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.

You might be able to save extra money on booking a new cruise or a pre-cruise add-on, such as a drink package, excursion or wifi.

Royal Caribbean's WOW Sale begins today, which offers new discounts on cruise fares and items purchased via the Cruise Planner website.

Whether or not either of these sales saves you money will depend on the ship and sailing you pick, but here's what you should know about the promotion.

WOW Sale

WOW Sale applies to new bookings made between February 9 – 14, 2022.

It offers up to $400 USD Onboard Credit 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

Onboard credit does not apply to China departures.

Combinability: 30% Off Every Guest, 2022 Kicker, CAS Bonus and FCC Kicker 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. WOW Sale is combinable with 30% Off Every Guest, 2022 Kicker, CAS Bonus and FCC Kicker 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. 30% Off Every Guest, 2022 Kicker and CAS Bonus is 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. FCC Kicker is combinable with all rates and promotions. Promo Code driven offers are based on select ships and sail dates and must be applied at time of booking; limit one promo code per booking.

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

Cruise Planner WOW Sale

The new sale offers up to 35% off pre-cruise purchases made between February 9 – 16, 2022 on sailings departing between February 13, 2022 – December 31, 2022.

Here is what is included during the sale:

Beverage: Up to 40% off

• Classic Soda Beverage Package: 30% off onboard prices.
• Classic Soda Beverage Package + VOOM Surf & Stream 1 Device: Over 35% off onboard prices.
• Spring Water Cans: 40% off onboard prices.
• San Benedetto Water Cans: 40% off onboard prices.
• Evian Water Bottles: 40% off onboard prices.
• Deluxe Beverage Package: Discount varies by ship.
• Deluxe Beverage Package + VOOM Surf & Stream 1 Device: Over 30% off onboard prices.
• Refreshment Package: 30% off onboard prices.

Shore Excursions: Up to 30% off

• Shore Excursions: Discount varies by ship.

Internet: Up to 50% Off

• VOOM Surf + Stream Voyage Package 1, 2, 3, 4 Device(s): Discount varies by ship.
• VOOM Surf + Stream Voyage Package 1, 2, 3, 4 Device(s): Discount varies by ship
• VOOM Surf Voyage Package 1, 2, 3, 4 Device(s): Discount varies by ship.

Dining: Up to 55% Off

• Unlimited Dining Package on 3N – 9N sailings: Discount varies by ship.

Gifts & Gear: Up to 20% Off

• Anniversary Decorations with Champagne
• Happy Birthday Decorations with Chocolate Cake & Strawberries
• Happy Birthday Decorations with Vanilla Cake & Strawberries
• Inky Beach Set
• Inky Beach Towel (TicTacToe)
• Inky Travel Set
• Red Wine and Cheese
• Royal Caribbean Beach Towel
• Strawberries with Champagne
• White Wine and Cheese

Photo Packages: Up to 70% Off

• Photo Packages: From 5 – 100 Print and/or Digital Options: Discount varies by ship..
• Photo Package: Private Photo Session: Discount varies by ship.
• Photo Package: Picture This Private Studio: Discount varies by ship.
• Photo Package: All Digital: Discount varies by ship.

Spa: Up to 30% Off

• Spa Packages: Discount varies by ship.

Can I save money with this sale?

Each Royal Caribbean sale adds the potential to save money on the cost of these purchases, but the price does not change for every single sailing and item available to purchase.

Some prices may change, but there is not a flat discount applied across all sailings.  Some people will notice better prices, while others may not see any change.

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.

More helpful information

• Should you buy pre-cruise purchases now or wait to buy it onboard?
• 45 ways to save money on a Royal Caribbean cruise
• How much should I budget for a cruise?

It looks like Royal Caribbean may not extend its popular double points promotion, so time is running out to book a cruise that qualifies for it.

Royal Caribbean added the double points offer during the cruise industry shutdown as a way to motivate cruise fans to book more cruises. As the name implies, you get double the normal Crown and Anchor society points if you happen to book a cruise under this promotion.

