[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":1594},["ShallowReactive",2],{"blog-carnival-cruise-drink-package-prices-rules-and-value":3,"related-blogs-carnival-cruise-drink-package-prices-rules-and-value":538},{"id":4,"title":5,"author":6,"body":7,"coverImg":527,"description":528,"extension":529,"head":6,"meta":530,"navigation":531,"path":532,"publishedAt":533,"schemaOrg":6,"seo":534,"sitemap":535,"stem":536,"updatedAt":6,"__hash__":537},"blog\u002Fblog\u002F2026\u002F10\u002Fcarnival-cruise-drink-package-prices-rules-and-value.md","Carnival Cruise Drink Package: Prices, Rules and Value",null,{"type":8,"value":9,"toc":506},"minimark",[10,14,17,22,34,115,122,125,129,138,141,146,149,152,156,159,178,181,184,188,191,194,198,201,207,211,214,217,221,224,238,241,245,254,329,332,336,339,347,350,354,363,366,372,376,385,485,493,496,500,503],[11,12,13],"p",{},"The Carnival cruise drink package, called CHEERS!, costs $69.95 per person per day before a 20% service charge. Bought online before you sail, that comes to $83.94 a day; bought on board, it rises to $89.94. You pay for every night of the cruise, and every adult in your cabin has to buy it too.",[11,15,16],{},"That is a lot of money for a week at sea, so the real question is whether you will drink enough to make it pay. This guide covers every Carnival beverage package, the rules that trip people up, the break-even math, the new FunPacks bundles and the dynamic pricing Carnival switches on from December 1, 2026.",[18,19,21],"h2",{"id":20},"carnival-drink-package-prices-at-a-glance","Carnival Drink Package Prices at a Glance",[11,23,24,25,33],{},"Carnival sells three standalone beverage programs. The figures below come from Carnival's own ",[26,27,32],"a",{"href":28,"target":29,"rel":30},"https:\u002F\u002Fhelp.carnival.com\u002Fapp\u002Fanswers\u002Fdetail\u002Fa_id\u002F3525\u002F~\u002Fcheers!-beverage-program-q&a","_blank",[31],"noopener","CHEERS! Q&A"," and package pages, with the 20% service charge added.",[35,36,37,56],"table",{},[38,39,40],"thead",{},[41,42,43,47,50,53],"tr",{},[44,45,46],"th",{},"Package",[44,48,49],{},"What it covers",[44,51,52],{},"Base price per day",[44,54,55],{},"With 20% service charge",[57,58,59,74,88,102],"tbody",{},[41,60,61,65,68,71],{},[62,63,64],"td",{},"CHEERS!",[62,66,67],{},"Up to 15 alcoholic drinks plus unlimited non-alcoholic drinks",[62,69,70],{},"$69.95",[62,72,73],{},"$83.94 online, $89.94 on board",[41,75,76,79,82,85],{},[62,77,78],{},"CHEERS! Zero Proof",[62,80,81],{},"Unlimited premium non-alcoholic drinks",[62,83,84],{},"$29.99",[62,86,87],{},"about $36",[41,89,90,93,96,99],{},[62,91,92],{},"Bottomless Bubbles (adult)",[62,94,95],{},"Unlimited soda and juice",[62,97,98],{},"$11.99",[62,100,101],{},"$14.38",[41,103,104,107,109,112],{},[62,105,106],{},"Bottomless Bubbles (child)",[62,108,95],{},[62,110,111],{},"$6.95",[62,113,114],{},"$8.34",[11,116,117,118],{},"Some guides quote $69.95 as if it were the final figure. It is not. ",[119,120,121],"strong",{},"Budget on $83.94 per adult per day for CHEERS!, because that is what lands on your account.",[11,123,124],{},"On a seven-night cruise, that is $587.58 per adult, or $1,175.16 for a couple sharing a cabin. Add that number to your fare before deciding whether the cruise itself was a bargain.",[18,126,128],{"id":127},"what-cheers-includes","What CHEERS! Includes",[11,130,131,132,137],{},"According to the ",[26,133,136],{"href":134,"target":29,"rel":135},"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.carnival.com\u002Fdrink-packages\u002Fcheers-package\u002Fcheers-SUM",[31],"CHEERS! package page",", the program covers all spirits and cocktails, plus beer and wine by the glass, with a menu price of $20 or less. That ceiling covers almost the whole bar menu, since Carnival lists most mixed drinks between $8 and $20.",[11,139,140],{},"Non-alcoholic drinks are unlimited and do not count toward the daily cap. That includes specialty coffees and teas, bottled water, soda, juice and energy drinks, which matters more than people expect: a morning latte and an afternoon water add up over a week.",[142,143,145],"h3",{"id":144},"what-it-leaves-out","What it leaves out",[11,147,148],{},"Full bottles of wine and champagne are not included, but CHEERS! gives you 25% off them. The package also does not work on Carnival's private destinations in the Bahamas, including Celebration Key and Half Moon Cay, so a beach day there means paying for drinks separately.",[11,150,151],{},"State and local taxes are also charged to your onboard account when you use the program in US waters, on top of the daily rate.",[18,153,155],{"id":154},"the-rules-that-catch-people-out","The Rules That Catch People Out",[11,157,158],{},"The price is only half of the decision. The fine print shapes who can buy it and how much value you get back.",[160,161,162,166,169,172,175],"ul",{},[163,164,165],"li",{},"Every adult in the cabin must buy it. If one guest aged 21 or older in a stateroom buys CHEERS!, every other adult assigned to that stateroom must buy it as well.",[163,167,168],{},"The cap is 15 alcoholic drinks per 24 hours. The day runs from 6:00 am to 6:00 am, and once you reach 15, the bar cannot sell you more alcohol that day.",[163,170,171],{},"One drink at a time, no sharing. You cannot order a round for the table on your package, and the crew can stop serving you before the cap.",[163,173,174],{},"It covers the whole cruise. You cannot buy CHEERS! for a single sea day; it is sold for every day of the voyage.",[163,176,177],{},"Pre-purchase closes the night before. Online sales end at 11:59 pm the day before embarkation, and buying ahead saves $5 per day.",[11,179,180],{},"The cabin rule is the one that changes the math most. A couple where only one person drinks pays for two packages, which roughly doubles the break-even point for the drinker.",[11,182,183],{},"Kids and adults under 21 cannot buy CHEERS! at all. They can buy Bottomless Bubbles or CHEERS! Zero Proof, which have no minimum age.",[18,185,187],{"id":186},"is-the-carnival-drink-package-worth-it","Is the Carnival Drink Package Worth It?",[11,189,190],{},"Carnival publishes sample onboard prices, and they make the break-even math easy to run. Beer costs $8 to $8.50 for most 16-ounce pours, wine by the glass runs $11 to $15.50, specialty cocktails sit around $12.25 to $14.25, soda is $3, specialty coffee is $3 to $5.50 and bottled water is $2.50 to $4.75.",[11,192,193],{},"Against $83.94 a day, that works out to roughly 10 beers, or six cocktails at $14, before you count anything non-alcoholic.",[142,195,197],{"id":196},"a-realistic-sea-day","A realistic sea day",[11,199,200],{},"Picture a day at sea: two specialty coffees ($10), a bottle of water ($3.50), a soda ($3), three beers by the pool ($25.50) and three cocktails at dinner and the show ($42). That comes to $84, almost exactly the package price.",[11,202,203,206],{},[119,204,205],{},"Six alcoholic drinks a day, plus your coffees and water, is roughly where CHEERS! starts paying for itself."," Fewer than that, and you are paying for drinks you never ordered. These are menu prices, so if your sailing adds a service charge to individual bar purchases, the break-even drops a little further.",[142,208,210],{"id":209},"port-days-change-the-picture","Port days change the picture",[11,212,213],{},"You pay the same daily rate on port days, but you spend many of those hours ashore where the package does not apply. On a seven-night itinerary with four port stops, you may only drink at full pace on three days. Knowing when the ship will actually arrive helps you plan those port days, and Primo Nautic sets the captain's reported ETA beside its own route-based estimate.",[11,215,216],{},"Count your sea days before you buy. Sea days are where the package earns its keep, and they are also when family at home tend to wonder where you are. With Primo Nautic, they can follow the ship's live position and the weather at its location, so a quiet day at sea reads as exactly that.",[18,218,220],{"id":219},"who-should-skip-it","Who Should Skip It",[11,222,223],{},"CHEERS! suits steady drinkers on itineraries with several sea days. For everyone else, there is usually a cheaper path.",[160,225,226,229,232,235],{},[163,227,228],{},"Light or occasional drinkers come out ahead paying at the bar, since two or three drinks a day costs well under $84.",[163,230,231],{},"Couples where only one person drinks pay for two