What's included on a Carnival cruise and what costs extra? — featuring Eat Sleep Cruise (Carnival Cruise Line)
In this video: What’s Included on Carnival Cruise Line | Plus What Will Cost You Extra!
Eat Sleep Cruise · 3 years ago
What drinks are actually free on a Carnival cruise?
Tap water, select juices, iced tea, lemonade, hot chocolate, and drip coffee or tea are complimentary. Soda, bottled water, specialty coffee drinks, and all alcoholic beverages require payment either à la carte or through a drink package.
What this video answers
What drinks are actually free on a Carnival cruise?
Do I need to tip beyond the automatic gratuities?
Can I dine in specialty restaurants without booking in advance?
Are there any all-inclusive packages available on Carnival?
What's the difference between cabin categories on Carnival ships?
What's Included in a Carnival Cruise: Complete Breakdown
This guide walks you through everything covered in a standard Carnival Cruise Line fare and what will cost you extra once you're onboard. If you're planning a Carnival cruise and want to understand your true total cost before booking, this video breaks down the often-confusing pricing structure so you can budget accurately. It's especially valuable if you're new to cruising or comparing Carnival to other cruise lines.
The video covers accommodations, dining, entertainment, youth programs, and all the add-on charges that surprise many first-time cruisers. Whether you're traveling as a family, couple, or solo, understanding what's truly included helps you decide if Carnival fits your vacation style and budget.
Key Moments
What You'll Learn About Carnival's Included Amenities
Stateroom accommodations with daily attendant service and cabin-category perks (thermal suite access, exclusive pools, fitness classes depending on your room type)
Three complimentary daily meals: multi-course rotational dining in the main dining room, plus casual venues like the Lido buffet, Guy's Burger Joint, Blue Iguana Cantina, and pizzeria
Free nightly entertainment including Playlist Productions Broadway-style shows, family-friendly games (Lip Sync Battle, Family Feud, murder mysteries), comedy, and live music throughout the ship
Included onboard activities such as trivia, cooking demonstrations, dance classes, pool deck parties, mini golf, ropes courses, and the Sky Ride (on Vista-class ships)
Supervised youth programs for ages 2–17: Camp Ocean for younger children, Circle C for tweens, and Club O2 for teens, plus special Dr. Seuss programming on select ships
Access to fitness facilities, outdoor jogging track, sports decks, and adult-only Serenity areas on most vessels
Key Costs and Charges Before You Book
Alcoholic beverages are not included; consider the Cheers drink package (covers beer, wine, cocktails, specialty coffee, and soda with a 15-drink-per-day limit) or Bottomless Bubbles (soda and juice only)
Specialty dining restaurants (Fahrenheit 555 Steakhouse, Bonsai Sushi, Gigi's Asian Kitchen, Cocina Del Capitano) carry per-person flat fees or à la carte pricing; reservations recommended and available through the Carnival website pre-cruise
Cruise gratuities (service charges) are automatically added: $16.50 per person per day for standard staterooms and $18 per person per day for suites as of April 2023
WiFi and internet packages are separate fees; pre-purchasing on the cruise planner is cheaper than buying onboard
Optional upcharges include Bingo, group fitness classes, cocktail tastings, the video arcade, Build-A-Bear Workshop, IMAX, Sky Zone, and Bolt seacoaster on select ships
Shore excursions (organized port tours) are not included; prices vary by destination (Caribbean typically cheaper than Alaska or Mediterranean) and range from budget walking tours to several hundred dollars
Spa and thermal suite access, laundry services, casino gaming, onboard shopping, and photography packages all carry extra fees
Frequently Asked Questions About Carnival Cruise Pricing
What drinks are actually free on a Carnival cruise?
Tap water, select juices, iced tea, lemonade, hot chocolate, and drip coffee or tea are complimentary. Soda, bottled water, specialty coffee drinks, and all alcoholic beverages require payment either à la carte or through a drink package.
Do I need to tip beyond the automatic gratuities?
