Getting a really good deal on a Royal Caribbean cruise these days is harder than ever, thanks to record demand driving up prices.

Booking a cruise vacation is a great feeling, but it's even better when you can get a low price for it.

A few years ago, there were cruise fares as low as $99, but those have seemingly dried up as cruise lines have had little difficulty in filling their ships.

"Gone are the days of booking a cruise at rock bottom pricing 30 days before departure," said Jenn Greene, a travel advisor with MEI Travel who recently was awarded as the top Royal Caribbean agent in her company.

"With the surge in cruise demand, we are finding fewer and fewer deals especially close to sailing."

While it's more difficult to find cruise deals, they still exist.  The key is knowing where to look, and being as open as possible to sail dates.

In November, I was able to get a 4-night cruise on Allure of the Seas that cost $834.36 with taxes and fees for two people.  That came out to just about $100 per person, per day. 

The trick here was it was booked just two weeks before the sail date.

I try to be flexible with my dates

If you want to find the lowest possible prices, you're going to need to be as flexible with when you cruise as you can.

For the absolute lowest cruise prices, you're probably going to need to be an advantageous cruiser that can go with little advanced notice.

I've consistently found the lowest prices on cruises for last minute offers that sail within a few weeks.  Often these are "middle of the week" cruises, meaning they depart on a weekday and return before the weekend.  Or they're during the shoulder seasons, such as September in Alaska.

Basically, these are unsold cruises that most other people aren't interested in sailing. 

The problem is last minute deals aren't what they used to be, and this strategy isn't something I'd recommend for a family vacation. It's best for couples who don't have many obligations at home.

Royal Caribbean puts out most weeks a "Going, Going, Gone" rate sheet with advertised low rates.  

These sailings usually are available on a Tuesday or Wednesday, but sell out quickly.  How lucrative the deals are truly depends on your definition.

Look for shoulder season prices

If you want to find a good deal on a cruise that isn't coming up soon, then I would target sailings that take place off peak.

Every region has peak and off-peak cruising times, and the best prices are just before or after peak season hits.

As an example, it should come as no surprise the week of Christmas and New Years is one of the most popular times to go on a Caribbean cruise.  But the week before Christmas is when school is still in session, and you can find some really good deals.  Why? Because most people don't want to take vacation time from work and pull kids out of school a few days before they get it automatically with the holidays.

This is true for many other places, including Alaska, Australia, Europe, and Asia.

Just like a last minute cruise, you're going to need to be flexible with your time to take advantage of these prices.

• Caribbean: September and October, January, May
• Alaska: May or September
• Europe: April, May, September, October
• Australia: October, November, March, and April

How to get a lower price on a cruise

You won't find a spring break cruise deal or a Christmas week special because demand is so high that inventory never dips.

If you're interested in cruising during peak times, your best bet is still to book early.

"Ships are selling out up to a year in advance. If you want the best deal on your cruise, book as far out as possible- as that is when pricing is the lowest," said Ms. Greene.

Ideally, book a cruise when Royal Caribbean puts out new deployments for sale.  It may not get you a bargain basement price, but you won't overpay either.

There's another trick that her agency has, which Ms. Greene mentioned as a way to save her clients money.

"When you book with MEI Travel they have software that notifies them if the price does drop, and will proactively reprice your fare for you," she mentioned.

There are other ways to help lower your price overall, no matter what date you pick.

Older ships generally cost less than newer ships.  Booking Adventure of the Seas instead of Star of the Seas from Port Canaveral will net you significant savings.

A guarantee cabin could also save a lot of money, which is when Royal Caribbean picks your cabin instead of you.  Just be aware of the potential downsides of this strategy.

Travel agents can find great prices because they see them first

While I know a few good places to look for a good cruise deal, the truth is I get most of my low price alerts from my travel agent.

Travel agents price out cruises all day long, and in the course of their work, they run across lower prices.  More often than not, they see it before I can.  Plus, they're looking when I'm not.

The Allure of the Seas sailing I previously mentioned was a deal that my MEI Travel agent spotted and texted me about because she knew I'd be interested with a price that low.

Working with a good travel agent is one of the best cruise tips I can recommend to anyone, especially because they can save you money.

Plus, a travel agent might be able to sweeten any price with extras, like extra onboard credit, free specialty dining, and more as a bonus for working with them. 

In fact, MEI Travel is offering free specialty dining experience for two when booking a balcony or suite on select new bookings made through January 31, 2025.

Kids Sail Free is a promotion Royal Caribbean offers from time to time on select sailings that are usually a great vacation discount.  Throughout the year, Royal Caribbean will offer Kids Sail Free deals as a way to encourage new bookings. 

Royal Caribbean regularly updates the offer on a monthly basis. In this post, we will cover information about the promotion, tips for booking it, and offer answers to frequently asked questions.

For starters, Kids Sail Free is an offer Royal Caribbean offers selectively throughout the year. 

What is Kids Sail Free promotion?

The exact offer details may vary, but Royal Caribbean's Kids Sail Free offers are usually consistent in their basics. Third guests and higher who are 12 years old or younger on select 4 nights or longer sailings are eligible for free cruise fare.

The "catch" with a Kids Sail Free deal are the blackout dates that prevent you from booking the promotion.

There are usually many blackout dates associated with any Kids Sail Free offer, which means if your cruise begins on or in any of the blackout dates, the Kids Sail Free offer does not qualify. Not surprisingly, most of the black out dates are over major school holidays in the United States calendar year. 

Here are some sample blackout dates from past Kids Sail Free offers:

• Spring break sailings departing March 7 - 28, 2025; April 12 - 24, 2025
• Holiday sailings departing December 18, 2025 – January 5, 2026
• Alaska Cruise Tour sailings departing May 16 – September 12, 2025

Kids Sail Free dates

Last updated January 3, 2025

Royal Caribbean is offering Kids Sail Free in January 2025.

The offer runs on bookings made between January 2 – January 31, 2025 and applies to select sailings 3 nights and longer departing on or after January 3, 2025.

It provides $0 cruise fare for additional guest 12 years old and younger as of the departure date booked in the same stateroom as the first full fare paying and second guests.

Kids Sail Free excludes all sailings departing on or during any of the following dates March 7 - 28, 2025; April 12 - 24, 2025; May 22 – August 29, 2025; November 20 - 28, 2025;  December 18, 2025 – January 5, 2026; March 6 – April 9, 2026; May 21 – September 4, 2026; November 19 – 27, 2026; December 17, 2026 – January 4, 2027; March 5 – April 1, 2027 Alaska Cruise Tour sailings departing May 16 – September 12, 2025; May 15 – September 11, 2026; Chinese New Year on Anthem of the Seas departing January 27, 2025.

Taxes, fees, and port expenses are additional and apply to all guests.

