Carnival Cruise Line has quietly raised its automatic service charge on beverages from 18% to 20%. While the price increase for guests is relatively small, just 22 cents more for an $11 cocktail, it brings a question crew members have been asking for years:
If service charges keep increasing, will bar department crew finally see a salary increase?
And the answer has been disappointing.
Every time gratuities or service charges go up, many hope the additional revenue will translate into higher earnings for bartenders, bar waiters, and bar utility crew whose work directly generates these charges. But history tells a different story: service charge hikes rarely translate into improved salaries.
Carnival’s updated 20% rate now applies to drinks, and room-service beverages. Passengers will also pay more for the CHEERS! drink package $19.60 more for a couple on a 7-day cruise and Wi-Fi plan prices are climbing between 7–9% as well.
Yet while guests feel the pinch, bar department crew continue to wait for a meaningful pay adjustment. Many rely heavily on tips and commission-based earnings, with base salaries remaining same for years despite rising workloads, inflation, and increased onboard spending.
For now, Carnival has not said that any portion of the additional revenue will go toward boosting crew pay.