The daily gratuity charge ($16.50–$18 per person) is mandatory, but you can tip individual crew members additional cash if you wish to reward exceptional service. These extra tips are entirely optional.
Can I dine in specialty restaurants without booking in advance?
You can make reservations onboard, but space will be limited. The video recommends booking specialty dining through the Carnival website before your cruise to guarantee seating, especially during peak sailings.
Are there any all-inclusive packages available on Carnival?
No. Unlike some competing cruise lines, Carnival does not offer an all-inclusive bundle that covers drinks, specialty dining, shore excursions, and other add-ons. You'll need to purchase these separately à la carte.
What's the difference between cabin categories on Carnival ships?
Cabin type determines your base cruise fare. Higher categories (suites, Cloud9 staterooms, Havana staterooms) include exclusive perks like thermal suite access, complimentary fitness classes, reserved pool areas, and higher daily gratuities, while interior cabins offer the most economical rate.
A dining schedule where the main restaurant serves different multi-course meals each night so you're unlikely to eat the same entrées twice during your cruise.
Gratuities
Mandatory daily service charges automatically added to your onboard account as payment to crew members for their work during your cruise.
Specialty dining
Upscale or themed restaurants aboard the ship that charge extra fees beyond the base cruise fare and require advance reservations.
Thermal suite
A premium spa area with heated loungers, steam and sauna grottos, and therapy pools available for an additional fee.
Shore excursions
Organized guided tours and activities at each port of call, sold separately from the cruise fare and ranging widely in price by destination.
This video is essential viewing for anyone considering a Carnival cruise, especially first-timers. It pulls back the curtain on hidden costs that many cruisers don't anticipate, helping you create a realistic budget and avoid sticker shock when your final bill arrives.
What makes it particularly valuable is the specificity: exact gratuity amounts, named specialty restaurants with pricing structures, drink package details, and clear breakdowns of what's free versus what costs extra across every category of onboard experience. If you're serious about booking a Carnival cruise, watching this before you commit is a smart move.
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Before you book a Carnival cruise, you will want to know what is covered in the cruise fare plus the additional costs the cruise line doesn't tell you about. So, we have put together this complete guide to everything included on a Carnival cruise, plus what is extra!
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EVERYTHING INCLUDED ON A CARNIVAL CRUISE
0:00 Introduction
1:00 Accommodations
1:52 Food and Drinks
4:00 Onboard Activities
5:58 Nightly Entertainment
6:52 Youth Programs
8:10 What’s Not Included
8:28 Alcoholic Beverages
9:28 Specialty Dining
10:14 Cruise Gratuities
11:14 Select Activities
11:55 Additional Onboard Services
12:58 Shore Excursions
13:30 Add-Ons
EVERYTHING INCLUDED IN A CARNIVAL CRUISE
Your cruise fare on Carnival Cruise Line covers the cost of your stateroom for the duration of the trip, including daily service by a stateroom attendant. The type of cabin you choose will be the biggest factor when determining your total cruise costs.
Like most cruise lines, Carnival Cruise Line's main dining rooms offer a multi-course rotational menu that changes nightly. All meals in the MDR are complimentary for up to 2 entrees.
Carnival also offers several more casual dining spots that are also included in your cruise fare. Some of these options include the Lido Marketplace buffet, Guy's Burger Joint, a Pizza Parlor, and Blue Iguana Cantina.
Further, there is always something to do on a Carnival Cruise Line ship that will not cost you anything. These complimentary activities include trivia, demonstrations, dance classes, movies on the lido deck, and more. There is also a gym, sports court, and a kids' program.
Guests can also enjoy nightly signature entertainment in the main theater. From headliner acts to Broadway-style Playlist Productions, you don’t want to miss out on these shows.
Of course, there is live music throughout the ship in the evenings as well as plenty of bars serving up your favorite cocktails. While the music is free, the drinks will cost extra.
