Carnival Cruise Line Comments on Price Increases to Gratuities and Beverage Packages

Carnival Cruise Line is upping its daily recommended gratuities and its Bottomless Bubbles beverage package beginning April 2, 2026. 

According to Carnival, the cruise line is increasing the recommended daily gratuity $1 per day, with cruisers in staterooms now paying $17 per day instead of the previous $16. Those in suites will pay $19 a day in gratuities, as opposed to $18. This is the first time Carnival is increasing recommended daily gratuities since 2023. 

Adults who want to purchase the Bottomless Bubbles beverage package, which provides unlimited soda and juice throughout the length of the cruise, will be increased from $9.50 per person, per day, to $11.99 per person, per day. The price for children will remain at $6.95 per day. 

Those who’ve yet to sail but already purchased the package through April 1, 2026 won’t be charged the difference. There is also a 20 percent service charge attached to all of the beverage package prices. 

The change in beverage package pricing comes half a year after Carnival switched from PepsiCo products to Coca-Cola products—something they say has led to the price change. 

“With the transition to Coke products, our cost of supplies has increased,” a spokesperson told us. They then explained the change in gratuities: “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 our guests. We believe our guests will agree this slight increase is well deserved. And just as an FYI, while gratuities are automatically added to guests’ shipboard accounts, the amount can be adjusted on board at the guest’s request.”

In December 2024, the cruise line increased its drinks package price by 16 percent without warning. 

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