Carnival Cruise Line has launched a new free mobile app that provides holidaymakers aboard Carnival Breeze with a variety of useful information to maximise the fun on their next Carnival cruise.

The app includes an innovative ‘chat’ feature that allows guests to exchange messages with their travelling companions using their mobile devices throughout the voyage for a low flat fee of $5 for the entire cruise.

The line is also piloting enhanced internet access aboard Carnival Freedom, Carnival Breeze and Carnival Sunshine that dramatically increases bandwidth and speed and also includes a first-ever social media package providing unlimited access to Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and other popular sites for a fee of just $5 per day or $25 per voyage during the testing period.

Gus Antorcha, Carnival’s senior vice president of guest commerce commented : “Consumers expect a high level of connectivity even while on vacation and these new enhancements provide our guests not only with helpful tools for getting the most out of their cruise but also a convenient and cost-effective way for keeping in touch with their family and friends while on board.

“We recognise the increasingly important role that technology plays in people’s daily lives and the launch of this application and new internet packages provides us with a strong platform for introducing additional innovations and ways to use technology to enhance our guest experience even further.”

Currently being piloted on Carnival Breeze, the new free Carnival Hub app is designed to provide guests with a convenient, at-a-glance view of the ship’s many shipboard facilities and features along with updates on events and happenings taking place on board.

Also available is a ‘chat’ feature where guests can communicate with anyone on board from their mobile devices.

The price for the chat feature, which includes a group chat option, is $5 per voyage during the testing period.

Carnival is also piloting new internet access and plans on Carnival Freedom, Carnival Breeze and Carnival Sunshine – including the cruise industry’s first social media package.

With these new choices, consumers are offered a wide range of convenient options as well as increased bandwidth, providing enhanced service and connectivity, all at prices that are significantly lower than previous plans.

With the new social media package, guests can use popular apps or sites like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, Snapchat and Pinterest for a flat fee of $5 per day or $25 per voyage during the initial testing period.

Unlike other Internet packages, the social media package is unique in that it allows guests a convenient, flexible and highly affordable option for updating their favourite social media pages during their cruise at one low price.