packages, which almost never adds up.",[163,233,234],{},"Wine drinkers can bring one sealed 750 ml bottle of wine or champagne per adult on embarkation day, with a $15 corkage fee if you open it in a dining room or bar.",[163,236,237],{},"Soda and coffee fans get most of what they want from Bottomless Bubbles or CHEERS! Zero Proof at a fraction of the price.",[11,239,240],{},"The carry-on allowance also covers up to 12 sealed cans or cartons of non-alcoholic drinks per person, brought on board on embarkation day. Spirits and beer are not allowed in your luggage.",[18,242,244],{"id":243},"carnival-funpacks-check-these-first","Carnival FunPacks: Check These First",[11,246,247,248,253],{},"In October 2026, Carnival launched four FunPacks that bundle a drink package with Wi-Fi and other extras. The ",[26,249,252],{"href":250,"target":29,"rel":251},"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.carnival.com\u002Fcruise-deals\u002Fcarnival-funpacks",[31],"FunPacks terms"," say they are sold per guest, per day for the full cruise, only through My Cruise Manager, and only between October 13 and October 30, 2026, for sailings departing October 31, 2026 through December 31, 2027.",[35,255,256,272],{},[38,257,258],{},[41,259,260,263,266,269],{},[44,261,262],{},"FunPack",[44,264,265],{},"Price per day",[44,267,268],{},"Drinks",[44,270,271],{},"Main extras",[57,273,274,288,301,315],{},[41,275,276,279,282,285],{},[62,277,278],{},"Kidstarter (ages 3 to 17)",[62,280,281],{},"$25",[62,283,284],{},"Bottomless Bubbles",[62,286,287],{},"Social Wi-Fi, 1,000 arcade tokens",[41,289,290,293,296,298],{},[62,291,292],{},"Zero Proof (ages 3 and up)",[62,294,295],{},"$50",[62,297,78],{},[62,299,300],{},"Value Wi-Fi, $50 excursion and $25 dining discounts",[41,302,303,306,309,312],{},[62,304,305],{},"Social (21 and up)",[62,307,308],{},"$60",[62,310,311],{},"CHEERS! Social, 3 alcoholic drinks a day",[62,313,314],{},"Premium Wi-Fi, 1 excursion up to $100, 1 specialty dinner up to $55",[41,316,317,320,323,326],{},[62,318,319],{},"Epic (21 and up)",[62,321,322],{},"$99",[62,324,325],{},"Full CHEERS!, 15 drinks a day",[62,327,328],{},"Premium Wi-Fi, 2 excursions, 2 specialty dinners, sparkling wine, laundry",[11,330,331],{},"The drink package inside each FunPack includes its service charge. That makes the Epic pack easy to judge: CHEERS! alone is $83.94 a day, and Carnival's Premium Wi-Fi plan runs about $25 a day, so the two together cost more than $99 before you count the excursions and dinners.",[142,333,335],{"id":334},"the-social-funpack-for-moderate-drinkers","The Social FunPack for moderate drinkers",[11,337,338],{},"CHEERS! Social is new and only sold inside the Social FunPack. It covers your first three alcoholic drinks each day, valued up to $20 each, plus unlimited non-alcoholic drinks. Extra drinks after the third are charged at menu price, and unused drinks do not roll over.",[11,340,341,342,346],{},"For someone who wants a glass of wine at dinner and a cocktail at the show, this is a far better fit than full CHEERS!. If you planned to buy Wi-Fi anyway, compare the bundle with our breakdown of ",[26,343,345],{"href":344},"https:\u002F\u002Fprimonautic.com\u002Fblog\u002Fcruise-ship-wifi-prices-packages-and-is-it-worth-it","cruise ship WiFi prices"," before deciding.",[11,348,349],{},"Excursion and dining benefits must be reserved online before sailing, no later than three days before departure. Anything you do not book in time is forfeited, so a FunPack only pays off if you plan ahead.",[18,351,353],{"id":352},"dynamic-pricing-starts-december-1-2026","Dynamic Pricing Starts December 1, 2026",[11,355,356,357,362],{},"Carnival is ending its flat daily rates. As ",[26,358,361],{"href":359,"target":29,"rel":360},"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.cruisecritic.com\u002Fnews\u002Fcarnival-launches-funpacks",[31],"Cruise Critic reported",", drink packages and Wi-Fi plans move to dynamic pricing on December 1, 2026, with rates that vary by sailing length, itinerary and season.",[11,364,365],{},"Carnival has not published price ranges for the new model. In practice, the same CHEERS! package could cost one amount on a short off-season sailing and another on a holiday week in the Caribbean, so the $69.95 base rate is best treated as a reference point rather than a promise.",[11,367,368,369],{},"If you are already booked, check the price shown in My Cruise Manager now and again closer to sailing. ",[119,370,371],{},"Whatever rate you are quoted, judge it against the break-even math above rather than against the old flat price.",[18,373,375],{"id":374},"how-carnival-compares-with-other-cruise-lines","How Carnival Compares With Other Cruise Lines",[11,377,378,379,384],{},"Carnival sits in the middle of the market. The figures below come from a line-by-line guide published by ",[26,380,383],{"href":381,"target":29,"rel":382},"https:\u002F\u002Fthepointsguy.com\u002Fcruise\u002Fcruise-line-ship-alcoholic-drink-packages",[31],"The Points Guy"," in September 2026.",[35,386,387,403],{},[38,388,389],{},[41,390,391,394,397,400],{},[44,392,393],{},"Cruise line",[44,395,396],{},"Main package",[44,398,399],{},"Daily price",[44,401,402],{},"Whole cabin must buy",[57,404,405,418,431,444,457,471],{},[41,406,407,410,412,415],{},[62,408,409],{},"Carnival",[62,411,64],{},[62,413,414],{},"$69.95 plus 20%",[62,416,417],{},"Yes",[41,419,420,423,426,429],{},[62,421,422],{},"Norwegian",[62,424,425],{},"Free at Sea",[62,427,428],{},"$28.50 to $32 in gratuities",[62,430,417],{},[41,432,433,436,439,442],{},[62,434,435],{},"Holland America",[62,437,438],{},"Elite Beverage Package",[62,440,441],{},"$60.95 plus 20%",[62,443,417],{},[41,445,446,449,452,455],{},[62,447,448],{},"MSC",[62,450,451],{},"Premium Extra",[62,453,454],{},"$50 to $60 pre-booked, $82 to $95 on board",[62,456,417],{},[41,458,459,462,465,468],{},[62,460,461],{},"Princess",[62,463,464],{},"Premier Beverage Package",[62,466,467],{},"$84.99 plus 18%",[62,469,470],{},"No",[41,472,473,476,479,482],{},[62,474,475],{},"Celebrity",[62,477,478],{},"Premium Drink Package",[62,480,481],{},"From $100",[62,483,484],{},"Not stated",[11,486,487,488,492],{},"Royal Caribbean prices its Deluxe Beverage Package by ship and itinerary, and it only covers drinks priced up to $14, against Carnival's $20 ceiling. If you are still choosing between the two big lines, our guide to ",[26,489,491],{"href":490},"https:\u002F\u002Fprimonautic.com\u002Fblog\u002Fcarnival-vs-royal-caribbean-which-cruise-line-to-pick","Carnival and Royal Caribbean"," covers the differences beyond the bar.",[11,494,495],{},"Princess is the only major line on this list without a whole-cabin rule, which makes it the easier choice for a couple where only one person wants a package.",[18,497,499],{"id":498},"conclusion","Conclusion",[11,501,502],{},"CHEERS! costs $83.94 per adult per day once the service charge is added, $89.94 if you wait until you are on board, and it must be bought for every adult in the cabin for the entire cruise. It pays off at roughly six alcoholic drinks a day plus your coffees and water, which makes it a good deal for steady drinkers on sea-day-heavy itineraries and a poor one for everyone else.",[11,504,505],{},"Light drinkers, single-drinker couples and soda fans are better served by paying at the bar, bringing their bottle of wine, or choosing Bottomless Bubbles or Zero Proof. If you are sailing before the end of 2027, the FunPacks, especially Epic for heavy drinkers and Social for moderate ones, can beat the standalone packages, as long as you book them by October 30. From December 1, every price depends on your sailing, so run the numbers against the rate you are actually quoted.",{"title":507,"searchDepth":508,"depth":508,"links":509},"",2,[510,511,515,516,520,521,524,525,526],{"id":20,"depth":508,"text":21},{"id":127,"depth":508,"text":128,"children":512},[513],{"id":144,"depth":514,"text":145},3,{"id":154,"depth":508,"text":155},{"id":186,"depth":508,"text":187,"children":517},[518,519],{"id":196,"depth":514,"text":197},{"id":209,"depth":514,"text":210},{"id":219,"depth":508,"text":220},{"id":243,"depth":508,"text":244,"children":522},[523],{"id":334,"depth":514,"text":335},{"id":352,"depth":508,"text":353},{"id":374,"depth":508,"text":375},{"id":498,"depth":508,"text":499},"https:\u002F\u002Fmedia.primonautic.com\u002Fblog\u002Fcarnival-cruise-drink-package-prices-rules-and-value.jpg","Carnival cruise drink package