There is simply no way to make everyone happy – and the latest controversy to anger cruise passengers is the price of bottled water on Carnival cruise ships.
According to Brand Ambassador John Heald, who spoke out about the issue in a video on his Facebook page, a lot of cruisers have been expressing their frustration with the cost of the beverage.
Currently, guests can pre-order a 12-pack of bottled water prior to embarkation day to be delivered to their staterooms for $17.64 (USD).
This equates to a value of $1.47 per water bottle – although it is the fourth time the price of this item has been raised in about a two year span.
There was also outrage when the price was raised to $14.95 per 12-pack in April of 2024 – which equals out to about $1.25 per bottle. Initially, the 12-pack was priced at $4.95 ($0.42 per bottle).
But as Heald stated in his video, these are still some of the best prices in the travel industry – and the cruise lines do need to adjust for the current economy and inflation.
“We’ve been talking a lot about water because people have been rather, I guess, adamant, that we charge too much for bottled water,” began Heald. “But it’s just over $1 a bottle. It’s the most affordable in the industry compared to airports, resorts, etc. It’s still a great, affordable deal.”
Some of the pushback may be related to the fact that guests have not been allowed to bring their own plastic water bottles onboard since 2015.
“You’ve got a pretty short memory! When Carnival stopped letting people bring water on board, you stated on your Facebook page that Carnival would keep it very affordable to purchase on the ship, and it was at first. What happened? It is not ‘an affordable deal’ at all,” argued one Facebook user in the comments.
Indeed, Carnival guests are only currently permitted to carry on a small quantity of non-alcoholic beverages – meaning a maximum of 12 sealed cans or cartons – such as soda, energy drinks, milk, or juice. Plastic containers are not allowed.
Affordable Water Options Onboard
Of course, no one is forced to pay for the bottled water if they don’t want to or don’t agree that it’s a good deal.
“You don’t need it, because, like me, you can drink ship water,” said Heald in the video, as a waiter onboard Carnival Mardi Gras refilled his glass with ice water. “So, there you go. I’m drinking ship water and so can you.”
The “ship water” is free and included with meals and 24/7 at beverage stations on all 27 Carnival ships. Many cruisers opt to bring a refillable water bottle or Hydroflask and refill as needed with free water from the stations onboard.
But some commenters on Heald’s post expressed that they couldn’t drink non-bottled water, either due to physical side effects or not being able to stomach the taste.
“I find the ship’s water makes me swell up like crazy. I need to drink bottled,” replied one Facebook user.
“I’m sorry but usually when I cruise the water does not taste good. It’s been a while so maybe something has changed,” someone else chimed in.
Read Also: 15 Mistakes to Avoid on a Carnival Cruise
Another alternative for cruisers who want bottled water, but not the 12-pack, is to invest in the Cheers! drink package. The Cheers! package starts at $70.74 per person, per day, but might still feel like a better deal because it allows guests to consume up to 15 drinks a day at no additional cost.
In addition to water bottles, this inclusive option features spirits (cocktails, beer, and wine), soda, energy drinks, specialty coffee, hot tea, and other non-alcoholic beverages.
But whatever guests do to get their daily dose of H20, they shouldn’t try to cheat the system. A TikToker, who went viral after tampering with the water bottles in her stateroom, was banned from cruising with Carnival earlier this year.
The female guest recorded herself refilling and resealing water bottles she drank to make it look like they were untouched in a failed attempt to avoid paying for them.
