What’s Included In Carnival Cruises

Keep An Eye Out For Prices

Just because a dining venue is included does not mean everything on its menu is. Travelers will often “see a little asterisk” next to items such as steaks, Cullen said, that note an additional cost.

The selection of included drinks to go with your meal may also be limited. Major lines such as Carnival and Norwegian Cruise Line throw in some beverages, like iced tea or regular coffee, with the fare but charge for others. Depending on what drinks you like, Kuther said, it may be worth springing for a drinks package.

Many cruise lines offer a range of beverage packages for guests to choose from. Princess, for example, offers a combined Coffee & Soda Package for about $20 per person per day plus an 18% service charge, while the Plus Beverage Package features wine, beer, cocktails and more for about $60 per guest each day, plus the service charge, according to the line’s website.

There is also a Premier Beverage Package that includes reserve wines and top-shelf spirits for nearly $80 a day per guest, plus the service charge, among other options. Keep an eye out for per order or daily drink limits, though.

“If people are big soda drinkers, if people are big specialty coffee , I always say get a package upfront because it definitely adds up,” Kuther said.

Can You Bring Water Bottles On A Cruise

You CANT bring water bottles on board, but you CAN bring a pack of juice, sparkling water, or similar on board if they are canned drinks or they are in a carton.

And these types of drinks are among the cruise items not to pack in your checked luggage. You need to pack it in your carry-on when you board the ship.

Check the current policy to make sure youre still allowed to bring these types of drinks on a Carnival cruise so there will be no surprises at the start of your vacation!

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Learn More About The Benefits Of Sailing With Carnival Cruise Lines

Whether you are a full family, couple, solo, group of friends, or celebrating your anniversary, there are many benefits to sailing with Carnival Cruise Lines. Cruises are all about letting loose and enjoying the experience, so the Carnival drinks packages will add to the fun.

If you want to learn more about the awesome benefits of sailing with Carnival Cruise lines, check out our blog section on Carnival cruise line tips.

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How To Save More On Carnival Cruise Line

Save some cold hard cash on your Carnival cruise and you can splurge on onboard activities like the on-deck waterpark or spend some time relaxing in the spa. How can you be sure youre getting the best deal on your cruise?The average breakdown of savings might surprise you

About Carnival Cruise Lines

Carnival has built a reputation for itself as a cruise line for friends,families, and fun-lovers looking to let their hair down and enjoy an action-packed, entertaining cruise vacation.Everything about Carnival is larger-than-life, from the ship sizes to the onboard thrills, to the oversized burgersat Guys Burger Joint, a favorite poolside palate-pleaser by Food Network star Guy Fieri. Carnival excels atoffering unpretentious laughs, vivacious and unique decor, creature comforts from 24-hour buffets to shipside spa,and genuine good times to all on board. Its 28 ships sail to some of the most beautiful destinations in the world,from Alaska to Australia, and promise nothing short of fantastic fun for the whole family.

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Carnival Cheers Program On Carnival Cruise Line

For some travelers, a favorite facet of cruising is trying out the colorfully named cocktails, getting brain freeze from a variety of frozen drinks or indulging in buckets of beer. But if youre not paying attention, the cost of all these drinks can add up unless youve prepaid your entire bar tab. With Carnivals Cheers beverage package, you can do just that.

What Is Included In A Carnival Cruise

Compared to 7-day resort stay, Carnival cruises can save travelers more than $1,000 per vacation.

• Carnival Cruise Advice

When taking a cruise with Carnival Cruise Lines there are a variety of activities that are included. In fact, they are mostly all-inclusive, with a majority of the expenses incurred for a Carnival cruise vacation already included in the price. This includes things such as accommodations, dining, entertainment, activities and youth programs. Sometimes, there are additional offers that can provide passengers with additional on-board credits, free cabin upgrades and savings on shore excursions. Things that are included in your ticket.

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Carnival Cruise Drink Prices

If youre not going to get the drink package, you might wonder just how much drinks cost on a Carnival Cruise. I want to say that most of my fruity drinks were $6-$10, depending on the drink. Be sure to check the Fun Times everyday for the Drink of the Day, which will be discounted. Theyre always tasty choices! Beer you can generally get for $4-$6 per bottle, you might want to opt for pails if youre planning to drink a few or share.

So there you have it! All you ever wanted to know about drinks on a Carnival Cruise, right?! I hope you enjoy our Top Ten list and let us know which is your favorite OR if you have another we should add to our list for next time!

For More Carnival Cruise Posts, check out:

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How Much Does A Typical Carnival Cruise Cost

Lets put these savings to work with the following example of a typical Carnival cruise.

You and your partner decide to take a 7 night Carnival cruise to the Caribbean and book an oceanviewroom, a drinks package, a couple of mid-level shore excursions, a couple meals at specialtyrestaurants, and a spa treatment each. Heres what you could expect to pay:

7 Night Caribbean Cruise based on 2 adults cost per person

Now, lets rewind time and imagine that you set up a free price alert for the sailing with Cruisewatch and tookadvantage of our unparalleled price prediction to book at just the right time, saving you a whopping 70% off theprice of your oceanview stateroom. Even if every other aspect of your cruise remained the same, you would endyour vacation with an additional $936 in your pocket. Thats the power of Cruisewatch.

