Soda isn't included on a Carnival cruise. However, its Bottomless Bubbles drink package makes it easy to enjoy unlimited soft drinks during your vacation.
Unlike the Carnival CHEERS package, the soda package is more restrictive and only includes fountain beverages and juice, ranging from Coca-Cola to Sprite, Fanta, and Barq's Root Beer.
In the past, I scoffed at the idea of paying for such a limited drink package. However, I began my sobriety journey earlier this year and wanted to avoid any temptation from the seemingly endless alcoholic beverages during my spring break cruise.
After seven nights with Carnival's Bottomless Bubbles package, I found that it fit my needs far better than I expected — and for far less than Carnival's new zero-proof package.
Having simple, alcohol-free options made it easier to stay focused on my personal goals without feeling as though I was restricting myself from the full cruise experience.
So yes, I think the Bottomless Bubbles package is well worth it. However, it isn't for everyone. Here's my full review of the Carnival cruise soda package during my recent cruise on Mardi Gras.
How much is the soda package on Carnival?
For my seven-night Caribbean cruise, the Bottomless Bubbles package cost $79.80, breaking down to $11.40 per night — including the mandatory service charge.
However, Carnival Cruise Line recently increased the price of its adult soda package to $11.99 per day. With the added 20% gratuity, the daily total is roughly $14.38 for the Bottomless Bubbles package (effective April 2, 2026).
For kids, the pricing remains significantly lower at $6.95 per day. This makes it a budget-friendly option for families who want to enjoy more than the included beverages but don't necessarily want to splurge on pricey packages.
Comparatively, the Carnival CHEERS package costs $69.95 per day and includes a much broader range of options — from handcrafted martinis to wines by the glass, beer, specialty coffee, and fountain beverages.
Read more: How much does the Carnival drink package cost?
Carnival Bottomless Bubbles list: What's included?
In June 2025, Carnival announced it would switch to Coca-Cola® as its preferred beverage partner. Before that, Pepsi products had been the primary soft drink offering on board its fleet.
I'm a Diet Coke girl through and through, so the switch felt like a win and ultimately convinced me to try the Bottomless Bubbles package. Otherwise, I probably would have brought a 12-pack of soda on board instead of paying for Pepsi products that I'm not really a fan of.
"Coca-Cola offers both a wider variety, as well as many leading popular beverage brands. The broad selection of Coca-Cola products gives our guests more choices and enhance[s] our Bottomless Bubbles and Cheers! beverage package," reads Carnival's website.
Read more: I brought a 12-pack of soda on a Carnival cruise — here's why it was a smart hack
Soft drinks included in Carnival's soda package include:
- Coke
- Diet Coke
- Coke Zero Sugar
- Sprite
- Sprite Zero Sugar
- Fanta Orange
- Barq's Root Beer
- Mr. Pibb
- Seagram's Ginger Ale
- Seagram's Tonic
- Seagram's Seltzer (Club Soda)
- Topo Chico: Lime, Tangerine, and Blackberry
Sadly, Bottomless Bubbles does not include bottled water on Carnival cruises.
Carnival Bottomless Bubbles review
Despite having been on multiple Carnival cruises, from short Bahamian getaways to port-intensive Alaskan itineraries, I had never bought a Carnival drink package until my weeklong sailing on Mardi Gras.
At less than $80 for one week, the soda package felt like a small upfront cost for the convenience of not having to think twice about every soda I ordered, which is especially helpful in settings where alcoholic drinks are heavily promoted and widely available.
Rather than sipping watered-down juice or lemonade, I could simply order a Diet Coke whenever I wanted. This made the experience feel far less restrictive, and over the course of the week, the convenience added up — both mentally and financially.
One of my favorite parts of having the package was how easy it was to grab a quick soda in the buffet, thanks to the fountain machines. All I had to do was tap my Sail & Sign card and fill any cup.
I liked this a lot better than Royal Caribbean's Freestyle Machines. Although the flavor combinations are endless, ranging from Cherry Diet Coke to Vanilla Sprite and Fruit Punch Fanta, you must carry around the bulky compatible cup. Otherwise, the machine is essentially useless.
Drink packages aren't required to use Carnival's fountain soda machines, either. However, you are charged by the ounce, which can get pretty expensive.
Of course, to benefit from the Bottomless Bubbles package, you have to be an avid soda consumer. Otherwise, you're better off purchasing a package with more options. The zero-proof package, for instance, includes mocktails, specialty coffees, non-alcoholic beer, soda, and more.
Although I love a good iced latte, I was okay sticking to the included drip coffee on this vacation. I knew that if I wanted a latte or mocktail here and there, buying them à la carte would be more affordable than splurging on the Zero-Proof CHEERS package.
Moreover, if you're someone who primarily drinks water, iced tea, lemonade, or only enjoys the occasional soda, the package won't pay for itself.
At $66.50 (before the 20% service charge), the break-even point was 21–22 sodas over my seven-night cruise, meaning I needed to drink roughly three sodas per day — at $3.75 each — to make the Bottomless Bubbles package worth the cost.
And boy, did I get my money's worth. By the third day, I realized I could even fashion my own mocktail by asking for a lime and a splash of grenadine with my Diet Coke!
Read more: Carnival Cruise Line Drink Menu and Prices
You can't use any Carnival drink package at Celebration Key or Half Moon Cay
Unfortunately, one of the biggest drawbacks of Carnival's soda package is that it doesn't work ashore at Celebration Key or Half Moon Cay, Carnival's private destinations in The Bahamas.
This was especially disappointing since Celebration Key was one of the ports of call on our seven-night Eastern Caribbean cruise.
However, I planned ahead and kept a can of Diet Coke in my fridge overnight, throwing it into my beach bag before heading ashore.
If you have the CHEERS package, you can stock up on beer before docking and enjoy a day on the beautiful Bahamian beach without worrying about added costs.
That said, I still think the Carnival Bottomless Bubbles package is worth the money, especially if you plan ahead and enjoy more beverages on the ship!
Read more: Carnival cruiser shares hack to avoid paying for drinks at private destination
Elizabeth Wright
Elizabeth graduated from New York University's Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute with her M.A. in Journalism in May 2023. Having sailed on over 30 cruises across different lines, including Royal Caribbean, Carnival, MSC, Margaritaville at Sea, and Princess, she loves sharing her insight and expertise on all things cruising!
In addition to writing for Cruise.Blog, Elizabeth has bylines in Business Insider, Royal Caribbean Blog, and Cruiseshipfood.com.
