---
title: "You've already spent big bucks on a Carnival Cruise package - so would you pay extra for doughnuts?"
description: "Carnival Cruise Line is facing backlash for introducing surcharges on made-to-order doughnuts, priced between $3 to $8. Passengers express frustration over increasing extra costs for amenities, feelin"
type: "news"
locale: "en"
url: "https://longbridge.com/en/news/256234724.md"
published_at: "2025-09-06T16:05:30.000Z"
---

# You've already spent big bucks on a Carnival Cruise package - so would you pay extra for doughnuts?

> Carnival Cruise Line is facing backlash for introducing surcharges on made-to-order doughnuts, priced between $3 to $8. Passengers express frustration over increasing extra costs for amenities, feeling "nickel-and-dimed". While Carnival maintains that meals in the main dining room are included, critics worry about the trend of additional charges undermining the cruise experience's value. Analysts suggest that while some passengers may resist these fees, many still opt for added perks, though the perception of value may shift, potentially driving customers to competitors.

By Charles Passy

Some passengers say cruise lines are nickel-and-diming them with all the surcharges - such as Carnival now charging $3 to $8 extra for doughnuts and sweet treats.

Carnival Cruise Line's doughnuts will run $3 to $8, depending on the order.

As some cruise passengers look ahead to future sailings, they may find themselves asking this question: How much extra are they willing to pay for a doughnut?

Carnival Cruise Line (CCL) recently revealed that it will be offering guests made-to-order doughnuts, along with beignets and churros. But there will be a surcharge for those who want to partake in the warm sweet treats - with a price tag of $3 to $8, depending on the order, according to a Carnival spokesperson.

And that has some cruise regulars feeling left out in the cold, particularly when Carnival and other lines already charge extra for so many other services and amenities, from spa treatments to specialty restaurants. And let's not forget having to pay for wifi, which can run more than $20 per day on certain ships throughout the industry.

But shelling out a few bucks for breakfast treats appears to be a line that can't be crossed, some passengers say. Call it the "doughnutgate" controversy.

"I'm sorry but after some thirty-five cruises over that many years this to me is patently ridiculous," said one cruise regular who commented about the subject on a Cruise Critic forum.

The traveler added that it portends even more surcharges in the future: "It will not be long before every meal has a price tag on it, even those served in the main dining room."

On Carnival and most other cruise lines, meals in the main dining room, as well as the buffet, are typically included as part of the overall fare. A Carnival spokesperson made the point that breakfast and pastries are complimentary throughout its fleet.

"So these special doughnuts are an extra for guests that like/want these sweet treats," the spokesperson said.

Carnival has also come under fire for extra charges for food and amenities at its new Celebration Key attraction in the Bahamas. But the line's spokesperson pointed to the fact that passengers are offered one complimentary fast-casual meal or a 25% discount on one entree at a full-service restaurant.

Meanwhile, other cruise lines have faced similar criticisms of late for their added-cost offerings.

On Royal Caribbean's Icon of the Seas ship, a package for specialty dining ran an extra $665.48 per couple on a recent seven-night cruise, according to one blog post.

While the blogger noted that "specialty restaurants typically have higher-quality food and a more intimate setting," they also said they felt pressure to get their money's worth from the package.

"Dinner began to feel like something we had to check off a to-do list, rather than something we were looking forward to on vacation," the blogger said.

Royal Caribbean (RCL) didn't respond to a MarketWatch request for comment.

Of course, there's a reason why cruise lines charge extra for those doughnuts - or those daybeds at their private beach attractions. It's critical to adding to their bottom line, said Patrick Scholes, an analyst who tracks the cruise industry for Truist Securities.

Scholes estimated that 35% of cruise-line revenue comes from such add-ons. He acknowledged that some passengers feel like the extra costs are getting out of hand, but added that many seem to have no problem paying for the perks.

And Scholes doesn't think the doughnut surcharge will be a make-or-break issue for one simple reason: It's not as if there aren't enough other food options on a Carnival ship.

"We can all live without a doughnut," he said.

But Melissa Newman, a business professor who's a frequent cruiser and shares content about her travels online, said the issue could come back to bite Carnival, so to speak.

"Cruising has traditionally sold itself on the value of being mostly all-inclusive," Newman said. "But with the constant addition of upcharges and ancillary fees, that value proposition is slipping, and a lot of cruisers are increasingly starting to feel nickel-and-dimed."

Newman said Carnival passengers may ultimately decide to abandon ship, especially since the cruise line built its reputation partly on the fact it's budget-friendly. If cruisers start running the numbers, they may "realize they could get better value from a competing cruise line they once viewed as more expensive than Carnival, or even from a land-based all-inclusive resort," she noted.

A Carnival spokesperson emphasized that passengers on its ships don't have to buy the extras.

"It's all about choice and how they want to personalize their cruise experience," the spokesperson said. ??

\-Charles Passy

This content was created by MarketWatch, which is operated by Dow Jones & Co. MarketWatch is published independently from Dow Jones Newswires and The Wall Street Journal.

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

09-06-25 1150ET

Copyright (c) 2025 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.

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> **Disclaimer**: This article is for reference only and does not constitute any investment advice.
