WIFI PRICES AND RECOMMENDED GRATUITIES ADJUSTMENTS

[cruisingguy007]

IMPORTANT INFORMATION
WIFI PRICES AND RECOMMENDED GRATUITIES ADJUSTMENTS
(U.S. AND EUROPEAN DEPARTURES)

January 3, 2023

Dear Carnival Guest,

We are writing to let you know that we will be adjusting internet prices and onboard gratuity guidelines with all cruises based on the schedule below. However, we will honor existing prices for pre-paid internet purchases and pre-paid gratuities, per the dates outlined below.Internet prices – effective with embarkations January 16, 2023

Social: $12.75, per day

Value: $17, per day

Premium: $18.70, per day

Gratuity guidelines – effective with embarkations April 1, 2023

Standard staterooms: $16, per guest, per day

Suites: $18, per guest, per day

Remember there is still time to save. You may pre-pay your gratuities and pre-purchase internet at the current rates as follows:Internet prices – purchased before January 16, 2023

Social: $10.20, per day

Value: $14.45, per day

Premium: $17, per day

Gratuity guidelines – purchased before April 1, 2023

Standard staterooms: $14.50, per guest, per day

Suites: $16.50, per guest, per day

Access My Cruise Manager using the “RESERVE NOW” button below to secure the current rates for any Carnival open sailing.

As a reminder, unless they are pre-paid, recommended gratuities are automatically added to your onboard Sail & Sign® account as a convenience. However, while on board, you are free to adjust gratuities at your discretion. No adjustments will be made after the cruise. Our shipboard team members work hard to provide exceptional and friendly service, so we hope you will agree that this slight increase is well deserved.

We look forward to welcoming you on board!

Sincerely,

Sarah Reno
Sr. Vice President - Guest Operations

[ashkir]

Gratuities increase I have no problem with.

 

The internet, ****. Wow. My internet for my next cruise is going to be $467.5.

 

I hope Carnival can actually improve their internet. They renewed their contract with their current provider. Their rivals moved to Starlink. You can even watch Netflix on some cruise ships now. Carnival has the worst wifi of all the lines imo 

[RenoNanaOz]

Our phones go in the safe, we take them out to check in with family in port. 

[mkkao924]

Didn’t they just raise the WiFi price not too long ago? I remember prepaying the WiFi before their last price increase. Now my cruise hasn’t sailed yet, and they raise the price again, geez.

[mkkao924]

I just re-read the email again. For the gratuity, the effective date is April 1st. If my sail date is March, then it’s still the current rate even if I don’t prepay it, correct?

 

I have quite a bit of OBC for our upcoming cruise, and therefore I don’t want to prepay things now.

[audcc77]

I just received notice of this too. 

 

So less service for more money?  Yeah?

 

What the heck, Carnival !🤬. 
 

I ALWAYS keep my tips in place AND pay extra to dining and cabin personnel.   Sometimes I even give the girl in the restroom a $20 because I have done that type of work and I hated it. 
 

Now I’m hearing about people leaving cash in the MDR.  ???  
 

This is crazy. 

I’m seriously thinking of joining the ever growing masses and pulling my tips and just paying people at the end of the cruise, like it was done years ago.  WHO paid those “behind-the-scenes” people in the 1980s?   Maybe if we all did this, these cruise lines would stop this ridiculous game and pay staff appropriately.  

 

As far as the internet, which I need because I work, the only time it is even worth it is on the newer ships. 

 

I’m on the Elation in a few months and will prepay my internet, and if Wi-Fi is not working brilliantly, I will be getting my $$ refunded.  
 

Okay. Done with my rant.   
 

Maybe I’m just “hangry” cause it’s dinner time.  

[RoperDK]

Well, at least my cruise is this January.       

[urbanhawk]

4 minutes ago, mkkao924 said:

I just re-read the email again. For the gratuity, the effective date is April 1st. If my sail date is March, then it’s still the current rate even if I don’t prepay it, correct?

 

I have quite a bit of OBC for our upcoming cruise, and therefore I don’t want to prepay things now.

I believe you are right but am curious, if your March cruise  extended into April, would you pay higher gratuities for part of your cruise? or just the current rate?

 

The new rates are for U.S., and European departures.  Why not the Australian departures, not that I am complaining?

[sammee]

If I'm not mistaken, didn't they do increases this past May? New price almost as much as my port fees and taxes, lol.

[Eli_6]

The wifi on the older ships is crap and not worth this price at all.  

[Eli_6]

23 minutes ago, mkkao924 said:

I just re-read the email again. For the gratuity, the effective date is April 1st. If my sail date is March, then it’s still the current rate even if I don’t prepay it, correct?

 

I have quite a bit of OBC for our upcoming cruise, and therefore I don’t want to prepay things now.

Yes, that is correct.

[mz-s]

The WiFi is robbery at these prices.

 

I'm not going to discuss gratuities because I do not have the strength to argue about it.

[1kaper]

2 minutes ago, Eli_6 said:

The wifi on the older ships is crap and not worth this price at all.  

