Many passengers love Carnival, partly because of its fairly competitive prices, but remember that costs can add up if you’re not careful.
The good news is that with a few smart strategies, you can enjoy all the fun Carnival offers without spending much. You just need to be careful about a few things.
Below, I’ve listed seven practical tips and hacks to help all types of cruise lovers save money while still having a fantastic trip.
Book Early and Hunt for Carnival Deals
One of the best ways to save money is to plan your booking strategically.
Carnival often runs special promotions and sales throughout the year. By booking early (or during Carnival’s “Wave Season” sales), you can lock in lower fares and even perks like onboard credit.
In fact, Carnival’s Early Saver fares typically offer some of the lowest rates and come with a price protection guarantee.
That means that if the price drops later, you can get the difference as onboard credit or an upgrade.
On the flip side, if your schedule is flexible, keep an eye out for last-minute “Pack & Go” deals; these can save over 50% off the regular fare, but of course, you should be able to cruise on short notice.
Choose a Budget-Friendly Cabin
The second thing that I believe saves the most money is the cabin choice.
You can save hundreds of dollars by being smart about it. I know balcony is always tempting, but ask yourself how much time you’ll actually spend in your room.
Many experienced Carnival cruisers opt for an interior cabin. It’s smaller and has no wiindows but it’s significantly cheaper and still includes all the same basic amenities.
For example, on a 6-night Carnival Horizon cruise, an interior cabin might be around $400 per person while a balcony is $700; a couple could save about $600 total just by choosing the inside room.
That money saved can be spent on fun extras like excursions, specialty dining, or souvenirs instead of on the cabin.
If you’re worried about space or light, remember you’ll likely be enjoying the ship’s pools, shows, and activities most of the day.
Interiors are perfectly comfortable for sleeping and showering and are a good choice if you wanna save money. Of course, if you can afford it and money are not a probelm to you, book the balcony one.
Another hack is to consider booking a “guarantee” cabin in your desired category (Interior, Oceanview, etc.). This means Carnival will assign your exact room closer to sailing.
As long as you don’t mind where your cabin is on the ship, a guaranteed fare is be cheaper than picking a specific room.
Pack Smart and Bring Allowed Items
A simple but effective money-saving strategy is to pack wisely and take advantage of Carnival’s carry-on beverage policy.
Carnival lets each guest (21 or older) bring one 750ml bottle of wine or champagne, plus up to a dozen 12-ounce cans of soda or other non-alcoholic drinks per person in their carry-on luggage.
This means you can bring your own soft drinks or juice to enjoy onboard without paying bar prices for every drink.
For a family or group, bringing the maximum allowed sodas can save a lot. Consider that 12 cans of soda from home might cost only a few dollars, whereas buying 12 sodas onboard could cost around $30+ total.
In addition, if you enjoy a glass of wine in the evening, bringing your own (one bottle per adult) can save you from buying the $10-$15 glasses on the ship (just note there’s a corkage fee if you drink your wine in the dining room).
Don’t Forget to Pack Essential Toiletries and Sundries
You probably already know this if it’s not your first cuirse but items like sunscreen, over-the-counter medicines, and toiletries can be very expensive on the ship.
A friend of mine told me that, a single bottle of sunscreen was $25 when he was onboard, whereas you could buy a two-pack at a local store for under $10.
So remember to pack all the toiletries than you think you’ll need, it’s far cheaper to bring extra from home than to run out and have to buy more on the ship.
Another thing that I always bring is a small first-aid kit with things like seasickness tablets, pain relievers, band-aids, etc. so you won’t have to purchase those at the higher ship prices.
For all the other things you can have a look at the specific article with the 10 Things to Bring From Home on a Cruise to Save Money.
Enjoy the Free Dining (Skip the Pricey Extras)
Carnival Cruise Line is famous for its numerous included food options and taking full advantage of them is the perfect way to save money.
All your main meals and snacks are covered in your cruise fare through venues like the main dining room, buffets, and quick-bite spots (like Guy’s Burger Joint, BlueIguana Cantina tacos and burritos, the 24-hour pizzeria, and more).
You can absolutely eat well onboard without spending an extra cent on food. Don’t feel pressured to pay extra for specialty restaurants. If you’re on a tight budget I don’t think they’re worth it.
The included dining is plentiful and tasty and there’s a good variety and quality.
Avoid the Upsells
The same goes for other common upsells: try to skip the costly extras and use the free or cheaper alternatives.
For example, if you love coffee, grab a free brewed coffee or bring instant latte packets to mix with free hot water or milk rather than buying specialty lattes every day.
Then avoid all the things that are always overpriced on cruises. For example onboard photographers that typically start around $12.99 each.
Or the spa where a massage can cost up to $150-$200. If you really wanna do a treatment wait for port-day specials when they often discount services.
Be Smart About Drinks and Alcohol
Perhaps many passengers don’t know or don’t realize it, but after the cost of the cruise, the highest expense is always drinks. So pay close attention to this aspect.
