Carnival increasing gratuity rates and prices of onboard services

[joe/jack]

17 hours ago, shof515 said:

The gratuity is being increased by about 50 cents a day. NCL also recently increased their gratuity rate too. Seems to be normal for the rates to increase across the board 

7.00$ increase for two for one week Not a game changer

We always tip more to bar staff   Dinning staff   Cabin steward 

They deserve a good wage 

They work there A off everyday 🇺🇦🇺🇸

[Joebucks]

People are nuts over their fear of fees. They will rush to prepay gratuities to save $4. Meanwhile, they'll buy other, ridiculously priced flights, hotels, packages, rooms, etc. It's always fascinating to see people how they think they save money.

 

Cheers is now nearly $1k for a couple for a week. Can't wait to hear how it's still worth it because of all of the bottled waters and drinking schedules.

 

The steakhouse is not worth $42. Sure someone will disagree with me. To the public, it's not an enticing offer. If anything, they should have done more to get more people to choose it. 

[lostsoulcruiser]

19 hours ago, soremekun said:

I have OBC.  Please let me know the process to pay for my gratuities online using my OBC.  If that's not possible, should I call in?

I believe the way to do this is just not to prepay the gratuity.  The daily gratuity charge would go on your shipboard account which would include the OBC.  For example, a $100 dollar OBC would lose the daily $14.50 per day of purchase power.  

[pe4all]

4 minutes ago, Joebucks said:

People are nuts over their fear of fees. They will rush to prepay gratuities to save $4. Meanwhile, they'll buy other, ridiculously priced flights, hotels, packages, rooms, etc. It's always fascinating to see people how they think they save money.

 

Cheers is now nearly $1k for a couple for a week. Can't wait to hear how it's still worth it because of all of the bottled waters and drinking schedules.

 

The steakhouse is not worth $42. Sure someone will disagree with me. To the public, it's not an enticing offer. If anything, they should have done more to get more people to choose it. 

We always pre-pay as much as we can - not to save $$, but because dh hates coming home to a credit card bill from vacay.  As far as cheers goes, we have never purchased it, and never will - don't drink that much.  We have eaten in the steakhouse a few times - always on a casino comp.  All the meals we have gotten there have been well worth the $$ if we spent it out of our own pockets- especially since it is a soup to nuts meal.   All these increases will not change the way we cruise.  Heck - my weekly grocery bill has increased since the pandemic,  with buying the same items each week. And it is still going up.   Was only a matter of time until the cruise lines passed on some extra cost to us.

[Aplmac]

1 hour ago, bamaone said:

I remember my first cruise in the early 80's on the Dolphin Cruise Line. We had to put cash in envelops for each individual and the cabin steward  picked them up on the last night.

The next day at breakfast our entire waiter crew were completely different individuals.

Very unfriendly. It didn't occur to me until later that the people at my table (8 others) probably didn't tip appropriately. I still feel bad thinking about that day.

 

This reminded me of a 3-day charter cruise we enjoyed on Caribbean Princess

back in early December of 2009,

when the wait-staff in their MDR was generally quite aloof and off-handed -

 

except for that last day, when the charm got turned-on!

It was kinds obvious........

[wanderlust0713]

Now I’m on the fence about Cheers. I’m going solo on a 4 day May 2nd and had decided it probably wouldn’t be worth it. If they raise drink prices now it might be worth it for me to prepay🤔

[ray985]

14 hours ago, CookieShip said:

Is there a summary of all the increases on May 1st somewhere? I see the amounts for the Cheers, but what about Bottomless Bubbles? 

There's a summary here: https://cruisespotlight.com/carnival-increasing-onboard-prices-starting-may-1/

[coondog99]

Anyone have a reference to the increase to internet packages on May 1st?

[Joe817]

32 minutes ago, ray985 said:

There's a summary here: https://cruisespotlight.com/carnival-increasing-onboard-prices-starting-may-1/

Thanks Ray! Very informative! 👍

[Joe817]

24 minutes ago, coondog99 said:

Anyone have a reference to the increase to internet packages on May 1st?