How often does Royal Caribbean offer Kids Sail Free?

There is no pattern to how many times a year or when the offer will become available.

Kids Sail Free is usually available a few times throughout the year. In fact, Royal Caribbean has been offering Kids Sail Free deals far more regularly than ever before.

Is it really free?

Assuming your kids qualify for the deal, their cruise fare cost will be zero.

You are still responsible for paying for the taxes and port fees associated with the children, along with any other charges onboard.  But if you look at the cruise invoice, their cruise fare will be zero. 

Like all guests, a daily gratuity will be charged per passenger, including the kids.

Be sure to check the fine print before booking to understand exactly the full price of the cruise.

When comparing prices, it is critical to compare the exact cabin type to each other. 

Often, people will look at the price of a cabin designed for two people and then increase the amount of people in the cabin to four people, and get a different cabin category.

The easiest cabin category to see how much money Kids Sail Free can save are suites because most suites can accommodate up to 4 people all the time. Not to mention the per-person savings in a suite will be significantly higher than in lower cabins.

Kids Sail For Less

In addition to the Kids Sail Free offer, Royal Caribbean may also offer the Kids Sail For Less offer, which is typically 25-30% off cruise fare for third guests and higher booked in the same stateroom as the first two qualified guests.

The primary advantage of Kids Sail For Less is there are no blackout dates associated with Kids Sail For Less.  This means if you have a couple of kids in your stateroom, you receive a discount on them. 

Moreover, Kids Sail For Less often does not have age restrictions in place, so really any guest of any age who is a third guest, fourth guest, fifth guest, et al in the same stateroom as the first two guests can get a discount.

Is Kids Sail Free a lie?

A common question asked is when comparing prices, adding kids to a reservation in order to take advantage of a Kids Sail Free offer ends up increasing the overall price.

The reason why this occurs is when you select a cabin for two passengers, the system assigns you a stateroom designed just for two guests. When you add kids, it selects a different stateroom that is larger in living space so it can accommodate four people.

The vast majority of cabins on a cruise ship can only sleep two people.  Because they are plentiful, there is more supply, and higher supply means lower prices.  

Generally speaking, cabins that can sleep more than two people are fewer in supply.  There are not nearly as many, so they are in demand, they sell out quicker and that demand drives up the rate.  

If you were to compare booking a cabin as if everyone in your party was an adult and then compare that to two adults plus kids, you would see the price difference.  Only then is it apples-to-apples.  

Royal Caribbean's after-Christmas sale might be your best chance to get in on a holiday deal before they all run out.

While everyone focuses on Black Friday, there are ample deals to be had as the calendar winds down.

The good news is the New Years Sale has some discounts that are just as good as they were during Black Friday.  It's not quite as lucrative, but we're seeing lower prices again and it might be the time to jump on it.

Here's what to expect with Royal Caribbean's New Year's sale.

Cruise favorites on sale

Finding a good cruise deal is what some people relish, and I'm not one to mock that.  Finding a good deal is such a good feeling!

Here's a breakdown of what's being offered. Keep in mind there are terms and conditions that apply, and you should refer to them before booking.

Let's begin with the holiday sale happening right now on pre-cruise purchases.

The New Year's Sale runs runs on Cruise Planner and app purchases made through January 2, 2025.

You'll find discounts on cruises that depart between December 23, 2024 - December 31, 2025. 

• Beverage: Up to 40% off
  • Evian Water Package: 40% off onboard prices.
  • Classic Soda Package: 30% off onboard prices.
  • Refreshment Package: Discount varies by ship.
  • Deluxe Beverage Package: Discount varies by ship.

• Shore Excursions: Up to 50% off
  • Shorex: Discount varies by ship.
  • Select Tours on ports Phillipsburg, St. Maarten & Port Vila, Vanuatu: Up to 50% Off
  • Labadee Aquatics: 40% off onboard prices
  • Wynwood Walls and Art Walking Tour: 10% off onboard prices

• Internet: Up to 30% Off
  • VOOM Surf + Stream Voyage Package 1, 2, 3, 4 Device(s): Discount varies by ship.

• Dining: Up to 40% Off
  • Unlimited Dining Package on 3N – 14N sailings: Discount varies by ship.
• Spa: Up to 30% Off Select Times
• Photo Packages: Up to 65% Off
  • Photo Packages from 5 - 100 Photos: Discount varies by ship.
  • Private Photo Session: 60% off onboard prices
• Gifts & Gear: Up to 35% Off
  • All Gifts & Gear products (except Inky Beach Towel): 20% off onboard prices
  • Inky Beach Towel (TicTacToe): 35% off onboard prices

• Onboard Activities: Up to 30% off
  • All Access Ship tour: 20% off onboard prices
  • Observatorium: 20% off onboard prices
  • Mission Control Apollo 18: 20% off onboard prices
  • Escape the Rubicon: 20% off onboard prices
  • EscapeU: Freshman Year: 20% off onboard prices
  • RipCord by iFLY Two Minute Experience
  • North Star Extended Experience: Discount varies by ship.
  • FlowRider Private Lesson: Discount varies by ship.
  • FlowRider Group Lesson: Discount varies by ship.
  • EscapeU: Freshman Year: 20% off onboard prices

Even if you've already bought one of these items, you can take advantage of the lower prices.

If the price is lower, you can cancel and rebook the add-on with no penalty up to 48 hours before your cruise date.

To check if your sailing has this new offer available, log into the Cruise Planner on Royal Caribbean's web site look for any available offers. Keep in mind that not all sailings may see the sale applicable, nor are all offers significantly cheaper than previously posted.

If you spot a better discount on something you already pre-purchased, you should be able to cancel the purchase and then re-purchase the same item under this promotion.

Up to $600 off a new cruise booking

If you're thinking about booking a new cruise, there's discounts on that too.

The Weekend Savings sale adds instant savings on cruises booked, up to $600.

Weekend Savings applies to new, individual, and named group bookings at prevailing rates made December 27 – 30, 2024 on sailings departing on or after December 28, 2024, and provides an instant savings per stateroom, varying by stateroom category booked, sailing length as follows:  

• 5 nights or less
  • $75 USD for Inside and Ocean View
  • $150 USD for Balconies
  • $300 USD for Suites
• 6 nights or longer
  • $150 USD for Interior and Ocean View
  • $225 USD for Balconies
  • $600 USD for Suites

It's combinable with the BOGO60 deal too.

BOGO60 applies to new, individual, and named group bookings at prevailing rates made December 10 – January 2, 2025, on sailings departing on or after December 11, 2024, and provides 60% off the cruise fare of the second guest booked in the same stateroom as the first, full fare paying guest, as well as 30% off any additional guests booked in the same stateroom as the first full fare paying and second guest.

