Carnival Cruise Line has confirmed that Wi-Fi pricing will be increasing for Australia cruises beginning on Monday, October 16, 2023.

Guests who are currently booked or book before mid-October can still lock in the current pricing for their sailing no matter what the departure date, but after October 16 the package prices are set to increase.

Carnival Australia Wi-Fi Prices Increasing

Guests booked on upcoming Australian sailings with Carnival Cruise Line have noticed encouragement to lock in lower rates on Wi-Fi packages before October 16, 2023, when package prices will be increased.

“You should know that we are adjusting Wi-Fi pricing,” the notification through the cruise line’s app reads. “Make sure to add your Wi-Fi package early to lock in the current package price for your upcoming cruise.”

The current pricing for packages depends on the service selected. Carnival offers three plans – social, value, and premium – that are priced at AUD $15.30, $17.85, and $21.25 per person, per day ($9.83, $11.47, and $13.65 in USD, respectively).

While the new prices have not been revealed, a further note on the lock-in notification notes that the current savings are “up to 15% (and up to 34% vs new onboard pricing” when packages are booked before sailing.

This would indicate a price increase of approximately 19%, which could make the purchase rates approximately AUD $18.20, $21.24, and $25.29 after the price hike.

At the moment, pricing for the Wi-Fi packages for US sailings is $12.75 for the social plan, $17 for the value plan, and $18.70 for the premium plan. Even after the price increase, the Australian package prices will still likely be below the rates charged on US sailings.

The “Social” plan offers guests access to popular social media websites and apps, such as Facebook, Instagram, X, SnapChat, and others, but does not permit access to general websites or apps.

The “Value” plan offers social media as well as email, news, sports, weather, and banking access, but does not support streaming services.

The “Premium” plan is the most extensive, covering everything in the Social and Value plans as well as video calling, Skype, Zoom, and other options at speeds up to three times faster than the Value plan.

All Wi-Fi packages must be purchased for the full length of the cruise, and are not available to purchase for a single day or prorated partial cruise.

Carnival Cruise Line has been rolling out StarLink Maritime access across its fleet, bringing more reliable connectivity and faster speeds to guests no matter where they may be sailing. As of July 2023, eleven ships in the Carnival fleet have been StarLink equipped, with more ships being outfitted each month.

“For many of our guests, it has become more and more important to maintain the type of connectivity at sea that they’ve become accustomed to at home, and of course, to share the unforgettable experiences of their cruise with friends and family,” said Josh Weinstein, CEO of Carnival Corporation.

While Carnival Luminosa and Carnival Splendor – the two ships currently offering Australian cruises – are not yet equipped with StarLink, that upgrade is likely coming in the near future.

Will US Wi-Fi Package Prices Change?

There is some speculation that upping the Wi-Fi package fees for Australian cruises indicates a price change is also coming to Carnival Cruise Line’s Wi-Fi packages for US cruises, though this is not likely.

The price increase has been brought to the attention of the cruise line’s brand ambassador, John Heald, who confirmed the increase and where it applies. “This is for Australian cruises only,” Heald said.

Of course, pricing on any cruise vacation add-ons – whether it is Wi-Fi, a drinks package, shore excursions, gratuities, etc. – are also subject to change at any time. Booking packages early ensures guests the best prices and availability no matter where or when they set sail.

Carnival Corporation has reported unprecedented earnings for the third quarter of 2023 in a remarkable show of resilience. The results beat all prior predictions and set the cruise company on a solid path for future growth.

With few new ships on the program except Carnival Jubilee, two Princess cruise ships, and one Cunard ship, Queen Anne, Carnival Corporation has time and money at its hand to bring down the massive mountain of debt it has accumulated over the last three years—something it is doing with considerable success.

Strong Third Quarter Performance

Carnival Corporation, which owns and operates nine different cruise brands, has released its financial results for the third quarter of 2023. 

The company has reported a total revenue of just over 6 billion, a net income of $1.07 billion, and an adjusted net income of $1.18 billion for Q3. This far exceeds the guidance the company released in the second quarter outlook in June. 

