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.

If you're considering booking a Royal Caribbean cruise soon, you might want to use your American Express card.

Many American Express cardholders are seeing a new offer for 20,000 bonus Membership Rewards points when spending $1,000 or more on a Royal Caribbean cruise.

The exact offer seems to vary depending on who the cardholder is, but if you have an American Express card, it is worth checking out if the offer is for you. 

Based on points calculators we found online, 20,000 points is worth about $400, which means you'd get back about 40% of that $1,000 cost.

It's also important to know you must enroll in the offer before making the purchase for the Amex Offer to be redeemable.

In addition, this offer can only be used with one American Express Card and it's valid only on cruise bookings made online at RoyalCaribbean.com, by calling 866-562-7625, using American Express Travel, or through a travel agent. Reservations must be booked on U.S. websites only.

The $1,000 spending threshold excludes onboard purchases, e-gift card and physical gift card purchases made online, transfers/transportation to the ship, MGM Resort International Joint Vacation and Royal Wedding Packages.

This offer only works for Royal Caribbean International, and does not work for Celebrity Cruise, TUI Cruises and Silversea brands.

The offer expires July 31, 2023.

Typically, Amex offer statements appear on your statement within a day or two, it can sometimes take several days for the statement credit to hit your account. 

Not every AmEx cardholder will get the offer, but we've seen it so far across these credit cards:

• The Platinum Card from American Express
• Blue from American Express
• American Express Gold Card

A few of our RoyalCaribbeanBlog writers also reported seeing the offer, which seems to point to it being fairly well-distributed.

How much are 20,000 AmEx Membership Rewards Points worth?

Getting 20,000 points sounds great, but what kind of a benefit is that to you?

There are many ways to possibly redeem your points, especially depending on which American Express card you have.

According to a NerdWallet analysis, AmEx points value is between 1 cent when used to book travel directly and 2 cents when transferred to partners.

The Points Guy estimates Membership Rewards points are worth 2 cents each.

Using your points for airfare is typically the best value, while redeeming them for cash to erase eligible charges from your statement is widely considered a poor value.

How to activate the offer

Before you can utilize an Amex Offer, you generally have to activate it on your account, so before paying for anything, be sure to do that. By using your credit card at a qualifying merchant, you can instantly take advantage of the discount, credit or bonus by using your American Express card there.

Simply log into your American Express account on their website or via their app.

Look for the Amex Offers & Benefits section, which is usually located towards the bottom of the main page.

Categorized under "Travel", you should see the Royal Caribbean offer there.

How to use this if you use a travel agent

You may notice in the fine print for this offer it states you can use a travel professional with this offer, which means you can still support your favorite travel agent.

You could simply book this offer with them, or book it on your own and transfer it to the agent immediately afterwards.

Even after booking a cruise with Royal Caribbean directly, you have up to 30 days to transfer it to a travel agent after initial booking. It must be outside of Final Payment and the booking is not paid in full.

I would recommend informing your travel agent what you are doing first, so they can be prepared for the necessary paperwork to transfer it to them.

All you have to do is complete this online form and the booking gets transferred to the agent.

If the winter cold weather has you thinking it might be time to book a cruise, Royal Caribbean has some deals you ought to consider.

Royal Caribbean's Wave season deals began this month, in which the cruise line is offering sales on cruises going through early 2025. Since our readers likely want to get away sooner than 2025, there's also a great array of choices you can find low prices for that depart in the first half of this year as well.

The current promotion offers 30% off every guest and Kids Sail Free deals when booking a cruise between January 3 to January 31, 2023. 

In searching for cruises that depart between January and May 2023, I found super low rates on cruises that visit the Caribbean, Alaska, and the Mexican Riviera.

Like any last minute cruise, the "catch" with these deals is you're going to have to act fast to not only book them, but ensure prices for airfare are reasonable as well.

Since now is one of the best times of the year to book a new Royal Caribbean cruise, here's a look at some of the best deals you can book for a winter or spring getaway.

Cruise deals

In looking through the cruise deals for sailings in the first half of 2023, here are some of the top picks:

Alaska

It's never too early to start thinking of a cruise to Alaska, and there are some really low rates for the beginning of the Alaska cruise season.