Kids Sail Free is also combinable, and it applies to new, individual, and named group bookings at prevailing rates made December 10 – January 2, 2025, on select sailings 3 nights and longer departing on or after December 11, 2024, and provides $0 cruise fare for additional guest 12 years old and younger as of the departure date booked in the same stateroom as the first full fare paying and second guests. 

Kids Sail Free excludes all sailings departing on or during any of the following dates November 22 - 29, 2024; December 20, 2024 – January 3, 2025; March 7 - 28, 2025; April 12 - 24, 2025; May 22 – August 29, 2025; November 20 - 28, 2025; December 18, 2025 – January 5, 2026; March 6 – April 9, 2026; May 21 – September 4, 2026; November 19 – 27, 2026; December 17, 2026 – January 4, 2027; March 5 – April 1, 2027 Alaska Cruise Tour sailings departing May 16 – September 12, 2025; May 15 – September 11, 2026; Anthem of the Seas sailings departing November 21 – December 28, 2024 and Chinese New Year on Anthem of the Seas departing January 27, 2025.

The lowest price for a cruise is often not publicly advertised, so you have to know where to look.

Booking with a travel agent can get you some great benefits, providing great value by helping you find cruises, form groups, schedule activities, and—most of all—get good deals.

I was able to save almost 60% off a Freedom of the Seas cruise I booked through an MEI Travel agent.

I found a cheap price for an October sailing on Freedom of the Seas: an oceanview cabin for just $584 per person.

After the cost of taxes, fees, and port expenses, plus pre-paid gratuities, I ended up paying $1678 total for the 7-night cruise.

The booking was for a guarantee oceanview cabin, departing from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and offering stops at Perfect Day at CocoCay; San Juan, Puerto Rico; and St. Thomas.

The posted rate on the public Royal Caribbean website was $2759 for the same cruise—$1379 per person. So how did I get such a good deal?

I got a cheaper price by using my travel agent's hidden deals

Discounts like this aren't highly advertised, and many of them are only accessible through a travel agent.

My travel agent had access to Royal Caribbean's hidden deals sheet, which lists discounted sailings across the fleet. These secret deals are provided to travel agencies by the cruise line, and cannot be shared publicly.

You'll have to go directly to a travel agent to find similar discounts.

While browsing the secret deals, I found great discounts on certain cruises and was able to book the Freedom of the Seas one right away.

These rates aren't provided to the general public and are often special rates established between the cruise line and the travel agency.

The posted overall rate for my Freedom of the Seas sailing was approximately $2,759 in total.

That means I saved more than 60% off the public rate by using MEI travel. 

A cheaper overall cruise fare is a great reason to reach out to a travel agent and book a cruise through them.

Compared to a similar Independence of the Seas cruise, I got a much cheaper deal. 

A cruise departing on November 2nd, 2025 from Miami, Florida, costs $1802, or $902 per person.

This similar 7-night Eastern Caribbean and Perfect Day cruise in an oceanview cabin has a price almost $200 over—and that's before gratuities, purchasing the cruise a year ahead of time.

To get access to these rates, you just need to ask.  When you work with your travel agent, you can ask if there are any special group rates or agency rates available.

In my case, I asked for special rates that existed and then booked those sailings, rather than picking a specific ship and sail date.

The availability of special rates depends on a bit of luck, but it's something you can ask your agent early in the planning process.

Why was the cruise so discounted?

A steep discount can spark suspicion. 

Why was the sailing so cheap? Was there anything wrong with the ship, room, or itinerary?

It's due to a combination of special negotiated rates between the cruise line and the travel consortium, as well as the cruies line wanting to fill unsold staterooms.

This just means fewer rooms on that particular cruise sold and doesn't point to any deficiencies in the ship or itinerary.

The sailing called upon Perfect Day at CocoCay; San Juan, Puerto Rico; and St. Thomas, and it was the perfect vacation to experience everything the Freedom-Class ship had to offer.

However, because I also saved money by booking a guarantee cabin, I ended up getting a less-popular stateroom.

I chose a guaranteed oceanview cabin, meaning that Royal Caribbean promised me the oceanview category or better—but I gave up the ability to choose the stateroom location.

Read more: How to save money on a cruise: 45 expert tips

I ended up with a leftover cabin located low on the ship, on deck 2.

The stateroom had a lovely porthole window, and clean, modern amenities. But I quickly discovered why other cruisers didn't want to book that cabin location.

The stateroom experienced constant noise—from the anchor banging against the side of the ship, feet stomping above me, and adjacent neighbors.

While the cabin was still an enjoyable stay, it was a less desirable location for a cheaper price.

Is it worth booking with a travel agent?

Are the deals and assistance worth booking with a travel agent?

Many first-time cruisers don't know how helpful travel agents can be. They're also usually free to work with! Most good travel agents are paid a commission from the cruise line, so there is no extra cost to use their services.

Travel agents can give you great deals on sailings, and many people aren't even aware of hidden deals like the one I got on my Freedom of the Seas cruise.

Travelers also don't know the many ways a travel agent can assist, such as contacting customer service, organizing large groups, and booking shore excursions.

Read more: Top things you didn't know travel agents can do for your cruise vacation

My MEI travel agent booked the cruise and handled the guests, dining times, and gratuities beforehand.

All I had to do before the sailing was scheduling, online check-in, and packing!

She also consistently checked in throughout and after my sailing to ensure all went well. 

If we ran into any issues, our travel agent could work with us, and even call Royal Caribbean customer service and stay on the line for us.

A travel agent is an invaluable resource that provides great deals and insider cruise knowledge—all at no extra cost to you.

Finding a good cruise deal is easier than you think, as long as you know when to book (and what to look for). 

No one wants to pay more than they have to for a cruise vacation, and luckily there are several easy tips you can use to find the best cruise deals available.

The top reason someone might not get the best price on a cruise is because they miss out on the tried and true strategies that usually get the lowest price.

It's more difficult than ever to get a great cruise deal because of how immensely popular taking a cruise is right now. Demand is so high for cruising that cruise lines are disincentivized from offering major discounts.

There's also a game to finding a cruise deal, because sometimes there aren't any deals for a specific sailing. The more flexible you are, the better your chances at finding an amazing cruise deal.

If you’re wondering how to get the best cruise deals, here are 15 easy tips.

Always book as early as possible

More often than not, the best cruise deals are found on sailings one to two years in the future. In most scenarios, if you’re looking for the best deals, we recommend booking as soon as possible rather than waiting until the last minute.

Most cruise itineraries are announced around two years in advance. As itineraries open up for bookings, you can often find great deals, especially if you’re hoping to book a balcony room or suite. Plus, if you’re searching for a rare cruise cabin it’s important to book early not only to find a cruise deal, but to book before the cabin sells out.

Cruise when others cannot

If you want a really cheap cruise, my advice is book a sailing when families cannot or will not cruise.

