Cruise Line Price Drop and Rebook Policies for Every Major Line

We tracked 2.6 million cruise fares across 9 cruise lines. Virtually every sailing drops in price at least once. But knowing when prices drop is only half the equation. The other half: what your cruise line will actually do about it.

The answer ranges from "here's 120% of the difference as onboard credit" to "sorry, that's final." And the difference between those outcomes is worth hundreds of dollars.

Here's every major cruise line's price drop policy, what actually happens when you call, and how to position yourself before you book.

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The Two Windows That Matter

Every rebook conversation comes down to one question: have you made final payment?

Before final payment is the easy window. Most cruise lines will reprice your booking or let you cancel and rebook. You're still within your cancellation period, so you have leverage.

After final payment is where policies diverge sharply. Some lines offer onboard credit. Some offer cabin upgrades. Most offer nothing.

The table below is the cheat sheet. The sections that follow explain what each line actually means by these policies — because the fine print matters.

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Every Major Cruise Line Compared

Now the details, line by line.

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Royal Caribbean

Before final payment: Royal Caribbean will generally reprice your booking to match a lower fare for the same ship, sail date, and stateroom category. You can request this by calling or through your travel agent. Recent reports suggest RC is tightening repricing, particularly for promotional fares marked "new bookings only."

After final payment: Under the Best Price Guarantee, if you submit a claim within 48 hours of booking, you can receive onboard credit for the difference or a cabin upgrade. Outside that 48-hour window and past final payment, Royal Caribbean typically won't adjust.

What to know: RC's Best Price Guarantee requires the lower fare to be publicly available for the exact same stateroom category code. Different category, different promo, or agent-exclusive rate? Doesn't count. The 48-hour clock starts when the booking is created, not when the price drops.

The play: Book early, watch the price. If it drops before final payment, call and reprice. A Royal Caribbean price tracker makes this easier — 27.8% of RC sailings show a 10%+ weekly shift. After final payment, your options are limited unless you're within that 48-hour window.

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Celebrity Cruises

Before final payment: Celebrity will reprice your booking to match a lower publicly advertised fare. Same rules as Royal Caribbean — same ship, same date, same category. You can submit a claim within 48 hours of booking or anytime before the final payment due date.

After final payment: Celebrity may approve a cabin upgrade if a lower fare appears, but refunds aren't offered. This is at their discretion, not guaranteed.

What to know: Celebrity is the most volatile cruise line we track. 37.2% of Celebrity's fleet shows a 10%+ price drop in any given week — jumping to 80% during peak promotional pushes. That means price drops are nearly guaranteed, making the pre-final-payment window extremely valuable for Celebrity bookings.

The play: Celebrity's volatility works in your favor if you're watching. Book, delay final payment as long as possible, and check weekly. The odds of catching a meaningful drop are higher here than any other line.

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Carnival Cruise Line

Early Saver rate: This is the standout policy in the industry. Carnival's Early Saver fares include built-in price protection that works both before and after final payment. If the price drops before you've paid in full, your balance is reduced. If it drops after, you receive the difference as non-refundable onboard credit. This protection runs through two business days before sailing.

Other Carnival rates: Standard fares without Early Saver don't include automatic price protection. You can request a reprice before final payment, but after payment you're locked in.

What to know: Early Saver rates are typically available for sailings 3+ months out for shorter cruises and 5+ months for 6-night-and-longer voyages. You can submit a price drop claim online or call 1-800-764-7419. If you booked through a travel agent, they must submit the claim.

The play: Book Early Saver whenever it's available. The built-in price protection after final payment is something almost no other line offers. It effectively gives you a "book now, benefit later" safety net for the entire booking window.

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Norwegian Cruise Line

Before final payment: Norwegian will reprice your booking or let you cancel and rebook at the lower fare. You must accept the terms and conditions of the new promotion, which means your original perks might change.

After final payment: If your reservation is fully paid and more than 14 days before sailing, Norwegian offers two options: a complimentary cabin upgrade equivalent to the price difference (subject to availability), or a Future Cruise Credit at 100% of the difference. The FCC is valid for two years and only applies to sailings of 6+ nights.

What to know: Norwegian prices differently than most lines. NCL tends to bundle perks (drink packages, Wi-Fi, excursion credits) rather than cut the base fare. Only 9.4% of Norwegian's fleet shows a 10%+ weekly drop — the second-steadiest major line. A fare-only price watch might miss NCL's version of a deal entirely.