• Radiance of the Seas 7-night Northbound Alaska & Hubbard Glacier cruises begin at $350 per person (the southbound route is also similarly priced) for May 26, 2023.
• Brilliance of the Seas 6-night Pacific Coastal cruise from Los Angeles up to Vancouver is just $350 per person too, sailing April 12, 2023.
• Radiance of the Seas has a rare roundtrip sailing from Vancouver to the Alaska glaciers on May 11, 2023 starting at $521 per person.

Caribbean

If a warm-weather escape is what you want, there are lots of deals on cruises around the Caribbean.

• Rhapsody of the Seas 7-night Southern Caribbean cruise from Barbados is just $351 per person for March 19.  There are lots of other inexpensive sailings in January, March and April.
• Voyager of the Seas 7-night Southern Caribbean cruise from San Juan, Puerto Rico begins at $438 per person on February 12, 2023.
• Radiance of the Seas from Galveston, Texas to the Western Caribbean has a cheap sailing on April 15, 2023 for a 6-night cruise.

Mexican Riviera

For our west coast friends, Navigator of the Seas has a lot of great rates left for cruises in January and February 2023.

Sailing from Los Angeles, there are 7-night sailings that visit Cabo San Lucas, Puerto Vallarta and Mazatlan, beginning at $471 per person for the April 28, 2023 sailing.

More deals beyond

These are just some of the cheapest prices I could find for a 7-night cruise that leaves in the next few months.

Royal Caribbean uses this time of year to boost its sales for the rest of the year, so you can find great prices for sailings later in the year, especially the fall.

In general, cruise pricing tends to favor those that book early and there are great rates to be had for cruises not just this year, but over the next few years.

Royal Caribbean is also advising that more deals will be coming this month, including flash deals of $550 instant savings and discounts on beverage and dining packages, shore excursions, internet and more throughout the month.

Renewed demand for cruises

It's not your imagination, a lot of people are looking at a cruise vacation.

According to a AAA survey, 52% of adults in the United States this year are likely to consider a cruise vacation. That's up from 45% a year ago.

Why are so many people looking to cruise? In short, many travel experts see 2023 as a big bounce back year for travel after the events of the past three years.

Royal Caribbean already saw a record-breaking Black Friday sales event, and AAA believes new cruise ships are enticing a lot of folks to try a cruise.

What to look for in a cruise deal

Ready to book a cruise for this year? There's plenty of options, so here's my advice for sifting through all the options.

Don't just chase the lowest price

It's tempting to sort cruise prices from lowest to highest and harp on the cheapest price you can find, but you'll want to look at the big picture first.

First, look at the choice in cabin because that super low price is almost certainly for an inside cabin. There's nothing wrong with staying in an inside cabin, but some people want more space and a view with their cruise.

You'll also want to see if the price is for a guarantee cabin or not.

A guarantee cabin is when Royal Caribbean assigns your stateroom location, meaning you are unable to select exactly where on the ship your cabin will be. If you aren’t picky about your cabin location, booking a guarantee rate can be a nice way to save money.

If you’d prefer picking your own cabin location, though, expect to pay slightly more per person on the cruise fare.

Read more: What you need to know before booking a cheap cruise

Price out flights and other travel considerations

Royal Caribbean has some great cruise fares you can book, but the airlines might not.

Before you book a cruise, you'll want to quickly check airfare prices to ensure you can afford the price to get you to that cheap cruise deal.

If you're looking at a cruise more than 3 months from now, you'll probably be fine in terms of flights.  But if you're looking to getaway sooner, last minute flight prices could be a challenge.

Read more: Why booking a last-minute cruise isn't always a great idea

Check with your travel agent first

If you see a great price listed for a cruise, your next step should be to ask your travel agent to price it out.

Travel agents can see a host of discounts you might not think of, as well as agency rates and special offers.

Plus, a travel agent may be aware of other deals available based on pricing they've been tracking.

If you carry an American Express credit card, you should check to see if you have a new offer to get a lot of money back for simply booking a Royal Caribbean cruise.

Amex Offers are an area at the bottom of the page when you log into the American Express site, where you can earn all sorts of statement credits for buying things from certain vendors.

Select card members may see an offer to get up to 25,000 bonus rewards points for booking a new Royal Caribbean cruise.

The exact offer seems to vary depending on who the cardholder is, but if you have an American Express card, it is worth checking out if the offer is for you. 

Since there are many types of American Express cards, not all of them may offer it.

