Carnival’s Drink and Wi-Fi Prices Are About to Stop Holding Still

Carnival Cruise Line is moving to dynamic pricing for its drink packages and Wi-Fi plans, effective December 1, 2026. The change was announced alongside FunPacks, new bundles of onboard add-ons that replace the line’s earlier Value packages.

Carnival’s explanation is brief: prices will vary based on sailing length, itinerary and season. What the line has not said is how the new system will affect today’s drink and Wi-Fi prices, which leaves a gap that cruisers are already filling with questions on community forums.

Guests are asking whether packages they have already bought, including Cheers purchased through the casino, will be affected, and whether the change is meant to make FunPacks look like a better value. Some also wonder whether existing plans will eventually be discontinued, as other cruise lines have done. One member expects that guests who buy before the change will keep their current price, while another notes that if Cheers prices rise, a FunPack could become the better deal even when it includes a Wi-Fi plan they do not want.

For anyone with a Carnival sailing on the calendar, the practical move is to compare the current price of the packages you plan to use against the FunPack bundle before December 1, and to keep screenshots of what you paid. Until Carnival publishes details, the safest assumption is that onboard add-on prices may start to differ from one sailing to the next.

Sources: Cruise Critic, Cruise Critic (FunPacks)