Average Cruise Prices - What 785,000+ Price Snapshots Reveal
You're looking at a cruise price and you have no idea if it's good.
$189 per night for a balcony. Seems reasonable? But you saw one for $240 yesterday. And your coworker booked something similar for $150. Now you're second-guessing everything.
This is the problem. You only see the number in front of you — no context, no history, just a price and a "book now" button.
We track over 785,000 cruise prices across 9 cruise lines. Here's what cruises actually cost, and how to tell when a price is worth booking.
The Market Average (And Why It's Misleading)
$200/night — that's the average across all cruise lines and cabin types.
It's also useless. That number blends Disney ($527/night) with Carnival ($146/night). Like averaging a Honda Civic with a Mercedes and calling it helpful.
The real question: what's average for what you actually want?
Average Cruise Prices by Cruise Line
| Cruise Line | Avg $/Night | vs. Market |
|---|---|---|
| Carnival | $146 | -27% |
| MSC Cruises | $155 | -23% |
| Princess | $166 | -17% |
| Norwegian | $202 | +1% |
| Royal Caribbean | $221 | +11% |
| Virgin Voyages | $262 | +31% |
| Celebrity | $271 | +36% |
| Disney | $527 | +164% |
Budget Tier - Carnival and MSC ($146-155)
Don't let the "budget" label fool you. Carnival's newer ships (Jubilee, Celebration) are genuinely nice. MSC is aggressively pricing to win the North American market. Both deliver solid experiences at 25% below market.
Browse current deals by cruise line to see pricing.
Mid-Range - Princess, Norwegian, Royal Caribbean ($166-221)
Royal Caribbean's premium reflects the mega-ships and onboard attractions. You're paying for the water slides. Whether that's worth 50% more than Carnival depends on what you want from a cruise.
Premium - Virgin and Celebrity ($262-271)
Better food, calmer atmosphere, fewer kids. Virgin includes tips and basic drinks, so their headline price is closer to all-in.
Disney ($527)
This isn't cruise pricing — it's Disney pricing. Unmatched kids' programming, obsessive theming, double the cost. Worth it if your kids are Disney-obsessed. Expensive pixie dust if they're not.
Average Cruise Prices by Cabin Type
| Cabin Type | Avg $/Night | vs. Inside |
|---|---|---|
| Inside | $154 | — |
| Oceanview | $183 | +19% |
| Balcony | $204 | +32% |
| Suite | $375 | +144% |
Inside ($154): Best value per square foot. Same ship, same food, same pools — just no window. If your cabin is for sleeping, this is the play. Also the most volatile pricing, which means the best deals often show up here.
Oceanview ($183): The awkward middle child. You're paying 19% more for a window you can't open. Unless it's priced close to inside, skip it.
Balcony ($204): Where most experienced cruisers land. Outdoor space, fresh air, morning coffee watching the ship pull into port. Worth the premium for Caribbean sailings with sea days. Less essential for port-heavy itineraries.
Suite ($375): Here's where we get skeptical. 83% more than a balcony for extra square footage and some perks. For most travelers, a balcony delivers 90% of the experience at 55% of the price.
What Does a 7-Day Cruise Actually Cost?
Let's answer this directly.
| Cruise Length | Avg $/Night |
|---|---|
| 2-4 nights | $106 |
| 5-7 nights | $115 |
| 8-14 nights | $111 |
| 15+ nights | $78 |
The Math for 7 Nights
| Cost | Amount |
|---|---|
| Cruise fare (7 x $115) | ~$805 |
| Taxes & port fees | $100-200 |
| Gratuities | $100-140 |
| Baseline total | $1,000-1,150 |
That's before drinks, excursions, or specialty dining.
Add a drink package ($400-700), a couple excursions ($150-300), and one nice dinner ($50-75), and you're at $1,400-1,800 per person all-in.
The cruise fare is roughly 50-60% of what you'll actually spend. Budget accordingly.
When You Book Matters Too
When you book matters too. Booking 60-100 days out typically saves 20-30% versus booking 8 months ahead. We broke down the full timing analysis — including the best day of the week to check prices — in our guide to the best time to book a cruise.
How to Actually Use This
Averages give you context. They don't make decisions.
You're comparing cruise lines
Now you know the hierarchy. Carnival at $160/night is normal. Royal Caribbean at $160/night is below average — worth grabbing. Celebrity at $160/night is way below average — either a mistake or worth investigating immediately.
You found a sailing and want to know if the price is fair
Averages won't help. You need historical data for that specific sailing. Has it been cheaper? Trending up or down? Current price normal or outlier?
Use Cruise Radar to track any sailing and get alerts when prices drop.
You're flexible and want the best value
Consider 15+ night itineraries. Look at Carnival or MSC if you're not tied to a specific line.
Check our deals page for sailings currently priced well below their recent averages.
The Bottom Line
The specific sailing matters more than any average. Two cruises on the same ship can be $100/night apart depending on date and demand.
Averages tell you the landscape. History tells you if your price is worth booking.
Methodology
- Data: 785,761 price snapshots from the past 30 days
- Coverage: 55+ ships across 9 cruise lines (representing the majority of the North American cruise market)
- Pricing: Per person, double occupancy, cruise fare only
- Updates: Refreshed every few hours
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Frequently Asked Questions
About the Author
Graham H — Founder, All Aboard Deals
Graham has been cruising for over a decade and has sailed on 15+ cruises across Royal Caribbean, Carnival, Norwegian, and Virgin.
He built All Aboard Deals to track cruise prices the same way traders track charts — monitoring 35,000+ sailings and spotting fares that fall well below their recent averages.
When he's not digging through price drops, he's on board testing cabins, checking drink packages, and talking with other cruisers about what actually feels like a good value.
Editorial Standards
All guides are based on real pricing data, live fare checks, and historical trends. Content is updated as ships launch and prices change. Questions or corrections? Contact us