First, remember that Carnival provides a variety of free beverages: tap water (safe to drink), basic coffee and hot tea, iced tea, lemonade, and juices at breakfast are all complimentary.
You can grab lemonade or iced tea from the Lido buffet anytime, so stay hydrated with those instead of buying soda every time you’re thirsty.
The other thing I always say is to do your math carefully if you want to buy any drinks package.
I will avoid giving you exact figures and prices for the packages, as they may vary depending on the length of the cruise, the itinerary, or any promotions.
Simply look at the price they are asking and calculate how many drinks you could have per day and whether it fits within your budget.
Of course, bear in mind that during the day you will often be ashore in ports and that in summer you may drink more than in winter.
In general, if you’re a light drinker, you’ll likely save money by skipping the package and just paying for a few drinks out of pocket.
Save on Shore Excursions and Port Days
Exploring ports of call is a highlight of cruising, but shore excursions can be pricey if you book everything through the cruise line.
To save money, I usualluy consider a mix of DIY options and selected tours.
One tip is to do some research on your ports ahead of time. In many destinations, you can walk to a nearby beach, hire a local taxi tour, or explore the town on your own for much less money than an organized tour.
For example, when visiting Carnival’s private island Half Moon Cay, you actually don’t need to purchase any excursion at all to have a fantastic day.
The island itself is a free paradise with beautiful beaches, and Carnival provides complimentary beach chairs and a BBQ lunch for all guests.
Carnival does sell excursions there like horseback riding or stingray encounters, but those can run over $120 per person. If you’re watching your budget, I’ll skip those and enjoy the island’s natural offerings (save your excursion dollars for ports with more to see).
For other ports, local tour operators usually offer similar tours (snorkeling, city tours, etc.) at a lower price than the cruise lines.
Just be sure that if you go independent, you manage your time carefully.
Plan to be back well before the ship’s departure time, since the ship won’t wait if you’re late.
A good compromise is to book excursions for the most unique or important experiences to you, and do self-guided exploration for the rest.
Also keep in mind, sometimes just strolling around the port area or finding a public beach can be a memorable day for free or low cost.
I recommend you take a look at the list of the totally walkable cruise ports that don’t need an excursion.
Just Stay on the Ship
If you’re not set on a particular tour, you could even decide to stay onboard the ship during a port stop.
This might sound odd, but on port days the ship often becomes quiet with pools and hot tubs uncrowded, and the spa may run discounts (as I was saying above).
Staying on the ship means you’re not spending on tours or lunches ashore, and you can enjoy the ship’s amenities (that you’ve already paid for) with a smaller crowd.
If you are a frequent cruiser like me, I usually stay on the ship if the cruise stops at a port I’ve been to many times. At that point, it’s better to stay on board and enjoy the ship.
Take Advantage of Onboard Hacks and Freebies
The last thing I wanna say is that Carnival provides a lot of little extras and opportunities to save money onboard, so keep your eyes open for them.
One great tool is the Carnival HUB app, which you can download for free. The app lets you check the daily schedules, restaurant menus, your onboard account balance, and more at no cost.
If you’re traveling with family or friends, you can also use the HUB app’s chat feature instead of buying a full internet plan. For a flat fee of $5 per person for the entire cruise, you can use the app to text message each other on the ship.
And, as I always say, if you do need internet, purchasing a plan before your cruise (via Carnival’s website) is usually cheaper than buying it on the ship.
The same goes for other addons: things like photo packages, specialty dining, or the drink package I mentioned before
As I’ve said, if you’re on a tight budget, I’d suggest skipping them, but if you really can’t do without, make sure to buy them before your cruise starts.
Once on board never buy packages at full price but keep an eye out for daily specials. Carnival frequently runs embarkation day specials – for example, the spa might offer discounts on treatments booked on Day 1, and Carnival’s steakhouse often gives a free bottle of wine if you dine there on the first night of the cruise.
Throughout the cruise, check the ship’s daily planner or announcements for deals like “happy hour” drink specials, sales in the onboard shops (typically toward the end of the cruise there might be two-for-one t-shirts or jewelry discounts), or spa discounts.
Additionally, Carnival often hosts some events that come with free goodies. Attending the art auction usually gets you a free glass of champagne, or the past guest party (on longer cruises) includes free drinks and appetizers.
These are fun to join and won’t cost a thing as I’ve said in the article on how to get free drinks on a cruise ship
Finally, a simple but effective hack: set a budget for yourself using cash or a limit on your Sail & Sign account.
It’s easy to get carried away swiping your cruise card for every drink or souvenir. By setting a mental (or actual) budget, you’ll be more mindful of your spending.
You can even visit the Guest Services desk and put some cash down on your account and ask them to limit your spending to that amount.
Or use the HUB app to frequently check your account balance so there are no surprises.
With these tricks, you’ll take advantage of Carnival’s fun offerings and avoid unnecessary charges.
Don’t forget to have a look at the guest conduct rules that Carnival tightened up in 2025.