Booking a cruise during the shoulder season instead of the peak season often saves the most money.

Peak season varies by destination, but generally coincides with school holidays. Summer, holiday weekends, and school breaks for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and spring break tend to see the most demand for cruises.

Therefore, if you’re able to cruise outside of these peak times, you can almost always find cheaper cruise deals. Sailing to Alaska in early September, for example, can be hundreds of dollars cheaper than sailing in mid July.

Likewise, booking a Caribbean cruise during hurricane season is typically much more affordable than during Thanksgiving. While there’s a slight chance of a hurricane affecting your cruise, most itineraries will sail smoothly with no itinerary changes or cancellations.

Related: What to know about cruising during hurricane season in the Caribbean

While not everyone can take advantage of sailing at non-peak times, particularly if they have kids still in school, it can lead to great cruise deals for those with more flexibility.

Sail on older and smaller ships

Besides time of year, you will consistently find lower prices on Royal Caribbean's older cruise ships.

The oldest Royal Caribbean ships—Vision, Radiance, and Voyager Class ships—often see some of the lowest prices. Despite the smaller size, many cruisers appreciate the more relaxed atmosphere of these ships and the unique ports on their itineraries.

Why are they cheaper? Because they don't have all the latest features that many vacationers are looking for, such as water slides, lots of restaurants, Broadway shows, or top deck activities.

Related: I sailed on Royal Caribbean’s newest and oldest cruise ships: here’s what it’s like to cruise on each

If you’re hoping for a blend of a cheap deal and "new" ship, look at cruising on an amplified cruise ship. As part of Royal Caribbean’s Royal Amplified program, the cruise line made significant refurbishments on select older vessels. During the process, they added features such as waterslides, new dining venues, and revamped pool decks.

Despite the addition of new features, cruise fares are still reasonable on amplified vessels—some of the best values in a cruise vacation can be found on amplified ships like Mariner of the Seas, Independence of the Seas, and Navigator of the Seas.

Look for last-minute deals

Booking a cruise at the last minute might seem counterintuitive to our advice about booking a cruise early. And although we usually recommend booking early as opposed to later, you can often snag a cheap cruise deal by booking at the last minute.

Related: How to get last minute cruise deals

If a cruise itinerary still has a significant number of empty cabins in the months leading up to the sailing, Royal Caribbean may drop the price in order to increase demand. This is most common after the final payment date for a particular sailing has passed—between 75 and 90 days before the cruise.

To find a last-minute cruise deal on Royal Caribbean, search the website for cruises and filter the results to see the lowest price first. You can also use a website such as VacationsToGo.com, which has a 90-day ticker showing the best, cheapest cruise deals departing within the next three months.

Sail a one-way Alaska itinerary

Alaska cruises have a reputation for being more expensive than other itineraries. After all, it’s not uncommon to spend over $2000 for an interior cabin during the state’s peak summer season.

Despite this, we’ve noticed a pricing trend for the past two years on select Alaska itineraries. One-way Alaska itineraries tend to offer fantastic cruise deals, often as low as just $550 per person including taxes and fees.

One-way Alaska cruises travel from Vancouver, Canada to Seward, Alaska and vice versa. These 7-night itineraries allow guests to visit more Alaska ports as well as spend time in Alaska’s interior before or after the cruise. While providing an excellent itinerary, one-way cruises see less demand compared to roundtrip sailings due to the inconvenience of starting and ending in different ports.

If Royal Caribbean sees low demand in the months leading up to the sailing, the prices for these sailings will drop drastically. Keeping an eye on one-way Alaska cruise deals 3-6 months before the cruise begins is a sure-fire way to find a deal on cruising to the Last Frontier.

Book with a travel agent

I book every single cruise with a travel agent, whether a short weekend cruise to the Bahamas or a two week trip to Greenland. Doing so has saved me hundreds of dollars over the past few years, and that’s not even mentioning the added service and resources my travel agent provides before, during, and after the sailing.

Whenever I book a cruise, I first email my travel agent for a quote; the quote I receive is often cheaper than what I could find on Royal Caribbean’s website. Depending on the travel agency you work with, they may offer group rates on select itineraries, which can save you money on your cruise fare.

Related: Top 5 things to look for in a good travel agent for your cruise vacation

Additionally, I almost always receive extra onboard credit through my travel agent. Having onboard credit means I can enjoy my cruise even more, whether I use it to book a specialty restaurant dinner or order an extra cocktail on the pool deck.

Aside from potential savings, though, are other benefits to using a travel agent. Travel agents are available to answer any questions you may have about your Royal Caribbean cruise, and they provide service in the case of any problems you encounter leading up to your sailing.

Be flexible with your departure ports

Flexibility is key to finding the best cruise deals; if you’re flexible with your departure port, you may have a better chance at finding a cheap deal.

Instead of cruising from Miami, look at sailings from Tampa or Port Canaveral. Or, if you live in the Northeast, check if there are any cheap deals from Cape Liberty, Boston, or Baltimore. You might be surprised to find a cheap cruise leaving from a less common cruise port.

Don’t overlook more faraway departure ports as well. As someone who lives on the west coast of the United States, I’m often shocked at the price of domestic flights to South Florida from my home airport. In fact, it’s often nearly the same price to fly to Barcelona, Spain as it is to Miami!

While there’s certainly more travel time required to get to Europe as opposed to Florida, searching a wider range of departure ports means opening up the possibility for more cheap deals.

Look at any and all cruise itineraries

Just as it's important to be flexible on your cruise ship and departure port, you should also be flexible on your cruise itinerary in order to find the best deals.

If you’re set on visiting a particular port—whether Bermuda or Santorini—you’ll be more limited in cruise options. Having more limitations means you have fewer options available, meaning you’ll miss out on some of the best cruise deals.

Related: 15 countries you didn’t know you could cruise to on Royal Caribbean

If you’re looking for the absolute cheapest, best cruise fares, keep your destination availability open. All of Royal Caribbean’s cruise ports have something to offer, from the coral reefs of Australia to the cruise line’s private island of Perfect Day at CocoCay.

The more flexible you are in itinerary choice, the better chance you’ll have at scoring a great deal.

Book a guarantee cabin

Booking a guarantee cabin on Royal Caribbean means you can save money on cruise fare with the caveat of not being able to choose your exact cabin location.

When you book a guarantee cabin, you give Royal Caribbean the power to select where on the ship your room will be located. If you book a guarantee balcony cabin, for example, you will be assigned (at least) a balcony room, but it could be located anywhere on the ship, from deck 7 forward to deck 12 aft.

Related: Should I book a guarantee stateroom on a cruise?

The advantage of booking a guarantee room, of course, is to save money—depending on the offer, you may be able to save over a hundred dollars by not choosing your cabin location. The disadvantage is that you cannot select the location. If you’re picky on cabin location, it’s best to pay extra to select the location yourself.