Regardless of your interests, there is plenty to do, see, and eat while on your Carnival Cruise vacation without paying anything extra.
However, there are also upgraded experiences and add-ons that are not included in the cruise fare.
WHAT'S NOT INCLUDED ON CARNIVAL CRUISE LINE
Cruise gratuities are services charges that are not included in the standard cruise fare, similar to a hotel resort fee. These additional fees are a per person, per day dollar amount that are charged to all guests across all stateroom categories.
Unfortunately, shore excursions are not part of the cruise fare either. While you can get off in port and explore on your own, organized tours will cost extra money.
Further, you will need to purchase an internet package if you want to stay in touch with family and friends, as WiFi is not part of the cruise fare on Carnival.
While there are many dining venues covered in the cruise fare, perhaps the most of any cruise line, there are up-charge dining venues as well. From the signature steakhouse Fahrenheit 555, to Rudi's Sea Grill, Bonsai Sushi and Teppanyaki, and Cucina del Capitano, some restaurants on Carnival cruise ships will cost you extra money.
As you might expect, alcoholic beverages are not included in the standard cruise fare either. Beverages like specialty coffees, soft drinks, bottled water, and energy drinks are all an additional fee too. If you plan to consume any of these beverages on a regular basis, you should consider purchasing a Cheers drink package.
LEARN MORE ABOUT CARNIVAL CRUISE LINE BACK ON THE BLOG:
https://eatsleepcruise.com/whats-included-on-carnival-cruise-line/
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one reason we love cruises is that for one set fare a cruise vacation allows you to see multiple destinations while enjoying most of the onboard amenities although what's included in each Cruise Line standard price does fluctuate to help Cruisers planning a vacation with Carnival Cruise Line we put together this video detailing everything
that's included in a Carnival Cruise plus what will cost you extra up next [Music] [Applause] welcome board Cruisers I'm Don B from eat sleep Cruise where we help you plan the perfect Cruise so you can see the world one point at a time now Carnival Cruise Line is a very popular Cruise
Line especially with families and while like most Cruise Lines a lot included in Carnival Cruise Line fare there are still plenty on the ship that could cost you extra so to help you budget for your next Cruise in this video we break down everything that's free on a Carnival
Cruise plus all the additional costs you have to keep in mind your cruise Ferry covers the cost of your estate room for the duration of the trip include with your accommodations you'll have a friendly stateroom attendant who'll make up your room every day oral Carnival ships offer a variety
of different room categories from interior cabins to Suites and everything in between choosing your cabin type will be the main driver of the total cost of your cruise certain cabin categories provide Cruisers access to exclusive areas of the ship like the thermal suite and free Fitness classes for the Cloud 9 spot State rooms to an exclusive pool area for the
Havana State rooms there are even family Harbor State rooms which offer special perks for families so make sure to review all the benefits for each cabin before selecting the perfect fit for your next Carnival Cruise regardless of the Carnival Cruise Ship you choose you can
enjoy three meals a day with some snacks in between at the Casual Lidl Marketplace this Buffet is part of your cruise fair and offers a variety of menu items morning noon and night other casual food that's included on a Carnival Cruise varies from ship to ship some of these options include Guys burger joint starting up some of the best burgers at Sea and
the new offering Shaq's big chicken there's also the Blue Iguana Cantina for some Mexican favorites a pizzeria grab-and-go items from the Java blue coffee shop and soft serve ice cream not to mention some ships even offer complimentary lunchtime pasta bar or noodle bar and a salad bar
in the adult-only serenity in addition to this Casual Fear Cruisers can also dine in the main dining room for free Carnival Cruise Line offers a traditional early and late dining as well as your time dining which gives more flexibility to dine whenever you want many of the cruise Line's larger
ships will have two complimentary dining rooms that are always open for dinner the menu does change nightly with a few always available items like the cruise Line's famous chocolate melting cake you can even get Lobster in the main dining room on one of the line's elegant nights the main
dining room is also open on select days and hours for a sit-down breakfast and one of our favorites the sea Day brunch on Carnival's newer ships like Carnival celebration favorites like Cocina Del Capitano and chibang are even free for dinner too you might be wondering what drinks are included