The Double Points offer officially ends September 30, 2021, and is valid for sailings departing January 1, 2021 to December 31, 2022.

Any cruise booked before the offer expires can qualify for double Cruise Points.

Here is the breakdown of the points you will receive under the Double Points offer:

If you already have a cruise booked between January 1, 2021 and December 31, 2022, this offer is being applied to all qualified existing bookings.

Since the Double Points benefit was announced, it was a big hit with guests because it allows people to move up the cruise line's customer loyalty program faster.

Loyalty 2X Points is available to Gold, Platinum, Emerald, Diamond, Diamond Plus, and Pinnacle Crown & Anchor Society members.

Crown and Anchor points will be applied once the guest has paid their booking in full and completed their sailing. 

Read more: Top 8 Royal Caribbean Double Points questions

Why double points is good

Earning double the amount of points per night means you can earn points quicker, which is something Royal Caribbean has rarely offered in the past.

By earning more points, you can reach the higher tiers of Crown and Anchor Society faster, and there are some really lucrative benefits for reaching the Diamond and Diamond Plus tiers.

Complimentary alcoholic drinks, balcony discounts, complimentary photos, and reserved seating at shows are just some of the great freebies guests who reach the top tiers of Crown and Anchor Society can expect.

Moreover, this type of offer has rarely been seen.  Previous extra point offers were much more restrictive and have not been made available for a while.

There is now even more time to earn double Crown and Anchor points.

Royal Caribbean announced it has extended the Loyalty 2X Points benefit so that it applies to existing bookings, as well as new bookings made between now and September 30, 2021 for cruises sailing through December 31, 2022.

Prior to this extension, the program was good for bookings made through June 30, 2021 and departing between now and September 30, 2022. This is the third time Royal Caribbean has extended the Double Points offer.

Double points means guests earn twice the amount of points per night than usual in the Crown and Anchor Society.

There is no change to existing cruises booked during the extended time period, as they already qualify for the benefit as well.

Since the Double Points benefit was announced, it was a big hit with guests because it allows people to move up the cruise line's customer loyalty program faster.

Instead of the usual one point per night, Royal Caribbean said it would double the points per night (including other staterooms as well):

• Standard room: 2 points per night
• Suite room: 4 points per night
• Solo guest in standard room: 4 points per night
• Solo guest in suite: 6 points per night

Loyalty 2X Points is available to Gold, Platinum, Emerald, Diamond, Diamond Plus, and Pinnacle Crown & Anchor Society members.

Crown and Anchor points will be applied once the guest has paid their booking in full and completed their sailing. 

Why you want double points

Earning double the amount of points per night means you can earn points quicker, which is something Royal Caribbean has rarely offered in the past.

By earning more points, you can reach the higher tiers of Crown and Anchor Society faster, and there are some really lucrative benefits for reaching the Diamond and Diamond Plus tiers.

Complimentary alcoholic drinks, balcony discounts, complimentary photos, and reserved seating at shows are just some of the great freebies guests who reach the top tiers of Crown and Anchor Society can expect.

Moreover, this type of offer has rarely been seen.  Previous extra point offers were much more restrictive and have not been made available for a while.

If you are any of Royal Caribbean's email lists, then you will very likely get plenty of emails advertising new discounts and sales on cruise fares, shore excursions, wifi and more.  But will any of these promotions actually save you money?

I'm back with an answer to another commonly asked Royal Caribbean question that one of our readers have sent in, which I hope helps a lot more people as well.

I got an email from Royal Caribbean for a new sale, but I've seen comments on Facebook that the prices don't actually change.  Someone even said they raise the price before the sale and then discount it after. Are these sales "fact or fiction"? - Erin A.

Social media is a terrific resource for learning and sharing, and you will definitely see a wide assortment of opinions when it comes to cruises.

I have seen some people write about saving hundred or thousands of dollars, thanks to a new sale, but I have also seen others complaining their prices only go up.

So will these cruise sales and pre-cruise discounts save you any money?

Like so many things in life, the answer is it depends.