Despite the lack of flexibility, booking a guarantee cabin is one of the best ways to make a great cruise deal even cheaper.

Book during a Kids Sail Free promotion

If you’re planning a cruise with kids, the best time to book is during one of Royal Caribbean’s Kids Sail Free promotions.

As the name implies, a Kids Sail Free promotion is an offer in which kids can sail “free” on a Royal Caribbean cruise. In reality, this means that any third guest and higher in a cabin who is 12 years old or younger can sail free on a cruise longer than four nights.

Related: Royal Caribbean Kids Sail Free Dates & Tips

Of course, there are a few conditions to the Kids Sail Free offer. First are blackout dates, which are commonly found during school holidays. The second caveat is that you still have to pay taxes, fees, and gratuities for all kids—the “free” deal is for the base cruise fare only.

Despite these exceptions, booking during Kids Sail Free can usually save families money on a Royal Caribbean cruise if their schedule is flexible.

Book a longer itinerary

The shorter the cruise, the cheaper the cruise will cost… right? Not exactly!

Most people assume that booking a shorter cruise will lead to a cheaper cruise fare, but that’s not necessarily the case. As a matter of fact, some of the cheapest cruises are found on Royal Caribbean’s longest itineraries!

If you’re cruising with a limited budget, don’t search for only the shortest itineraries. While a 3-night weekend cruise might seem like it would be the cheapest option, this is hardly ever the case!

Instead, keep your search flexible and search for cruises of varying lengths. Royal Caribbean’s cruise fares aren’t necessarily priced according to cruise length, but are based on a variety of factors including ship age, time of year, itinerary, and demand for a particular sailing.

Some of the longest itineraries—such as repositioning cruises and transatlantic itineraries—see the lowest price per day of any cruise itinerary. Being open to more unique, longer itineraries can be a good way to stretch your vacation budget further and have more time onboard.

Keep an eye on Going, Going, Gone rates

Every week, Royal Caribbean publishes a PDF flyer online of their “Going, Going, Gone” rates. This list of last-minute cruise deals is one of the most convenient ways to check for the cheapest cruise fares available. You can view the list here.

The flyer is published once per week (usually late on Monday) but it is not updated throughout the week. Therefore, it’s recommended to check the flyer on late Monday night or early Tuesday morning in order to help ensure all deals listed are still available. As cruises book up during the week, the deals listed on the PDF may no longer be valid.

Subscribe to email newsletters

Hoping to be notified about the best cruise deals? Subscribing to email newsletters from your favorite cruise lines and cruise websites helps you stay in the loop.

The Royal Caribbean Blog newsletter, for example, is a weekly email in which we send out the week’s top stories, some of which may include information on cruise deals. Likewise, you may want to subscribe to Royal Caribbean’s official newsletter here—the cruise line sends promotional emails listing the current top deals and offers.

Stay loyal to a cruise line

The higher your loyalty status with a particular cruise line, the better chance you have of finding cheap cruise deals. If you cruise often with Royal Caribbean, we recommend sticking to the cruise line in order to grow your loyalty status in the Crown & Anchor Society.

Platinum members and above in the Crown & Anchor Society receive discounts on balcony and suite staterooms in addition to exclusive Crown & Anchor rates. Not only that, but single supplement fares are reduced for select Diamond Plus members and Pinnacle Club members receive a free 7-night cruise at 700 and 1050 cruise points.

Related: 11 of our favorite under-the-radar Crown & Anchor perks

Although most passengers “Loyal to Royal” won’t reach Pinnacle Club status, they can still receive the benefits of discounted cabins and onboard offers. Even if you don’t find the cheapest cruise deal available, you’ll still save significant money with Crown & Anchor benefits like free drinks and complimentary laundry.

Book with special rates for military, senior, and residency deals

Select groups of people may be eligible for special rates on a Royal Caribbean cruise. Knowing if you qualify for a special rate is helpful before you book in order to ensure you find the best cruise deal for your sailing.

Royal Caribbean’s list of guests who may qualify for discounts includes:

• Guests 55 years of age and older on select sailings
• Police and firefighters (active or retired employee or volunteer)
• Active or retired personnel in the military
• Airline personnel

We recommend checking Royal Caribbean’s detailed list here to check if you qualify for any discounts.

Royal Caribbean has added a new restriction on qualifying for its popular cruise deal for families with kids.

There's nothing new with Royal Caribbean having a kids sail free deal, as they've routinely offered it for many months in a row.  However, there's a new requirement added to the fine print.

Under the terms of the offer, children up to the age of 12 can sail for free when accompanying two paying passengers in the same cabin, provided the following criteria are met:

1. The sailing is 3 nights or longer
2. It doesn't conflict with a listed blackout date that covers many of the major school and religious holidays
3. NEW: The sailing date is departing at least thirty (30) days after the booking date

Prior to this change, a Kids Sail Free offer would have worked for a last minute deal departing less than 30 days after the booking date.

Royal Caribbean has provided no explanation for the new restriction, but it's likely a mechanism to encourage families to book their cruises further in advance.

The cruise line has been steadily working towards disincentivizing last minute bookings because it can usually result in lower fares. Besides the company wanting to make more money, someone booking at the last minute and getting a better price than someone who booked many months or years in advance hurts customers.

Restrictions on the Kids Sail Free offer aren't new. The fine print includes blackout dates around Thanksgiving, the winter holidays, summer, the spring break weeks and Easter week.

In addition, the kids fares still will be subject to taxes, fees and port expenses, which can amount to anywhere from $60 to more than $200 per person, depending on the itinerary.

What is the September 2024 Kids Sail Free offer?

If you want to take the most advantage of the offer, you'll need to book a cruise anytime between September 3 – 30, 2024 and it needs to be on select sailings 3 nights and longer departing at least thirty (30) days.

It cannot be on any sailing that departing on or during these blacked out dates:

• August 2 - 30, 2024
• November 22 - 29, 2024
• December 20, 2024 – January 3, 2025
• March 7 - 28, 2025
• April 12 - 24, 2025
• May 22 – August 29, 2025
• November 20 - 28, 2025
• December 18, 2025 – January 6, 2026
• March 6 – April 9, 2026
• Radiance Alaska Cruise Tour sailings departing July 1 – September 13, 2024 and May 16 – September 12, 2025
• Anthem of the Seas sailings departing November 21 – December 28, 2024
• Chinese New Year on Anthem of the Seas departing January 27, 2025 except for Alaska Summer sailings departing May 23 – August 29, 2025.

The good news is you can combine Kids Sail Free with the BOGO60 offer and the 2025 Kicker offer.

BOGO60 gives you 60% off the cruise fare of the second guest booked in the same stateroom as the first, full fare paying guest, as well as 30% off any additional guests booked in the same stateroom as the first full fare paying and second guest. 