prices for CHEERS!, Zero Proof and Bottomless Bubbles, the rules, the break-even math and the Dec 1 pricing change.","md",{},true,"\u002Fblog\u002F2026\u002F10\u002Fcarnival-cruise-drink-package-prices-rules-and-value","2026-10-23",{"title":5,"description":528},{"loc":532},"blog\u002F2026\u002F10\u002Fcarnival-cruise-drink-package-prices-rules-and-value","Qc1_Dq9uXmfTk4HFkQWfNXlV8FLOHZv8Ywb3_0ksMNg",[539,862,1213],{"id":540,"title":541,"author":6,"body":542,"coverImg":853,"description":854,"extension":529,"head":6,"meta":855,"navigation":531,"path":856,"publishedAt":857,"schemaOrg":6,"seo":858,"sitemap":859,"stem":860,"updatedAt":6,"__hash__":861},"blog\u002Fblog\u002F2026\u002F09\u002Fbunker-fuel-explained-types-prices-and-rules-at-sea.md","Bunker Fuel Explained: Types, Prices and Rules at Sea",{"type":8,"value":543,"toc":834},[544,550,553,557,560,563,566,570,573,663,667,670,674,677,681,690,699,705,709,712,715,729,733,742,745,749,752,755,759,768,771,782,786,789,792,795,799,807,816,820,823,826,828,831],[11,545,546,547],{},"Bunker fuel is the fuel oil that ocean-going ships burn in their main engines and generators, loaded into onboard tanks through a process called bunkering. Most of it is heavy residual oil left over from refining crude, blended today to meet strict limits on sulphur. ",[119,548,549],{},"If a container ship, tanker or bulk carrier is moving, it is almost certainly burning some form of bunker fuel.",[11,551,552],{},"The topic sounds technical, but it touches anyone who ships cargo, follows a vessel or wonders why freight rates jump. Fuel is one of the largest costs of running a ship, and in 2026 its price swung harder than it had in years. This guide covers what bunker fuel is, the main grades, the rules behind them, how bunkering works, and what moves the price.",[18,554,556],{"id":555},"what-is-bunker-fuel","What Is Bunker Fuel?",[11,558,559],{},"The name comes from the age of steam. Ships stored coal in compartments called bunkers, and stokers shovelled it into the boiler furnaces by hand. The Titanic alone needed over 600 tons of coal a day, fed by 176 firemen working around the clock. When oil replaced coal, the word stayed, and \"bunkers\" became the shipping term for whatever fuel a vessel carries for its own propulsion.",[11,561,562],{},"Today the term covers a family of marine fuels rather than one product. At one end sits heavy fuel oil, a thick residue that has to be heated before it will flow. At the other sits marine gas oil, a lighter distillate close to road diesel. Most ships burn something in between, and many carry two or more grades on board so they can switch depending on where they sail.",[11,564,565],{},"You will also see the phrases \"fuel bunker\" and \"bunker fuel oil\" in trade press. They mean the same thing: fuel bought for the ship's own engines, as opposed to oil carried as cargo in a tanker's holds.",[18,567,569],{"id":568},"the-main-types-of-bunker-fuel","The Main Types of Bunker Fuel",[11,571,572],{},"Bunker grades are defined mostly by two properties: viscosity, which decides how the fuel is stored and pumped, and sulphur content, which decides where a ship may legally burn it. The grades you will meet most often are these:",[35,574,575,591],{},[38,576,577],{},[41,578,579,582,585,588],{},[44,580,581],{},"Grade",[44,583,584],{},"What it is",[44,586,587],{},"Sulphur",[44,589,590],{},"Where it is used",[57,592,593,607,621,635,649],{},[41,594,595,598,601,604],{},[62,596,597],{},"HSFO (IFO 380)",[62,599,600],{},"Heavy residual fuel oil",[62,602,603],{},"Above 0.50%",[62,605,606],{},"Only on ships fitted with scrubbers",[41,608,609,612,615,618],{},[62,610,611],{},"VLSFO",[62,613,614],{},"Blended low sulphur fuel oil",[62,616,617],{},"Up to 0.50%",[62,619,620],{},"The global default since 2020",[41,622,623,626,629,632],{},[62,624,625],{},"MGO \u002F MDO",[62,627,628],{},"Distillate marine gas or diesel oil",[62,630,631],{},"Up to 0.10% for ECA grades",[62,633,634],{},"Emission control areas, auxiliary engines",[41,636,637,640,643,646],{},[62,638,639],{},"LNG",[62,641,642],{},"Liquefied natural gas",[62,644,645],{},"Near zero",[62,647,648],{},"Dual-fuel ships, a growing share of new builds",[41,650,651,654,657,660],{},[62,652,653],{},"Biofuel blends",[62,655,656],{},"VLSFO or HSFO mixed with bio components",[62,658,659],{},"Depends on the blend",[62,661,662],{},"Operators cutting carbon intensity",[142,664,666],{"id":665},"heavy-fuel-oil-and-scrubbers","Heavy fuel oil and scrubbers",[11,668,669],{},"High sulphur fuel oil, often sold as IFO 380 after its viscosity rating, is the cheapest grade per ton. Since 2020 a ship may only burn it outside emission control areas if it has an exhaust gas cleaning system, known as a scrubber, that washes sulphur out of the exhaust. That is why the price gap between HSFO and compliant fuel matters so much to owners who invested in scrubbers.",[142,671,673],{"id":672},"vlsfo-and-marine-gas-oil","VLSFO and marine gas oil",[11,675,676],{},"Very low sulphur fuel oil is the workhorse of the modern fleet. It is a blend engineered to stay at or under 0.50% sulphur, and it replaced heavy fuel oil almost overnight for most ships without scrubbers. Marine gas oil is cleaner and more expensive, and ships switch to it before entering the waters where the strictest limits apply.",[18,678,680],{"id":679},"how-imo-rules-shaped-modern-bunker-fuel","How IMO Rules Shaped Modern Bunker Fuel",[11,682,683,684,689],{},"The single biggest change to bunker fuel in decades came from regulation, not engineering. Under MARPOL Annex VI, the International Maritime Organization cut the global sulphur cap in steps: 4.50% before 2012, 3.50% from 2012, and then 0.50% from 1 January 2020. The IMO describes the last step, known as ",[26,685,688],{"href":686,"target":29,"rel":687},"https:\u002F\u002Fwwwcdn.imo.org\u002Flocalresources\u002Fen\u002Fpublications\u002FDocuments\u002FFlyers\u002FFlyers\u002FI666E.pdf",[31],"IMO 2020",", as a measure with significant benefits for human health and the environment.",[11,691,692,693,698],{},"Inside designated emission control areas, or ECAs, the limit is far lower at 0.10%, a level in force since 2015. The ECA map keeps growing. The Mediterranean officially became a ",[26,694,697],{"href":695,"target":29,"rel":696},"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.imo.org\u002Fen\u002Fmediacentre\u002Fpages\u002Fwhatsnew-2254.aspx",[31],"sulphur control area"," on 1 May 2025, which means every ship crossing it now burns distillate or compliant low sulphur fuel, or runs a scrubber.",[11,700,701,704],{},[119,702,703],{},"For ship operators, these rules turned fuel choice into a compliance decision rather than just a cost decision."," A vessel on a route from Asia to Northern Europe may burn VLSFO across the Indian Ocean, then switch to gas oil before reaching the North Sea. Every change is recorded, and every delivery comes with a bunker delivery note that states the sulphur content of what was pumped aboard.",[18,706,708],{"id":707},"how-bunkering-works","How Bunkering Works",[11,710,711],{},"Bunkering is the act of refuelling a ship, and it rarely happens at a fuel dock the way a car fills up. In most major ports, a bunker barge comes alongside the vessel while it sits at anchor or at the berth, and fuel is pumped across through hoses. Large hubs also offer pipeline deliveries at the terminal, and some operators arrange ship-to-ship transfers offshore.",[11,713,714],{},"A typical bunkering operation follows a set sequence:",[160,716,717,720,723,726],{},[163,718,719],{},"The ship's chief engineer confirms the grade, quantity and tank plan with the supplier.",[163,721,722],{},"The barge moors alongside, hoses are connected, and samples are drawn during the transfer.",[163,724,725],{},"The quantity is measured, in Singapore by mandatory mass flow meters, and the bunker delivery note is signed.",[163,727,728],{},"Retained samples are kept on board in case the fuel later proves off specification.",[142,730,732],{"id":731},"the-worlds-biggest-bunkering-hubs","The world's biggest bunkering hubs",[11,734,735,736,741],{},"Singapore dominates the business. According to data from the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore reported by ",[26,737,740],{"href":738,"target":29,"rel":739},"https:\u002F\u002Fshipandbunker.com\u002Fnews\u002Fapac\u002F456201-analysis-singapore-annual-bunker-sales-reach-new-record-high-in-2025",[31],"Ship & Bunker",", the port sold a record 56.20 million tonnes of marine fuel in 2025, up 3.2% on the previous record in 2024. Calls for bunkers rose 2.6% to 42,603, and bio-blended fuel sales jumped 55.6% to 1.36 million tonnes. Rotterdam and Fujairah are the other names you will hear most often.",[11,743,744],{},"Because ships refuel where fuel is cheap and plentiful, bunkering shapes routes. A ship may add a short call at Singapore purely to take on fuel, which shows up in its track as an unexplained stop near the anchorage.",[18,746,748],{"id":747},"what-drives-bunker-fuel-prices","What Drives Bunker Fuel Prices",[11,750,751],{},"Bunker prices are quoted in US dollars per metric ton and follow crude oil closely, with each port and grade trading at its own level. The spread between grades matters as much as the headline number, because it decides whether a scrubber pays for itself and how painful a switch to gas oil becomes.",[11,753,754],{},"For most of 2025 the market was calm. Ship & Bunker data puts the average Singapore VLSFO price at 507.5 dollars per ton in 2025, down from 610 dollars in 2024. That changed abruptly in early 2026.",[142,756,758],{"id":757},"the-2026-price-shock","The 2026 price shock",[11,760,761,762,767],{},"When the Iran war disrupted tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, oil prices surged and bunker fuel followed. Researchers at the ",[26,763,766],{"href":764,"target":29,"rel":765},"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.stlouisfed.org\u002Fon-the-economy\u002F2026\u002Fjul\u002Foil-prices-container-shipping-costs",[31],"St. Louis Fed"," measured the jump: the average VLSFO price rose from 518 dollars per ton in February 2026 to 901 dollars across March to May, an increase of 74%.",[11,769,770],{},"Their analysis also showed how unevenly that shock landed. On a typical 21-day China to US West Coast voyage, fuel cost per 20-foot container rose from about 155 to 269 dollars on ships up to five years old, and from about 360 to 626 dollars on ships older than 20 years. Size mattered just as much. Post-Panamax vessels went from roughly 98 to 171 dollars per container, while small feeder ships went from 365 to 635 dollars.",[11,772,773,776,777,781],{},[119,774,775],{},"The lesson is that the same fuel price hits a modern mega ship and an old feeder very differently."," It is one reason carriers keep ordering the ",[26,778,780],{"href":779},"https:\u002F\u002Fprimonautic.com\u002Fblog\u002Flargest-container-ships-the-complete-size-guide","largest container ships"," they can fill.",[18,783,785],{"id":784},"why-bunker-fuel-matters-for-your-cargo","Why Bunker Fuel Matters for Your Cargo",[11,787,788],{},"If you import goods by sea, bunker fuel reaches you through surcharges. Carriers pass fuel costs on through a bunker adjustment factor, usually called BAF, which is reset as fuel prices move. The St. Louis Fed estimated that the 2026 increase alone was worth about 228 dollars per 40-foot container for newer ships and about 532 dollars for the oldest, equal to roughly 12% and 28% of the Drewry World Container Index in February 2026.",[11,790,791],{},"Fuel prices also change how ships sail. When fuel is expensive, carriers slow their vessels down to burn less per day, a practice known as slow steaming. Slower sailing stretches transit times and pushes arrival dates back, even when nothing has gone wrong on the voyage.",[11,793,794],{},"That is where tracking the ship itself helps. A carrier portal tells you a planned date, while the vessel's live speed tells you whether that date is realistic. Primo Nautic shows each ship's current speed and course alongside two arrival estimates, the captain's reported ETA and a calculated route ETA, so a vessel quietly slow steaming shows up before your booking status changes.",[18,796,798],{"id":797},"what-comes-after-oil-based-bunkers","What Comes After Oil-Based Bunkers",[11,800,801,802,806],{},"The fuel mix is starting to shift. LNG is the most established alternative, burned by dual-fuel engines that can also run on conventional oil, and methanol and ammonia ships are entering the fleet. You can read more about the engine side in our overview of ",[26,803,805],{"href":804},"https:\u002F\u002Fprimonautic.com\u002Fblog\u002Fadvancements-engine-technology-modern-ships","dual-fuel ship engines",".",[11,808,809,810,815],{},"Regulation will decide how fast that shift happens. The IMO Net-Zero Framework, approved in April 2025, would combine a global fuel standard with a price on greenhouse gas emissions for ships over 5,000 gross tonnage, which produce over 85% of shipping's emissions. According to the ",[26,811,814],{"href":812,"target":29,"rel":813},"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.imo.org\u002Fen\u002Fmediacentre\u002Fhottopics\u002Fpages\u002Ffaqs-the-imo-net-zero-framework.aspx",[31],"IMO's own FAQ",", fuels with a greenhouse gas intensity of 19.0 gCO2eq\u002FMJ or less, 80% below today's average of 93.3, would count as zero or near-zero.",[142,817,819],{"id":818},"a-decision-due-in-october","A decision due in October",[11,821,822],{},"Adoption has stalled once already. In October 2025, member states voted 57 to 49, with 21 abstentions, to adjourn the decision for a year, and the session is due to reconvene in October 2026. Whatever the outcome, VLSFO and its blends will remain the main bunker fuel for the ships at sea today, because a vessel's engines are chosen for a working life measured in decades.",[11,824,825],{},"For enthusiasts, the fuel a ship burns is often visible in its design. LNG carriers and dual-fuel container ships carry large insulated tanks, and some cruise ships now advertise LNG propulsion openly. With Primo Nautic you can look up a vessel by name or IMO number and follow its route, which is an easy way to spot how often a ship calls at the big bunkering hubs.",[18,827,499],{"id":498},[11,829,830],{},"Bunker fuel is the lifeblood of merchant shipping, and its story is mostly one of rules and prices. The name survives from coal bunkers on steamships, while the fuel itself has shifted from high sulphur residue to very low sulphur blends under IMO 2020, with gas oil required in emission control areas that now include the Mediterranean.",[11,832,833],{},"Singapore remains the centre of the trade, selling a record 56.20 million tonnes in 2025. Prices follow crude oil, and the 74% jump in early 2026 showed how quickly fuel costs spread into freight surcharges and slower sailings, hitting older and smaller ships hardest. The next change will come from the IMO Net-Zero Framework, whose fate is due to be decided in October 2026.",{"title":507,"searchDepth":508,"depth":508,"links":835},[836,837,841,842,845,848,849,852],{"id":555,"depth":508,"text":556},{"id":568,"depth":508,"text":569,"children":838},[839,840],{"id":665,"depth":514,"text":666},{"id":672,"depth":514,"text":673},{"id":679,"depth":508,"text":680},{"id":707,"depth":508,"text":708,"children":843},[844],{"id":731,"depth":514,"text":732},{"id":747,"depth":508,"text":748,"children":846},[847],{"id":757,"depth":514,"text":758},{"id":784,"depth":508,"text":785},{"id":797,"depth":508,"text":798,"children":850},[851],{"id":818,"depth":514,"text":819},{"id":498,"depth":508,"text":499},"https:\u002F\u002Fmedia.primonautic.com\u002Fblog\u002Fbunker-fuel-explained-types-prices-and-rules-at-sea.jpg","Bunker fuel powers almost every cargo ship. Learn the main grades, how IMO sulphur rules shaped them, and what drives bunker fuel prices today.",{},"\u002Fblog\u002F2026\u002F09\u002Fbunker-fuel-explained-types-prices-and-rules-at-sea","2026-09-24",{"title":541,"description":854},{"loc":856},"blog\u002F2026\u002F09\u002Fbunker-fuel-explained-types-prices-and-rules-at-sea","oH69002fDFJCgpUX62KQEaNk_r1mHdK3ZXP9zRezW8Y",{"id":863,"title":864,"author":6,"body":865,"coverImg":1204,"description":1205,"extension":529,"head":6,"meta":1206,"navigation":531,"path":1207,"publishedAt":1208,"schemaOrg":6,"seo":1209,"sitemap":1210,"stem":1211,"updatedAt":6,"__hash__":1212},"blog\u002Fblog\u002F2026\u002F09\u002Fcruise-ship-wifi-prices-packages-and-is-it-worth-it.md","Cruise Ship WiFi: Prices, Packages and Is It Worth It",{"type":8,"value":866,"toc":1187},[867,870,873,877,880,893,899,903,906,1003,1007,1016,1019,1023,1026,1035,1039,1042,1045,1049,1052,1055,1059,1068,1071,1075,1078,1082,1085,1096,1102,1106,1109,1112,1115,1119,1122,1140,1144,1147,1150,1158,1161,1165,1168,1176,1179,1181,1184],[11,868,869],{},"Yes, every