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A plane ticket that would otherwise cost $200 when booked months in advance can increase dramatically when booking at the last minute. Let’s go over everything you need to know about last-minute cruise deals to help you make the right decision before booking. It depends on your destination, but prices for most Royal Caribbean sailings rise steadily from late spring through mid-summer before dropping as kids return to school. The best Royal Caribbean cruise deals show up at the very time you are most likely to be dreaming of a sunny and warm vacation -- January, February and March. Other than those three months, watch for the aforementioned Black Friday cruise deals. Keep in mind that Royal Caribbean frequently enhances its fares with onboard credit and category upgrades while teasing you with both dollars and a percent off of the base fare.
HOLIDAY BLISS
Usually this is at the very beginning or very end of when ships begin sailing in a region, such as Europe or Alaska. The gorgeous view isn't the only thing that will dazzle you onboard our innovative cruise ships. Our complimentary shows are sure to entertain you from beginning to end. Relive the memories from your vacation with professional photos of your favorite moments onboard. Our photographers capture the joy of your adventure — from embarkation to formal night — and all the fun in between.
Symphony of the Seas
Our upcoming sailings are packed with countless exciting options filled with bucket list destinations. 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. 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.
SAND-WRITE YOUR ADVENTURE
Our goal has been to provide our readers with expansive coverage of all aspects of the Royal Caribbean experience. You’ll also have less choice when it comes to booking a flight schedule and hotel, which can lead to less than ideal scenarios. If you are hoping to book a balcony, you may find that only interior cabins and suites are available, leaving you to sacrifice on either comfort or budget. Ships in high demand are unlikely to have last-minute deals available, as they’re more likely to be booked further in advance. Furthermore, Cruise Critic makes no guarantees for availability of prices advertised on our site. Listed prices may have blackout dates, qualifications or restrictions.
With Royal Caribbean, your cruise fare includes access to most of the ship’s attractions, select dining venues and all of the entertainment onboard. If you want to make your experience even more all-inclusive, you can opt for beverage and specialty dining packages that cover drinks and dinner at some of the most exclusive restaurants in the fleet. On top of all that, the cruise line presents frequent limited-time offers and seasonal sales, making it easy to score big savings when booking your vacation. The first step to really taking advantage of specials like our Black Friday cruise deals and Cyber Monday savings is understanding the benefits each promotion includes.
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Be flexible with your departure ports
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. 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. Instead of cruising from Miami, look at sailings from Tampa or Port Canaveral.
Work with a travel agent
If you have kids, it can be difficult to take them out of school at the last minute when homework, tests, and activities are happening throughout the week. Booking at the last minute comes with far fewer stateroom categories than booking in advance, which could leave you disappointed. If you answered yes to any of those, then simply treat the drink package as an upgrade to your cruise and consider it a deal because the package price will likely beat the individual drink price. Plan everything now and use your vacation time to actually vacation with early booking. Timeless beauty and epic adventures await you on an unforgettable 7 night Europe cruise. From marveling at Italian architecture to cliff diving into the azure Mediterranean Sea in Santorini — chase the thrill of adventure on a legendary Euro getaway.
By the time you book your cruise, you may find much less availability on excursions and dining packages may be sold out. Cruise pricing is extremely dynamic and quite unpredictable, so just because a cruise is departing in a few days does not mean the price will always be cheaper than a cruise several months later. In fact, the cheapest cruise fares are usually found right when Royal Caribbean releases new itineraries, which is usually around two years prior to the departure date. Therefore, we recommend looking for last-minute cruise deals closer to your home port than ports across the country (or world). If you live in the northeast, look for deals out of Cape Liberty rather than Los Angeles or Miami. While last-minute cruise fares can lead to some amazing savings, these savings can sometimes be negated by last-minute airfare prices.
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Departure Months
The more you cruise, the higher your membership tier and the more offers and perks you’ll get to enjoy. Just check your email or visit RoyalCaribbean.com/cruise-deals to stay up to date on promotions, sales and special offers. You can even browse sailings and deals by homeport, destination and season, so you can rest assured you’re getting the best possible deal no matter when or where in the world you choose to set sai. Right now’s the time to put an unforgettable bucket list trip on your itinerary — with our best sale of the year.
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. Royal Caribbean markets their newest and biggest cruise ships more than the fleet’s older vessels, but that doesn’t mean you should avoid smaller cruise ships. By searching for cruises on older ships, you’re almost guaranteed to find cheap cruise deals. Longer cruises, including repositioning sailings, also tend to have more deals available. A long cruise, especially one that is 10 nights or longer, has less demand due to vacation time required for the cruise.
Ranging from 25% to 100% of the total cost of your cruise, cancellation fees can easily reach thousands of dollars. Therefore, it’s important to be 100% certain you plan to cruise before you book a last-minute sailing. Booking in advance can actually offer a cheaper (and more flexible) cruising experience due to Royal Caribbean's repricing policy.
Instant savings are deducted directly from your total vacation cost the moment you book. For example, if you see “Up to $200 in instant savings” advertised as part of a cruise offer, that means you’ll enjoy up to $200 off the total cost of your booking. The amount of instant savings you receive usually depends on the stateroom category you book — higher stateroom categories, like suites, enjoy the most savings. The next step is making sure you take advantage right now, because our Black Friday and Cyber Monday offers are our best sales of the year. These deals usually apply to folks who live near a departure port, such as Florida, and often include instant savings in the form of a percentage off your cruise fare.
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. Finding a “cheap” cruise deal does not mean you’re sacrificing a quality vacation, either. Cruise deals are due to a combination of factors—time of year, demand, and departure port—which means a good deal doesn’t equate a bad cruise. A good travel agent can guide you through the different fares, help you pick out the perfect cruise ship cabin type for your family and avoid the bad cabins. There's so much to experience on a Royal Caribbean International cruise and we want to make sure you make the most of your time with us.
Let your adventure take flight —our Air2Sea program makes getting to your cruise a breeze. We’ve secured seats with major airlines at negotiated special rates and passed those savings on to you. Make your travel experience seamless with the lowest airfare guaranteed, nonstop flights to get you to your cruise, assured arrival at the ship and 24/7 support from our specialists.
Get your adrenaline fix with two onboard water slides, a wave park and the only boomerang slide at sea. Dash through the seas and launch into the holiday spirit with themed parties and daily shows. Enjoy one of our specialty restaurants where you'll find traditional favorites and new holiday-themed dishes and delights. It’s an age-old question — does the early bird really get the worm, or are there perks to taking a “wait-and-see” approach? If you’re booking a cruise vacation, you’ll find there are benefits to both strategies.
Gather 'round for a sumptuous Thanksgiving dinner — without lifting a finger. Wander through a winter wonderland as the Royal Promenade comes alive with Christmas cheer. Ring in the New Year with a massive balloon drop plus sensational beats. Enjoy the ultimate holiday celebration with loved ones this festive season. Fill the December holidays with tropical, action-packed days and unforgettable memories. Start a new tradition with the biggest holiday cruise celebration at sea.
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