Carnival Cruise Line guests will face higher onboard costs starting next spring, as the company prepares to raise daily gratuities and increase prices on its popular Bottomless Bubbles beverage package from early April 2026.

The changes, communicated this week to travel advisors and booked guests, are framed by the line as a necessary step to maintain service quality and better support crew members amid rising operational and labor costs across the cruise industry.

Couple reviewing onboard expenses at a cruise ship's outdoor bar.

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What Is Changing From April 2026

Effective for sailings departing on or after April 2, 2026, Carnival will increase its recommended daily gratuity by 1 dollar per person. Guests staying in standard staterooms will see their automatic gratuity rise from 16 dollars per person per day to 17 dollars, while those in suites will see the daily amount climb from 18 dollars to 19 dollars. The line refers to these as “recommended” amounts, but they are added automatically to onboard accounts for most North American and European sailings unless guests make adjustments at the service desk.

On the same date, Carnival will raise the price of its Bottomless Bubbles soda and juice package for adults. The package, which provides unlimited fountain soft drinks and select juices, will increase from 9.50 dollars per adult per day to 11.99 dollars per day, before the standard automatic service charge. Children aged 17 and under will continue to pay 6.95 dollars per day, with no change to the base rate currently in place. A 20 percent service charge is added to all Bottomless Bubbles purchases.

The price adjustments follow similar moves by major competitors over the past two years, as cruise lines attempt to balance guest expectations for value with inflationary pressures on food, beverage, wages, and fuel. Carnival has signaled that while the changes are modest on a per-day basis, they are critical to sustaining the onboard service model that underpins its “Fun Ship” experience.

Gratuity Increase Aimed at Supporting Crew Compensation

Carnival has emphasized that the additional gratuity revenue will flow directly to shipboard team members who interact with guests throughout their voyages. The line notes that gratuities supplement base wages for a wide range of roles, including stateroom stewards, dining room waitstaff, buffet attendants, and other front-of-house service positions that many guests encounter daily. Carnival describes the increase as “slight” but “well deserved,” citing the intensive workload and long hours typical of cruise-ship hospitality jobs.

In guest communications, the company reiterates that none of the gratuity funds are used to offset general operational expenses. Instead, the pool is distributed among eligible crew based on position and time worked. Carnival argues that the adjustment helps ensure that crew pay keeps pace with rising costs in ports around the world, recruitment competition, and the demands of operating newer, larger ships that carry several thousand guests at a time.

The increase aligns with a broader industry trend of using automatic gratuities as a structured way to boost frontline compensation while keeping base cruise fares competitive. For travelers, the added cost is most noticeable on longer sailings and for families occupying multiple cabins, but Carnival maintains that the daily amounts remain in line with mainstream hospitality standards when compared with full-service hotels and resorts.

How Much Extra Guests Can Expect to Pay

While a 1 dollar per day change may appear minor, the cumulative impact becomes clear when multiplied across an entire voyage or family group. On a 7-night cruise, a couple sharing a standard stateroom will pay 14 dollars more in gratuities under the new structure, bringing their total auto-gratuity to 238 dollars instead of 224 dollars. A family of four in a standard cabin on the same itinerary will see an increase of 28 dollars, paying 476 dollars in gratuities compared with the previous 448 dollars.

Suite guests will face slightly higher totals. A pair traveling in a suite on a 7-night itinerary will pay 266 dollars in gratuities rather than 252 dollars, reflecting the 19 dollar per person daily guideline. On longer itineraries of 10 or 14 nights, the incremental increase can climb into the 20 to 40 dollar range per cabin, depending on occupancy.

For Bottomless Bubbles, the new adult rate of 11.99 dollars per day before the 20 percent service charge means a real per-day cost of about 14.39 dollars for each adult purchasing the package. Over a 7-night cruise, an adult soda drinker will now pay just over 100 dollars for unlimited soft drinks and juices, compared with roughly 80 dollars previously. Families where two adults and one or more children buy the package will see the greatest difference, although Carnival’s decision to leave the children’s rate unchanged partially cushions the increase for larger groups.

