If you’ve got a Carnival Cruise Line sailing booked for later next year (or you’re eyeing one), this week came with a small heads-up from the line.
Starting April 2, 2026, Carnival is bumping up its recommended daily gratuities by $1 per person. That means guests in standard staterooms will go from $16 to $17 per day, and suite guests from $18 to $19. On a typical seven-night cruise, you’re looking at an extra $7 per person.
Carnival is also adjusting the price of its Bottomless Bubbles drink package for adults. That package will increase from $9.50 to $11.99 per day, while the kids’ price stays the same at $6.95. If you already have a cruise booked—or you book soon—you can still lock in the current price by pre-purchasing the package before April 1, 2026. (A 20% service charge still applies.)
Related: Carnival's Latest Cruise Plans Add a New Continent to the Map
View this post on InstagramSo why isn’t this causing the usual cruise-internet meltdown?
Cruisers seem to understand that $1-per-day gratuity increase is small compared to the kinds of fare hikes, port fees and airfare costs travelers have gotten used to lately. Many cruisers also point out that this is Carnival’s first gratuity increase since 2023—and that onboard crews work long, demanding contracts that most passengers agree deserve support.
Carnival says gratuities go directly to crew members in addition to base pay, and the line continues to frame the automatic charge as a convenience rather than a mandate. As always, guests can adjust gratuities during the cruise if they feel strongly either way.
Related: Carnival's Brand Ambassador Breaks the Truth About 'The Upgrade Fairy'
That hasn’t stopped the familiar debate about tipping structures and cruise-line profits, of course. But if you zoom out, the reaction has been noticeably calmer than past fee announcements. For many travelers, this feels less like a cash grab and more like one of those incremental travel cost increases that’s hard to avoid in 2026.
As one cruiser put it plainly: “I don't really mind this! I think the crew works really hard, and it is the first time that they have raised the daily tipping amount since 2023. Plus, $1 really isn't that much more!” Another echoed the same sentiment, writing, “$1 really isn't that much more,” while others noted they already factor gratuities into the cost of cruising and don’t see this as a dealbreaker.
Several commenters emphasized that crew support matters more than the price change itself. One wrote, “Crew has said over and over again that the daily gratuities are extra money on their paychecks. Passengers who don’t want to pay are the ones saying otherwise.” Another added, “Yes crew do get the tips as money above their contracted rate… everyone is getting it and they seemed to be happy with it.” Even among those who questioned the system, the tone stayed measured. As one person summed it up: “I personally don’t remove tips and tip really great crew extra in cash.”
Cruising on Carnival may be getting slightly more expensive—but in a way that most people seem prepared to absorb. And in a travel landscape full of big, messy price jumps, that alone feels notable.
Related: Carnival Is Offering a Rare Solar Eclipse Cruise at Sea
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