Carnival FunPacks are here, and the purchase-by date is October 30, 2026. Carnival says the four bundles save 35% to 55% versus buying items separately. Are they really a better deal? Or did Carnival just rename its old Value packages?
The answer is a little of both. Essentials stays at $50 under a new name. Ultimate gets a rename to Epic; it rises from $90 to $99 while adding far more value.
We break down all four bundles for you. We’re covering what each one includes, what the fine print says, and how to tell if one will save you money. Prefer to watch? Our full Carnival FunPacks video is right below.
Carnival FunPacks at a Glance
All four Carnival FunPacks are priced per person, per day, for the full length of your cruise. The 7-night column shows the total per person.
| FunPack | Per day | 7 nights | Drinks | Wi-Fi | Dining and excursions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kidstarter (ages 3-17) | $25 | $175 | Bottomless Bubbles (soda and juice) | Social | None |
| Zero Proof | $50 | $350 | CHEERS! Zero Proof | Value | $25 dining discount, $50 excursion discount |
| Social (21+) | $60 | $420 | CHEERS! Social: 3 alcoholic drinks plus unlimited non-alcoholic | Premium | 1 dinner up to $55, 1 excursion up to $100 |
| Epic (21+) | $99 | $693 | Full CHEERS! | Premium | 2 dinners up to $55 each, 2 excursions up to $100 each |
Social and Epic also include 50% off eligible pre-cruise spa treatments and Dreams Studio packages. Epic adds a bottle of sparkling wine and one bag of wash-and-fold laundry.
Kidstarter FunPack: Different Name, Same Perks
Kidstarter ($25 per day) is for ages 3 through 17. It is essentially the old Kids & Teens bundle at the same price. It includes:
- Bottomless Bubbles for soda and juice
- Wi-Fi for email and social media
- 1,000 arcade tokens (a $100 value before the cruise)
- A souvenir cup and a lanyard
- 50% off bulk candy at Cherry on Top
On a 7-day sailing, the soda package and Wi-Fi alone come to about $226 by our math. If you would buy both for your kids anyway, you come out ahead. If you would skip the internet, it is less compelling.
Zero Proof FunPack: Essentials Déjà vu
Zero Proof ($50 per day) is the old $50 Essentials package with a new name. It includes CHEERS! Zero Proof, Value Wi-Fi, one $50 shore excursion discount, and one $25 specialty dining discount. The discounts apply once per cruise.
Buying CHEERS! Zero Proof on its own costs $30 per day. That is $20 less than the FunPack. If you do not plan to drink multiple specialty coffees, sodas, and milkshakes daily, buying a la carte likely still beats $30 a day.
Money-saving tip: each guest can still bring a 12-pack of soda on embarkation day. Each adult can also bring one bottle of wine or champagne.
Social FunPack: The New Middle Option
The Social FunPack is the one to watch. It gives cruisers the smaller drinks package they have asked about for years. And at a price point of $60 per person, per day, it’ll cost $420 on a 7-day sailing.
It includes:
- CHEERS! Social: 3 alcoholic drinks per day (up to $20 each) plus unlimited non-alcoholic drinks
- Premium Wi-Fi
- One specialty dinner valued up to $55
- One excursion credit of up to $100
- 50% off one eligible pre-cruise spa treatment and Dreams Studio purchases
Drink gratuities are included. CHEERS! Social is only sold as part of this FunPack. After your 3 drinks, you can buy more at menu price, subject to Carnival’s intoxication policies. Unused drinks do not roll over to the next day.
Here is our value math for a 7-day cruise:
| Perk | 7-day value |
|---|---|
| 3 alcoholic drinks per day (current Alchemy pricing, gratuity included) | $378 |
| Premium Wi-Fi | about $180 |
| Shore excursion credit | $100 |
| Specialty dinner | $55 |
| Total value | $713 |
| You pay | $420 |
The Total value of this package works out to be $713. But here’s the best part: You pay just $420 for a 7-day sailing!
Compared with Zero Proof, Social costs just $10 more per day, or $70 more over seven days. For that, you add three daily alcoholic drinks, Premium Wi-Fi, and larger dining and excursion benefits.
Check the spa discount carefully. Pre-cruise prices can differ widely from onboard prices, especially with Spa Manager Deals. And just because a perk is included does not mean it adds value for you.
Epic FunPack: A Big Upgrade on Ultimate
The old Ultimate bundle cost $90 per person, per day. It included CHEERS! and Premium Wi-Fi. It also had a $50 excursion discount and a $25 dining discount. But every discount required you to spend more.
