The price of gratuities on Carnival cruises is going up while other cruise lines (Virgin Voyages, and most premium and luxury cruise lines) are including gratuities in the cruise fare. What are they thinking? Carnival is what I call a value brand. To keep prices low, they don’t include extras in the cost of cruises.

Carnival serves a very specific market — and they do it very well — and unlike some travel agents, I promote and sell Carnival if it’s the right fit for my clients. Budget conscious families, young adults, and anyone who loves a party atmosphere are a good fit for Carnival. For these guests, keeping the initial cost down and offering optional add-on products that can be added separately from the original reservation is important.

Now you understand why gratuities on Carnival are available as an add-on, why are they raising the price if they’re trying to remain affordable to their returning, new, and potential guests? It’s simply a guess, but I think with the labor shortage they’re able to make the job more attractive to people considering working on a cruise ship and at the same time keep the crew members they already have from switching to other cruise lines by increasing the compensation.

What will the gratuities on Carnival be beginning May 1, 2022? For standard staterooms (inside, ocean view, and balcony) the price will be $14.50 per person per day and for suites, $16.50 per person per day.

On a Carnival Cruise, the crew members are amazing and work hard to provide exceptional and friendly service and this very slight increase is well deserved and even a small amount of money, multiplied by the thousands of people onboard, makes a huge difference to the crew members.