As of right this minute, I don't believe Carnival has released the new prices of their internet packages. At least, that's what is stated in the link posted above from cruisespotlight.

[pc_load_letter]

6 hours ago, Joebucks said:

Cheers is now nearly $1k for a couple for a week. Can't wait to hear how it's still worth it because of all of the bottled waters and drinking schedules.

 

Not sure if being sarcastic or serious. The drink package is still reasonable versus other lines and if you enjoy drinking on your vacation, it's still a good deal as you break even at six drinks. Which I can do before noon frankly.

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

6 minutes ago, pc_load_letter said:

 

Not sure if being sarcastic or serious. The drink package is still reasonable versus other lines and if you enjoy drinking on your vacation, it's still a good deal as you break even at six drinks. Which I can do before noon frankly.

 

I enjoy the drink package as it helps with that decision to get out of my comfort zone and try something new - and I'm out nothing (well, except one less drink remaining of my 15 - which I've never approached anyway)!

 

Tom

[jabberjaw070596]

5 minutes ago, Tom-n-Cheryl said:

 

I enjoy the drink package as it helps with that decision to get out of my comfort zone and try something new - and I'm out nothing (well, except one less drink remaining of my 15 - which I've never approached anyway)!

 

Tom

I agree and with all the new places to try on Mardi Gras it was a very fun week trying all the new drinks! I was lucky and liked every drink I tried!

[Joebucks]

10 minutes ago, pc_load_letter said:

 

Not sure if being sarcastic or serious. The drink package is still reasonable versus other lines and if you enjoy drinking on your vacation, it's still a good deal as you break even at six drinks. Which I can do before noon frankly.

 

I'm sure there are plenty of people who can find value in it. If you liked it before, the new price probaby isn't the end of the world.

 

I love to drink (heck I have a drink by me right now), but $1000 is a ridiculous amount of money. No matter how much you try to break it down. I don't spend that in 3 months at bars. I can do far more enjoyable things for $1000. My last 7 day balcony cruise was cheaper than that. 

[pc_load_letter]

Just now, Joebucks said:

 

I'm sure there are plenty of people who can find value in it. If you liked it before, the new price probaby isn't the end of the world.

 

I love to drink (heck I have a drink by me right now), but $1000 is a ridiculous amount of money. No matter how much you try to break it down. I don't spend that in 3 months at bars. I can do far more enjoyable things for $1000. My last 7 day balcony cruise was cheaper than that. 

 

I guess being a stock owner, I could take $100 off for that price for a seven day cruise.

[cruizergal70]

21 minutes ago, Joebucks said:

 

I'm sure there are plenty of people who can find value in it. If you liked it before, the new price probaby isn't the end of the world.

 

I love to drink (heck I have a drink by me right now), but $1000 is a ridiculous amount of money. No matter how much you try to break it down. I don't spend that in 3 months at bars. I can do far more enjoyable things for $1000. My last 7 day balcony cruise was cheaper than that. 

Exactly.  Folks will find the cheapest cabin, cut all types of expenses and then...pay $1k just to drink? Crazy thing is that most people wouldn't come close to that amount even when buying individual drinks. 

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

1 minute ago, cruizergal70 said:

Exactly.  Folks will find the cheapest cabin, cut all types of expenses and then...pay $1k just to drink? Crazy thing is that most people wouldn't come close to that amount even when buying individual drinks. 

 

Paying for the AI mindset.. priceless !

 

Tom

[Matco]

1 hour ago, pc_load_letter said:

 

Not sure if being sarcastic or serious. The drink package is still reasonable versus other lines and if you enjoy drinking on your vacation, it's still a good deal as you break even at six drinks. Which I can do before noon frankly.

RCL charges $60-$70 per person per day, although theirs is truly unlimited, sometimes you could buy it on sale for $50ish a day. I'm sure they will be raising those prices soon too 

[geckoaz]

I watched a breakdown of tips today. Your waiter gets 1 dollar a day. Rest goes to head waiters..support waiters etc. So now my waiter might get 5 more cents. The tips also go the your room steward...assistants etc. It is frightening that we pay part of their wages but it is system. Be kind and generous.