Cruise fare sales

Royal Caribbean has sales quite often on cruise fares, and every few weeks has a new sale on things you can pre-purchase for your booked sailing.

Yes, every sale offered by Royal Caribbean could potentially save money compared to the price the day before, but not every sale means there are lower prices across the board.

In my experience, Royal Caribbean tends to have different targets or goals with its sales. But it is extremely rare that any one promotion has a flat discount across every sailing and date.  

However, that does not mean because one or more people report no discount that there are no savings.

When it comes to sales on cruises, a lot of the time savings depend on the type of booking. Kids Sail Free deals always see the best discounts if you have a third or fourth passenger in the same room.  30% off sales will net a completely different kind of savings.

Moreover, you may have already the lowest price for a sailing because you booked early enough to get that best deal.

Traditionally, Royal Caribbean cruise prices are generally set the lowest when a new sailing becomes available, and then prices increase over time.  Royal Caribbean calls this pricing model "low to high".

The idea behind the low to high model is it provides consumers with the confidence that they are getting the best deal.

Obviously there can be exceptions, because pricing is not linear, but there is no doubt the best prices tend to be early on.

Read more: How far in advance should I book a cruise to get the best price?

Does Royal Caribbean play games with their prices?

Erin also mentions the often repeated theory that Royal Caribbean raises prices before a sale in order to make the discount seem noteworthy.

In my experience, prices for cruises will fluctuate daily, or even hourly, depending on a variety of factors.

The best parallel I can provide to give an example of how cruise fare prices tend to go are jeans at the mall.  The ticket price is the baseline price for jeans, and cruise fares have similar list fares.  Later, the store puts those jeans on sale and the price goes down for a bit.  But once that promotion ends, the price for the jeans may go back up to its ticket price again.  And then a week or two later, a new sale on jeans brings the price down again.  And so forth.

Cruise fare prices are not exactly like merchandise in a store, but you will see an ebb and flow to their prices in a similar way.

The major difference with cruise fare is the price of a cruise is also dependent on supply and demand.  The more cabins booked, the higher prices tend to go.

So the reason why the price of a cabin may go up before a sale is not a nefarious Royal Caribbean conspiracy to suck up all your money, but the fact cabins on that sailing have recently sold and now there is less supply, and prices adjust accordingly.

Airfare is priced similarly, and ultimately how many seats/cabins are left combined with booking trends dictate discounts (or lack thereof).

So the bottom line is, yes, sales can save you money on your cruise fare, but don't expect a discount on every sailing.

Read more: 45 ways to save money on a Royal Caribbean cruise

Do pre-cruise sales save money?

What about the sales on wifi, shore excursions, or drink packages? Will those sales save you money?

The answer is a bit clearer here, because it is easier to compare and track prices since everyone is getting the same offering (as opposed to cabins).

Royal Caribbean's Cruise Planner sales definitely save money on most purchases compared to the price if you wait to book it onboard.

Drink packages, wifi, and even shore excursions will definitely cost more if you wait to book it once you get on the ship.

Read more: Royal Caribbean Drink Package Information and Planning Tips

Spa treatments are a bit of a wash, as the price is basically the same onboard or online.  The spa offers special deals onboard, but they are almost always on combo packages that are not offered online, so you cannot compare the two.

Specialty dining packages are sometimes discounted online compared to waiting to book onboard. Individual restaurant reservations are more or less the same as onboard.

The really nice thing about the pre-cruise sales is you can easily track prices, and cancel and rebook if there is a better price. 

Cruise pros know to book something they want early, and then look for new price drops if they happen. Unlike cruise fares, there is no penalty for cancelling and rebooking, even within just a few weeks of the sailing.

Read more: How to cancel and rebook pre-cruise purchases on Royal Caribbean's Cruise Planner

Cruise planner sales can absolutely save you money, and almost certainly will not cost you more than booking onboard.

More mailbag questions:

• What's worth paying extra for on a cruise?
• What is the earliest flight I should book after the cruise?

Royal Caribbean announced expanded senior discounts on select cruises for sailings next year.

