Carnival Cruise Line increases gratuity, Wi-Fi charges (and it's not the only one)

Nathan Diller, USA TODAY
·2 min read
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Travelers sailing with Carnival Cruise Line can expect to pay steeper fees in the coming months. The cruise line is increasing charges for both gratuities and Wi-Fi, a spokesperson told USA TODAY on Wednesday.

Onboard gratuities will increase from $14.50 per person, per day to $16 for guests in standard accommodations, beginning April 1. For those in suites, the price will increase from $16.50 per day for each guest to $18.

"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," Carnival Cruise spokesperson Matt Lupoli said in an emailed statement. "We believe our guests will agree this slight increase is well-deserved."

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He noted that although gratuities are automatically added to travelers' onboard accounts, they can adjust the amount as they wish. Once a passenger disembarks, the charges are considered final, according to Carnival's website.

Guests who are booked to sail with the line can prepay their gratuities online before April 1 at the current price, Lupoli said.

Carnival will also increase the cost of Wi-Fi on its ships beginning Friday. The line's Social internet plan will increase from $10.20 to $12.75, while its Value plan will jump from $14.45 to $17. The Premium plan will also increase from $17 to $22.

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Have other cruise lines increased their gratuity prices?

Yes. Carnival's fee hikes follow similar moves from lines such as Princess Cruises and Holland America Line, which said they would increase their gratuity prices (all three lines are part of Carnival Corp.).

The changes come as a number of lines, including Carnival and Norwegian Cruise Line, have also increased fees for amenities such as beverage packages and signature restaurants in the wake of high inflation during the industry's continued recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Carnival Cruise Line to increase gratuity, Wi-Fi fees