on a Carnival Cruise when it comes to beverages on board the ship you have the option of Select drinks like iced tea lemonade filtered water some juices hot chocolate and drip coffee and tea while these items are complementary soda bottled water specialty coffee and alcoholic beverages
will cost you extra money this is when purchasing a cheers drink package might come in handy your cruise ship is a hub of activity and events a carnival fun Squad wants to ensure you're having a good time so you'll always find something to do on the ship that will not cost you a dime
all Carnival Cruise Line ships have a large pool deck for all Cruisers to enjoy these ships offer at least one main pool hot tubs and loungers the pool deck is the ideal place to spend your days at Sea you might even want to spend your evening watching a dive-in movie by the pool various poolside activities and deck parties also occur when the weather permits
and we can confirm that Carnival deck parties are some of the liveliers at sea many of the newer ships in the carnival Fleet also offer additional pools and other pool deck amenities like the Waterworks Aqua park with water slides for adults looking for the ultimate relaxation there's also the adult only Serenity retreat further most elements of the sports deck
are included on a Carnival Cruise activities like a basketball court mini golf ping-pong tables and a ropes course are all complementary and fun for Cruisers of all ages on the Vista class ships there's also the Sky Ride which is a suspended bicycle course which is completely free
on Carnival Cruise Line you can enjoy modern Fitness facilities and outdoor jogging track and the 18 plus Sky Fitness outdoor gym offering great views and ocean breezes during our workout on board other events like trivia cooking demonstrations karaoke and games are all part of the cruise Fair so be sure to check the carnival Hub app
or a paper copy of the daily schedule for the exact events occurring on your cruise even if you don't participate these daily activities are equally as fun to watch at night your Carnival Cruise Ship comes alive with plenty of entertainment options that won't cost you anything the signature entertainment can be found in your ship's Main theater here
they'll be featured playlist Productions signature shows featuring the cast of singers and dancers several Carnival ships also feature a family-friendly entertainment that's unique to the cruise line these options include lip sync battle Hasbro the game show a clue murder mystery and even Family Feud the great thing about Carnival
cruise line is that none of these shows require Advanced reservations Carnival Cruise Line also features dedicated venues on select ships for piano music comedy shows sporting events and more that's not enough there'll be plenty of other live music around the ship including a DJ that spins Tunes until the wee hours of the morning
included in the cruise Fair on Carnival Cruise Line are youth programs for children aged 2 to 17 years old Camp ocean offers Kids 2 to 11 supervise age-based activities like arts and crafts Games movies and more supervised staff organize these activities for children in different age bands
two to five-year-olds are known as penguins six to eight-year-olds are stingrays and 9 to 11 year olds are sharks Circle C is a supervised hangout for those who are 12 to 14 years old while the club O2 is for those 15 to 17 years old these areas include dance parties games video games and movies with other activities also taking place around the ship
several Carnival ships also offer Seuss at Sea with special Dr Seuss programming including character parades interactive story time book fill and more for truly Unforgettable Family Vacation other family fun activities also include a dive in movie night the Hasbro game show or just some
friendly competition in the sportswear while Cruisers do provide a great vacation value not everything is included in the cruise Fair our Carnival Cruise Line there are other amenities that can be purchased if Cruisers choose to do so some can be purchased in advance of your
cruise via the online Cruise planner or you can purchase them once on board the ship for starters alcoholic beverages are not part of the cruise Fair on Carnival Cruise 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 twenty dollars
soda juices specialty coffee energy drinks and bottled water are also included in this package however there is a limit of 15 alcoholic drinks per day bottomless bubbles is Carnival Cruise Lines soda package which is also an upcharge this Carnival drink package includes soft drinks and
juices only while there are many dining venues covered in the Carnival Cruise Fair the cruise line also offers upcharge dotting options and experiences specialty venues like the fahrenheit 555 Steakhouse Bonsai Sushi and Teppanyaki the Seafood Shack Gigi's Asian Kitchen a Del Capitano
