by Sarah Kuta
Last updated: 4:25 PM ET, Thu December 7, 2023
Cruising with Carnival will soon be more expensive for some guests. The cruise line is raising prices for onboard Wi-Fi and some specialty restaurants starting Friday, reports USA Today.
Wi-Fi and specialty restaurants are optional add-ons, so cruisers can decide for themselves whether the higher costs are worth it.
The price hikes will apply to all three of Carnival’s internet plans. When purchased onboard, the social plan will increase from $15 per person per day to $18. Similarly, the value plan will jump from $20 to $23, while the premium plan will rise from $22 to $25.
Guests who purchase an internet plan before departure will still get a discount compared to those who wait until they are onboard. However, advanced purchase rates are also increasing. The social plan will rise from $12.75 per person per day to $15.30; the value plan will rise from $17 to $19.55; and the premium plan will go from $18.70 to $21.25.
Anyone who pre-pays for Wi-Fi before the changes take effect tomorrow can still get the lower prices. Carnival is in the process of installing satellite-based Starlink internet service across its fleet.
Carnival is also raising prices for some of its onboard specialty restaurants. JiJi Asian Kitchen and Cucina del Capitano will go from $18 per person to $24, while Bonsai Teppanyaki will increase from $38 per person to $42. The Steakhouse and Rudi’s Seagrill will increase from $48 to $49 per person.
“We’ve made some adjustments in line with rising costs of delivering the high-quality experiences our guests know and love,” said Matt Lupoli, a Carnival spokesman, in an emailed statement shared with USA Today. “While we have worked to mitigate the impact as much as possible, these nominal adjustments still allow us to offer the best vacation value — on land or at sea.”
Carnival is not alone. Many cruise lines are raising prices or cutting back on services to help offset the growing costs of food, labor and fuel costs, as well as high interest rates. Royal Caribbean increased its automatic service gratuity rates by more than 10 percent last month, while MSC Cruises raised the price of its beverage packages earlier this year. Several cruise lines have dropped from twice-daily cabin cleanings to once a day.
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