major cruise ship has WiFi, but almost none of it is free. Cruise ship WiFi in 2026 is sold per person, per day, and on the big lines it runs from roughly $18 to $45 a day depending on the line, the tier and how many devices you connect. Several of the biggest fleets now run on Starlink satellites, so the connection is fast enough for video calls on the top tiers.",[11,871,872],{},"The hard part is not getting online. It is working out which package you actually need, what it will cost across a whole voyage, and whether the people you want to stay in touch with need you online at all. This guide walks through the current packages on six major lines, what each tier really includes, and the cheapest ways to stay connected.",[18,874,876],{"id":875},"does-every-cruise-ship-have-wifi","Does Every Cruise Ship Have WiFi?",[11,878,879],{},"Every ship on the major lines offers internet, and the old days of slow, per-minute satellite plans are mostly gone. Royal Caribbean says its VOOM service is available on every ship in the fleet, and Carnival, Princess and Royal Caribbean all run their premium tiers over Starlink.",[11,881,882,883,886,887,892],{},"What you get for free is narrower. On most ships you can join the guest network at no cost, but only to use the cruise line's own app. Royal Caribbean confirms you can connect to the guest network and use its app ",[119,884,885],{},"without buying an internet package",", according to its ",[26,888,891],{"href":889,"target":29,"rel":890},"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.royalcaribbean.com\u002Ffaq\u002Fquestions\u002Fdo-i-need-an-internet-package-to-use-the-app",[31],"official app FAQ",". Disney works the same way: connecting only for the Navigator app costs nothing, and the paid plans are bought from inside that app once you are on board.",[11,894,895,898],{},[119,896,897],{},"Anything beyond the ship's app, such as WhatsApp, email or a browser, needs a paid package."," Free ship-wide WiFi is rare on mainstream lines, and where it exists it usually comes bundled into a more expensive fare.",[18,900,902],{"id":901},"cruise-ship-wifi-prices-by-line","Cruise Ship WiFi Prices by Line",[11,904,905],{},"Prices change often, and several lines price dynamically, so treat these as the ranges published or tracked in mid 2026 rather than a quote for your sailing. All figures are per person, per day, in US dollars.",[35,907,908,922],{},[38,909,910],{},[41,911,912,914,917,919],{},[44,913,393],{},[44,915,916],{},"Package names",[44,918,265],{},[44,920,921],{},"Streaming",[57,923,924,937,950,963,976,989],{},[41,925,926,928,931,934],{},[62,927,409],{},[62,929,930],{},"Social, Value, Premium",[62,932,933],{},"$20.40 to $25.50",[62,935,936],{},"Premium only",[41,938,939,942,945,948],{},[62,940,941],{},"Royal Caribbean",[62,943,944],{},"VOOM Surf + Stream",[62,946,947],{},"about $28.99",[62,949,417],{},[41,951,952,954,957,960],{},[62,953,422],{},[62,955,956],{},"Unlimited, Streaming",[62,958,959],{},"$29.99 to $39.99",[62,961,962],{},"Streaming pass",[41,964,965,967,970,973],{},[62,966,461],{},[62,968,969],{},"MedallionNet Classic, Max",[62,971,972],{},"$24.99 to $44.99",[62,974,975],{},"Max",[41,977,978,980,983,986],{},[62,979,475],{},[62,981,982],{},"Basic, Premium",[62,984,985],{},"$18 to $25",[62,987,988],{},"Premium",[41,990,991,994,997,1000],{},[62,992,993],{},"Disney",[62,995,996],{},"Several plans in the app",[62,998,999],{},"shown on board",[62,1001,1002],{},"Varies",[142,1004,1006],{"id":1005},"carnival-wifi-plans","Carnival WiFi Plans",[11,1008,1009,1010,1015],{},"Carnival publishes its prices openly, which makes it the easiest line to compare. Its ",[26,1011,1014],{"href":1012,"target":29,"rel":1013},"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.carnival.com\u002Finternet-plans",[31],"internet plans page"," lists the Social plan from $20.40 a day when bought before the cruise and $22.00 a day on board. The Value plan starts at $23.80 and the Premium plan at $25.50.",[11,1017,1018],{},"The tiers differ in what they let through. Social covers apps like Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and TikTok plus airline sites, but blocks most other websites, email, streaming and FaceTime. Value adds email and general browsing. Premium adds streaming and video calls at up to three times the speed. Carnival also notes that cellular network WiFi calling is not supported on any plan, and that a plan bought before sailing must cover the entire cruise.",[142,1020,1022],{"id":1021},"royal-caribbean-voom","Royal Caribbean VOOM",[11,1024,1025],{},"Royal Caribbean sells one tier, VOOM Surf + Stream, which covers browsing, messaging, video calls and streaming on up to four devices. The line does not show a fixed public price; it sets prices dynamically in the Cruise Planner once you have a booking.",[11,1027,1028,1029,1034],{},"Price trackers put it at about $28.99 per person per day for one device, with two-device plans near $52 and four-device plans near $80, according to a ",[26,1030,1033],{"href":1031,"target":29,"rel":1032},"https:\u002F\u002Fdeeparrival.com\u002Fcruise\u002Fcruise-lines\u002Froyal-caribbean\u002Fwifi",[31],"2026 VOOM guide",". Discounts swing widely: one June 2026 Icon of the Seas sailing listed VOOM from $21.99 a day, down from $33.99, in its Cruise Planner.",[142,1036,1038],{"id":1037},"norwegian-cruise-line-wifi","Norwegian Cruise Line WiFi",[11,1040,1041],{},"Norwegian sells WiFi as passes. The Unlimited pass covers everyday browsing, and the Streaming pass adds video and VPN access. Tracked prices sit between about $29.99 and $39.99 per person per day, with a multi-device streaming option near $84.99.",[11,1043,1044],{},"Norwegian's Free at Sea promotions can include some internet minutes, which is worth checking before you buy a full pass. For light users, those minutes may be enough.",[142,1046,1048],{"id":1047},"princess-medallionnet","Princess MedallionNet",[11,1050,1051],{},"Princess calls its service MedallionNet and runs it on Starlink. The Classic tier starts at about $24.99 a day for browsing, and a four-device Classic plan runs near $44.99. The faster Max tier is usually bundled into the Princess Plus and Princess Premier fares rather than bought on its own.",[11,1053,1054],{},"If you were already considering one of those bundled fares for drinks or gratuities, the included WiFi can change the maths in their favour.",[142,1056,1058],{"id":1057},"celebrity-cruises-wifi","Celebrity Cruises WiFi",[11,1060,1061,1062,1067],{},"Celebrity is the cheapest of the six on paper. Basic WiFi runs about $18 to $21 per night and Premium, which adds streaming on up to three devices, about $20 to $25, according to ",[26,1063,1066],{"href":1064,"target":29,"rel":1065},"https:\u002F\u002Fallaboarddeals.com\u002Fblog\u002Fcelebrity-cruises-wifi-packages",[31],"daily price tracking"," across 14 ships.",[11,1069,1070],{},"Celebrity's Always Included fares already bundle Basic WiFi, so on those fares you only pay extra to upgrade to Premium, roughly $2 a night more.",[142,1072,1074],{"id":1073},"disney-cruise-line-internet","Disney Cruise Line Internet",[11,1076,1077],{},"Disney offers several internet packages, and you buy them on board through the Disney Cruise Line Navigator app by selecting \"Connect to Internet\". Using the ship's WiFi only for the Navigator app is free. Disney does not publish package prices in its public FAQ, so check the app once you are on board.",[18,1079,1081],{"id":1080},"what-the-package-tiers-actually-mean","What the Package Tiers Actually Mean",[11,1083,1084],{},"Most lines split their plans the same way, even when the names differ. Knowing which tier matches how you use your phone is the easiest way to avoid overpaying.",[160,1086,1087,1090,1093],{},[163,1088,1089],{},"Social or messaging tiers let you use WhatsApp, other messaging apps and social media. They block streaming and usually email. This is enough to send photos home and answer messages.",[163,1091,1092],{},"Browsing or value tiers add email, news and normal websites. This suits anyone who needs to check a bank account, a flight or a work inbox.",[163,1094,1095],{},"Premium or streaming tiers unlock video calls, Netflix, Zoom and faster speeds. You need this tier for FaceTime with family or for remote work.",[11,1097,1098,1101],{},[119,1099,1100],{},"The jump from the cheapest tier to the top one is often only a few dollars a day",", so