Like all Amex Offers, there is specific language about how you can redeem this offer:

"Offer valid on cruise bookings made online at royalcaribbean.com, by calling 1-866-562-7625 or booked through your Travel Professional. Reservations must be booked on US website only. Purchases must be made in US dollars. "

"Excludes onboard purchases, e-gift card and physical gift card purchases made online, transfers/transportation to the ship, MGM Resort International Joint Vacation and Royal Wedding Packages. Excludes Celebrity Cruise, TUI Cruises and Silversea brands."

Keep in mind you do not have to spend the qualifying amount in one transaction. Rather, you can do it over the course of many transactions, but the offer kicks in once the aggregate total exceeds the threshold for the offer.

It can be redeemed once, and is open to only U.S.-issued American Express Cards.

You must take advantage of the offer by 12/31/2022.

Typically, Amex offer statements appear on your statement within a day or two, it can sometimes take several days for the statement credit to hit your account. 

How much are 25,000 AmEx Membership Rewards Points worth?

Getting 25,000 points sounds great, but what kind of a benefit is that to you?

There are many ways to possibly redeem your points, especially depending on which American Express card you have.

According to a NerdWallet analysis, AmEx points value is between 1 cent when used to book travel directly and 2 cents when transferred to partners.

The Points Guy estimates Membership Rewards points are worth 2 cents each.

Using your points for airfare is typically the best value, while redeeming them for cash to erase eligible charges from your statement is widely considered a poor value.

How to activate the offer

Before you can utilize an Amex Offer, you generally have to activate it on your account, so before paying for anything, be sure to do that. By using your credit card at a qualifying merchant, you can instantly take advantage of the discount, credit or bonus by using your American Express card there.

Simply log into your American Express account on their website or via their app.

Look for the Amex Offers & Benefits section, which is usually located towards the bottom of the main page.

Categorized under "Travel", you should see the Royal Caribbean offer there.

Pro tip: This offer can be activated for each card, so if your spouse has a shared card, you could activate the offer for their card and "double dip".

How to use this if you use a travel agent

You may notice in the fine print for this offer it states you can use a travel professional with this offer, which means you can still support your favorite travel agent.

You could simply book this offer with them, or book it on your own and transfer it to the agent immediately afterwards.

Even after booking a cruise with Royal Caribbean directly, you have up to 30 days to transfer it to a travel agent after initial booking. It must be outside of Final Payment and the booking is not paid in full.

I would recommend informing your travel agent what you are doing first, so they can be prepared for the necessary paperwork to transfer it to them.

All you have to do is complete this online form and the booking gets transferred to the agent.

If you can go on a cruise in the first two weeks of November or December, there are some seriously good fares available.

Royal Caribbean routinely puts out a weekly offer with last-minute cruise deals out to its travel agent partners, but this week's offers include some really deep discounts.

Some sailings on 2- or 3-night cruises are coming in at just $89 or $99 per person based on double occupancy, which is pretty much the cheapest cruise fare you will find offered by Royal Caribbean.

Listed under the Going, Going, Gone rates, there are dozens of fares listed, with prices ranging in value.

Best of this week's cruise deals

I've gone through all the prices listed to find the lowest deals.

Keep in mind these prices are valid October 5 & 6, 2022, but could easily sell out at the rates listed. There's no way to know if it's still available until you go ahead and price out the cruise.

• Freedom of the Seas 2-night Perfect Day Getaway Cruise from Miami on December 5, 2022: $89 per person
• Independence of the Seas 3-night Bahamas & Perfect Day Cruise from Port Canaveral on December 5, 2022: $99 per person
• Liberty of the Seas 3-night Bahamas & Perfect Day Cruise from Fort Lauderdale on November 1, 2022: $99 per person

• Liberty of the Seas 4-night Bahamas & Perfect Day Cruise from Fort Lauderdale on November 7, 2022: $129 per person
• Liberty of the Seas 4-night Bahamas & Perfect Day Cruise from Fort Lauderdale on November 14, 2022: $129 per person
• Liberty of the Seas 4-night Bahamas & Perfect Day Cruise from Fort Lauderdale on November 7, 2022: $129 per person
• Liberty of the Seas 4-night Bahamas & Perfect Day Cruise from Fort Lauderdale on November 28, 2022: $129 per person
• Liberty of the Seas 4-night Bahamas & Perfect Day Cruise from Fort Lauderdale on December 5, 2022: $129 per person

