Carnival Is Making the Biggest Change to Drink Pricing in Years (And Most Cruisers Have No Idea!)
Carnival made a big announcement this week, and buried inside it is some news that could cost you money if you’re not paying attention.
The headline: Carnival has launched brand-new “FunPack” bundles that let you combine a drink package, Wi-Fi, specialty dining, shore excursions, and more into one discounted package. There’s a new drink option that a lot of casual drinkers are going to love. And the bundles are only available for a limited time.
But here’s the part they slipped in quietly — and it’s just as important as the FunPacks themselves.
What Are Carnival FunPacks?
Starting today, Carnival is offering four bundle options called FunPacks that you can add to your upcoming cruise through My Cruise Manager. There’s something for everyone — families with kids, non-drinkers, light drinkers, and full-on CHEERS! loyalists.
Here’s the breakdown:
Kidstarter — For guests ages 3–17. Includes Bottomless Bubbles (unlimited soda and juice) plus Social Wi-Fi and a complimentary lanyard. Carnival says you can save up to 50%.
Zero Proof — For guests who don’t drink alcohol. Includes the CHEERS! Zero Proof non-alcoholic package plus Value Wi-Fi. Up to 35% savings.
Social — This one comes in at $60/day and includes the brand-new CHEERS! Social drink package (more on that below) plus Premium Wi-Fi. Up to 50% savings.
Epic — The flagship bundle at $99/day. Includes the full CHEERS! drink package with gratuity, Premium Wi-Fi, specialty dining, shore excursions, and spa discounts. Up to 55% savings.
That Epic deal deserves a closer look. The regular CHEERS! package runs about $84/day on its own. At $99/day you’re adding Premium Wi-Fi (~$25/day value), specialty dining, shore excursions, and more. For anyone who was already planning to buy CHEERS! and Wi-Fi separately, this is a genuinely strong deal.
The New CHEERS! Social Package Is a Game-Changer for Light Drinkers
Tucked inside the Social FunPack is something Carnival has never offered before: CHEERS! Social.
This new drink package gives you three alcoholic drinks per day plus unlimited non-alcoholic beverages. That’s it — simple, and for a lot of cruisers, perfect.
If you’ve ever felt like the full CHEERS! package wasn’t worth it because you don’t drink enough to justify it, but you still wanted something to cover a cocktail by the pool or a glass of wine at dinner, this was designed for you.
The catch: CHEERS! Social is only available as part of the Social FunPack. You can’t buy it on its own.
You Only Have Until October 30 to Buy
This is a limited-time offer. FunPacks can only be purchased through October 30, 2026, and they cover sailings departing from October 31, 2026 through December 31, 2027.
A few important rules to know before you buy:
- Everyone 21+ in your stateroom must buy the same FunPack. You can’t mix and match.
- FunPacks cannot be purchased on board. Miss the window and you’re buying everything separately.
- You need to buy at least 3 days before your departure. If you’re sailing October 31, your deadline is actually October 28.
- Dining, spa, and shore excursion benefits must be reserved before you sail and are subject to availability.
- Sailing from Galveston, New York, or Norfolk? Alcohol benefits in the Social and Epic packs don’t kick in until 6 a.m. on Day 2. Carnival adjusts pricing for those sailings accordingly.
Here’s the News They Buried — And It Matters
Near the end of Carnival’s press release, the cruise line quietly announced that starting December 1, 2026, drink packages and Wi-Fi will move to dynamic pricing.
That means the price you pay will vary based on your specific sailing — the length of the trip, the itinerary, and the time of year. There will no longer be one consistent price that everyone pays.
Royal Caribbean already does this, and if you’ve ever tried to price out a drink package on a Royal Caribbean cruise, you know the frustration: you don’t find out what the package costs for your sailing until after you’ve booked.
For Carnival, this is a significant change. Right now, you know exactly what you’re going to pay before you commit. Come December 1, that goes away.
If you were already thinking about buying a drink package or Wi-Fi for a future Carnival cruise, this is a real reason to do it now — while the FunPack pricing is locked in and before dynamic pricing takes effect.
Is a FunPack Worth It for You?
You should strongly consider Epic if: You were already going to buy CHEERS! and Wi-Fi. The math works in your favor — you’re essentially getting everything else (dining, excursions, spa) for an extra $15/day.
You should look at Social if: You drink a little but not enough to justify full CHEERS!. Three drinks a day plus unlimited non-alcoholic beverages at $60/day is a solid middle ground.
Skip it if: You’re a light traveler who doesn’t drink much, doesn’t use Wi-Fi at sea, and prefers to pay as you go. Bundling things you won’t use isn’t savings — it’s just prepaying.
Whatever you decide, the window closes October 30. And with dynamic pricing arriving December 1, this may be one of the last times you can lock in a predictable price on a Carnival drink package at all.
FunPacks are available now through My Cruise Manager on Carnival’s website.
