Carnival Raising Prices on Gratuities and Other Items

John Heald posted this for those of you booked on Celebration:

Per John Heald:

A few people have asked me about booking the specialty restaurants on the Carnival Celebration which are yet to show online. I wanted to get this done before the price increase so as it is still being worked on. So for the following restaurants on CARNIVAL CELEBRATION only, readers of this page can book:

Fahrenheit 555 Steakhouse
Rudi's Seagrill
Bonsai Teppanyaki
Chef's Table

So please book before May 1st and you will be able to avoid the small increase.

You need to let us know the following:

Name of Restaurant:

Cabin or booking number:

Number of guests at the table:

Date of reservation

Time of reservation.

PLEASE SEND TO MDSEAGRILL@carnival.com

Now obviously we usually take the bookings on line with the fee paid so please, I go on bended knee and ask you to only book if you are certain you will go because if not then the fee will still be charged. I just didn’t want my readers to not be able to book before May 1st online for Carnival Celebration. From May 1st bookings will be only available online

By the way, on Wednesday we will tell you about another exciting brand new part of Carnival Celebration……….

Thanks! Your wealth of knowledge is amazing!

The way Royal "gets around" the Texas liquor law is their buy a special set of bottles blessed and approved by the Great State of Texas and only serve passengers from those special labels, which in turn limits their drink menu that first day.

The way they get over the NY state law about unlimited liquor packages needing to be given as an all or nobody deal (you can only offer within a confined group a completely open alcohol bar or cash bar not a bit of both to each patron) is they technically sail out of New Jersey were that law doesn't exists and only dip into NY waters for short periods hopscotch style before exiting the Hudson Bay.

As for NCL well they do get into hot water with NY pay the fine when it's officially discovered again and just continue to operate as if never caught. One day the port authority might crack down hard enough to to cancel their docking privileges but since Carnival bowed out of NYC as a year round port that leaves only NCL as their steadiest customer.

https://www.cruzely.com/answered-first-day-drink-packages-and-alcohol-on-galveston-cruises/

Here's the skinny...but what they don't tell you is that buying the thing later (as opposed to during booking) usually costs more...the way to avoid the angst is to ignore it...start ASA possible after getting onboard...nobody cares, except perhaps your dearly beloved...and I know a few priests you can complain to...but they're probably at the bar at the moment...

The drink packages do not start the 1st day out of Galveston for any Carnival Cruise, it is a state law of some sort. Not sure about the NY reason, but would assume the same thing. I believe Royal has gotten around the weird state law somehow, but not 100% sure as we have not sailed on that line yet.

Not sure about Texas or other cruise lines from NY but I know for certain NCL does honour the drink package on embarkation day from NY and also on Great Stirrup Key as well. The only catch is that you have to pay the NY state tax on what the drink would have cost until you are in international waters. Oh and NCL is $100 per day for their drink package..

Mebbe we could get group rates on liver tests...........or rehab bwahahahahah!!!! and of course, I'm good for a couple or three embarking in Galveston anywho...just on general principles...comes under the heading of "i don't give a rats behind"...they keep reminding me, I keep saying "I know i know"....eventually it shows up on the tv, then I just sort of shake my head, get disgusted...and head out again...hhehehehe

$60 is a decent buy on RCI...Best I ever got was $42 on a St Pats day flash sale in 2019.

I also demolish every bit of the cost of the drink pakage by day 3 on a 5 day, and day 4 on a 7 day...

And if you leave from Texas or New York, you don't get to enjoy the drink package until day 2!! That always goes over well with folks who don't know

Yeh...I haven't actually looked at the per drink prices in quite awhile, or how much more top shelf stuff costs, but they probably went up too....we have the same discussion pre-cruise, about buying it or not..adding, multiplying...and we do the same thing anyway...that is, buy it...and once you start using it, the pain seems to be forgotten...why is that???hehehehe, course one cruise line claims its "free"..........we all know better don't we....