It's valid on new bookings made September 3 – 30, 2024 and also needs to be on sailings departing at least thirty (30) days after the booking date.

The 2025 Kicker offer adds bonus onboard credit for cruises made just between September 3 – 4, 2024 on sailings departing in 2025 and provides instant savings per stateroom, varying by stateroom category booked and sailing length as follows: 

• 5 nights or less
  • $25 USD for Interior and Ocean View
  • $50 USD for Balconies
  • $75 USD for Suites
• 6 nights and longer
  • $50 USD for Interior and Ocean View
  • $75 USD for Balconies
  • $100 USD for Suites

Will Kids Sail Free actually save me money?

If you can find a sailing that qualifies for Kids Sail Free, then yes, it can really save money.

The difficult thing in trying to calculate the savings is making sure you have the exact same room category when comparing with or without the offer.

Often people will price out a cabin for 2 guests, and then again with 4. 

Read more: Ways I Save Money on Cruises With Family

The vast majority of cabins hold only two people.  Because they are plentiful there can often be lower rates on cabins that can only accommodate two guests.

Generally speaking, most cruise ships only have a small percentage of cabins that can hold more than two. Within those cabins, some only have a capacity of just three guests, while others can accommodate four or five, but there are very few like this available compared to the number of cabins that can accommodate two guests only.

A party of four can't use a cabin meant for only two or three guests so as the number in the party increases there are fewer and fewer cabins that can accommodate them.  

Because there are so few of these cabins relatively speaking they are often in demand.  Anything in demand drives the price up.  Often other families have booked up some or most of them leaving just a handful remaining.  This also increases rates due to the supply and demand nature of the travel industry.

The only way to see the effect of Kids Sail Free is to price a cabin with adults for the number in your group (ages set to 18 or above for everyone) and then do another mock booking with your kids ages applied.   

Get ready to celebrate the Fourth of July with a new sale that could save net you big savings over this big holiday.

Royal Caribbean is offering a July 4th sale on pre-cruise purchases, which includes possibly savings on drink packages, Wi-Fi and shore excursions.

The sale runs over the holiday, and applies to purchases made via the Cruise Planner website or by calling Royal Caribbean.

Deal basics

To get this offer, you need to either log into your Royal Caribbean account and go to the Cruise Planner or call Royal Caribbean to purchase a drink package.

The sale is valid for sailings departing July 7, 2024 - July 31, 2025. It's only available to bookings made between July 2, 2024 - July 5, 2024.

Depending on your sailing, there might be better prices now for shore excursions, WiFi packages, drink packages, or specialty dining.

Keep in mind if you buy the Deluxe Beverage Package, if you have multiple guests 21 and older staying in the same stateroom, all adults will be required to purchase their own package. This is done to help reduce the sharing of benefits. 

Celebrity Cruises is also offering its own Fourth of July sale on pre-cruise purchases. It has up to 35% off shore excursions, "and other onboard amenities."

Celebrity's sale runs through July 5, 2024 at11:59 PM EST (“Offer Period”) and applies to guests booked on select sailings departing July 8, 2024 – December 26, 2025, excluding 

• Celebrity Beyond August 24th, September 7th, September 21st
• Celebrity Edge July 26th, August 30th, September 13th
• Celebrity Equinox July 20th, July 30th
• Celebrity Infinity August 3rd, August 17th, August 31st 
• Celebrity Millennium July 14th, July 26th, August 7th
• Celebrity Solstice July 28th, August 18th, August 25th
• Celebrity Summit July 26th, August 2nd, August 30th

Will this offer save me money?

The Fourth of July is usually a big retail holiday, but there's no guarantee the actual price of your drink package, excursion, or spa treatment will be any different.

Royal Caribbean runs promotions throughout the year on its cruise add-ons, and there seems to be sales just about every week.

The Fourth of July is a bigger holiday for sales, and there have been anecdotal evidence of our readers reporting better discounts than usual. So it seems it's one of those sales worth checking for a better price.

To check if your sailing has this new offer available, log into the Cruise Planner on Royal Caribbean's web site look for any available offers. Not all sailings may see the sale applicable, nor are all offers significantly cheaper than previously posted.

To find the discounted rates, log into the My Cruises section of the Royal Caribbean web site, and navigate to the Cruise Planner section for the sailing you are interested in.

Once logged in, any available discounts will be automatically applied for the sale. Look for prices highlighted in magenta to indicate deeper discounts.

When it comes to Royal Caribbean sales, it's best to ignore the percentage off advertised, and focus on the total price when you add it your cart.

Remember, the pre-cruise price is almost certainly going to be better than the price onboard the ship if you wait to book it once you board the ship.

If the price of the cruise extra is cheaper than what you bought previously, you can cancel the purchase and then re-purchase the drink package again with this discount.

Beverage package purchases made online can be canceled and full refunded at any time, up until about 3 days before your sail date.

Advantage to booking before the cruise

No matter which add-on you want to buy, it's always cheaper to buy it before the cruise begins.

One common mistake cruisers make is waiting to book extras, either because they want to see if the price will continue to drop or they hesitate to book.

The reason waiting to book until closer to your sail date is a mistake is because the price could go up, and then you would end you paying more than you originally saw it listed for online.

If you know you will buy an add-on, you should book it at whatever price you see it for online before your cruise.  Remember, you can always cancel it if you change your mind later, up to 48 hours before your cruise begins.

This locks in the price and protects yourself against a price increase while still being able to take advantage of a price drop.

You'll find cruises advertised all over the internet, television, and even in the mail, but not every offer is as good as it sounds.

There's nothing wrong with trying to get a good deal on a cruise. After all, we all want to save money and if you can really net a fantastic price, then you get the satisfaction of conquering the low price challenge and a great vacation in one.

The problem is there are sometimes deals that look really good, but in reality, are a problem. They could be a scam, or it could be simply setting you up for disappointment. In either case, you'll be upset and wish you could do it over again.

If you run across a really good cruise price and can't believe your luck, keep these lessons in mind.

Free cruise offer mailers

The saying "nothing is free in this world" holds true with cruise bookings too.

Obviously if you earned a free cruise through the casino or maybe you reached Pinnacle Club status with Royal Caribbean's Crown and Anchor Society, then you are indeed getting what you agreed to.

What I'm referring to here are offers for a free cruise in exchange for something, like attending a seminar or signing up for a vacation club.

They usually come with a free cruise postcard in the mail. It's addressed anonymously with no return address, and of course it's completely unsolicited.

These are notorious for high-sales pressure opportunities to lure you in with the promise of a "free cruise" to get you to buy a timeshare or some other investment. Suffice to say, these are a really bad idea because of the issues associated with false pretenses and getting sucked into a major cost. There are so many stories of victims who sought a free cruise, but ended up with timeshares and travel clubs they never wanted.

