Staying "Connected" With Carnival Cruise Line

For those of us who must have Internet access while on vacation, or who simply want to share their cruise experience with friends and family, Carnival Cruise Line is making that access more affordable.

The "Fun Ship" line is rolling out new pricing packages that are budget-friendly and tailored to their passengers' needs. The new packages, which will be available fleet-wide by October, can be purchased on a daily basis or for the entire cruise. Ships that already offer the new packages are Carnival Freedom, Carnival Breeze, Carnival Sunshine, Carnival Ecstasy, Carnival Sensation, Carnival Paradise, Carnival Fascination, Carnival Victory, Carnival Elation, Carnival Pride, Carnival Imagination and Carnival Inspiration. The next ships to get the Internet packages are Carnival Glory, Carnival Conquest, and Carnival Dream. Until the new packages are in place, ships remain on the old plans with Internet charges ranging from 75 cents a minute to $159 for a 480-minute package.

Here's what you get:

-- The $5 a day option allows access to Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, but not the entire Internet.
-- For $16 a day, you have access to everything on the Internet with the exception of heavy bandwidth applications such as Skype or music streaming.
-- A $25 a day package offers access to the entire Internet, including those heavy bandwidth features.

Image: Carnival Freedom in Key West © CruiseDiva.com