• Freedom of the Seas 4-night Bahamas & Perfect Day Cruise from Miami on October 24, 2022: $149 per person
• Freedom of the Seas 4-night Bahamas & Perfect Day Cruise from Miami on October 31, 2022: $149 per person
• Freedom of the Seas 4-night Bahamas & Perfect Day Cruise from Miami on November 7, 2022: $149 per person
• Freedom of the Seas 4-night Bahamas & Perfect Day Cruise from Miami on November 14, 2022: $149 per person
• Freedom of the Seas 4-night Bahamas & Perfect Day Cruise from Miami on November 28, 2022: $149 per person
• Freedom of the Seas 4-night Bahamas & Perfect Day Cruise from Miami on December 12, 2022: $149 per person
• Independence of the Seas 4-night Bahamas & Perfect Day Cruise from Port Canaveral on October 24, 2022: $149 per person
• Independence of the Seas 4-night Bahamas & Perfect Day Cruise from Port Canaveral on October 31, 2022: $149 per person
• Independence of the Seas 4-night Bahamas & Perfect Day Cruise from Port Canaveral on November 7, 2022: $149 per person
• Independence of the Seas 4-night Bahamas & Perfect Day Cruise from Port Canaveral on November 14, 2022: $149 per person
• Independence of the Seas 4-night Bahamas & Perfect Day Cruise from Port Canaveral on November 28, 2022: $149 per person
• Independence of the Seas 4-night Bahamas & Perfect Day Cruise from Port Canaveral on December 12, 2022: $149 per person

Prices are per person, cruise only, based on double occupancy.

Prices listed are not combinable with any promotional offers or discounts with the exception of Crown & Anchor benefits and NextCruise Onboard Booking Bonus.

Governmental departure taxes and fees are additional.

Why are these cruises so cheap?

Are you wondering why these prices are so inexpensive?

Cruise prices vary depending on the ship and time of year, but if you look at the dates listed, there's a common thread among them. They're all right around very popular times for vacations in Thanksgiving and Christmas, but in weeks before or after these major holidays.

Typically the first two weeks of November and first two weeks of December have much less demand for cruises than nearly any other time of the year. This is because most people get built-in time off from school and work over Thanksgiving or Christmas, so fewer people are able or willing to take time off just before or after these holidays.

And of course, these are all 3- and 4-night cruises.  Short cruises will almost always have a lower total price since there are less nights.

4-night cruises are always harder to fill because they begin on a Monday and end on a Friday. Arguably, you could take the same amount of days off of work and get a 7-night cruise for the same investment in time off when counting weekends.

With less people willing or able to cruise these times of year, you can find great deals.

The catch: taxes and fees

While the cruise prices are cheap, there is a catch when you get to the final price.

When you price out the cruise, you may find yourself paying more in taxes and fees than the cruise fare itself. These are fees charged by local governments for each passenger.

These come in the form of government taxes, fees, or surcharges that may be assessed by any governmental agencies, as well as third party fees and charges arising from a vessel’s presence in a harbor or port.

If you care to break it down, cruise taxes essentially cover these services and charges:

• Tolls
• Ship inspections 
• Local harbor pilots
• Air, hotel, or VAT taxes incurred as part of a land excursion 
• Immigration and naturalization costs
• Internal Revenue Service charges
• Baggage handling at embarkation and disembarkation ports
• Security services

In case you were thinking about it, there's no way to avoid paying government taxes and port charges.

The other catch: getting to the cruise

If you live in Florida and can drive to these cruises, then the prices might just be a wonderful deal.  But others may find the value foiled by extra costs.

The cost of airfare to fly down for this cruise could negate the low prices, especially with how high airfare can be in the final weeks before the trip.  Then there's the food, parking, and hotel costs that come along with it.

There's no doubt these deals are primarily aimed at people with a lot of free time that can drive to the cruise ships easily.

Just like any cruise, alcoholic drinks, internet access, and shore excursions will all cost you extra.

If you've been waiting for a kids sail free deal, it's back!

Beginning today, Royal Caribbean has brought back its popular promotion that offers free cruises for children up to the age of 12 for new cruises booked in October.

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.

The offer is available today through October 31, 2022 for select sailings departing on or after November 4, 2022 – April 30, 2024.