The adjusted EBITDA has also surpassed expectations, clocking in at a remarkable $2.22 billion. These figures underscore a trend of increased earnings we have seen from the cruise company over the last year, and which marks a promising phase for Carnival.

Carnival Corporation’s CEO, Josh Weinstein, said: “We delivered over $1 billion to the bottom line with revenue reaching an all-time high. Both revenue and earnings significantly exceeded expectations this quarter enabling us to take up expectations for the year.”

Bookings Surge for All Carnival Brands

Bookings surged during the third quarter of 2023, marking a period of robust growth that exceeded previous records. According to Weinstein, the booking volumes were running nearly 20% above the record-breaking year 2019. 

While the US Market has been performing strongly since the start of operations post-pandemic, the increased level of guests booking cruises wasn’t confined to just one market; both North American brands such as Princess Cruises, Holland America Line, and Carnival Cruise Line and European brands such as AIDA and Costa saw significant demand, reverting to pre-pause levels in Europe.

“We are maintaining strong momentum and continuing to build demand through our improved commercial execution. Booking volumes during the quarter were running nearly 20 percent above 2019 levels and multiples of our capacity growth, which has continued into September.

Read Also: What Cruise Lines Does Carnival Own?

“This has helped us extend the booking curve even further, with our North American brands exceeding historical highs and our European brands essentially achieving pre-pause levels,” said Weinstein.

The data also revealed that the booked position for 2024 exceeds historical ranges at higher prices. 

Weinstein highlighted that this trend aligns well with the company’s strategy: “Our booked position for 2024 is further out than we have ever seen and at strong prices. With less remaining inventory to sell, despite a five percent increase in capacity, we are well positioned to drive pricing higher and deliver strong yield improvement in 2024.”

Looking Ahead to 2023

For 2023, Carnival expects adjusted EBITDA to come in just shy of $4.2 billion. The company also projects net per diems to increase approximately 7.0% compared to 2019. And with booking levels where they are now, ships are expected to sail at 100% occupancy rates or higher for the year.

However, the best piece of news is the fact that Carnival has started chipping away at the vast mountain of debt it has accumulated over the last couple of years.

David Bernstein, Carnival Corporation & plc Chief Financial Officer: “We are accelerating our debt repayment efforts and aggressively managing down our interest expense. In just the last six months, we have reduced our debt balance by over 10 percent or nearly $4 billion. With improving performance, growing operating cash flows and $5.7 billion of liquidity, we are on a path to end the year with less than $31 billion of debt.”

With just four news ships on the horizon; Carnival Jubilee, Cunard Line’s Queen Anne, Princess Cruises’ Sun Princess (all three due in 2024), and Star Princess (expected 2025), Carnival Corporation has set itself up for a period of consolidating its financial growth without introducing additional risk factors.

While there has been a negative vibe around Carnival Corporation’s financial position since the pandemic, it seems that Josh Weinstein has found the magic formula to bring the world’s largest cruise company back on top. 

However, as we’ve seen in 2020, it takes one major event to bring havoc to the cruise industry, and it would be interesting to see how Weinstein plans to protect his company from potential events in the future. 

Carnival Cruise Line has announced the initial itineraries that will visit Celebration Key, the cruise line’s new exclusive destination on Grand Bahama Island.

A total of 12 Carnival ships from eight different homeports will be visiting Celebration Key in 2025 and 2026, on itineraries ranging from 3-14 nights to give guests many amazing choices to experience this new tropical paradise.

Itineraries Open for Celebration Key

Carnival Cruise Line’s new $200 million (USD) development on Grand Bahama Island, Celebration Key, is sure to be an amazing destination exclusively for Carnival guests and offering authentic Bahamian experiences. Now, eager cruisers can begin booking itineraries to visit the new private port of call, with approximately 400 cruises now on sale featuring Celebration Key.

“We’ve seen that there is a lot of interest in Celebration Key as thousands of Carnival guests signed up over the last week to be the first to know about the itineraries and features,” said Christine Duffy, Carnival Cruise Line president. “The July 2025 opening will be here before we know it.”