The play: Pay attention to the total value of your booking, not just the fare. A new NCL promotion might add $500 in bundled perks without changing the base price. If the base fare does drop after payment, the FCC option is decent — but only if you're planning another cruise within two years.

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Princess Cruises

Before final payment: Princess's "Better Than Best Price Guarantee" is the most generous formal program in the industry. If you find a lower publicly available fare for the same cruise, category, and sail date before final payment, Princess gives you 120% of the difference as onboard credit. Not 100% — 120%.

After final payment: No formal price protection. You're locked in.

What to know: The 120% OBC guarantee has specific eligibility windows tied to promotional booking periods. Check the current terms on princess.com before assuming coverage. The guarantee applies to fares on princess.com — not third-party OTA pricing.

The play: Princess's pre-payment guarantee is strong enough to make early booking lower-risk than most lines. Book early, hold off on final payment, and submit the claim form if you spot a lower fare. The 120% OBC means you come out ahead even after the hassle of filing.

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Holland America Line

Before final payment: Holland America's Best Price Guarantee covers the first 72 hours after booking. If you find a lower publicly available fare on hollandamerica.com within that window, you receive 120% of the difference as onboard credit. Outside the 72-hour window, repricing is handled case-by-case.

After final payment: No formal price protection. Holland America's terms don't include post-payment adjustments.

What to know: The 72-hour guarantee is much narrower than what Carnival or Princess offers. It's a booking-confidence measure, not ongoing price protection. The fare must match identical details: same ship, sail date, category, number of guests, and bundle.

The play: Holland America's narrow window means the guarantee mostly protects against "I just booked and the price changed overnight." For ongoing monitoring, you're relying on the standard pre-final-payment reprice request — which HAL handles but doesn't guarantee.

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MSC Cruises

Before final payment: MSC doesn't have a formal price drop policy, but will often reprice your booking if you call before final payment and the same fare conditions are available. This is handled on a case-by-case basis.

After final payment: No adjustment. You're locked in.

What to know: MSC's lack of a formal policy means results depend on the representative you reach and the specific fare type. Some travelers report success; others don't. If you booked through a travel agent, your agent needs to make the call.

The play: Without a written guarantee, your leverage before final payment is the implicit threat of cancellation and rebooking. Most reps know it's easier to reprice than lose the booking. After final payment, don't expect movement.

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Disney Cruise Line

Before final payment: Disney will adjust your fare to match a lower price if you call and request it before the final payment date. This is not an automatic guarantee — you need to ask.

After final payment: No price adjustments. No onboard credit. No upgrades.

What to know: Disney is the steadiest pricer we track. Only 6.2% of Disney's fleet shows a 10%+ weekly drop. Demand carries the price. Drops do happen — especially on newer ships or repositioning sailings — but they're far less frequent than Celebrity or Royal Caribbean.

The play: Don't build a booking strategy around waiting for Disney price drops. They happen, but they're rare enough that the cabin you want may sell out first. Book when you're comfortable with the price and check occasionally before final payment.

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Virgin Voyages

Before final payment: Virgin Voyages will reduce your fare or reprice your booking to match a lower Voyage Fare for the same ship, sail date, category, fare class, and number of guests.

After final payment: If approved, Virgin issues a Future Voyage Credit for the price difference. The guarantee can be applied up to 7 days before the voyage start date.

What to know: Virgin introduced a tiered fare structure (VoyageFair Choices) in late 2025 with three distinct fare levels, similar to airline pricing. The Best Price Guarantee has a 48-hour claim window from booking creation, and the lower fare must be combinable with your existing promotions.

The play: Virgin's post-payment FVC option is better than most lines, but only useful if you're planning another sailing. The 48-hour claim window is restrictive — set a calendar reminder to check prices right after booking.

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The Bottom Line

Cruise prices drop for virtually every sailing. The question isn't whether your price will go down — it's whether your cruise line will do anything about it. Carnival's Early Saver and Princess's 120% guarantee tilt the odds in your favor. Royal Caribbean and Celebrity offer flexibility before final payment but close the door after. Norwegian, Disney, and MSC leave you with less to work with.

The best rebook strategy starts before you book: pick the right rate type, understand your line's policy, and set up price alerts so you catch drops when they happen — not after it's too late.

Cruise Radar scores every fare 0-100 based on 2.6M+ price snapshots, then shows you the score right on the booking page — so you know whether a drop is actually worth acting on.

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Policy details current as of February 2026. Cruise lines update terms frequently. Always verify your specific booking's eligibility on the cruise line's website before filing a claim.