Of course, there are blackout dates to the Kids Sail Free offer:

Kids Sail Free excludes:

• Thanksgiving sailings departing November 18, 2022 – November 25, 2022; November 17, 2023 – November 24, 2023
• Holiday sailings departing December 18, 2022 – January 6, 2023; December 16, 2023 – January 5, 2024
• Spring break sailings departing March 10, 2023 – March 24, 2023; March 8, 2024 – March 22, 2024
• Holy Week/Easter sailings departing April 1, 2023 – April 11, 2023; March 22, 2024 – April 4, 2024
• Summer Sailings departing May 24, 2023 – September 1, 2023
• Radiance Alaska cruisetours

In addition, the "free" 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.

Sweeting the deal is the fact you can combine Kids Sail Free with 30% off every guest, which provides 30% savings off the cruise fare for all guests in the stateroom.

30% Off Every Guest and Kids Sail Free are combinable with each other as well as promotional OBCs, Next Cruise offers, instant savings, restricted discounts (for example, Seniors, Residents, Military), Promo Code driven offers, Free Upgrades, Crown and Anchor discounts, and Shareholder Benefits.

30% Off Every Guest and Kids Sail Free are not combinable with any other offer or promotion, including, but not limited to, Ultimate World Cruise, Standard Group, Interline, Travel Agent, Travel Agent Friends and Family, Weekly Sales Events, and Net Rates.

Offer available to residents of United States, Canada, Puerto Rico, and select countries in the Caribbean. 

Will I save money with this deal?

They say "beauty is in the eye of the beholder", and similarly, how lucrative a deal is depends on the person trying to book it.

The biggest drawback of any Kids Sail Free offer are the blackout dates, which greatly hinder many families ability to book a cruise that qualifies for the offer.

If you can find a sailing date that isn't blacked out, kids sail free offers can absolutely save money, especially for higher category rooms. Suites, in particular, offer big savings with kids sail free.

Of course, Kids Sail Free deal requires the kids to be in the same stateroom as the parents, so you cannot split across multiple rooms and use the offer.

Using a good travel agent, you can easily compare and contrast prices between sailings.

If you forgot or didn't get around to booking another Royal Caribbean cruise onboard your summer cruise, you'll have a little extra time to book one.

Royal Caribbean has a new offer for a limited time where guest can still take advantage of the onboard booking bonus of extra onboard credit if they sailed on a ship in the last 30 days.

Typically you can only qualify for the bonus onboard credit when you book a cruise at the NextCruise office onboard a Royal Caribbean ship. Once you disembark the ship, there's no opportunity to get that offer again.

Now, there's a new opportunity to book a new cruise if you have sailed recently.

Here's a look at how to qualify for this new offer.

Offer details

The Welcome Home promo is valid on new non-refundable bookings between July 1 and August 31, 2022 within 30 days of a previous sailing.

Welcome Home offers up to $600 USD to spend at sea onboard credit (OBC) per stateroom on sailings departing between July 1, 2022 – December 31, 2024.

Promo Code “SAILAGAIN” must be entered at the time of booking to receive the OBC.

OBC amounts are per stateroom and determined by category booked and sailing length:

• Sailings 4 to 5 nights:
  • $25 OBC for Interior and Oceanview
  • $50 for Balconies and Junior Suites
  • $150 for Suites (Grand Suites and above)
• Sailings 6 to 9 nights
  • $50 OBC for Interior and Oceanview
  • $100 for Balconies and Junior Suites
  • $300 for Suites (Grand Suites and above)
• Sailings 10 nights or longer
  • $100 OBC for Interior and Oceanview
  • $200 for Balconies and Junior Suites
  • $600 for Suites (Grand Suites and above)

Guest who qualifies for the offer, are eligible to create up to three bookings total with same named guests from previous sailing. 

OBC is combinable with brand wide promotions, promotional OBCs, Next Cruise offers, instant savings, restricted discounts (for example, Seniors, Residents, Military), promo code driven offers, free upgrades, Crown and Anchor discounts, and shareholder benefits but not combinable with any other offer or promotion, including, but not limited to, Ultimate World Cruise, Standard Group, Interline, Travel Agent, Travel Agent Friends and Family, Weekly Sales Events, and Net Rates. OBC is nontransferable and does not apply to China departures.

American Express offer is back

If you haven't sailed on a cruise ship recently, you may still be able to save some money if you have an American Express card.

Select cardholders are seeing another cash back offer from American Express when you spend money with Royal Caribbean.

