How early you book a cruise can have a big impact on your vacation cost.
Last-minute cruise deals used to be a fantastic way to score big on a vacation. However, the demand for cruises is so high that Royal Caribbean is focusing on combating high last-minute bookings by rewarding early planners. As a result, last-minute cruise reservations are going to be more expensive than in the past.
During the company's first quarter earnings call on April 29, Royal Caribbean Group (RCG) President and C.E.O. Jason Liberty shared how 86% of the 2025 cruise inventory is booked. Not only that, but the 2026 booking window is about one week shorter.
"Our booked position for 2026, at this point, is in line with the same time last year on a volume standpoint...So we obviously have more capacity next year and at higher prices," Liberty said.
Why Royal Caribbean's comments mean you should book a 2026 cruise now
New cruise bookings aren't slowing down. In fact, the company is seeing strong demand for its products, ranging from short getaways on Utopia of the Seas to port-intensive cruises aboard Celebrity's upscale ships.
Consequently, those planning a 2026 cruise shouldn’t assume there will be availability in a few months. With more ships, higher prices, and a shrinking booking window, delaying your booking could mean missing out on your preferred itinerary or cabin category.
"Bookings for 2025 have remained on track, cancellation levels are normal, and we continue to see excellent close-in demand," said Liberty.
Royal Caribbean's recording bookings continued into April, with Liberty reporting that RCG's bookings were greater than the same period last year.
Still not convinced? Here are 3 reasons you should consider planning your 2026 cruise as soon as possible.
The demand for cruise vacations is higher than ever
The first quarter results reveal that the company's profits blew past expectations, indicating RCG is seeing strong demand for its cruise products. As such, its full-year guidance was raised.
According to data released during the call, about 2.2 million passengers sailed with RCG during the first quarter of 2025, which is roughly a 9% increase year over year.
Plus, guests part of one of the brand's three loyalty programs — the Crown & Anchor Society, Captain's Club, and Venetian Society Program — accounted for about 40% of the company's bookings in 2024.
A high return rate is good because loyal cruisers are likely to book direct and spend 25% more per trip than non-loyalty members.
Higher demand means higher cruise fares
Cruise ship inventory is fixed. As inventory drops, prices tend to increase since cruise lines can't magically conjure up extra cabins on a floating vessel.
Fares can change at a moment's notice based on demand. So, as more cabins for a specific sailing are reserved, the cost of the remaining inventory increases.
More often than not, the most attractive rates for a sailing are when new deployments are released, as you'll find the widest selection of staterooms.
Additionally, as Liberty talked about during the call, Royal Caribbean isn't slashing fares at the last minute as much anymore because the demand for its products is so high.
"We see...an uplift in demand as we get very close in. Not only do we see an uplift in demand, we're also about to raise our pricing during that period of time," Liberty explained.
With last-minute bookings driving revenue gains in the first quarter, Royal Caribbean is leaning into strong consumer interest rather than discounting to fill ships. Part of that means maintaining a high level of price integrity to protect the brand's reputation and long-term revenue goals.
In other words, discounting cruise fares isn't done at random. It's a strategic decision to avoid frequent price fluctuations that could undermine customer trust or devalue the brand.
This means that booking a 2026 cruise now is probably going to be more affordable than waiting six months or more.
You may also want to start considering 2027 sailings, as cruise itineraries are typically released around two years in advance. Right now, Caribbean and Bahamian voyages through April 2027 have been uploaded to Royal's site and are available for booking.
Booking early means you have more cabins to choose from
While scoring a lower deal is obviously one of the biggest advantages to booking your cruise earlier rather than later, another major benefit is having a wider selection of cabins.
If you wait until the last minute, you are at the mercy of the leftover cabins, which are typically some of the least desirable rooms onboard, such as those at the front of the ship (terrible for guests with motion sickness) or near a loud public venue (like the casino).
Suites are usually the first stateroom category to sell out, as there are fewer suites on ships compared to standard cabins. As such, if you want to reserve a suite for a celebratory cruise, you'll want to start thinking about your 2026 cruise now.
Adjoining cabins for larger families are in high demand, too.
By booking now, you are locking in a better rate and ensuring you can reserve the best cabin for your travel party, whether a multi-story suite or an affordable interior stateroom near Adventure Ocean.
Read more: Royal Caribbean cruise ship cabin and suite guide
Bottom line
Royal Caribbean Group's capacity is expected to grow 5.5% in 2025 with the introduction of Star of the Seas and Celebrity Xcel, as well as a full year of Utopia of the Seas and Silver Ray in service.
The demand for RCG's unique product doesn't seem to be slowing down, meaning that there will be fewer last-minute cruises available.
Cruises with last-minute availability will also be priced higher than you might expect to counter the demand, allowing the company to maximize revenue while encouraging cruisers to plan ahead.
Smart cruisers will go ahead and plan their 2026 cruise to take advantage of today's pricing and reserve their ideal cabin.
It wouldn't hurt to look at early 2027 cruises, either.