Prepaying Before April 1 Offers Limited-Time Savings

Carnival is giving booked guests a window to lock in current rates by prepaying before the new pricing takes effect. According to notices sent to travelers and travel advisors, those who prepay gratuities by April 1, 2026, will be charged at the existing daily rates of 16 dollars per person for standard cabins and 18 dollars for suites, even if their sailing departs after April 2. The same principle applies to the Bottomless Bubbles package, with adult guests able to secure the current 9.50 dollar rate if they purchase the package before the cutoff date.

This approach effectively rewards early planners who finalize their onboard spending ahead of time. It also gives price-sensitive guests and budget-focused families an opportunity to mitigate some of the impact of the upcoming increases, particularly on longer cruises where the cumulative difference can be significant. Travel advisors are already encouraging clients with 2026 bookings to review their plans and decide whether to prepay gratuities and beverage packages in the coming weeks.

Once the April 1 deadline passes, any new gratuity or beverage purchases for sailings departing on or after April 2 will reflect the updated pricing. Guests who prefer to wait and handle everything at check-in or onboard should plan their budgets using the higher figures, especially if they intend to add soda packages for multiple members of their party.

Regional Differences and What Stays the Same

Carnival has clarified that the gratuity increase applies primarily to U.S. and European departures, where the auto-gratuity system functions as a key part of service staff compensation. In contrast, guests sailing on Carnival ships based in Australia are not expected to be affected by the change, as gratuities in that market are already incorporated into the overall cruise fare. That structure reflects local expectations and helps avoid confusion among Australian travelers who may be less accustomed to additional tipping systems.

The line also stresses that core elements of its onboard value proposition remain unchanged. Guests still have the option to adjust the recommended gratuity amounts at the guest services desk during their cruise if they wish, although Carnival encourages travelers to consider the impact of those decisions on crew members. The automatic service charges on beverage purchases and packages will also continue, ensuring that bartenders and bar waitstaff share in gratuity revenue tied to drinks sales.

In terms of beverage offerings, the Bottomless Bubbles package continues to cover unlimited fountain sodas featuring Carnival’s Coca-Cola lineup, along with a selection of juices such as orange, cranberry, tomato, pineapple, and grapefruit. It does not include bottled water, specialty coffees, energy drinks, milkshakes, or alcoholic beverages. Those options remain part of other paid drink programs and individual purchase menus, including the CHEERS! alcoholic package and the CHEERS! Zero Proof non-alcoholic bundle, which have their own separate pricing structures.

Why Cruise Lines Are Adjusting Onboard Pricing Now

Carnival’s latest move comes as the cruise sector adapts to a post-pandemic environment marked by higher costs for food, beverages, staffing, and regulatory compliance. Industry analysts note that cruise lines have generally sought to keep headline fares competitive while gradually increasing ancillary charges such as gratuities, drink packages, Wi-Fi, and specialty dining. These revenue streams play a growing role in overall profitability and in funding investments into new ships, entertainment, and destination development.

For Carnival, which operates one of the world’s largest fleets of mainstream ships, maintaining a consistently high level of service across dozens of vessels requires intensive training and retention of crew from around the globe. Wage expectations in many crew source markets have risen, and the company competes with both rival cruise lines and land-based hospitality businesses for experienced talent. Linking higher gratuity guidelines directly to crew compensation is one way the line aims to remain attractive as an employer.

At the same time, the beverage side of the business has evolved as guest demand for bundled, predictable pricing has increased. Unlimited soda packages like Bottomless Bubbles are now standard across the industry, and modest price hikes are often tied to supplier contracts, changing consumer tastes, and investments in wider drink selections. Carnival’s adjustment of its soda package rate is consistent with similar moves already made by other major brands in 2024 and 2025, suggesting an ongoing recalibration of what unlimited drinks are likely to cost at sea in the coming years.

