WHAT IT REALLY COSTS TO GO TO TRINIDAD CARNIVAL
Hello, my fellow Carnival lovers, Fayola here. I have been getting a lot of questions on the true pricing of Trinidad Carnival and seeing many shocked faces at consultations with prospective clients after hearing the costs associated with the experience they want to have.
I will make it as easy to follow as possible, but please comment below if you have any questions.
ACCOMODATION
Quality Nightly Rate (USD)
Hole in the wall, maybe with a bed 🤷🏽♀️ $150 - $250
Small comfortable guesthouse $350 - $450
Small locally-run hotel $500 - $650
Chain Hotels (Hilton, Mariott, HYATT, etc.) $750 - $1,200
Please note that you may find some AirBnBs listed at more reasonable rates. However, those can be tricky without someone local and experienced like us to validate its existence and upkeep.
I know what you’re thinking: “I always book online. Trust me sis, I know what I’m doing.”
I honestly wish that was enough. Unfortunately, we have fielded calls on Carnival Thursday (the Thursday before the parade) from travelers who arrived at the address and location listed on AirBnB, and there was NOTHING THERE.
They could no longer contact the host, and their phone number was suddenly out of service. Worst yet, they had arrived at night, exhausted, and all the major hotels were long sold out.
We had to work magic with our guesthouse contacts to get them accommodation, and because of previous bookings, they had to move around several times.
DO NOT LET THIS BE YOU!
And as always with accommodation, it’s all about location, location, location! The closer you get to parade routes, the higher the price, regardless of the quality.
The average person spends $2,500 USD for their accommodation.
COSTUMES
Some super budget-friendly bands offer costumes for as little as $1,000TTD ($143 USD)! However, these bands usually differ from the ones you all ask for, and you CANNOT expect the same quality or experience as the more prominent bands.
Band Price (USD)
J’ouvert $130 - $170
Small or New $300 - $400
Medium $450 - $750
Large $500 - $2,000
(this can go even higher with specific add-ons or upgrades)
The bottom line is: feathers are expensive, as are the amenities we all know and love in an all-inclusive band experience. The band, designer, and amount of feathers will all impact the cost of your pretty mass costume.
The average person spends $600 USD for pretty mas and $150 USD for j’ouvert costumes.
FETES
These costs can fluctuate significantly annually, but as of this moment, the average prices are as follows (If you aren’t sure about the different fete types, you can check out the fete guide section of this site):
Fete Types Price (USD)
Boat Ride $65 - $85
Cooler Fete $85
Semi-Inclusive Fete $100
All-Inclusive Fete $150 - $220
J’ouvert Fete $85 - $200
We recommend as much as possible to experience each of the different fete types for a well-rounded experience. Most beginners opt to attend one fete a day (also suggested).
The average person spends $500 USD on fete tickets.
TRANSPORT
This area can vary most based on your group size, destinations, and trip time (regular working hours, early morning, etc.)
Private transportation for small groups can start at $250 USD per day (a great deal), and large groups requiring buses usually start at $250 USD roundtrip per destination.
With an average of one event per day, J’ouvert, mas, and airport transfers, The average person spends $250 USD on transportation (if in a group).
So, my dear Carnival Lover, if you are an average person who has taken the basics (Medium level accommodation, Carnival and J’ouvert costumes, 3-4 fetes, transport) and has managed to plan and execute it yourself, you are looking at a total of $4,000.00 USD.
And I know you would like the hard-working members of our concierge team to be paid for the months of precise work and specific knowledge it takes to execute your perfect Carnival experience. So expect our fee to be added to the above number.
As you can imagine, the smaller your group, the higher the cost per person, which is why many concierge companies can reduce their cost by some based on volume.
HOWEVER: If you see anyone attempting to sell you a package for Trinidad Carnival under $3,000 USD, including the above RUN! If it is not a downright SCAM, it most likely does not have the quality of life you would wish on an enemy.
If you want to find out more but are still deciding whether to book a consultation, I will host a Q+A in April to answer any burning questions you may have and impart decades of Carnival knowledge.
Until next time….