Carnival Cruise Line's Latest Change Will Make Your Next Trip More Expensive

The cruise line is updating its gratuities and Wi-Fi fees.

Courtesy of Carnival Cruise Line
Courtesy of Carnival Cruise Line
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Now that it's actually safe to step foot on a cruise ship again, Carnival is making it more expensive. Ah, timing. The cruise line is hiking up its onboard gratuities starting April 1. 

Here's what exactly that means: guests will automatically be charged $16 per person, per day for standard rooms or $18 per person, per day for suites, a spokesperson told Travel + Leisure. According to the outlet, that's $1.50 more per person than previously charged.

"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," the spokesperson told T+L. "We believe our guests will agree this slight increase is well-deserved. While gratuities are automatically added to guest’s shipboard accounts, the amount can be adjusted on board at the guest’s request."

Now here's where you have options. Guests can pre-pay those gratuities before they even set sail or just toss them onto their onboard account and pay before disembarking. There's also an extra 18% service charge on beverage purchases and at specialty restaurants.

Oh you thought that was it? Nope. It's not. Carnival Cruise Line is also raising its Wi-Fi fees even sooner. On January 16, the social plan will increase from $10.20 to $12.75 per day; the Value plan will go from $14.45 to $17 per day; and the Premium plan is now up from $17 to $22 per day.

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Megan Schaltegger is a Staff Writer on the News team at Thrillist.