if you know you will want one video call home, the premium tier is usually the better buy.",[18,1103,1105],{"id":1104},"how-much-cruise-ship-wifi-costs-for-a-whole-trip","How Much Cruise Ship WiFi Costs for a Whole Trip",[11,1107,1108],{},"Because pre-purchased plans usually have to cover every day of the voyage, the daily price adds up quickly. On a 7-night Carnival cruise, the Social plan at $20.40 a day comes to $142.80 per person, and the Premium plan at $25.50 comes to $178.50.",[11,1110,1111],{},"On Royal Caribbean at about $28.99 a day, one device for seven nights is roughly $203. A couple who each want their own connection would pay around $52 a day for a two-device plan, or about $364 for the week.",[11,1113,1114],{},"For a family of four, the cost can rival a shore excursion. Carnival's four-device Premium option runs about $90 a day, which is $630 across seven nights. That is why it pays to decide in advance who really needs to be online, and for how many days.",[18,1116,1118],{"id":1117},"ways-to-pay-less-for-cruise-ship-wifi","Ways to Pay Less for Cruise Ship WiFi",[11,1120,1121],{},"A few habits consistently lower the bill without leaving you disconnected.",[1123,1124,1125,1128,1131,1134,1137],"ol",{},[163,1126,1127],{},"Buy before you sail. Carnival advertises savings of up to 15% on plans bought before the cruise, and Royal Caribbean's Cruise Planner regularly discounts VOOM ahead of departure.",[163,1129,1130],{},"Check your fare for bundles. Celebrity's Always Included fares include Basic WiFi, and Princess Plus and Premier include MedallionNet.",[163,1132,1133],{},"Use multi-device plans. Two or four devices on one plan usually cost less than separate plans per person.",[163,1135,1136],{},"Match the tier to the need. If you only want to message home, a social tier is enough. Pay for streaming only if you plan to video call or work.",[163,1138,1139],{},"Use port WiFi and the free app. On port days you can often get online ashore, and the ship's own app works on the guest network without a package for schedules, menus and onboard plans.",[18,1141,1143],{"id":1142},"is-cruise-ship-wifi-worth-it","Is Cruise Ship WiFi Worth It?",[11,1145,1146],{},"It depends on why you want to be online. If you work remotely, need to be reachable for a family emergency, or simply cannot switch off, a package is worth the money, and modern Starlink service makes video calls realistic at sea.",[11,1148,1149],{},"If you mostly want the people at home to know you are safe, the answer is less obvious. Much of the worry at home is not about messages; it is about not knowing where the ship is, whether it left port on time, or whether it is sailing through bad weather.",[11,1151,1152,1153,1157],{},"That part does not depend on your WiFi at all. A cruise ship broadcasts its position over AIS throughout the voyage, and family members can follow it from their own phones. Primo Nautic shows the ship's live position, its estimated arrival at the next port, and the weather at the ship's location, with updates written in a calm, reassuring tone for people tracking a loved one on a cruise. Our guide on how to ",[26,1154,1156],{"href":1155},"https:\u002F\u002Fprimonautic.com\u002Fblog\u002Ftrack-a-cruise-ship-complete-guide-for-families","track a cruise ship"," covers the options in more detail.",[11,1159,1160],{},"For many families, that splits the problem neatly: the traveller buys a cheap messaging tier or none at all, and the people at home follow the voyage on their own.",[18,1162,1164],{"id":1163},"staying-in-touch-without-a-package","Staying in Touch Without a Package",[11,1166,1167],{},"If you decide to skip WiFi, a little planning keeps everyone calm. Share the ship's name and your itinerary before you leave, so family at home can look up where the ship should be each day. Agree on a check-in rhythm, such as a message from each port, rather than expecting constant contact.",[11,1169,1170,1171,1175],{},"Use the free parts of the ship's network for what they cover. On Royal Caribbean and Disney the cruise line app works without a package, which handles daily schedules and onboard planning. Add your charging gear and any travel SIM decisions to your ",[26,1172,1174],{"href":1173},"https:\u002F\u002Fprimonautic.com\u002Fblog\u002Fcruise-packing-list-what-to-bring-and-what-to-leave-home","cruise packing list"," so nothing is left to the last minute.",[11,1177,1178],{},"Family at home can use Primo Nautic to see when the ship is approaching a port, which is usually when you will have signal or port WiFi and are most likely to call.",[18,1180,499],{"id":498},[11,1182,1183],{},"Cruise ship WiFi is available on every major line in 2026 and is faster than ever thanks to Starlink, but it is rarely free. Expect to pay about $18 to $45 per person per day, with Celebrity at the lower end and Norwegian's streaming pass and Princess's four-device plan at the top.",[11,1185,1186],{},"The best value comes from matching the tier to what you actually do online, buying before you sail, and checking whether your fare already includes a package. If the main goal is reassuring the people at home, remember that they can follow the ship's position and arrival times on their own, which can make a cheap messaging plan, or no plan at all, perfectly enough.",{"title":507,"searchDepth":508,"depth":508,"links":1188},[1189,1190,1198,1199,1200,1201,1202,1203],{"id":875,"depth":508,"text":876},{"id":901,"depth":508,"text":902,"children":1191},[1192,1193,1194,1195,1196,1197],{"id":1005,"depth":514,"text":1006},{"id":1021,"depth":514,"text":1022},{"id":1037,"depth":514,"text":1038},{"id":1047,"depth":514,"text":1048},{"id":1057,"depth":514,"text":1058},{"id":1073,"depth":514,"text":1074},{"id":1080,"depth":508,"text":1081},{"id":1104,"depth":508,"text":1105},{"id":1117,"depth":508,"text":1118},{"id":1142,"depth":508,"text":1143},{"id":1163,"depth":508,"text":1164},{"id":498,"depth":508,"text":499},"https:\u002F\u002Fmedia.primonautic.com\u002Fblog\u002Fcruise-ship-wifi-prices-packages-and-is-it-worth-it.jpg","Cruise ship WiFi costs about 20 to 45 dollars a day in 2026. Compare packages on six major lines, what each tier does, and when it is worth buying.",{},"\u002Fblog\u002F2026\u002F09\u002Fcruise-ship-wifi-prices-packages-and-is-it-worth-it","2026-09-27",{"title":864,"description":1205},{"loc":1207},"blog\u002F2026\u002F09\u002Fcruise-ship-wifi-prices-packages-and-is-it-worth-it","4Dtf5NKJ6F-euLSAxvXCWQpg1dIGg9Ev3ZThv7Q9m4o",{"id":1214,"title":1215,"author":6,"body":1216,"coverImg":1585,"description":1586,"extension":529,"head":6,"meta":1587,"navigation":531,"path":1588,"publishedAt":1589,"schemaOrg":6,"seo":1590,"sitemap":1591,"stem":1592,"updatedAt":6,"__hash__":1593},"blog\u002Fblog\u002F2026\u002F10\u002Fcarnival-vs-royal-caribbean-which-cruise-line-to-pick.md","Carnival vs Royal Caribbean: Which Cruise Line to Pick",{"type":8,"value":1217,"toc":1570},[1218,1221,1224,1228,1231,1312,1318,1322,1325,1328,1331,1337,1340,1344,1347,1350,1356,1359,1363,1366,1375,1378,1389,1393,1396,1399,1402,1408,1412,1415,1424,1427,1430,1434,1437,1446,1455,1461,1465,1468,1471,1474,1480,1484,1487,1496,1499,1505,1509,1512,1523,1526,1530,1533,1544,1547,1551,1554,1562,1564,1567],[11,1219,1220],{},"Carnival vs Royal Caribbean comes down to what you want from the ship itself. Royal Caribbean builds the biggest ships afloat and packs them with waterparks, ice skating and big production shows, while Carnival focuses on a relaxed, social \"fun ship\" atmosphere with a flat-rate drink package and a brand new private destination in The Bahamas.",[11,1222,1223],{},"Both lines sail the Caribbean, The Bahamas and Alaska, so the region alone rarely decides it for you. The differences sit in ship size, included dining, drink rules, private islands, kids programs and loyalty perks. This guide compares each one with current figures, then tells you which type of traveler each line suits best.",[18,1225,1227],{"id":1226},"carnival-vs-royal-caribbean-the-quick-verdict","Carnival vs Royal Caribbean: The Quick Verdict",[11,1229,1230],{},"If you only have a minute, this table covers the main differences between the two cruise lines.",[35,1232,1233,1244],{},[38,1234,1235],{},[41,1236,1237,1240,1242],{},[44,1238,1239],{},"Category",[44,1241,409],{},[44,1243,941],{},[57,1245,1246,1257,1268,1279,1290,1301],{},[41,1247,1248,1251,1254],{},[62,1249,1250],{},"Best for",[62,1252,1253],{},"Relaxed, social cruises",[62,1255,1256],{},"Families