Carnival Increases Prices on Cheers Drink Package, Other Onboard Services

(11:15 a.m. EDT) -- Carnival Cruise Line is increasing the price for its popular Cheers all-inclusive beverage program by $8 per day, effective May 1, 2022.

The cruise line is also upping recommended onboard gratuities by 51 cents per person, to $14.50 for standard staterooms and to $16.50 for suites.

There are increases in other onboard fees as well.

"Additionally, although Carnival has done its best to mitigate the impact of rising costs, prices are being adjusted for specialty dining, beverage packages and onboard Wi-Fi," the company said in a statement. "Even with these nominal price changes, a Carnival cruise keeps its status as the best vacation value at sea or on land."

As of May 1, Cheers beverage packages purchased pre-cruise will cost $59.95 per day for all cruise departures. This is an increase of $8 per day over Carnival’s current pricing of $51.95 per day for cruises of five days or longer.

If you purchase the package once onboard your Carnival ship, the updated price is $64.95 per day for all cruise departures.

In both cases, an 18 percent service charge will be added to all package purchases.

As before, the program must be purchased for the entirety of your cruise; it's not available on a per day basis.

Cheers covers up to 15 alcohol drinks during a 24-hour period, as well as nonalcoholic beverages such as sodas, juices, specialty coffees, energy drinks and bottled water.

Guests must be 21 years or older to purchase the plan, and each adult guest in the same stateroom must sign onto the program. Sharing isn't allowed.

The last time Carnival increased Cheers program fees was at the beginning of 2020.

The additional fee changes are:

• The Bottomless Bubbles nonalcoholic beverage program increases by $1 per day to $9.50 for adults and $6.95 for kids.

• Internet when purchased precruise increases from $6.80 for social and $10.20 for value to new per-day pricing of $8.50 and $11.05. Pricing for the premium plan remains unchanged.

• Specialty dining increases range from $3 to $5 per person more. The price at Carnival steakhouses will be $42; steakhouse selects increases to $23; the Italian venue Cucina and Asian restaurant Jiji move up to $18; Teppanyaki rises to $35; and Chef's Table increases from $80 to $99.

• The Seuss breakfast, a popular family attraction featuring Dr. Seuss characters such as The Cat in the Hat, increases by $1 per person, to $8.

Most of the onboard service fees had not been increased since 2018.