Key Aspects:
- Carnival Cruise Line appears to be increasing the price of all its internet packages.
- No official notification of the price increase has yet been sent to booked guests.
- At sea internet prices have increased dramatically in just five years, but service has also improved.
Carnival Cruise Line is quietly increasing prices for all its internet packages. While the detailed pricing has not been officially announced, Cruise Hive has carefully researched the options and noted the price differences, as well as reached out to Carnival Cruise Line directly for details.
On Carnival’s official site right now, pre-purchase prices (per person, per day) are listed as follows:
- Social Plan – $18.70
- Value Plan – $22.10
- Premium Plan – $23.80
- Premium Multi-Device Plan – $84.00
The different plans offer different levels of connectivity. On the Social Plan, guests can easily access social media and airline websites, but no email, video, or streaming, and no web browsing. The Value Plan has a slightly faster connection speed and can support email and browsing.
The Premium Plan is up to three times faster than the Social or Value options and supports streaming, video chats, and other online activities. The Premium Multi-Device Plan is the same, but bundled for up to four devices and perfect for a family or group traveling together.
Obviously, with different levels of service, there would be different prices. Just one month ago, however, the Social plan was $15.30, the Value Plan was $19.55, the Premium Plan was $21.25, and the Multi-Device Plan was $75.00.
The new pricing is increases of 22% (Social), 13% (Value), 12% (Premium), and 12% (Multi-Device).
This may not be the only price change, however. Guests with cruises booked in 2026 are already noting even HIGHER pricing on internet access.
For a Carnival Freedom 5-night sailing in March 2026, for example, the pricing is:
- Social Plan – $20.40
- Value Plan – $23.80
- Premium Plan – $25.50
- Premium Multi-Device Plan – $84.00
These prices are even higher than the currently published rates by 9% (Social), 8% (Value), and 7% (Premium), with no change for the multi-device plan. The website does note that prices “start” at the published rates.
It is possible that rates are adjusted for more popular sailings or on larger ships where internet access is in higher demand. The months of March and April are notorious as Spring Break sailing months, and therefore might command higher prices.
This could also be an indication that finalized price changes for all sailings might be coming soon, however, whether or not the cruise line issues an official notification of the increase.
Previous Price Increases
Cruise lines regularly increase pricing on add-on packages, and it’s no surprise that internet access has become increasingly popular over the years.
Read Also: How Can You Save Money Before the Cruise?
The price changes, however, are quite extreme and can come as a shock to anyone who may not cruise frequently. Just five years ago, in October 2025, for example, Carnival’s published internet prices were:
- Social Plan – $6.80
- Value Plan – $10.20
- Premium Plan – $13.60
When compared to today’s rates, the internet plans have increased astronomically. In five years, the Social Plan has increased 175%, the Value Plan is up 117%, and the Premium Plan is up 75%. In 2020, Carnival Cruise Line did not offer the multi-device plan, which was only introduced in late 2024.
Of course, internet service at sea has also improved in that time. In May 2024, Carnival Cruise Line completed the two-year rollout of Starlink internet access onboard, improving connectivity reliability and speed.
More From Cruise Hive
Booked guests interested in internet access during their upcoming Carnival sailings may want to pre-purchase Wi-Fi packages right away to lock in the lowest possible rates.
Could this be a sign of even more increases to come? Pricing on gratuities, drink packages, and other popular add-ons might also be increasing soon and budget-savvy guests should stay alert for possible changes.