who want big-ship thrills",[41,1258,1259,1262,1265],{},[62,1260,1261],{},"Fleet",[62,1263,1264],{},"29 ships",[62,1266,1267],{},"30 ships",[41,1269,1270,1273,1276],{},[62,1271,1272],{},"Largest ship today",[62,1274,1275],{},"Carnival Jubilee",[62,1277,1278],{},"Icon Class, 248,663 gross tons",[41,1280,1281,1284,1287],{},[62,1282,1283],{},"Drink package",[62,1285,1286],{},"CHEERS!, flat daily rate",[62,1288,1289],{},"Deluxe Beverage Package, varies by ship",[41,1291,1292,1295,1298],{},[62,1293,1294],{},"Private destination",[62,1296,1297],{},"Celebration Key, Grand Bahama",[62,1299,1300],{},"Perfect Day at CocoCay, Bahamas",[41,1302,1303,1306,1309],{},[62,1304,1305],{},"Loyalty program",[62,1307,1308],{},"Carnival Rewards, since September 2026",[62,1310,1311],{},"Crown & Anchor Society",[11,1313,1314,1317],{},[119,1315,1316],{},"Royal Caribbean wins on scale and onboard attractions; Carnival wins on simplicity and a predictable drink package price."," Neither line is the better choice for everyone, which is why the details below matter.",[18,1319,1321],{"id":1320},"overview-of-carnival-cruise-line","Overview of Carnival Cruise Line",[11,1323,1324],{},"Carnival markets its vessels as \"fun ships\", and the description fits. The atmosphere is casual and social rather than built around record-breaking attractions. Its guests are mostly Americans, though the line also sails in Alaska, Mexico and Australia.",[11,1326,1327],{},"According to Cruise.Blog, Carnival runs 29 ships ranging from about 70,000 to more than 184,000 gross registered tons. The largest is Carnival Jubilee and the smallest is Carnival Elation, so the experience on a short Bahamas run aboard an older ship can feel very different from a week on one of the newer Excel Class vessels.",[11,1329,1330],{},"Carnival is also growing. It cut steel for Carnival Destiny, the first of three Ace Class ships, in July 2026, and that ship is due in summer 2029.",[11,1332,1333,1336],{},[119,1334,1335],{},"Carnival's main strengths are an unpretentious atmosphere, one flat daily price for its CHEERS! drink package, and Celebration Key",", a large new private destination with freshwater lagoons and an adults-only beach club.",[11,1338,1339],{},"The weaknesses are mostly about scale. Carnival's current ships have fewer headline attractions than Royal Caribbean's newest vessels, and the fleet spans a wide range of ages and sizes.",[18,1341,1343],{"id":1342},"overview-of-royal-caribbean","Overview of Royal Caribbean",[11,1345,1346],{},"Royal Caribbean is the line of record-breaking ships. Its Icon Class vessels, Icon of the Seas, Star of the Seas and Legend of the Seas, are the largest cruise ships in the world, and the rest of the fleet runs down to smaller legacy ships such as Grandeur, Rhapsody and Vision of the Seas. In total the line operates 30 ships in 2026.",[11,1348,1349],{},"The onboard offer is built around activity. Legend of the Seas, the newest ship, lists Category 6, the largest waterpark at sea, along with seven pools, a FlowRider surf simulator, ice skating, laser tag and five shows included in the fare, from an AquaTheater show to Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.",[11,1351,1352,1355],{},[119,1353,1354],{},"Royal Caribbean's main strengths are the biggest ships with the widest range of attractions, 17 complimentary eateries on its newest ship, and Perfect Day at CocoCay",", home to the tallest waterslide in North America.",[11,1357,1358],{},"The trade-offs are crowds and cost creep. A ship this size means more people at the pool and the theater, and many of the best experiences, from the CocoCay waterpark to specialty dining, carry an extra charge.",[18,1360,1362],{"id":1361},"ship-size-icon-class-vs-carnivals-biggest-ships","Ship Size: Icon Class vs Carnival's Biggest Ships",[11,1364,1365],{},"Size shapes almost everything on a cruise: how many pools and restaurants there are, how many people you share them with, and which ports a ship can reach.",[11,1367,1368,1369,1374],{},"Royal Caribbean's Icon Class ships measure 248,663 gross tons and 1,196 feet long, with 20 decks, 18 of them open to passengers, according to the ",[26,1370,1373],{"href":1371,"target":29,"rel":1372},"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.royalcaribbeanblog.com\u002F2026\u002F07\u002F10\u002Fcarnival-ace-vs-royal-caribbean-icon-class",[31],"Royal Caribbean Blog",". Legend of the Seas has 2,805 cabins and carries 5,610 guests at double occupancy, rising to about 7,600 when every berth is filled.",[11,1376,1377],{},"Carnival's current flagship, Carnival Jubilee, sits at a little over 184,000 gross tons. The gap will narrow when the Ace Class arrives. Each of those three ships is expected to measure about 230,000 gross tons, roughly 27% larger than the Excel Class, and carry around 8,000 guests in more than 3,000 cabins. That would make Carnival Destiny smaller than an Icon Class ship by tonnage but able to carry more people.",[11,1379,1380,1383,1384,1388],{},[119,1381,1382],{},"For now, if you want the biggest ship at sea, Royal Caribbean is the only answer."," If you prefer a ship that feels less like a floating city, a mid-sized Carnival vessel may suit you better. Our ",[26,1385,1387],{"href":1386},"https:\u002F\u002Fprimonautic.com\u002Fblog\u002Fcruise-ship-sizes-ranked-from-small-to-worlds-largest","cruise ship size ranking"," shows how both fleets compare with the rest of the industry.",[18,1390,1392],{"id":1391},"dining-carnival-vs-royal-caribbean-food","Dining: Carnival vs Royal Caribbean Food",[11,1394,1395],{},"Food is one of the most searched parts of this comparison, and both lines include more than many first-time cruisers expect.",[11,1397,1398],{},"On Carnival Celebration, the cruise fare covers two main dining rooms with à la carte service and a free choice of dining time, a buffet with stations such as a salad bar and Carnival Deli, and casual favorites like Big Chicken. Venues such as Bonsai Sushi and Bonsai Teppanyaki charge extra. The Carnival style is hearty and casual, and its included quick-service spots are a big part of its reputation.",[11,1400,1401],{},"Royal Caribbean's newest ship lists 17 complimentary eateries on Legend of the Seas, a number that reflects how much more room an Icon Class ship has. Dinner in the main dining room comes with two nightly seatings, and on select ships you can choose My Time Dining for a flexible schedule.",[11,1403,1404,1407],{},[119,1405,1406],{},"The practical difference is variety rather than quality."," A big Royal Caribbean ship offers more included places to eat, while Carnival's included options are fewer but well loved. On both lines, the steakhouses, sushi bars and chef's tables sit behind a surcharge.",[18,1409,1411],{"id":1410},"drink-packages-compared","Drink Packages Compared",[11,1413,1414],{},"Drink packages can add more to your final bill than any other extra, so it pays to know the rules before you sail.",[11,1416,1417,1418,1423],{},"Carnival's CHEERS! package costs $69.95 per person per day plus a 20% service charge when bought before the cruise, and $74.95 plus the service charge on board, according to ",[26,1419,1422],{"href":1420,"target":29,"rel":1421},"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.carnival.com\u002Fdrink-packages",[31],"Carnival's own terms",". It covers up to 15 alcoholic drinks per 24 hours, must be bought for the whole voyage, and if one adult in a stateroom buys it, every adult in that stateroom has to buy it too. It does not apply ashore, including at Celebration Key and Half Moon Cay.",[11,1425,1426],{},"Royal Caribbean prices its Deluxe Beverage Package by ship and sailing. CruiseDirect lists it at between $60 and $100 per person per day, with a Refreshment Package at $29 a day for premium coffee, juice and non-alcoholic drinks, and a Classic Soda Package at $12.99 a day. Tap water, coffee, tea, milk, lemonade and iced tea are free.",[11,1428,1429],{},"If you drink moderately, skip both packages and pay as you go. If you plan to drink a lot, Carnival's flat rate is simpler to budget for, while Royal Caribbean's price depends on the ship you book.",[18,1431,1433],{"id":1432},"private-islands-celebration-key-vs-perfect-day-at-cococay","Private Islands: Celebration Key vs Perfect Day at CocoCay",[11,1435,1436],{},"Each line now has a flagship private destination in The Bahamas, and for many families this is where the choice gets