Twelve Carnival cruise ships will visit Celebration Key as the new destination first opens, from homeports in Florida, Texas, Louisiana, Maryland, Virginia, and Alabama. This gives guests a wide range of sailing options that include the exciting new port.

Among the itineraries that will feature Celebration Key are short getaways from 3-4 nights aboard Carnival Conquest from PortMiami on cruises from July 18, 2025, along with 3-4 night cruises on Carnival Glory from Port Canaveral beginning July 21, 2025. From Jacksonville, Carnival Elation will visit the new port on 4- and 5-night sailings also from July 21, 2025.

For slightly longer sailings, Carnival Celebration will visit Celebration Key on 7-night Eastern and Western Caribbean sailings from PortMiami beginning July 20, 2025, along with Mardi Gras from Port Canaveral starting the day before, July 19, 2025 also on 7-night Eastern and Western Caribbean cruises.

Carnival Dream will head to Celebration Key from Galveston on 8-night Eastern Caribbean sailings from July 26, 2025, while guests sailing from New Orleans can visit the new port on Carnival Liberty‘s 7- and 8-night Eastern Caribbean cruises.

From further afield, Carnival Pride will set sail from Baltimore on 7-night Bahamas cruises that will feature Celebration Key from July 20, 2025. Similarly, Carnival Sunshine will visit the destination on 6- and 8-night sailings from Norfolk, Virginia beginning on October 18, 2025.

When Carnival Spirit returns to Mobile, Alabama in November 2025 after spending the summer in Alaska, the ship will offer a stop in Celebration Key on 6- and 8-night Bahamas cruises.

Longer Sailing Options

For guests who want to enjoy longer sailings, Celebration Key will be featured on a variety of unique itineraries and exclusive Carnival Journeys cruises.

For example, Mardi Gras will include the new destination on two 14-night transatlantic sailings, the first from Port Canaveral to Barcelona departing on September 13, 2025, and the second on the ship’s return journey from Barcelona to Port Canaveral on October 16, 2025.

Sailing from Galveston, Carnival Legend will offer a stop at Celebration Key on 10-night Exotic Eastern Caribbean sailings.

Carnival Pride will be offering a 14-night Panama Canal cruise departing from Baltimore on January 11, 2026, which will include Celebration Key.

These longer cruises will offer even more variety for travelers while still letting them experience the new and exciting port destination.

Carnival Cruise Line plans to announce more than 100 additional Celebration Key itineraries for another six ships in the coming months, offering even more options for guests who want to be among the first to visit the new port of call.

Excitement Growing for New Destination

Just days ago, Carnival Cruise Line invited interested guests to sign up for exclusive updates on Celebration Key, with tremendous response. Not only will those notifications include new itineraries, but also updates on the port’s progress and exciting features.

“We are working closely with the Bahamian Government and the local Grand Bahama community to make this the premier exclusive cruise port destination in the Caribbean,” said Duffy. “We plan to announce further details on what guests can expect to experience while there in the near future.”

A key feature of the new destination is its close focus on Bahamian culture, offering opportunities for local residents and showcasing the art, music, food, crafts, and history of the Bahamas through retail and dining venues, displays, and more.

“This is so exciting for the people of Grand Bahama as we watch Celebration Key come to life,” said the Honorable Ginger Moxie, Minister for Grand Bahama. “We have a bold vision of how Grand Bahama can become the premier destination for entertainment and events in the region and we look forward to showing Carnival’s guests a warm and memorable vacation when they start visiting our beautiful island in 2025.”

Celebration Key is located on the south side of Grand Bahama Island, approximately 20 miles (32 kilometers) from the existing dock in Freeport. Ground was broken on the development in May 2022.

The new destination will feature a mile-long white sand beach, diverse excursion options, freshwater lagoons, a nature reserve, and more. Carnival Cruise Line plans to announce full phase one details and the overall development timeline for Celebration Key soon.