Carnival Cruise Lines explains 'high' prices
The cruise line has pushed back at passengers angry over how much every aspect of their cruise costs now.
Cruise lines use variable pricing. That means the more demand there is for a cruise, the more it costs.
In theory, that could lead to prices dropping for less-popular cruises, but that's very rare these days. Most Carnival Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean cruise ships sail at over 100% capacity.
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(That's possible because capacity is set based on double occupancy, and some rooms accommodate more people).
It's rare to get a deal on a cruise (although a good travel agency can sometimes get you a much better price), and prices tend to go up closer to the sail date. There are last-minute deals, but they are very rare compared to even a few years ago.
Some passengers are angry not just about the basic price of the cruise but also about how much all of the add-ons cost.
Carnival Cruise Line Brand Ambassador John Heald recently fielded an angry post from one of his Facebook followers. He explained why prices are higher but did not apologize for them.
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Carnival Cruise Line prices have gone up
Some passengers take issue with Carnival's prices.
"Good morning, John. How are you today? We have been cruising with Carnival for 19 years. I work in a grocery store, so I know that prices have gone up. It just seems that Carnival has jacked their prices way up on everything. Why do they charge us so much money for the internet when the cruise ship has to have it anyway? Kevin LRecords.
The original poster also believes that the cruise line charges too much overall.
"Carnival cruise prices have been going up way too much. Carnival cruise out of Baltimore, 7 days, January 2026. Starting at $809 per person for an inside cabin. That is way too much. Carnival needs to look at their prices," he added.
Heald was blunt in his response.
"Thank you so much. Well, I guess the answer is, very simply, supply and demand," said Heald. "We are a business. We have a responsibility to the shareholders, and we also have rising inflation, which affects our business as well."
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Strong Carnival bookings mean higher prices
While Heald acts as a consumer advocate, he also represents the interests of the company. High prices, he pointed out, are not arbitrary; they're based on demand.
"I’m sure you understand. I’m glad to see that bookings are so strong out of Baltimore, and I do hope that we see you soon," he added. "I thank you so much for your loyalty, and I will be here if you need anything at all."
Bob Kissinger jumped in to defend Carnival's WiFi pricing.
"Kevin LRecords Carnival pays a company to install and operate its internet. That cost has increased, just like everything else," he wrote.
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LReccords does not seem to understand the idea of a company charging what the market will bear.
"Hello Bob. I understand what you are saying. But just think about it a little bit. If you have internet at your home, you might pay, let’s say, $100 to $200 a month. OK," he posted. "On the ship, they are charging for the premium plan $168 dollars for one person. That’s $336 dollars for two people for seven days. Just say that 1,000 people on one ship get the premium plan interest for seven days. That’s $168,000 dollars for the week. That’s $672,000 a month for one ship."
Starlink, the provider of Internet for Carnival, charges based on the bandwidth used by the cruise line.
(The Arena Group will earn a commission if you book a cruise.)
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