Log into your American Express account and look for the Amex Offers area to see if Royal Caribbean shows up.

Amex Offers are an area at the bottom of the page when you log into the American Express site, where you can earn all sorts of statement credits for buying things from certain vendors.

Select card members may see an offer to get up to $250 back in a statement for booking a new Royal Caribbean cruise.

Get a one-time $250 statement credit by using your enrolled eligible Card to spend a minimum of $1,000 in one or more transactions on cruise reservations booked at https://www.royalcaribbean.com, by phone at 1-866-562-7625 or by contacting your preferred travel advisor by 8/15/2022. 

You'll have to check if the offer is available on your card, because not all card holders may get this particular offer.

The Kids Sail Free offer is back.

Royal Caribbean has brought back the Kids Sail Free offer for the last week of April, where children under the age of 12 booked in the same cabin as two adults will qualify for free cruise fare.

Families may find extra savings on a new cruise booked in which kids stay in the same cabin.

This is the second time Royal Caribbean has brought back Kids Sail Free since the pandemic, with the previous sale about a month ago.

In addition to Kids sail Free, there's also up to $550 off sailings departing May 27, 2022 or after, 30% off every guest, and even bonus bonus onboard credit when redeeming a future cruise credit.

Deal details

Kids Sail Free applies to new bookings made between April 25 – May 2, 2022 on sailings departing on or after June 1, 2022 – April 30, 2023, providing free cruise fare for third guests and higher who are 12 years old and younger as of Offer Cruise departure date on sailings 3 nights or longer booked in the same stateroom as the first two qualifying guests in a triple or quad- occupancy stateroom.

Kids Sail Free excludes Thanksgiving sailings departing November 18, 2022 – November 25, 2022, Holiday sailings departing December 21, 2022 – January 6, 2023, Spring break sailings departing March 10, 2023 – March 24, 2023, and Holy Week/Easter sailings departing April 1, 2023 – April 11, 2023.

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

Up to $550 off applies to new bookings made between April 25 – 30, 2022 on sailings departing on or after May 25, 2022, and provides instant savings of up to $550 USD per stateroom.

Savings amount varies by stateroom category booked and sailing length as follows:

• 5 nights or less, $25 USD savings for Interior and Ocean View, $75 USD for Balconies, and $150 USD for Suites
• 6 nights or longer, $50 USD savings for Interior and Ocean View, $100 USD for Balconies, and $550 USD for Suites

Up to $550 off is combinable with 30% Off Every Guest, FCC Kicker, and Kids Sail Free as well as with promotional OBCs, Next Cruise offers, Instant Savings, restricted discounts (for example, Seniors, Residents, Military), Promo Code driven offers, Free Upgrades, Shareholder Benefits, but not combinable with Ultimate World Cruise and Crown and Anchor discounts. Resident rates apply to select states on select sailings; valid state of residence must be provided at time of booking. 

Will I save money with this offer?

They say "beauty is in the eye of the beholder", and similarly, how lucrative a deal is depends on the person trying to book it.

The biggest drawback of any Kids Sail Free offer are the blackout dates, which greatly hinder many families ability to book a cruise that qualifies for the offer.

If you can find a sailing date that isn't blacked out, kids sail free offers can absolutely save money, especially for higher category rooms. Suites, in particular, offer big savings with kids sail free.

Of course, Kids Sail Free deal requires the kids to be in the same stateroom as the parents, so you cannot split across multiple rooms and use the offer.

Using a good travel agent, you can easily compare and contrast prices between sailings.

For the first time in two years, Royal Caribbean will offer a Kids Sail Free offer.

While the cruise line has brought out a number of different promotions during the pandemic, kids sail free has been absent until now.

The Kids Sail Free deal has been a popular option for families because kids 12 years old and under staying in the same room as two adults are free to cruise.

Beginning on March 24, the kids sail free offer is back, which can be combined with a few different other discounts.

The new offer includes up to $550 off the cruise fare, plus 30% off every guest, and kids sail free.

The new deal begins March 24, 2022, so you will not see new pricing until that date.

Deal details

Kids Sail Free applies to new bookings made between 3/24 – 3/31/22 on sailings departing on or after June 1, 2022 – April 30, 2023.

It provides free cruise fare for third guests and higher who are 12 years old and younger as of departure date on sailings 3 nights or longer booked in the same stateroom as the first two qualifying guests in a triple or quad occupancy stateroom.