Save up tp 70% off your Carnival cruise!

Save time, save money! Sign up for our newsletter and well send the best deals to you 100% FREE.

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Not Included: Cell Phone Use And Internet

One thing many people forget is theyre traveling in the middle of the sea where there arent cell phone towers. You can still use your cell phone on the ships satellite system, but its very expensive.

One alternative is signing up for a paid WiFi internet package. Just make sure to turn your cell phone to airplane mode to avoid cell phone carrier charges.

You can make calls to shore with your stateroom phone, but there is a very costly per minute fee for doing so.

Carnival Cruise Lines Philosophy

Carnival cruises offer affordable passage to families, couples, singles, and large groups, and arepopular among the family reunion and bachelor/bachelorette party crowd. These boisterous and notoriouslyfun-loving ships predominantly ply the waters of the Caribbean, Bermuda, Mexico, the Bahamas, with some sailingscalling at the Panama Canal. Carnivals Pacific sailings span from Alaska to Hawaii, and some Carnival cruisedestinations even include more exotic locales like Australia and the Mediterranean. Carnival is a greatbudget-friendly cruise line for short cruises and longer cruises alike, particularly for extroverts and partyanimals looking to let loose, kick back, and have some fun on their cruise vacay.

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Extra Cost Cruise Activities

As you have read, there are so many fun things to do on a Carnival Ship. If you want a refresher, click over to the post 37 Free Things to do on a Carnival cruise.

There are some optional activities for even more fun that do have an extra charge. Here are some of the top activities that cost extra on a Carnival Cruise.

Bolt Roller Coaster

The first roller coaster at sea is on Carnival Mardi Gras. What a cool amenity. It definitely looks like a good time. It not surprisingly has an additional cost.

Sky Zone

Sky Zone trampoline park is only available on Carnival Panorama, which is currently sailing from the West Coast to Mexico.

IMAX

There is an IMAX theater on two of Carnivals ships, Carnival Horizon and Carnival Vista.

Build-A-Bear Workshop

Carnival has a Build-A-Bear Workshop at sea on select Carnival ships. The cost varies depending on the stuffy, clothes, and accessories you choose. Here is the bear my daughter built on Carnival Dream.

What Other Restrictions Are Important To Know

As youd probably expect, CHEERS! is only available to those 21 and over. Also, if one passenger in a stateroom wants to purchase the package, any other guests over the age of 21 who share the same cabin must buy it. You also cant purchase the package for a single day or a portion of the cruise it is only available for the entire length of the cruise.

The program is refundable, but only up until 10 p.m. on the day before your cruise is scheduled to sail.

Finally, CHEERS! is not always available on European itineraries, two-day voyages, or charter cruises.

This article was originally published in July 2019. It was updated and republished in October 2021.

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Balcony Cabins On Carnival Cruise Line Ships

Balcony cabins are what everyone wants these days, and Carnival is building its newest ships with far more of them than in the past. As noted above, about 44% of the cabins on the lines three-year-old unveiled Carnival Panorama are balcony cabins. But that percentage jumped to 56% on the new Mardi Gras. A sister vessel to Mardi Gras coming out in late 2022, Carnival Celebration, also be made up of 56% balcony cabins.

The typical Carnival balcony cabin has a contemporary look with clean lines and relatively minimalist furniture. Theyll typically offer twin beds that can be converted into a king bed, a built-in desk area and a sofa that often pulls out into an additional bed. Some have pull-down bunks to create more sleeping spaces. They typically measure around 185 square feet, not including the balcony area, which often measures 35 square feet.

Note that on some Carnival ships, there are specific categories of balcony cabins that have larger balconies than most and are wonderful for sitting out and watching the waves. Often these are at the back of the ships overlooking the wake.

On Carnival Panorama, for instance, there are Family Harbor and Havana balcony cabins overlooking the wake that have 60-square-foot balconies. Thats 71% more balcony space than the typical balcony cabin on the ship.

Carnival Panorama also has Havana Cabana balcony cabins that have even bigger, 100-square-foot balconies.

Will Carnival And Royal Caribbean Offer Similar Deals

The $75 price point seems low for the core Carnival and Royal Caribbean brands. Carnival, for example, charges a pre-cruise price of $59.95 per person per day plus 18% service charge, and an onboard price will be $64.95 per person per day plus 18% service charge for its Cheers Beverage package alone.

Royal Caribbean uses variable prices on its sailings, but the drink package rarely falls below Carnival’s per-day price and it can often cost more,

What’s possible, however, is that either cruise line could consider a premium all-inclusive package at a higher price point, It comes down to balancing availability on ships — only so many specialty dining slots are available and popular restaurants sell out on some sailings — and whether offering a package deal gets customers to spend more.

Royal Caribbean, for example, offers Ultimate Dining, which includes unlimited specialty dining on some cruises but not others. That’s likely due to a mix of availability and math, as not offering it likely produces more revenue on certain cruises.