Royal Caribbean has expanded senior discounts of up to 15% off across many Caribbean itineraries departing between fall 2021 through spring 2022.

The senior prices are available on selected sailings exclusively for guests who are 55 years of age and older. 

The new prices are available to book between now through Friday, March 19, 2021.

Up to 15% off clients who are 55 years old or above:

• 7-night Caribbean: Allure of the Seas (departing from Fort Lauderdale)
• 7-night Caribbean: Symphony of the Seas (Miami)
• Short Caribbean: Navigator of the Seas (Fort Lauderdale)
• Short Caribbean: Freedom of the Seas (Miami)

Exact prices and discounts will vary, but be sure to ask your travel agent to compare the senior citizen rate compared to the standard rates.

Read more: 7 ways to get a discount on your Royal Caribbean cruise

New senior discounts are in tandem with Royal Caribbean's comments during its recent earnings call with investors that the group they are seeing a lot of new bookings are seniors.

Bookings have risen by about 30 percent in the first two months of this year compared to the last two months in 2020, and many are guests aged 65 and above.  It appears there is a correlation between getting the Covid vaccine and wanting to plan a cruise.

Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley told investors, "One of the things we’ve seen after the holidays is a proportional increase in the number of guests booking that are 65-plus, and that has continued to increase."

"I believe the 65-plus are getting vaccinated and obviously becoming more comfortable in booking."

"As the vaccine spreads down into the population by age, we'll see that probably accelerate."

A new year means the official start to wave season, and Royal Caribbean has just released its offer for 2021.

Wave season is an industry term for the time of year when cruise lines tend to offer their best promotion. It traditionally takes place between January and March and is not just an arbitrary time of year to offer cruise deals.

A lot of people typically book cruises in the early months of year as a result of wanting to plan their vacations for later, as well as being influenced by cold temperatures now that compel them to think of a tropical cruise vacation.

In order to take advantage of higher demand, all the cruise lines roll out new promotions and incentives to get their share of the new bookings.

Like all Royal Caribbean promotions, wave season does not necessarily mean the absolute lowest price you will find, but it may mean a different type of offer or add-on.

If you follow the Royal Caribbean marketing process, you are keenly aware there are sales throughout the year, so what makes wave season stand out? Essentially, the sale period for wave season offers lasts longer and you may find bonuses to add-on.

As with any sale, the wave season offer is a good opportunity to price shop and check if your existing bookings qualify for a lower rate, or if you have been eyeing a new booking, seeing where prices stand.

Royal Caribbean's Wave Season offer

Royal Caribbean's Wave Season sale runs between January 5 - 31, 2021 and includes 60% off the second guest, plus instant savings on 2021 cruises.

The BOGO60 offer must be booked between January 5 – January 31, 2021 and is valid on select sailings departing on or after March 1, 2021. 

It includes:

• 60% savings off the price of cruise fare of the second guest booked in the same stateroom as first, full-fare paying guest
• 30% cruise fare savings for third guests and higher booked in the same stateroom as the first two qualifying guests.
• Up to $150 USD per stateroom on select sailings departing between April 1 – September 30, 2021
  • Sailings 5 nights or less, $25 savings for Interior and Ocean View, $75 for Balconies and Suites
  • Sailings 6 nights or longer, $50 savings for Interior and Ocean View, $75 for Balconies, and $150 for Suites

BOGO60 and 2021 Kicker are combinable with each other as well as promotional OBCs, NextCruise offers, instant savings, restricted discounts (for example, Seniors, Residents, Military), Promo Code driven offers, Free Upgrades, Crown and Anchor discounts and Shareholder Benefits. Resident rates apply to select states on select sailings; valid address must be entered at time of booking to redeem savings. Offer is not combinable with any other offer or promotion, including, but not limited to, Standard Group, Interline, Travel Agent, Travel Agent Friends and Family, Weekly Sales Events, and Net Rates. Promo Code driven offers are based on select ships and sail dates and must be applied at time of booking; limit one promo code per booking.

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