We were in Spirit and I bought the basic day service. It wasn’t supposed to support video calling but we were able to FaceTime our kid. 
it was during sea days too. 

[Old Fart Cruisers]

22 minutes ago, mkkao924 said:

For the gratuity, the effective date is April 1st. If my sail date is March, then it’s still the current rate even if I don’t prepay it, correct?

 

That would be correct.  March usually comes before April 1st.

 

5 minutes ago, urbanhawk said:

I believe you are right but am curious, if your March cruise  extended into April, would you pay higher gratuities for part of your cruise? or just the current rate?

 

It's spelled out pretty clearly.  Gratuity guidelines – effective with embarkations April 1, 2023 - it doesn't say it will go up for any sailing days after April 1st.

[cruisingguy007]

11 minutes ago, urbanhawk said:

I believe you are right but am curious, if your March cruise  extended into April, would you pay higher gratuities for part of your cruise? or just the current rate?

 

The new rates are for U.S., and European departures.  Why not the Australian departures, not that I am complaining?

 

Some countries don't allow auto grats by law and have gratuities built into the fare, I believe AUS cruises is one of them IIRC. 

[Lee Cruiser]

14 minutes ago, sammee said:

If I'm not mistaken, didn't they do increases this past May? New price almost as much as my port fees and taxes, lol.

They just had increases back in the Fall. I did it for two cruises before the October 1 deadline. It’s going up again for the second time in three months.

[crazy4themouse]

Good grief... the social plan just back in October cost me $34 for a 5-night cruise (purchased back in April)... for our upcoming 7-night next month it had jumped to $71.40... and now for next year's 7-night it'll be nearly $90?? No wonder they haven't fixed the chat in the HUB app -- They're making a killing on the internet packages! 

 

 

[Saint Greg]

I had two cruises last year where they canceled my pre-paid internet and made us pay-per-day. So just because you pre-pay now, doesn't mean it won't get canceled and you have to pay the higher rate.

[Eli_6]

I predict this means that they are going to be increasing drink packages and certain other items as well in the near future. 

[n6uqqq]

Well this announcement has sent the Carnival website into paralysis!

[groundloop]

I'm getting more and more tempted to do without internet for my upcoming cruises.  I'm really kind of surprised that they're raising the price again so soon, especially for such crap service.  

 

I was on Freedom in November and the wifi was totally useless so I had it cancelled on the second day and went without for the rest of the cruise (and somehow survived - it helped that I had phone service for quite a few hours as we sailed past the Bahamas).

 

Maybe this is Carnival's way of improving wifi service, price it so high that a certain percentage of people won't get it and free up bandwidth for those who are willing to pay the exorbitant price.

Edited January 3, 2023 by groundloop

[dallasdan]

Didn't NCL announce a gratuity increase in the last month?  So is Carnival just following their competitor?

[Lee Cruiser]

11 minutes ago, Saint Greg said:

I had two cruises last year where they canceled my pre-paid internet and made us pay-per-day. So just because you pre-pay now, doesn't mean it won't get canceled and you have to pay the higher rate.

Did you get notified before the cruise or one you tried to login?

[cruisingguy007]

42 minutes ago, audcc77 said:

I just received notice of this too. 

 

So less service for more money?  Yeah?

 

What the heck, Carnival !🤬. 
 

I ALWAYS keep my tips in place AND pay extra to dining and cabin personnel.   Sometimes I even give the girl in the restroom a $20 because I have done that type of work and I hated it. 
 

Now I’m hearing about people leaving cash in the MDR.  ???  
 

This is crazy. 

I’m seriously thinking of joining the ever growing masses and pulling my tips and just paying people at the end of the cruise, like it was done years ago.  WHO paid those “behind-the-scenes” people in the 1980s?   Maybe if we all did this, these cruise lines would stop this ridiculous game and pay staff appropriately.  

 

As far as the internet, which I need because I work, the only time it is even worth it is on the newer ships. 

 

I’m on the Elation in a few months and will prepay my internet, and if Wi-Fi is not working brilliantly, I will be getting my $$ refunded.  
 

Okay. Done with my rant.   
 

Maybe I’m just “hangry” cause it’s dinner time.  

 

Indeed, I usually tip out each day at MDR on top of auto-grats, tip additional on drinks even that I get myself and leave additional for room stewards but it's getting a bit much. It's getting to where the auto-grats are enough when they charge them in general (per person, it adds up for families) and on everything else you buy on board, and at the same time are raising prices on everything from water to alcoholic drinks and excursions etc. They have to look out for their bottom line but we also have to look out for our bottom lines as well. These price increases on everything on board (water, booze, bottles, internet, dining, excursions sundries etc) need to be offset for passengers too. We can't simply generate more income on demand and have economic restraints as well. I hate to say it but I think the auto-grats will have to suffice to offset increases and additional gratuities and casino donations staying in the pocket can do just that.   

Edited January 3, 2023 by cruisingguy007

[mz-s]

https://www.carnival.com/cruise-food/steakhouse

 

Steakhouse page says it's $65 per person now too. Insanity!