Neither cruise company has suggested it will make an all-inclusive package offer, but Carnival has seemingly opened the door, at least a bit, with this Princess offer.

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Alcoholic And Some Non

As mentioned previously, alcoholic beverages are not part of the cruise fare. On Carnival ships, beer, wine, cocktails, soda, specialty coffee and tea, and bottled water will all cost additional fees. Depending on your drinking habits, purchasing the Cheers beverage package might be a better option than paying the a la carte pricing. This package includes a variety of non-alcoholic beverages, beer, wines by the glass, cocktails, and a wide selection of high quality brand-name spirits priced up to $20. Soda, juices, specialty coffee, energy drinks, and bottled water are also included in this package. The Bottomless Bubbles is Carnival Cruise Lines soda package which is also an up-charge and includes soft drinks and juices only.

Dining Options Included In A Carnival Cruise

• A variety of dining options for breakfast, brunch, lunch, afternoon tea, dinner and late night in the Main Dining Room and/or Lido Restaurant.
• A variety of dining options for breakfast, lunch and snacking at specialty food spots , such as but not limited to: Guys Burger Joint, Guys Pig & Anchor Bar-B-Que Smokehouse, BlueIguana Cantina, Mongolian Wok and Ol Fashioned BBQ.
• Low fat meal options in the main dining room for breakfast, lunch & dinner
• 24-hour Pizzeria offering pizzas and salad
• Coffee, tea, hot chocolate, iced tea, lemonade, orange juice, milk and water are free throughout the cruise
• 24-hour soft serve ice cream and frozen yogurt
• The following beverages served in the Main Dining Room and 24/7 in the Lido Restaurant: non-bottled water, lemonade, iced tea, hot chocolate and non-specialty coffee and tea

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Are Any Drinks Included On Carnival Cruises

The following beverages are included in the package: All alcoholic beverages, including our signature cocktails beer and wine offered by the glass Rocky Mountaineer, Powerade, and Honest Tea energy drinks beverages of a more specialized kind, such as coffee and tea, that are offered in main dining rooms, speciality restaurants, and coffee bars.

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Whats Included With Carnival Cruise Fare

Cruising has become less of an all-inclusive vacation over the years, with cruise companies selling lots of add-ons to increase onboard spending. However, there are many complimentary benefits that cruisers will enjoy.

What is included in the basic Carnival cruise fare? For the most part, it is similar to other cruise lines. A stateroom, food, entertainment, activities, and sports are among the major inclusions.

Carnivals large fleet of ships offers lots for those cruisers who don’t want to spend a lot on extras but still have a good vacation.

Here is what you need to know about what is included with Carnival cruise and what is not.

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Almost Everything Is Included In The Cruise Fare

Come on board and enjoy all the fantastic options from the beginning: Your stateroom and delicious meals at the restaurants or at your stateroom with our free cabin service for breakfast

Fascinating entertainment day and night with our spectacular stage show. A Serenity area for adults and youth programs for kids and teens and the exciting destinations you will visit.

Not to forget the award-winning service. And if it comes to the costs, Carnival is hard to beat. Compared to a holiday ashore where you have to pay extra fees for transportation, meals and entertainment, a vacation with Carnival is real bargain.

The following services and attractions are included:

Food & Beverages

• À la carte restaurants – even lobster and steaks are included
• Casual dining at the buffet restaurant, Grill, Deli, pizzeria, soft ice and frozen yoghurt
• Iced tea, water, coffee, tea, juices
• Spa Carnival Menu
• Free cabin service for breakfast from 06:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.

Activities & Entertainment

• Serenity relaxation area for adults only
• Free access to all clubs, bars and lounges
• Spectacular stage shows
• Live music with band and orchestra
• Comedy and international singers
• Fitness center, steam bath, sauna, jogging track
• Pools, jacuzzis and splash pool
• Carnivals Twister waterslide or Carnival waterpark
• Basketball / Volleyball
• Carnivals Seaside Theatre

Cost Of Royal Caribbean Vs Carnival

Want to sail affordably? Both Royal Caribbean and Carnival offer affordable vacations. If you want to sail the more inexpensive cruise line, however, then youre better off with Carnival according to our analysis.

We recently analyzed dozens of cruises from both cruise lines departing from three of their most popular ports. Carnival and Royal Caribbean both sail from Miami, Port Canaveral, and Galveston, which gives an ability to compare prices across the lines with similar trips.

When looking at the fares for each sailing in July 2022 , we found that Carnivals fares are less expensive on average.

According to our analysis, cruise fare for a 7-night trip aboard Carnival was about $200 cheaper per person during our search than what was seen on Royal Caribbean. That lower pricing also held for 3, 4, and 5-night cruises.

Now keep in mind that this doesnt mean your cruise will automatically be less expensive on Carnival or more expensive on Royal Caribbean. What you pay for a cruise depends on a lot of factors, including when you sail, the specific ship you choose, and the route you take. But in general, you can figure that a Carnival cruise will run less than a similar one on Royal Caribbean.

Bottom line: When it comes to cost, Carnival is usually cheaper to sail than a similar trip on Royal Caribbean, although the difference isnt enormous.

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