The other free cruise we see offered a lot are giveaways, either online or in the mail.

While Royal Caribbean does sometimes offer a free cruise giveaway, they are very limited and it's more likely what you're seeing is a scam.  This is especially true on Facebook, where you see a post advertising if you like a post or join a group, you'll be eligible for a free cruise.

And then there's the old school free cruise giveaway you might have seen at a pizza parlor or other restaurant where you fill out a card and drop it in a box for your chance to win. Not only are you not winning a free cruise, you're signing yourself up for a lifetime of spam calls.

If you see an offer for a free cruise, be extremely skeptical. My advice is completely ignore it, but if you wish to learn more, be sure to ask questions and search the internet for more information about the company or opportunity so you can determine if it's a scam. Never attend a timeshare presentation or travel club in the hopes of receiving a free cruise gift.

A great price on an old ship

I've had so many friends reach out to me and tell me about a great price they got on a Royal Caribbean cruise for their family, and it's largely because they booked an old, small ship.

To be clear, there's nothing wrong with Royal Caribbean's older ships.  They offer classic cruise vacations, and plenty of people enjoy them. But they might be the wrong cruise vacation for you.

Read more: Why you shouldn't avoid older and smaller cruise ships

While it's true some of the lowest cruise prices are often found on Vision or Radiance Class cruise ships, you should be very aware of what you're getting with one of these ships, and more importantly, what you're not.

Older ships lack the bells and whistles found on Royal Caribbean's newer ships.  If you've seen a Royal Caribbean television commercial lately, pretty much all the fun things you see there are not on these ships.

This is primarily a problem for families who may be expecting waterslides and lots of top deck activities to keep their kids (and even parents) occupied.

Read more: 15 free things to try on your next cruise

No matter which Royal Caribbean ship you pick, be sure to look up what features and amenities it has so you're clear on what you can expect onboard.

Not all Royal Caribbean ships have a Broadway show, waterslides, laser tag, or bumper cars. If there's a particular activity you absolutely want on the ship, double check the ship has it before you book. Don't book a cruise purely based on price.

Cruise ship cabin upgrades

Royal Caribbean offers passengers the opportunity to bid for a stateroom upgrade, with the promise you could pay significantly less to move up to a larger cabin.  

When you look at the prices to bid, it can be very tempting to roll the dice on upgrading your cabin, but before you do, you'll want to keep a few things in mind.

When you bid for an upgrade, you're basically telling the cruise line if an unsold cabin is left, you'll take it for that price. Just because you can place a bid, does not mean there's actually a cabin to upgrade to.

More importantly, you're giving up a few things with the upgrade that you might not like later.  

First, you can't pick your cabin location if your bid is selected. This means you might end up with a cabin all the way forward, which might be a problem if you're more susceptible to motion sickness. Or your room might be under a public venue that is really noisy. If you're traveling with friends or family and want to be near each other, there's no way to do RoyalUp and remain near them.

Another reason to think twice before bidding to upgrade your cabin is it's going to cost you money, and that's additional money from what you originally booked.  If your vacation budget is tight, skip the upgrade and save that money for shore excursions, restaurants, or drinks onboard.

Read more: 17 ways people waste money on ships

A very low advertised cruise fare

When you start price shopping for a cruise, it's so easy to find a great rate advertised, but keep in mind there are lots of extra costs that you can expect later.

Travel websites selling cruises usually advertise the base fare, which sounds like a great price.  The problem is that is far from the out the door price.

Many times these prices omit taxes, port fees, and travel insurance.  When you actually get to the point of booking the cruise, you'll notice the final price has gone up much more than what you first saw.

As an example, our staff booked a $99 cruise fare.  While each person did pay $99, they total cost was $486.50, or $234.25 per person.

Read more: 11 cruise fees you should know about before booking

The good news is is this practice might be going away. Royal Caribbean and other cruise lines announced due to a new law, they'll be included port fees and taxes in their advertised prices.  

The change goes into effect July 2024, but that doesn't mean third-party websites will do the same.  

When you look at the price of any cruise, be sure to account for these extra costs you're going to have to pay.

Booking a cruise can sometimes feel like you really have to dig to find the best value for your vacation.

Between the ships, itineraries, cabin types, and embarkation ports, it requires a lot of planning to do it right, and then you have to determine the most affordable option.

Royal Caribbean has new sales every week, and they are a smattering of BOGO deals, percentage off discounts, and freebies.  On the surface, it sounds good, but how do you know it's actually saving you money?

Here's how to know whether or not you're getting a good deal when you book a cruise.

Start tracking prices now to get a baseline

Assuming you know nothing about cruises at all, you might want to start off by simply tracking prices for cruises you're interested in and then seeing how the shift over time.

Cruise prices are specific to the ship and sailing, and it's priced more like airfare than a pair of jeans. The specific sailing on a certain date and vessel could have drastically different prices than the sailing immediately following or preceding it.

If you're more than a year before you'd like to cruise, I'd recommend tracking the price of the cruise for the specific stateroom you want in a spreadsheet or notepad on a daily or weekly basis. 

You'll probably see the most price swings when a new month rolls around, but I've seen prices change daily.

Once you start to get an idea of how much the cruise fare is going to cost, you can start evaluating new offers to determine if it's really making a difference in the cost.

Don't wait too long to pull the trigger on booking a cruise. Just like airfare, as more people book up cabins, prices tend to go up.

You should also leverage a good travel agent to help, because they track a lot of prices for clients on a daily basis. They'll have a good idea of what constitutes a good price for a spring break cruise, or a Christmas sailing.

Read more: The biggest cruise hack you're not doing that has saved me thousands of dollars

Know what 'good deal' means to you

Everyone has their own sense of what's a good deal, so don't get too wrapped up in what others think.  Ultimately, you need to feel good about the price you're getting.

Your vacation budget will be different than someone else, and maybe you are looking to get the best price on a suite, whereas others want an inside cabin. 

I spent $7,000 on a suite because it was a good deal on that type of high-end suite, but some people thought I was crazy to spend that much money on any cruise ship cabin.

Look at a variety of cabin choices across different ships, and start to get an idea of the ballpark you're considering for the cruise cost. Pretty soon you will come up with a number that you're seeing, and a number you'd like to be at before you book.

Read more: The 5 best cabin locations on a cruise ship

Determine your personal priorities, and start looking for the right price with that context in mind.

What is a great deal to one cruiser may not be to another, because cruises are about being on vacation - and whether your price is good or bad is about your vacation! 

Factor in the specifics of your situation

Just as where a house is located will largely factor into the price, there are a few major factors that will greatly influence the price of a cruise.

Seasonaility: There can be major differences in a price of a cruise (as well as discount offered) from one week to the next.