Emerald's Bistro and Rudy seagrel will all cost additional fees some of the restaurants have a flat fee cost While others are a la carte pricing if you do want to dine at one or more of these restaurants reservations are highly recommended and can be made prior to your sailing
on the Carnival website reservations can also be made on the ship but space will be limited the Dr Seuss Green Eggs and Ham breakfast and room service also have Associated fees Cruise gratuities are service charges that are not included in your standard Cruise fare and they are similar to a hotel resort fee these additional fees are per person per day dollar
amounts that are charged to all guests usually automatically across all state room categories these charges serve as a means to reward the hard-working crew for the excellent service provided during your cruise vacation and in 2023 these gratuities are going up for cruises departing on or after April 1st of 2023 standard room gratuities will be 16.50 per
person per day and sweet State rooms will be eighteen dollars per person per day this fee can be prepaid or it'll be charged daily to your onboard sale and sign account of course you can always tip special crew members above and beyond this required amount while there are several included activities and entertainment many ships also offer additional
classes and activities that cost an upcharge these can include such things as Bingo Deal or No Deal group fitness classes cocktail tastings the video arcade and the Build-A-Bear Workshop other onboard attractions like the IMAX the Sky Zone or the bolt seacoaster will cost extra as
well for our Cruisers looking to up their cooking skills some ships offer a carnival kitchen which offers cooking classes led by the chefs on board the ships these small intimate classes range from decorating cupcakes to learning how to plan the perfect tailgate but they are an additional fee
you will need to purchase an internet package if you want to stay in touch with family and friends as Wi-Fi nor the carnival Hub app chat feature are part of the cruise Fair Carnival offers different Wi-Fi packages at varying prices depending on your needs from social media packages to
streaming packages you want to check your cruise planner for the current rates on your sailing honestly it's usually cheaper if you pre-purchase these plans prior to your cruise spa services and access to a thermal suite are also an additional fee on a Carnival Cruise the Cloud9 Spa on Carnival ships offer a variety of treatments including massages
nail Services teeth whitening hair surfaces facials and more there's also a thermal Suite with heated loungers steam and sauna grottos and a therapy pool Cruisers will need to purchase passes to access this thermal Suite area your Carnival Cruise Ship will transport you to
several exciting ports of call unfortunately shore excursions are not part of the base Fair these tours and additional experiences can be booked through the cruise line or through third-party retailers at no additional cost or even directly with the tour providers shore excursions can range from inexpensive walking tours to several hundreds of dollars
for Unique experiences these prices are also very dependent on the destination with the Caribbean and Bahama tours usually being cheaper than other destinations like Alaska or the Mediterranean of course any shopping in the retail stores on board the ship or any gaming the casino are all
at your own expense if you would like clothing washed or pressed these laundry services will also cost you extra money as well likewise photo packages special celebration packages and pre-post cruise travel expenses are not included on a Carnival Cruise thus when determining a
cruise budget you'll need to account for expenses like airfare a pre-cruise or post Cruise Hotel and transportation 2 and from the cruise terminal unfortunately unlike some other cruise lines that offer bundles that include some of these add-ons to make your cruise vacation more inclusive
Carnival cruise line does not offer an all-inclusive package while the initial price point of a Carnival Cruise might lure you in you'll have to consider the cost of adding all these additional items at a la carte prices if you're planning to purchase any of these extra items we do recommend that you purchase them pre-cruise to help you save money now if you're
considering a carnival cruise we recommend you check out our Carnival Celebration Cruise review Carnival celebration is Carnival Cruise Line's newest and largest ship today in our cruise review video we go in depth from the dining to the entertainment onboard amenities staterooms and
more we covered all to help you decide if Carnival celebration is right for your next Cruise vacation
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