Kids Sail Free excludes Thanksgiving sailings departing 11/18/22 – 11/25/22, Holiday sailings departing 12/22/22 – 1/8/23, Spring break sailings departing 3/10/23 – 3/24/23, and Easter sailings departing 4/6/23 – 4/16/23.

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

Up to $550 off Extension applies to new bookings made on 3/24– 3/28/22. Up to $550 off Extension provides up to $550 USD instant savings for select sailings departing on or after 4/24/22.

Savings amount is per stateroom and varies by category booked and sailing length:

• Sailings 5 nights or less, $25 savings for Interior and Ocean View, $75 for Balconies and $150 for Suites
• Sailings 6 nights or longer, $50 savings for Interior and Ocean View, $100 for Balconies and $550 for Suites.

Offer open to residents of US, Canada, Puerto Rico and select countries in the Caribbean. 

Is this a good deal?

Kids Sail Free deals definitely save money, but the issue has always been finding dates that were not blacked out. With Kids Sail Free being offered over the summer, there is ample opportunity for families to take advantage of the offer.

Your best value with Kids Sail Free will be in the higher category rooms, especially balcony and suite rooms, where the savings on the third and fourth passenger are more substantial.

Of course, Kids Sail Free deal requires the kids to be in the same stateroom as the parents, so you cannot split across multiple rooms and use the offer.

Using a good travel agent, you can easily compare and contrast prices between sailings.

Have a future cruise credit from a cancelled cruise? Royal Caribbean will give you extra onboard credit if you book a cruise this month.

At any given time Royal Caribbean has a myriad of promotions running, but I was surprised to see an offer for redeeming future cruise credits.

While Royal Caribbean has been cruising since June 2021 in North America, there are still quite a few unredeemed future cruise credits out there.

RoyalCaribbeanBlog reader Rich Triplett alerted us to this offer.

The "Future Cruise Credit Kicker" runs the entire month of February, and will give you $100 onboard credit per stateroom if you book a cruise departing between March 1 – December 31, 2022.

This offer is combinable with all rates and promotions, meaning there are no blackout rules with it.

Onboard credits will be added to up to two weeks after the FCC has been redeemed on all valid bookings determined by booking creation, FCC redemption and sailing dates. 

More offers in February

In addition to the onboard credit offer, there are a few other promotions Royal Caribbean has running during February.

30% savings off cruise fare for all guests in the stateroom

30% Off Every Guest offer must be booked between February 1 – 28, 2022 (“Offer Period”). 30% Off Every Guest offer applies to select sailings departing on or after March 1, 2022. 

WOW Sale

WOW Sale applies to new bookings made between February 9 – 14, 2022. WOW Sale offers up to $400 USD to spend at sea (“Onboard Credit” or “OBC”) per stateroom on select sailings departing on or after March 9, 2022.

OBC amounts are per stateroom and determined by category booked and sailing length:

• Sailings 5 nights or less, $50 OBC for Interior and Ocean View, $75 for Balconies and $150 for Suites
• Sailings 6 nights or longer, $75 OBC for Interior and Ocean View, $100 for Balconies and $400 for Suites

2022 Kicker

2022 Kicker applies to new bookings made between February 1 – 28, 2022. 2022 Kicker provides instant savings of up to $150 USD per stateroom on select sailings departing between March 1 – December 31, 2022.

Savings amount determined by category booked and sailing length:

• Sailings 5 nights or less, $25 savings for Interior and Ocean View, $50 for Balconies and $75 for Suites
• Sailings 6 nights or longer, $50 savings for Interior and Ocean View, $75 for Balconies, and $150 for Suites

Crown and Anchor Bonus

Applies to new bookings made between February 1 – 28, 2022 to Gold, Platinum, Emerald, Diamond, Diamond Plus, and Pinnacle Crown & Anchor Society members.

CAS Bonus provides up to $50 USD to spend at sea (“Onboard Credit or “OBC”) per stateroom on select sailings departing on or after March 1, 2022.

OBC amount is determined by sailing length:

• Sailings 5 nights or less, $25 to spend at sea
• Sailings 6 nights or longer, $50 to spend at sea.

OBCs are not redeemable for cash and are non-transferable. When reserving, a valid Crown & Anchor Society membership number must be included in the reservation.