High demand weeks will see far less deals than other weeks of the year. In addition, whether school is in session can also play a big part in the total price.

You might see deep discounts offered on a cruise in September, because it's hurricane season in the Caribbean and the shoulder season of Alaska and European cruises.  These bonus sales will absolutely save a lot of money, but you need to be aware of the tradeoff you might have in trying to get time off from work or school.

How close to your sail date: You might find a really good deal on a cruise more than 12 months in advance because Royal Caribbean wants to fill up rooms now for it.

Similarly, there could be a good last-minute deal on a cruise sailing in 6 weeks because of leftover unsold cabins.

There's a reason why Royal Caribbean might want to offer a better deal on one cruise over another, and it's usually due to how many cabins they've been able to sell so far, and what their internal forecasts predict going forward.

Room type: Deal is a relative term, and what makes a good price on one type of stateroom might be completely different from another.

I believe you're far more likely to find a cheap rate on an inside cabin with no windows than a balcony. That doesn't mean you should (or want to) stay in an inside cabin.

Read more: Inside cabin vs. balcony room on a cruise ship

Focus on the final price, not the promotion

Royal Caribbean rolls out sales almost every day, and they all sound great until you price things out.

My advice is skip over the name of the sale and what promotion is offered, because it's akin to window dressing. You want to skip right to the final price.

Royal Caribbean offers kids sail free, onboard credit, instant savings and more. They all sound lucrative, but quite often the final price doesn't change much.  Plus, there could be blackout dates that might prevent you from taking advantage of a specific offer.

You can safely skip over the promotion advertised, and plug in the ship and sail date you want and then see the real cost.

Demand for cruises hasn't been this hot since 2019, and one side effect has been higher cruise fares.

This trend isn't slowing down in 2024, as Royal Caribbean Group told investors at their last earnings call demand for cruises has only gotten higher.

The company reported bookings for 2024 significantly and consistently outpacing 2019 levels. They're seeing ships getting booked up sooner and at higher prices, with their customers booking earlier.

That's great news if you're a shareholder, but for cruisers on a budget or deal seekers, it's tough to find a good deal.

"The demand for booking cruises is as strong as ever!, "Beci Mahnken, president and CEO of MEI-Travel, says. "As travel advisors, we're thrilled to see a steady and growing demand for cruise adventures."

The good news is there are still ways to get a cruise deal, but it will take more effort to uncover them.

Top picks for cruise deals

It's impossible to keep a running list of deals due to the fact prices can change by the minute, but if you're in the market for a deal, here's where I would look.

Alaska

Book a cruise before June 10 or after August 15.

Caribbean

Look for the sailing immediately after the cruise that has New Years Eve/Day, with the exception of a short cruise over Martin Luther King Day.

A cruise between Labor Day and Halloween is another good idea. This is especially true if you're willing to wing it and wait for a last-minute deal.

Europe

Try a cruise in September, October, or November for the lowest prices. If you can book a European cruise on a Vision Class ship after August, you'll almost certainly get a great price.

Another option for Europe is a repositioning cruise between the Caribbean and Europe. Royal Caribbean offers this twice a year in the spring and fall.

Repositioning cruises are cheap because they have few port days and lots of sea days, which makes them less appealing.

Last minute deals

Booking a cruise with less than two months to go is not for everyone, but your best bet is to check Royal Caribbean's Going, Going, Gone sheet every week.

It's not available every week, but posted every Tuesday and if you act quickly, you might find a cheap cruise.

Offseason cruising

The best prices for a cruise are still during months when there's far less demand.

Cruises have peak and off-peak seasons, and the months of January, September, October, and early November are usually safe bets for a lower price.

These months all have one thing in common: school is back in session and the weather isn't as desirable.

As a family cruise line, Royal Caribbean's trends tend to mirror that of the school calendar as families have a major impact on bookings.

In the Caribbean, hurricane season really kicks into effect by the end of August. It's also the peak of the wet season, and that means rain every day.

Read more: Cruising in hurricane season: What you need to know

If you're taking an Alaska cruise, September and October are at the tail end of the cruise season.  Not only is it colder out, but it tends to be rainier as well.

Europe is quite similar, with the peak demand for the region in summer.  By the time August ends, demand starts to dip.

If you can book a cruise during these months, you might find a really lucrative deal, even at the last-minute.  As an example, one of our writers booked a 7-Night Mediterranean cruise, starting in Athens, Greece for just $1471 for a November Mediterranean cruise.

Choose an older ship

While new cruise ships like Icon of the Seas get all the attention, there's absolutely nothing wrong with an older cruise ship.

As ships age, their prices tend to drop. Think of it like the price for a used car as they get older.

You'll find an excellent value on Royal Caribbean's Voyager Class ships, which offer lots to do at a good value.

The Radiance Class and Vision Class ships are smaller, but often have the lowest prices you'll find. What the ships lack in features, they make up for in value.

Book early

If you can't make a fall cruise work, the best tried-and-true strategy is to book a cruise as early as you can.

Generally speaking, the earlier you book, the better the price will be. This is because Royal Caribbean will set the lowest price when a new sailing becomes available, and raise prices as cabins get sold.

Ideally, you can get the lowest price when a new sailing opens for sale.  This occurs twice per year: around November and December and then again in February through April.

The downside to this strategy is you need to make plans up to two years in advance, which is quite difficult for many people.

Not only will you get the lowest price, but you will be able to pick the perfect cabin that you want. Suites and other highly desirable cruise ship cabins sell out quickly.

Read more: The rare cruise ship cabins that everyone wants to book immediately

Keep in mind that if you change your mind, there could be a penalty for cancelling or changing if you book a non-refundable cruise fare.  Royal Caribbean charges $100 per person for changes made with a NRD cabin, but that fee could be cheaper than the refundable cruise fare rate difference. Double check with your travel agent before booking to ensure you understand the deposit rules.

Book with a travel agent

I can't count how many times I thought I found the lowest price for a cruise only to be surprised my travel agent had a better price because of an offer I was unaware of.

Travel agents are more than a glorified booking engine. They work on your behalf to make everything easier for you, including booking a cruise.

One way travel agents can save you more money is because they have access to group rates and consortia rates.  These are specially negotiated prices that aren't publicly advertised, but can booked by anyone that works with an agent.

Travel agencies gobble up cabins and lock in the price. While cabins outside the group climb in price, the group rates remain locked and you could net a much lower price.

"It's heartening to witness so many people embracing the joy of exploring the world by sea, seeking those unforgettable experiences that only cruising can offer," says Mahnken.

I work with MEI Travel to book all of my cruises (disclosure, MEI Travel is a sponsor of this site), and quite often I'll either get a better price or maybe some extra onboard credit. I certainly never pay more than what I can find on the Royal Caribbean website.  Better yet, I get excellent service too.