Comparison of Internet Packages and Plans

Did I check Wi-Fi fees before boarding? Nope. Too busy Googling sunscreen. Suddenly it’s $20 extra just to upload a photo. The difference between Carnival’s Value and Premium plans? Not as clear as you’d think. And not every plan even lets you check email or stream.

Value Plan vs Premium Plan

I opened the Wi-Fi menu and almost dropped my phone. Value Plan: $19.55 a day, and that’s just for “basic browsing.” So, social media and slow Google searches. Pre-purchase? Saves a couple bucks, but if you wait till you’re onboard, forget it. And it’s per device, so families are out of luck.

Premium Plan? Cruiseable says $18.75–$22 a day, depending on when you buy it. “Up to three times faster.” Sure. My neighbor on Deck 7 said Netflix wouldn’t even open after midnight. Here’s a quick rundown, since Carnival won’t give you one:

I asked about family bundles and just got handed a tiny printout. “Check the portal,” they said. Super helpful.

Browsing and Download Speed Changes

So, “Premium” sounds good, right? You want to Zoom or check your inbox. They say it’s “three times faster,” but satellite lag means video chats are a joke. Tried downloading a two-minute video—took fifteen. Missed trivia. Peak times? Good luck. Lounge was full of people staring at spinning wheels. Crew blames “satellite congestion.” If you need to upload photos or FaceTime, do it early morning before everyone wakes up. I even saw someone hanging their phone out a porthole, hoping for better signal. Didn’t work, obviously.

Carnival says the Wi-Fi isn’t “at-home” fast. No kidding. Premium is just the same slow satellite, with a fancier label. I’m convinced the Value tier is throttled to push you to Premium. SPF 30 is fine, but “Premium” doesn’t mean Netflix at sea, especially if there’s a storm.

Cruise Line Responses to the Price Surge

Nothing stands still on a cruise, except maybe your Wi-Fi signal. I keep seeing people clutching their phones, debating if today is even worth trying to send photos home or if they should just wait for port. Corporate statements? All the same. “Necessary improvements,” “rising demand,” blah blah.

Official Statements from Cruise Lines

Supposedly it’s all about “improvements.” Carnival’s site says Social Wi-Fi is up to $18.70 pre-cruise, $22 onboard. Value tier is even more. (Source: Cruise Mummy, 2025.) Every rep I talk to says the same stuff: “Upgrades,” “guest experience,” “market conditions.” No one admits it’s about grabbing more cash from people who can’t stand being offline.

Cornered an officer once, just for fun. Learned nothing. “Premium satellite connection” doesn’t mean fast TikToks when everyone’s online. “Starlink isn’t cheap,” they say, but the real story is buried in polite corporate lingo.

Technology Investments and Upgrades

Let’s just say it out loud: cruise lines love the “we’re investing in technology!” pitch, but who’s actually seeing the magic? I keep hearing about “satellite infrastructure investments” from Carnival, Norwegian, MSC, whoever—new Starlink deals, shiny hardware, Elon’s satellites zipping overhead. But I’m in room 1248, staring at the Wi-Fi icon spinning like it’s 2010. Maybe the tech exists, but it sure doesn’t reach my phone.

Some Carnival tech guy told me, “Bandwidth has limits, regardless of how shiny our satellites look on the website.” At least he was honest. They’ve got racks of new access points, fiber this, fiber that, but when the whole ship jumps online? Good luck. Supposedly, we’re all getting “better speeds.” In the real world, it’s still a roulette wheel—sometimes you’re streaming, sometimes you’re just rage-refreshing.

Honestly, all these “investments” feel like upgrading a toaster in a submarine—sure, it matters, but don’t expect miracles. Why don’t they ever share actual gigabit numbers? Instead, it’s “future-proofing” and “enhanced guest connectivity” (I’ve got a folder of cruise emails, not one refund for glacial speeds). Try uploading a photo, see how “future-proof” that feels.

Major Cruise Lines and Their Wi-Fi Offerings

Every year, Wi-Fi prices creep up. For what? Streaming a vet appointment? Champagne service not included. Each cruise line has its own “solution,” but if my neighbor’s sock-puppet TikTok loads and mine doesn’t, what am I paying for?

Carnival’s Internet Options

Carnival’s Wi-Fi pricing is a mess—three tiers, all slightly confusing unless you’re the kind of person who reads the fine print for fun. Social tier is “social media only” but half the time Facebook Messenger flakes out or I get, “Photo uploads need more bandwidth, consider upgrading” (the guest services lady told me this like it was normal). Value tier? $18-ish a day, covers email, web, but not streaming.

Then there’s Premium—supposedly “fast”—$20–$22 per device, per day. They claim it supports video calls. I missed a work meeting because the video froze for two minutes straight. Forbes even quoted some IT staffer: “Service quality is satellite-dependent—sometimes we have coverage gaps over the open ocean.” So, yeah. Don’t expect miracles because you bought the top package. Holland America (Carnival owns them) does the same thing, just renames the plans. Prices? Always higher than you expect.