Carnival Cruise Lines is bringing in dynamic pricing to set ticket costs

Carnival Cruise Lines, one of the world’s largest cruise companies, is introducing dynamic pricing which could make travelling on the high seas more expensive for some.

Dynamic pricing for some onboard packages will begin Dec. 1, the company said in a news release.

Carnival Cruise Lines president Christine Duffy said the new packages it is also rolling out will save guests 35 to 55 per cent compared with buying on-board experiences individually, but said that prices still remain up in the air.

Dynamic pricing for packages will vary depending on season, sailing length and itinerary, the company said.

A dynamic pricing model has long been used for airline tickets, concert tickets and hotel room rates. It involves companies pushing up prices during periods of high demand, and using algorithms to determine how to price items.

Dynamic pricing has increasingly come under intense scrutiny by opposition parties especially for companies using algorithmic models to determine pricing.

Some companies use demographic, income level and other social attributes to determine pricing for various customers.

In April, New Democratic Party Leader Avi Lewis called the practice “downright creepy” and asked the federal government to ban algorithmic price surging.

Global News asked Carnival Cruise Lines how its dynamic pricing will be calculated but did not receive a response in time for publication.