Carnival Festivale is Carnival's newest Excel-class ship, launching in 2026. Expect cruise fares starting around $500–$700 per person for a 5–7 night Caribbean sailing in an interior cabin, with total trip costs of $1,200–$2,500+ per person once you add drinks, gratuities, dining, and Wi-Fi.
Photo: Travel Mutiny
Carnival keeps teasing the Festivale as its next big Excel-class ship, and travelers are already asking the same question: what's this actually going to cost me? The base fare is just the entry ticket — the real budget hits once you stack the drink package, gratuities, Wi-Fi, and specialty dining on top. Here's what you need to know before you book.
What Does a Carnival Festivale Cruise Cost?
Festivale is an Excel-class ship — the same class as Carnival Celebration and Mardi Gras — meaning it carries Carnival's premium pricing tier. Excel-class ships command slightly higher fares than older ships due to the sheer volume of onboard entertainment, dining, and exclusive features like BOLT roller coaster and Emeril's Kitchen.
Base fares for a 5–7 night Caribbean sailing typically break down like this:
| Cabin Type | Budget (Inside) | Mid-Range (Balcony) | Splurge (Suite) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base Fare (per person) | $499–$699 | $899–$1,299 | $2,000–$4,500+ |
| Gratuities (7 nights) | $119 | $119 | $133 |
| CHEERS! Drink Package (7 days) | $455–$595 | $455–$595 | $455–$595 |
| Premium Wi-Fi (7 days) | $178.50 | $178.50 | $178.50 |
| Specialty Dining (1 night) | $35–$45 | $35–$45 | $35–$45 |
| Estimated Total (per person) | $1,286–$1,636 | $1,686–$2,236 | $2,701–$5,446+ |
Gratuities based on Carnival's rate effective April 2, 2026: $17/day standard, $19/day suites. Drink package reflects pre-cruise CHEERS! pricing of $65–$85/day.
Photo: Carnival Cruise Line
Key Factors That Drive the Cost
CHEERS! Drink Package — Worth it or not? At $65–$85/person/day (pre-cruise rate, gratuity included), CHEERS! is one of the better drink package deals in the industry. Carnival's $20/drink cap is the highest of any mainstream cruise line — meaning even premium cocktails and craft beers are fully covered. The break-even point is roughly 5–6 drinks per day. On a sea-heavy Caribbean itinerary, that's easily achievable. One critical caveat: CHEERS! does NOT work at Celebration Key or Half Moon Cay. Drinks at those private island venues are pay-as-you-go. Budget an extra $40–$80 per person per island day.
All adults in the same cabin must purchase the package — no splitting.
Gratuities Just Went Up As of April 2, 2026, Carnival raised its auto-gratuity to $17/day for standard cabins (up from $16) and $19/day for suites (up from $18). The beverage and spa service surcharge also jumped from 18% to 20%. On a 7-night sailing, that's $119 per person in gratuities alone — don't ignore this in your budget.
Wi-Fi Is Not Cheap Festivale is an Excel-class ship with enhanced connectivity. Three tiers:
| Plan | Pre-Cruise Price/Day | What It Does |
|---|---|---|
| Social | $20.40/day | Social media apps only |
| Value | $23.80/day | Social + web browsing + email |
| Premium | $25.50/day | Everything + streaming + video calls |
| Premium Multi-Device (4 devices) | $90.00/day | 1 active at a time |
For a couple sharing a cabin who both need internet, the Premium Multi-Device plan at $90/day is actually the smartest buy — it's cheaper than two individual Premium plans ($51/day combined). VPN is not supported on any Carnival ship.
Specialty Dining on an Excel-Class Ship Festivale will carry the full Excel-class dining lineup, which includes Emeril's Kitchen (exclusive to this class) at around $35/person cover charge. The steakhouse runs about $45/person. Bonsai Sushi is roughly $20/person. Dining packages are available and typically save 25–40% versus booking individually — grab one pre-cruise through the Cruise Planner.
Shore Excursions: The Wild Card Carnival's excursion prices vary wildly by port. Budget $50–$200 per person per port for any organized excursion. On a 7-night sailing with 4 port stops, that's potentially $200–$800 per person in excursion costs alone. Booking third-party excursions independently can cut this by 20–40%.
Photo: Carnival Cruise Line
Practical Tips to Save Money on Carnival Festivale
1. Book CHEERS! Pre-Cruise The Cruise Planner pre-cruise price ($65–$85/day) is consistently lower than the onboard price, which can hit $100+/day. Lock it in as soon as your booking opens the Cruise Planner — prices fluctuate and sales pop up randomly.
2. Prepay Gratuities Before April 2, 2026 If you're sailing after April 2, 2026 and haven't prepaid, you're locked into the new $17/$19 rate. If you booked before that date, check whether you can still prepay at the old rate — the savings are small but real ($7/person on a 7-night sailing).
3. Watch for Early Saver and Super Saver Fares Carnival's Early Saver rate locks in the lowest available fare at time of booking and protects you against price drops. For a new ship like Festivale, initial pricing tends to be aspirational — watch for price drops in the 6–9 month window before departure.
4. Skip the Bottomless Bubbles Package if You Drink Soda Occasionally At $11.99/day for adults (plus 20% gratuity = ~$14.39/day effective), the soda package only makes sense if you're drinking 4+ sodas daily. Sodas at the buffet are free — you're only paying for bar-served sodas.
5. Book Shore Excursions Independently at Carnival's Private Islands At Celebration Key (Carnival's newest private island destination), CHEERS! doesn't work. Go in with a per-drink budget of $10–$15 plus 20% gratuity for bar drinks, or grab a day-pass cabana that may include food and beverages.
Is Carnival Festivale Worth Booking?
For travelers who loved Mardi Gras or Carnival Celebration, Festivale is the same winning formula — massive ship, incredible entertainment variety, strong specialty dining lineup, and Carnival's relatively accessible price point compared to Royal Caribbean Icon-class or Norwegian's newer ships. The Excel-class experience consistently punches above Carnival's budget cruise reputation.
For budget-conscious travelers who just want a cheap Caribbean trip with minimal add-ons, an older Carnival ship on a 4–5 night itinerary will cost significantly less. The Excel-class ships are genuinely better — but that experience has a price.
Bottom line: A realistic all-in budget for a couple on a 7-night Carnival Festivale Caribbean sailing in a balcony cabin, with CHEERS!, Premium Wi-Fi, one specialty dinner, and a couple of excursions, runs $4,500–$6,500 for two people total — or roughly $320–$465 per person per day. That's a solid value for the experience, but it's not the $299 cruise Carnival advertises.
Use CruiseMutiny to build your personalized Festivale cost estimate before you book — plug in your cabin type, drinking habits, and itinerary to see exactly what you'll spend beyond the base fare. You can also check current Festivale sailings through CruiseHub to compare fares and early booking deals.