Carnival Cruise Line has been quietly raising prices for various add-ons over the last few weeks.
In November, the cruise line increased the prices for some of its specialty dining. The venues that were impacted were Fahrenheit 555 Steakhouse, Bonsai Teppanyaki and Rudi’s Seagrill.
Fahrenheit 555 Steakhouse and Rudi’s Seagrill increased by $3 per person for 2025. Both the Bonsai Teppanyaki Lunch and Dinner options increased. Lunch increased by only $1.18, while dinner increased more significantly by $8.26.
Now, one month later, Carnival Cruise Line has quietly increased the price of its Cheers! Beverage Program. With this change, all passengers will pay the higher daily rate no matter the length of the cruise. Previously, during a longer sailing, passengers paid a lower daily rate. The program still only applies to $20 or lower menu priced beverages and no more than 15 drinks per day. No changes to the Bottomless Bubbles soda package have been noted.
Carnival Cruise Line also increased the price for all three of its WiFi plans–Social, Value and Premium. The Social WiFi Plan has increased by 22%, the Value WiFi Plan has increased by 13%, and the Premium WiFi Plan has increased by 12%. All three are still offered at a lower rate when purchased pre-cruise.
Even though Carnival has not increased these prices since late 2023, guests are still upset. However they do not appear to be upset about the price increase, but rather that booked guests were not “warned” and given an opportunity to lock in the lower rate.
Many guests have reached out to Carnival Cruise Line Brand Ambassador, John Heald, with their concerns. Heald replied, “I do understand your disappointment that I did not advise you of the increase in some of the services that we are offering such as the cheers program. I have scheduled comments with my colleagues and the beards. We’re proud of the quality and value a Carnival cruise vacation provides our guests. Recent nominal price adjustments to help cover higher costs and our investments in on board offerings allow us to continue providing the high-quality experiences our guests know and love.”
It is not uncommon for businesses to increase their prices without warning the consumer. The only way to ensure your price is to purchase preferred add-ons at the time of booking.