Epic costs $99 per person, per day, or $693 for 7 days. That is $9 more per day than Ultimate. It includes:
- Full CHEERS! drinks package
- Premium Wi-Fi
- Two specialty dinners, valued up to $55 each
- Two shore excursion credits, valued up to $100 each
- One bottle of sparkling wine
- One bag of wash-and-fold laundry
- 50% off eligible pre-cruise spa and Dreams Studio purchases
Over seven days, you pay $63 more than the old Ultimate price. But your dining and excursion value jumps from $75 to $310. That is a $235 increase, before the wine and laundry.
Epic is miles ahead of Ultimate for guests who will actually use the dining and excursion benefits.
The Fine Print That Could Cost You
We read Carnival’s FAQs and fine print. These details could change your decision.
- The cabin rule: If one guest 21 or older buys a FunPack, every guest 21 or older in that stateroom must buy the same one. Two adults on Epic for seven days pay $1,386.
- Kids and linked cabins: Kids are not required to buy a package because adults do. Linked cabins can choose different FunPacks.
- Full-cruise pricing: The per-day price applies to every day of your cruise. You cannot buy a FunPack for sea days only.
- Book your perks early: Drinks and Wi-Fi activate automatically. You must reserve dining, excursions, spa, and Dreams Studio benefits in My Cruise Manager at least three days before sailing. Guest Services cannot apply a missed pre-cruise benefit after you board.
FunPack Credits
- Excursion credits: You can pay the difference on a pricier tour. A $140 tour with a $100 credit leaves $40 to pay. On an $80 tour, the leftover $20 disappears. You cannot transfer or combine credits. Faster to the Fun is excluded.
- Dining credits: You must choose an eligible experience priced within the $55 limit. You cannot pay the difference for a pricier dinner. The Chef’s Table and Bonsai Teppanyaki are excluded.
- Wi-Fi levels: Social Wi-Fi covers social media. Value Wi-Fi adds surfing and email. Premium Wi-Fi supports streaming and video calls where coverage allows. These plans generally allow one connected device at a time.
- Spa and photos: The 50% spa benefit covers one eligible treatment booked before sailing. It excludes thermal suites and certain other services. Dreams Studio savings are not a blanket discount on every photo.
- Laundry: Epic includes one standard wash-and-fold bag per eligible guest, per cruise. It is in addition to any loyalty laundry benefits.
Limitations and Exclusions of Carnival FunPacks
- Some departure ports: From Galveston, New York, and Norfolk, the alcohol benefits on Social and Epic start at 6 a.m. on day two. Carnival adjusts the price, so check the total in your booking.
- Not valid ashore: Drinks packages do not follow you off the ship, including Celebration Key. Book Pearl Cove Beach Club if you want your drinks to carry over there.
- No stacking: FunPacks do not combine with many other promotions. They also cannot be applied to purchases you already made.
- No cash value: Unused benefits are not refunded. If Carnival cancels an included experience, you may pick another eligible one, subject to availability. If none is available, that benefit is not refunded or credited.
Check that the experiences you are excited about are actually available on your ship before you buy. And please always refer to Carnival’s FAQs and fine print as they may update their information at any time.
Deadlines, Dynamic Pricing, and Existing Bundles
You have until October 30, 2026 to buy Carnival FunPacks. Eligible cruises depart October 31, 2026 through December 31, 2027. Your cruise can be next year, but the FunPack must be added by October 30. You also need the cruise booked by then.
What comes after October 30? Carnival hasn’t said. In fact, they’re already referring to Essentials and Ultimate as “former” Value packages. So we don’t automatically assume they’ll return next year. However, if the FunPack launch goes well, we would expect to see some form of the bundle package return.
Carnival also announced dynamic pricing for drinks packages and Wi-Fi, starting December 1. Prices will vary by cruise length, itinerary, and season. That does not tell us if your sailing will cost more or less. Compare the actual prices in your booking.
Already bought Essentials or Ultimate? Your package stays on your booking, however, it does not convert to a FunPack automatically. You can switch if a FunPack is available for your sailing. You must cancel the old bundle and buy the new one before the deadline. Dining, excursion, spa, or photo purchases made with old benefits may also be cancelled. Check availability and current pricing before you cancel anything.
Our Verdict on Carnival FunPacks: Which Is Worth It?
Start with what you would buy anyway. Add up that cost for everyone required to purchase. Then compare it with the bundle total.
- Kidstarter and Zero Proof are familiar bundles. They make sense if you would buy the drinks and Wi-Fi anyway.
- Social is the most interesting addition. It suits moderate drinkers who want internet.
- Epic blows the old Ultimate away for guests who use the included dining and excursion benefits.
- None of the above? Save the money and pay a la carte.
The best bundle is the one with benefits you will actually use. We are taking another look at our Festivale sailing in 2027.
Which one of the Carnival FunPacks fits your cruise style? Tell us in the comments. Are you buying Kidstarter, Zero Proof, Social, or Epic? Or are you paying as you go?