interesting.",[11,1438,1439,1440,1445],{},"Carnival opened Celebration Key on Grand Bahama in July 2025, a ",[26,1441,1444],{"href":1442,"target":29,"rel":1443},"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.prnewswire.com\u002Fnews-releases\u002Fcarnival-cruise-line-opens-600m-celebration-key-its-spectacular-new-exclusive-destination-302509183.html",[31],"$600 million destination"," with one of the two largest freshwater lagoons in the Caribbean, over a mile of white sand beach and more than 30 food and drink venues. Pearl Cove Beach Club is the largest adults-only retreat at any cruise destination, with an 11,000-square-foot infinity pool. Carnival expects more than two million guests a year, growing to four million by 2028.",[11,1447,1448,1449,1454],{},"Royal Caribbean's Perfect Day at CocoCay is older and leans harder into thrills. Its Thrill Waterpark has 14 slides, the largest wave pool in the Caribbean and Daredevil's Peak, at 135 feet the tallest waterslide in North America, according to the cruise line's ",[26,1450,1453],{"href":1451,"target":29,"rel":1452},"https:\u002F\u002Froyalcaribbeanpresscenter.com\u002Fperfect-day-at-coco-cay",[31],"press center",". Hideaway Beach is an adults-only area for guests 18 and over, and Coco Beach Club welcomes all ages.",[11,1456,1457,1460],{},[119,1458,1459],{},"Celebration Key is the better beach-and-lagoon day; CocoCay is the better adrenaline day."," Royal Caribbean is also building Perfect Day Mexico, set to open in fall 2027.",[18,1462,1464],{"id":1463},"carnival-vs-royal-caribbean-for-families","Carnival vs Royal Caribbean for Families",[11,1466,1467],{},"Both lines take families seriously, but they approach kids differently.",[11,1469,1470],{},"Carnival's Camp Ocean runs supervised, age-based groups for children aged 2 to 11, starting with Penguins for ages 2 to 5 and Stingrays for ages 6 to 8. The program is built around play and activities on board, and it pairs well with Celebration Key's Starfish Lagoon, a 275,000-square-foot family area at the island.",[11,1472,1473],{},"Royal Caribbean's Adventure Ocean covers the same role, and its newest spaces let kids choose their own themed activities. Adventure Ocean stays open on board during a CocoCay call, which is useful because there is no daycare on the island itself. On the island, children under 14 need a ticketed companion aged 14 or older to enter the Thrill Waterpark.",[11,1475,1476,1477],{},"The bigger difference is what the whole family can do together. A Royal Caribbean Icon Class ship has a waterpark, a surf simulator, ice skating and laser tag included in the fare, so teenagers and parents rarely run out of things to do. Carnival's current ships have fewer headline attractions of that kind. ",[119,1478,1479],{},"For families with active older kids, Royal Caribbean usually delivers more; for younger kids and a slower pace, Carnival holds its own.",[18,1481,1483],{"id":1482},"loyalty-programs-after-the-2026-change","Loyalty Programs After the 2026 Change",[11,1485,1486],{},"If you cruise more than once, loyalty perks can tip the balance.",[11,1488,1489,1490,1495],{},"Carnival replaced its VIFP Club with Carnival Rewards on September 1, 2026, according to ",[26,1491,1494],{"href":1492,"target":29,"rel":1493},"https:\u002F\u002Fcarnivalrewards.com\u002Fchange",[31],"Carnival Rewards",". The new program adds points earned from cruise fare and onboard purchases, which you can redeem toward cruise fare on Carnival.com or for onboard purchases through the HubApp. Former VIFP members keep their red, gold, platinum or diamond level as a guaranteed minimum for the first two years, as long as they enrolled.",[11,1497,1498],{},"Royal Caribbean runs Crown & Anchor Society, its long-standing loyalty program, alongside Club Royale for casino players.",[11,1500,1501,1504],{},[119,1502,1503],{},"The Carnival change matters most to existing VIFP members",", who now earn spendable points instead of status alone. If you are new to both lines, pick the ship and itinerary you like first and let the loyalty program follow.",[18,1506,1508],{"id":1507},"who-should-choose-carnival","Who Should Choose Carnival",[11,1510,1511],{},"Carnival is the better fit when the mood of the trip matters more than the attractions on the ship.",[160,1513,1514,1517,1520],{},[163,1515,1516],{},"Groups of friends and couples who want a social, easy-going atmosphere and no pressure to fill every hour",[163,1518,1519],{},"Travelers who drink regularly and want one predictable daily price for alcohol",[163,1521,1522],{},"Families with young children who want a beach and lagoon day at Celebration Key rather than a waterpark",[11,1524,1525],{},"It also suits short Bahamas getaways from Florida, Texas and other US homeports, where a relaxed three or four night cruise is the whole point.",[18,1527,1529],{"id":1528},"who-should-choose-royal-caribbean","Who Should Choose Royal Caribbean",[11,1531,1532],{},"Royal Caribbean earns its place when the ship itself is the destination.",[160,1534,1535,1538,1541],{},[163,1536,1537],{},"Families with teenagers who want waterslides, surf simulators, ice skating and big shows included in the fare",[163,1539,1540],{},"Travelers who want to sail on the largest cruise ships in the world",[163,1542,1543],{},"Thrill seekers who want CocoCay's waterpark and the tallest waterslide in North America",[11,1545,1546],{},"If you dislike crowds, choose one of Royal Caribbean's smaller ships, or compare it with a mid-sized Carnival vessel on the same route before you book.",[18,1548,1550],{"id":1549},"following-either-ship-from-home","Following Either Ship From Home",[11,1552,1553],{},"Whichever line you choose, someone at home will usually want to know where the ship is. Both cruise lines have apps, Carnival's HubApp and the Royal Caribbean app, but those are built for passengers on board and only cover their own fleets.",[11,1555,1556,1557,1561],{},"Primo Nautic tracks any vessel by name, MMSI or IMO number, so the same app works for a Carnival ship one year and a Royal Caribbean ship the next. With the Loved One on Cruise purpose selected, Primo Nautic turns raw position data into warm, plain-language updates about the journey's progress and the weather at the ship's location, with arrival and delay alerts when plans change. Our guides on the ",[26,1558,1560],{"href":1559},"https:\u002F\u002Fprimonautic.com\u002Fblog\u002Froyal-caribbean-cruise-tracker-what-families-need-to-know","Royal Caribbean cruise tracker"," and on tracking Carnival ships explain how live cruise tracking works for each line.",[18,1563,499],{"id":498},[11,1565,1566],{},"Royal Caribbean is the stronger choice if you want the biggest ships, the most onboard attractions and a private island built around thrills. Carnival is the stronger choice if you want a relaxed, social atmosphere, a simpler flat-rate drink package and a lagoon-and-beach day at Celebration Key.",[11,1568,1569],{},"Both lines include more dining than most first-timers expect, both charge extra for their best restaurants and island experiences, and both now offer large private destinations in The Bahamas. Decide which kind of day at sea you want, then compare the specific ship and itinerary, because the ship you sail on shapes your cruise more than the name on the funnel.",{"title":507,"searchDepth":508,"depth":508,"links":1571},[1572,1573,1574,1575,1576,1577,1578,1579,1580,1581,1582,1583,1584],{"id":1226,"depth":508,"text":1227},{"id":1320,"depth":508,"text":1321},{"id":1342,"depth":508,"text":1343},{"id":1361,"depth":508,"text":1362},{"id":1391,"depth":508,"text":1392},{"id":1410,"depth":508,"text":1411},{"id":1432,"depth":508,"text":1433},{"id":1463,"depth":508,"text":1464},{"id":1482,"depth":508,"text":1483},{"id":1507,"depth":508,"text":1508},{"id":1528,"depth":508,"text":1529},{"id":1549,"depth":508,"text":1550},{"id":498,"depth":508,"text":499},"https:\u002F\u002Fmedia.primonautic.com\u002Fblog\u002Fcarnival-vs-royal-caribbean-which-cruise-line-to-pick.jpg","Carnival vs Royal Caribbean compared on ship size, food, drink packages, private islands, kids clubs and loyalty perks, so you can choose with confidence.",{},"\u002Fblog\u002F2026\u002F10\u002Fcarnival-vs-royal-caribbean-which-cruise-line-to-pick","2026-10-14",{"title":1215,"description":1586},{"loc":1588},"blog\u002F2026\u002F10\u002Fcarnival-vs-royal-caribbean-which-cruise-line-to-pick","yf9qM_w2wtJ0UJNb3TFa-sQzY8UxfAGnP_nHg8z6jyk",1792747600143]