[ryanpatricksmom]

5 hours ago, coondog99 said:

Anyone have a reference to the increase to internet packages on May 1st?

FYI, you can purchase an internet package using your onboard credit if you have any.  I can't remember ever having the option of applying OBC to a prepaid purchase before, but we did go in today and were able to prepay all of the internet for our next 3 cruises using OBC.  I have no issues paying more for gratuities, so I wouldn't do that prior to our sailing, but the internet...I don't want to pay more for that!

[Thenagers]

2 hours ago, Joebucks said:

 

I'm sure there are plenty of people who can find value in it. If you liked it before, the new price probaby isn't the end of the world.

 

I love to drink (heck I have a drink by me right now), but $1000 is a ridiculous amount of money. No matter how much you try to break it down. I don't spend that in 3 months at bars. I can do far more enjoyable things for $1000. My last 7 day balcony cruise was cheaper than that. 

After experiencing the drink package on Royal, I definely do not see the value in Carnivals.   It used to be cheaper but with RCL "sales" you can actually now get it cheaper than Carnival.  Also they allow you to use it on Labadee and CocoCay .  It will be interesting if they raise all the bar prices as well?  I am assuming so.  I also hate how you sign for each drink( even a soda) on Carnival even with the package. I feel obligated to tip every time even though it is supposed to be included.  I will always tip waiters or waitresses who bring it to me but tipping a bartender every time for every drink can add up when you have already "prepaid"?   There is no signing on RCL or limit.  So count me out of thier package especially at the new prices!

[pc_load_letter]

5 minutes ago, Thenagers said:

After experiencing the drink package on Royal, I definely do not see the value in Carnivals.   It used to be cheaper but with RCL "sales" you can actually now get it cheaper than Carnival.  Also they allow you to use it on Labadee and CocoCay .  It will be interesting if they raise all the bar prices as well?  I am assuming so.  I also hate how you sign for each drink( even a soda) on Carnival even with the package. I feel obligated to tip every time even though it is supposed to be included.  I will always tip waiters or waitresses who bring it to me but tipping a bartender every time for every drink can add up when you have already "prepaid"?   There is no signing on RCL or limit.  So count me out of thier package especially at the new prices!

 

lol, yeah, tipping on top of the included gratuity sounds expensive.

 

Good points about RCL drink package. While it might be "cheaper" when they run specials, I guess one would have to look at the overall cost of the cruise to determine value. My wife looks routinely at cruises out of Long Beach the RCL ship from San Pedro was almost triple the cost of a same number of days Carnival cruise.

[captainmayi]

We added prepaid gratuities to our cruise when we booked it. So do we have to pay our cruise off before May 1st to get the lower price? Not that the $4.00 matter 😄 Just curious

[WKUTopperFan]

23 hours ago, cruisingguy007 said:

 

The real question is, if they can do it there, as an included, why not other ships? Increasing the cruise fare a bit and making it line wide makes more sense. This is the exact reason I dislike the ship within a ship concept. It lowers the expectations of all, if it's so good, include it and adjust the price for all accordingly and make it standard. They are slowly easing people into non-included and à la carte for a reason. Third class inbound for simple transport is a problem that any cruiser should reject. The ship should be the destination.   

Cucina isn't Cucina on Mardi Gras. I just sailed on Mardi Gras last week and was horrified by the Cucina experience.  I dine in Cucina 2 to 3 times on an 8 night itinerary on a Vista Class ship... it's my favorite restaurant at Sea. I only eat in specialty restaurants and was mortified my first night on board the Mardi Gras dining at their version of Cucina. The menu different than the other ship Cucina menu's. The food is not cooked to order. It was a travesty.  It's complimentary because it's an extension of the dining room... it is no specialty restaurant.  Terrible idea. 

[SNJCruisers]

9 hours ago, wanderlust0713 said:

Now I’m on the fence about Cheers. I’m going solo on a 4 day May 2nd and had decided it probably wouldn’t be worth it. If they raise drink prices now it might be worth it for me to prepay🤔

It's worth it.  It's only a four day and individual drink prices will go up, with the automatic 18% added.