With a new year comes new rates onboard Carnival Cruise Line ships. The major cruise line is the latest to increase gratuities and other fees.
Increased Gratuities
Carnival is raising the standard room gratuity to $16 per day per person. That’s up $1.50 from its current rate. Cruisers booking suites will see the same increase, from $16.50 to $18 per person per day.
“Our shipboard team members work hard to provide exceptional service and the friendly, welcoming, and outstanding work of Carnival crew is widely recognized across the industry and amongst cruise fans,” Carnival Cruise spokesperson Matt Lupoli says. “We believe our guests will agree this slight increase is well-deserved.”
The higher rates take effect on April 1, 2023. Travelers on cruises before this date will pay the current gratuity amount, with cruises leaving after April 1 will pay the increased amount. Note that if you choose to pre-pay your onboard gratuities, you will be eligible to pay the lower rate, as long as you pay them before the April 1 deadline.
The gratuities are automatically applied to your statement at the end of the cruise. As with most cruise lines, if you feel the gratuities are not appropriate, you can adjust the gratuity amount by visiting the customer service desk onboard. Carnival does not allow gratuity adjustments after you leave the ship.
Wi-Fi Rates
Carnival is also increasing the cost of onboard Wi-Fi beginning this month. Carnival offers three internet packages. The Social plan — which allows users to access social media and airline websites — will go from $10.20 to $12.75. The Value plan, which includes all of that plus news, entertainment, and finance websites, is now $17, up from $14.45. And the Premium plan will jump from $17 to $22. That plan enables cruisers to use video messaging when coverage allows.
Industry Standard
This is the second fee increase in the past year by Carnival; it last raised rates in May 2022. Other major cruise lines Princess, Norwegian, and Royal Caribbean also raised their gratuities within the last year. The cruise industry cites high inflation as the reason for the hikes, as well as its continued attempt to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic which nearly collapsed the cruise industry.
If a cruise is on your travel itinerary, check out our favorite places to visit in 2023, plus the eight things we always do while cruising.