Booking a last-minute cruise was once an easy way to save money on your vacation, but is that still the case?
We’ve all heard the stories of travelers scoring last-minute cruises for unbelievably low prices. In fact, multiple posts recently circulated online showing ridiculously cheap cruise fares for last-minute sailings aboard Freedom of the Seas.
One Reddit user posted an unbelievable $7 cruise fare for a 5-night cruise that departed the following week, on November 15, 2025. Even with the extra $236 for taxes and fees, this cruise deal seemed too good to be true.
One commenter, who was also booked on the same sailing, provided additional context for the low price point. The cruiser shared, “I am on this cruise. Just to give you some background... originally we were scheduled to go to Labadee, then we got rescheduled to go to Puerto Plata.
Then there was a scheduling conflict with the dock so they moved us to Falmouth. Then the hurricane hit Jamaica. We are now being rerouted to Cozumel instead of Falmouth. So every time the schedule has changed, everyone has complained and cancelled.”
Although few travelers can book a cruise just one week before departure, this example shows how shifts in supply and demand can dramatically influence cruise pricing. In this case, demand for Freedom of the Seas’ itinerary continued to fall, which allowed more cabins to become available.
With lower demand comes lower pricing, as cruise lines aim to sail as close to full capacity as possible. And once guests are onboard, Royal Caribbean expects to generate additional revenue through alcohol sales, specialty dining, spa treatments, shore excursions, and other onboard spending.
For many years, it wasn’t uncommon for cruisers to book last-minute sailings like this to save money. In fact, it was one of the easiest ways to save money on a cruise vacation a few years ago! Now, it isn’t exactly a guaranteed way to bring down your cruise costs.
Here’s a deep dive into Royal Caribbean’s last-minute cruising, and whether you can actually save money if you wait to book your cruise.
Royal Caribbean continues to report record-breaking demand, which drives up pricing.
Throughout 2025, Royal Caribbean has continued to report strong financial results. In April 2025, Royal Caribbean Group reported a 109% load factor, meaning ships sailed with full cabins, often with more than two guests per room.
Revenue and pricing both moved higher. Total revenue reached $4.0 billion, and the cruise line specifically credited the quarter’s earnings to stronger than expected pricing on close-in demand. This refers to late-booking passengers that pay higher rates than Royal Caribbean anticipated.
Royal Caribbean also reported record bookings during wave season, which runs from mid-January to March each year. The cruise line also stated that April 2025 bookings were also ahead of last year, with “booked load factors at higher rates.”
What does this mean for the average cruiser? In practical terms, this means the company is filling ships earlier and at better prices, which leaves fewer empty cabins that would normally be discounted close to sailing.
CEO Jason Liberty summed up the demand by noting that “bookings for 2025 have remained on track, cancellation levels are normal, and we continue to see excellent close-in demand.”
With fewer cabins to book, last-minute deals are harder to find
From an economics perspective, it’s easy to see how supply and demand plays into pricing here. Cruise ships have a fixed number of cabins, and Royal Caribbean is selling a larger portion of that inventory at higher prices.
When demand is strong and cabins are nearly full, there is little reason to mark down the remaining staterooms at the last minute. Last year, the trend was similar, as Liberty summarized in the cruise line’s second quarter earnings calls.
The cruise line's CEO stated, “Bookings have consistently outpaced last year… and we have significantly fewer staterooms left to sell.”
With significantly fewer staterooms left to sail, Royal Caribbean has no incentive to discount cabins at the last minute. From a business perspective, the strategy makes sense to maximize revenue. For the average cruiser, this means waiting to book your cruise could end up costing you more money than booking further in advance.
That’s why last-minute deals in 2025 have been mostly limited to shoulder-season sailings where demand drops and supply is in excess.
Holiday sailings are extremely popular with increased demand.
If you’re looking to sail during the upcoming holidays, you likely won’t find a great last-minute deal over Christmas or New Year's Eve. I reviewed pricing data from Gangwaze.com for upcoming late-November and December sailings to look for last-minute pricing trends, for the purposes of this article.
Across multiple ship classes, there was one undeniable trend: Christmas and New Year’s sailings rarely get cheaper as the departure date approaches. These weeks remain the most expensive for most of the year, which is driven largely by families booking cruises around school breaks. Even older ships, like Jewel of the Seas, show elevated pricing during this period.
For example, the December 20, 2025 itinerary aboard the new Icon of the Seas has inside cabins selling for $2,601, an 11% increase from the overall average for that itinerary. Moreover, prices for the sailing reached an all-time low in mid-July at $1,600 per person. However, those booking within the last few weeks would be paying nearly $1,000 more per person compared to booking four months prior.
In addition, the brand-new Star of the Seas shows similar last-minute pricing trends. Cruisers booking two weeks before the November 30, 2025 sailing would be paying 26% more than the average price of $1,881 for a balcony cabin. Earlier in the year, the sailing hit its lowest point at $1,500 in June 2025. But, by mid-November, fares had climbed nearly 60% to just under $2,400.
As you can see, holiday sailings around Christmas and New Year's Eve have peak demand across the fleet, and last-minute deals are highly unlikely. For the newest and most popular ships, like Icon of the Seas and Star of the Seas, prices continued to climb all the way until departure date.
Before and after the holiday season, pricing trends look completely different.
While holiday weeks are essentially immune to last-minute discounting, the weeks before and after Christmas tell a very different story. Early November through mid-December actually showed some of the steepest price drops for last-minute sailings, even on Royal Caribbean’s newest ships.
