Scroll down to the bottom of this page to see our current Carnival deals.
Carnival Rates Overview
- Casino Rates – A casino rate is a general term for any rate that offers $100 or more in onboard credit to a guest as well as a slight or major discount on the room. These rates are only available to past guests or to those who qualify through playing at a casino. Casino rates are generally an excellent deal, so they cannot be combined with group rates. In other words, people with casino rates are usually booked separately from a group, so they do not qualify to receive group amenities. These rates may offer an excellent deal, however, the entire deposit is typically lost if the person with the offer needs to cancel or change the cruise date.
As an example, Sally and her husband are looking to book a cruise with their large extended family. After exploring their offers, it turns out that Sally has an OV7 offer. This is a casino rate that features a slightly reduced cabin price, a reduced deposit, and a $500 onboard credit. They will be booked outside of a group for the best value, so they do not get any group amenities.
- Early Saver Rates & VIFP Offers – Sometimes the Early Saver rate or a non-casino past guest offer is cheaper than the group rate. These rates have the benefit of a reduced deposit, might offer up to $50 onboard credit, and could provide a free 1-2 category upgrade. They can be booked into a group for the added benefit of the group amenity onboard credit. When booking a room with these rates, the deposit is usually non-refundable, and there is a $50 per person fee for name and sail date changes.
For example, Bob wants an 8C category balcony room. Both the group rate and the Early Saver rate are the same total price. Bob picks the Early Saver rate for the additional $50 onboard credit, 50% reduced deposit, as well as a two category upgrade. Bob also gets the $75 group onboard credit.
- Group Rates – When we think of planning a cruise for ourselves, sometimes our friends and family might want to join us. Before you know it, there might be enough people interested to qualify for the benefits of a group. With Carnival, a group can be as small as five rooms and offers amenities such as additional onboard credit. Once a group is formed, the group pricing is locked in until a couple of months before final payment is due. Established groups usually offer a discounted price compared to what is available to the general public, provided that the group has been established for at least a couple of months.
Taking advantage of group pricing means paying the full deposit, which is usually $250 per person on a 7 day cruise. As a benefit, group rates offer increased flexibility, so the deposit is fully refundable prior to the final payment date. If you need to change the name of a passenger, it can typically be done at no charge. Group rates often provide additional amenities, such as onboard credit.
Consider the following scenario: Allen and his friend found a group rate on this page that will save them $207 more than the Early Saver rate, plus a $75 onboard credit. In addition, Allen’s friend does not yet know if they will be able to take time off of work for the cruise, but will know by the final payment date. Allen has a backup friend whom he can take if necessary. Although the total deposit is $500, the cheaper price and increased flexibility of changing a name for free make it worth the higher deposit.
The benefits of booking into a group sound great, but what if you’re only looking to book one room? This is definitely where a travel agent can come in handy. I work with various clients, and when they book a small group with me, I always reserve some extra rooms so that I can share the group benefits and possible discounted prices with my other clients.
Below is a list of our current Carnival deals as of December 12th good through end of December 16th, 2024 Eastern Time Zone.
Current Early Saver deposit per person: $125
Current Early Saver deposit per person for Mardi Gras, Carnival Celebration, and Carnival Jubilee: $125
Any pricing that reflects savings is a group rate, which requires a fully refundable deposit of $250 per person for a 6-9 day cruise or $400 for a 10+ day cruise. The deposit is fully refundable until the final payment date, which is usually 90 days before the sail date.
Current Carnival Deals
Sail Date | Ship | Days | Ports Visited | Group Amenities Per Room | Extra Early Saver Perks Per Room | Room Category and Cost for 2 Including Port Taxes and Fees |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
May 17, 2025 | Carnival Vista (Port Canaveral, FL) | 8 | Aruba / Curaçao / Grand Turk | $100 Onboard Credit | N/A | Interior 4C $1,878.00 (Save $144) Ocean View 6L $2,348.00 (Save $32) Cove Balcony 7C $2,718.00 (Save $294) Balcony 8C $2,828.00 (Save $344) |
Oct 11, 2025 | Carnival Spirit (Seattle, WA) | 16 | Panama Canal | $75 Onboard Credit | $0 OBC $200pp Deposit | Obs View Window Interior 4K $2,960 Ocean View 6A $3,320 Obs View Balcony 7A $4,040 Balcony 8C $4,120 |