What Travelers Should Do Before Their 2026 Sailings

For guests with Carnival bookings in late 2025 and throughout 2026, the key step is to carefully review their reservations and onboard plans ahead of the April 1 prepayment deadline. Those who typically prepay gratuities or purchase drink packages in advance stand to benefit most from acting early, particularly if they have longer itineraries or multiple cabins within the same travel party. Using Carnival’s online cruise management tools or working through a travel advisor, travelers can add gratuities and Bottomless Bubbles at current prices and secure those rates for their upcoming sailings.

Budget-conscious cruisers may also wish to revisit their broader spending strategies. For some families, the higher cost of Bottomless Bubbles may prompt a shift toward buying sodas individually or limiting packages to one or two heavy soda drinkers rather than the entire group. Others may decide that the convenience and predictability of unlimited drinks justify the new pricing, especially for children and teens who frequently order soft drinks throughout the day.

Regardless of individual choices, experienced cruisers suggest treating gratuities and beverage costs as integral components of the total vacation price rather than secondary extras. By building these expenses into pre-cruise budgeting and monitoring for any further updates from the line, guests can reduce the risk of bill shock at the end of their trip and focus more fully on the onboard experience once they are at sea.

FAQ

Q1. When do the new gratuity and Bottomless Bubbles rates take effect?
The updated pricing is scheduled to apply to sailings departing on or after April 2, 2026. Guests traveling before that date will be charged under the current guidelines, provided they do not change their sailing to a later departure.

Q2. How much will I pay in gratuities per day after the increase?
From April 2, 2026, the recommended daily gratuity will be 17 dollars per person for guests in standard staterooms and 19 dollars per person for those in suites. These amounts are automatically added to your onboard account unless you request an adjustment during your cruise.

Q3. What will the new price of the Bottomless Bubbles package be for adults?
For adults aged 18 and over, the Bottomless Bubbles soda and juice package will cost 11.99 dollars per person per day, to which a 20 percent service charge will be added. That brings the effective daily cost for adults to just over 14 dollars.

Q4. Are children’s Bottomless Bubbles rates changing too?
No. Carnival has confirmed that the rate for guests aged 17 and under will remain at 6.95 dollars per person per day, plus the standard 20 percent service charge. Only the adult rate is increasing in April 2026.

Q5. Can I avoid the higher rates by prepaying before my cruise?
Yes. If you prepay gratuities and purchase the Bottomless Bubbles package by April 1, 2026, Carnival will honor the current lower rates even if your sailing departs after April 2. This option gives booked guests a chance to lock in savings in advance.

Q6. Do all guests have to pay the automatic gratuities?
For most U.S. and European departures, gratuities are automatically added to guests’ onboard accounts. However, you can visit the guest services desk while onboard to request an increase or decrease in the amount. Carnival encourages travelers to keep in mind that these funds go directly to front-line crew.

Q7. Are Australian sailings affected by the gratuity increase?
Guests sailing on Carnival ships in Australia are not expected to be impacted by the new gratuity guidelines, because gratuities there are already built into the cruise fare. That approach is designed to reflect local customs and simplify the onboard tipping experience.

Q8. What exactly does Bottomless Bubbles include?
Bottomless Bubbles provides unlimited fountain sodas featuring Carnival’s Coca-Cola selections and a range of juices, such as orange, cranberry, tomato, pineapple, and grapefruit. It does not cover bottled water, specialty coffees, energy drinks, milkshakes, or any alcoholic beverages.

Q9. How will these changes affect my overall cruise budget?
The impact depends on your itinerary length and how many people in your party are subject to the charges. On a weeklong cruise, a couple in a standard cabin will pay 14 dollars more in gratuities than before, while an adult purchasing Bottomless Bubbles will spend roughly 20 dollars more for the package compared with current pricing.

Q10. Could Carnival raise gratuities or beverage prices again in the future?
Carnival, like other cruise lines, periodically reviews its onboard pricing to account for changes in costs and guest demand. While only the April 2026 adjustments have been announced at this time, future revisions are possible as market conditions evolve, so guests are advised to review pricing details when booking and again before they sail.