Let’s look at Icon of the Seas’ January 10, 2026 sailing. With the sailing less than two months away, pricing has fallen drastically for balcony cabins. The average cost of this sailing was $1,869 per person, which has decreased by 37% to $1,177.
Even the newest vessel, Star of the Seas, has some last-minute deals available. The November 23, 2025 sailing, which is departing in less than one week, has seen interior and balcony prices drop by more than 40% in recent weeks. The November 30, 2025 sailing also shows a 23% decrease for interior staterooms, falling from a September high of $1,750 to $1,344 this week.
Looking at Royal Caribbean's website, some of the cruise line's cheapest sailings are actually within the next few weeks. For example, Grandeur of the Seas has pricing starting at $244 per person for a 7-night sailing departing on November 29, 2025. According to Gangwaze historical pricing, this is 58% cheaper than the average price of $579 for an interior cabin.
We often see cruise prices drop in general between September and November, meaning this is a good time to look for last-minute deals. However, we might not anticipate a last-minute deal like this for Thanksgiving weekend.
Additionally, the weeks following New Year’s Eve are another underrated time to cruise. Once the holiday rush ends, demand drops sharply, and fares in January and early February are often far more affordable. With fewer travelers sailing, cruise lines may have extra cabin inventory, making last-minute deals more likely during this period.
What could be contributing to current pricing fluctuations?
Cruise pricing in late 2025 is being shaped not only by strong consumer demand, but also broader macroeconomic factors. For instance, travelers are grappling with elevated airfare costs, ongoing economic uncertainty, and lingering inflation that is making it more expensive to vacation. However, this also drives prospective travelers to book further in advance and search for higher value vacations, including cruises.
“Consumers continue to prioritize experiences and make room in their budgets for meaningful vacations. Our independent research, combined with millions of daily customer interactions, continues to show positive sentiment towards travel and leisure and continued growth in spend,” explained Liberty in Royal Caribbean's October 2025 earnings call.
He continued, “Roughly three-quarters of consumers intend to spend the same or more on vacations over the next twelve months, a level that has remained consistent for several quarters. While the broader consumer environment has normalized from the exceptional strength over the past two years, demand for experiences and leisure travel remains intact.”
“Cruising offers superior value for money versus alternative options, driven by the high-quality onboard amenities and services, pricing inclusive of meals and entertainment, and the opportunity to visit a variety of destinations with the convenience of having everything in one place,” concluded the cruise line's CEO.
At the same time, broader financial uncertainty has made some travelers more cautious, leading to occasional waves of last-minute cancellations or shifts in travel plans. These competing dynamics, with surging demand on one side and sporadic disruptions on the supply side, help explain why pricing has been less predictable.
For instance, some of the last-minute deals appearing this fall and winter may stem from cruisers canceling or shifting their plans. Recent airline schedule disruptions have forced some travelers to adjust or scrap their vacations altogether. When enough guests change their reservations, a wave of newly available cabins can create unexpected opportunities for last-minute discounts.
In addition, the powerful Hurricane Melissa recently hit Jamaica and forced cruise lines to adjust their itineraries. And, as mentioned in the Reddit post about Freedom of the Seas’ $7 cruise fare, some passengers canceled their sailing after too many itinerary changes.
All of these factors influence the availability of last-minute cruise deals, even around the holiday season. For travelers with flexible schedules, it’s still entirely possible to find cheap cruises closer to the departure date, but flexibility is still the key.
How can you find a last-minute deal for Royal Caribbean?
If you’re determined to snag a discounted fare, expect to hunt around and stay extremely flexible with your travel plans.
First, look for last-minute deals during shoulder seasons and during off-peak months. As we just discussed, this is when you’re most likely to find an excess of cabins available. Your odds of finding a deal increase during the offseason or shoulder season, when demand naturally dips. For most Royal Caribbean itineraries, this includes the quieter months of September through November and January.
In addition, keep an eye out for potential price drops right after a sailing’s final payment deadline. This is when booked guests must pay their remaining balance for their vacation. If someone’s plans change, they may cancel or switch to a different cruise around this time, which causes unexpected inventory to open up.
You might even see some last-minute deals right before final payment date when cruise lines have a better idea of expected occupancy. If cabins remain unsold, that’s typically when last-minute price reductions begin to appear, and fares may continue dropping as the sail date approaches.
Certain destinations also have price-sensitive windows. For example, Alaska often sees cheaper fares on the first and last sailings of the season, which usually include late April, early May, and early October. For the Caribbean, hurricane season can lead to occasional last-minute markdowns once school is back in session.
Additionally, consider less popular itineraries with longer routes. Some itineraries have inherently lower demand, which can open the opportunity for last-minute availability. Repositioning sailings, especially transatlantic and transpacific crossings, can offer some incredible deals and last-minute savings.
These longer voyages with extra sea days attract a smaller audience, increasing your chances of finding discounted cabins closer to departure.
Moreover, Royal Caribbean has multiple promotional categories on its website for last-minute deals. Be sure to check out the Last Minute Cruise page on Royal Caribbean’s website for a quick look at the best short-notice deals. Another promotion is the “Going, Going, Gone" sales, which offer pop-up promotions for sailings leaving within the next few weeks or months.
Regardless of which route you take, the biggest key to securing a last-minute deal is flexibility. You won’t be able to get your heart set on a specific sail date, ship, or itinerary. Additionally, don’t expect to have many options for cabin selection. This means you might find yourself in a less desirable cabin category or location onboard.
However, these sacrifices can be worthwhile for those looking to cruise for a cheaper fare. The more you save on your cruise fare, the more you can spend on shore excursions, specialty dining, or poolside cocktails during your cruise!
