Carnival Cruise Line has sparked outrage among customers after cancelling reservations that were accidentally offered at drastically reduced prices due to a website glitch. The company stated that guests saw 'prices that were far below any reasonable promotional fare' and subsequently voided the bookings.
How the Glitch Unfolded
Earlier this week, Reddit users discovered a pricing error on Carnival's website, where a solo balcony room on a six-day cruise was listed for only $300. Typically, a five to seven-day cruise costs between $600 and $1,500 per person, depending on the destination. Customers who snapped up the bargain were thrilled, but their excitement was short-lived.
Carnival sent an email to affected passengers, informing them that their reservations had been cancelled. The email, shared by a Reddit user, read: 'Following a planned IT maintenance project this past weekend, some guests saw a random display of prices that were far below any reasonable promotional fare. The reservation you made was one of them. We regret to inform you that we will not be able to honor your reservation request. The reservation has been cancelled and any monies paid will be credited to your original form of payment.'
As a gesture of goodwill, Carnival offered a non-transferable onboard credit of $100 per stateroom for future bookings made by August 31, 2026.
Customer Reactions
Travelers expressed deep disappointment, especially those who had already booked flights to the cruise's departure port. One Reddit user wrote: 'I booked myself a little trip as a birthday present to myself. Found a great deal! Paid in full for a balcony & booked flights, only to get this email today. Now the same cruise is selling interior rooms for twice what I paid.'
Another commented: 'Sometimes when a company makes a mistake, they should just take the loss. This makes me not want to book anything in the future.' A third added: 'I just got the email saying they are cancelling my booking because of this, not happy. I already got plane tickets.'
However, some social media users defended Carnival. One Reddit user noted: 'It's totally within their right to do this. But what if the fares were accidentally higher? Would they have refunded people the difference? Maybe they should work on getting their IT working so they don't have massive pricing errors.'
Company Response
In a statement to The New York Post, Carnival said: 'We've apologized to the small number of guests who tried to book the fare, but as the online discussions have pointed out, our decision is consistent with our ticket contract.' The Independent has contacted Carnival for further comment.
This incident follows the cancellation of 11 voyages planned for later this year. In March, Carnival announced the cancellation of sailings aboard Carnival Firenze between October 12, 2026, and November 16, 2026, due to itinerary changes. Affected guests were offered rebooking on comparable sailings with an onboard credit or a full refund.
