A false claim spreading on social media has Carnival’s brand ambassador John Heald responding directly.

A cruise influencer with over 100,000 followers has been telling people that the gratuities passengers pay actually count toward crew base salaries instead of being extra money on top of what they’re paid.

Heald wasn’t mincing words. He’s fielded this question over 50 times in recent days, and he wanted to clear it up once and for all. The claim is false.

Here’s What Actually Happens With Your Tips

When you pay gratuities on Carnival, that money goes directly to crew members. It’s not deducted from their pay. It’s not used to offset what Carnival would otherwise pay them.

Crew members keep all the gratuities, whether you prepay them, charge them to your onboard account, or hand over cash during the cruise.

Carnival charges $16 per person, per day in standard cabins and $18 per person, per day in suites. These gratuities get shared among dining staff, housekeeping, culinary team, and other service departments.

Why This Matters

Cruise ship crew members depend on gratuities. Depending on the cruise line, the salaries can be low, and tips can make up a majority of what crew members actually take home. That money is real income, and it goes directly to the people who serve you.

If you want to tip extra in cash during your cruise, that stays with the crew member you give it to. No middleman, no deductions.

Heald’s advice is simple: go straight to the cruise line for accurate information instead of relying on social media claims, no matter how many followers someone has.

Port of Galveston is rerouting cruise traffic at terminals 25 and 28 from October 15 through December 5 due to road construction. The changes affect how passengers and supply trucks access Carnival, Disney, and Princess cruise terminals.

Here’s what cruisers need to know before heading to the port.

Terminal 25 Changes

Carnival passengers at Terminal 25 will enter and exit on 23rd Street instead of the usual route. Supply delivery trucks will continue using 33rd Street for deliveries.

This applies to all cruise traffic during the construction period.

Terminal 28 Changes

Terminal 28, which handles Carnival, Disney, and Princess ships, will have all cruise traffic enter and exit on 33rd Street. Supply trucks will use 40th Street for deliveries instead.

Why the Changes

The temporary reroutes are necessary because of construction on an internal road at the West Port Cargo Complex nearby. The port is building a 0.6-mile concrete road to accommodate heavy construction and agricultural equipment being moved between cargo piers.

This $2.8 million project is part of a larger $77.5 million effort to expand cargo handling capacity. It’s the first major cargo infrastructure investment at the port in decades.

The work includes demolishing a grain elevator, enclosing and filling outdated slips, and building a new 1,426-foot berth to add nearly 30 acres of usable cargo space.

This expansion is funded largely by revenue generated from the port’s growing cruise business, including Carnival’s recent 25-year anniversary at Galveston and the upcoming November opening of Cruise Terminal 16 for MSC and Norwegian ships.

How to Avoid Delays

The Port of Galveston is recommending passengers park in designated port parking lots and take shuttles with their luggage to their terminals. This approach helps avoid navigation confusion and potential delays caused by the temporary route changes.

Cruise lines are also notifying passengers of these changes before their sailing dates, so most travelers should receive details directly from their cruise operator.

The rerouting is temporary and will end December 5 once construction wraps up.

Carnival Cruise Line cancelled the Carnival Elation’s January 15, 2026 sailing to extend the ship’s dry-dock period.

The four-night Bahamas cruise from Jacksonville is being axed, as the ship heads to dry dock for the first time in a couple of years.

The Carnival Elation was originally scheduled to enter dry-dock on January 19 and return to service on February 8. The extended dry-dock period means the January 15 departure is no longer possible.

Letter to Booked Guests

What Changed in the Last Dry-Dock

The Carnival Elation last underwent dry-dock in 2023, when the ship received routine maintenance, a new hull paint livery in the red, white, and blue color scheme, a lift by the Lido pool, a rebranded Cloud 9 SPA, and ADA-accessible pool bar counters.

During a 2020 refurbishment, the Carnival Elation received significant upgrades. The ship added 30 new cabins and remodeled several venues, including new spots like Bonsai Sushi Express, Alchemy Bar, JavaBlue Cafe, and Cherry on Top.

The 2,040-guest Fantasy-class ship entered service in 1998 and operates year-round from Jacksonville with short cruises to the Bahamas and Eastern Caribbean.