.” This is a quite obvious dig at the VIFP pins that some loyal cruisers do enjoy wearing on cruises.
As a matter of interest, those pins will continue as gifts in the Carnival Rewards program for Platinum and Diamond guests, though other VIFP gifts will not.
How Could Anyone Be Fooled?
It may seem so obvious that this is a hoax, how can it be trending on social media? Despite one misspelling, the lack of other misspellings lends legitimacy to the joke.
The graphic is clear and not blurred, a product of either good design or AI generation. In fact, AI technology is often making it more and more difficult to tell what is real versus what isn’t exactly on the up-and-up.
This is not the first hoax that Carnival Cruise Line has been impacted with recently. John Heald confirmed that hoax ducks have been showing up on Carnival ships promising free drinks when found, but despite having “prizewinning” tags, there are no such free drink ducks endorsed by the cruise line.
Like this organ donation hoax, however, the duck tags also use Carnival’s official logo, making them seem legitimate.
Scams from illicit rideshare drivers, sales of used Havana wristbands, and other hoaxes often impact cruise travelers. The best defense is to be alert and aware of ongoing jokes and pranks and learn how to quickly recognize when something just seems too good to be true.
Appeared first on: Cruisehive.com
