December 2025 Cruise Price Index Report
Cruise prices dropped this month — an unusual trend for December. We tracked over 636,000 price snapshots across 55+ ships, and the market saw aggressive discounting on January sailings, a widening gap between budget and premium lines, and Norwegian leading with 60%+ price drops on select sailings.
Market Snapshot
| Avg Price/Night | Premium Deals (90+) | Biggest Drop |
|---|---|---|
| $194 (-$4) | 23 active | -69% on Prima |
What Moved the Market?
- Norwegian dominated deal charts with aggressive January sailing discounts (69% off on Prima)
- MSC and Carnival led value pricing with sub-$160/night averages
- Tampa emerged as best value US port at $123/night (-$41 drop)
- Port Canaveral and Fort Lauderdale saw increases as Florida demand stayed strong
- Celebrity saw the biggest line increase at +$24/night as premium demand held firm
- Inside cabin prices rose (+$16) while suites surprisingly dropped (-$5)
Cheapest Ship of the Month: MSC Seascape — from $39/night
Average Price by Cruise Line
| Cruise Line | Avg Price/Night | vs Last Month |
|---|---|---|
| Carnival | $149 | -$11 |
| MSC Cruises | $159 | -$21 |
| Princess | $175 | -$2 |
| Norwegian | $205 | +$6 |
| Royal Caribbean | $225 | -$1 |
| Celebrity | $246 | +$24 |
| Virgin Voyages | $259 | -$15 |
Prices shown are the lowest per-night rate we saw for each sailing.
Key Takeaways by Line
- Carnival: Best budget option at $149/night, down $11 from November
- MSC Cruises: Biggest monthly drop (-$21) makes them the value leader for big-ship cruising
- Princess: Steady pricing with minimal movement, reliable mid-tier option
- Norwegian: Higher average but incredible flash sales on specific sailings (Prima at $40/night)
- Royal Caribbean: Essentially flat month-over-month, holding firm on holiday pricing
- Celebrity: Premium demand pushed prices up $24/night — strongest increase of any line
- Virgin Voyages: Dropped $15/night, rare discount opportunity for the adults-only line
Average Price by Departure Port
| Port | Avg Price/Night | vs Last Month |
|---|---|---|
| Tampa | $123 | -$41 |
| San Juan | $154 | -$25 |
| Los Angeles | $165 | +$29 |
| Galveston | $166 | -$9 |
| New York | $171 | +$6 |
| Fort Lauderdale | $185 | +$14 |
| Miami | $187 | -$3 |
| Port Canaveral | $232 | +$22 |
Prices shown are the lowest per-night rate we saw for each sailing.
Port Insights
- Tampa: Best US port value at $123/night — massive $41 drop makes it the clear winner for budget cruisers
- Los Angeles: Bucked the trend with a $29 increase as Mexican Riviera demand heated up
- Port Canaveral: Highest average at $232/night reflects strong demand for newer ships homeported there
Average Price by Cabin Type
| Cabin Type | Avg Price/Night | vs Last Month |
|---|---|---|
| Inside | $149 | +$16 |
| Ocean View | $168 | +$9 |
| Balcony | $190 | +$7 |
| Suite | $357 | -$5 |
Prices shown are the lowest per-night rate we saw for each sailing.
- Inside cabins saw the biggest increase (+$16) — budget travelers feel the holiday squeeze
- Balcony cabins at $190/night remain the sweet spot with the smallest percentage increase
- Suites actually dropped $5 — unusual opportunity if you want to upgrade for less
Why did cabin prices rise while the market average fell? This is a composition effect: the mix of bookings shifted toward budget cabins. Even though Inside cabins cost more than last month, significantly more travelers booked them — pulling the overall market average down. The deals were real, just concentrated in specific sailings that drove more budget-tier bookings.
Best Booking Windows
| Days Before Departure | Avg Price/Night |
|---|---|
| 0-30 days | $81 |
| 31-60 days | $81 |
| 61-90 days | $87 |
| 91-120 days | $113 |
| 121-180 days | $121 |
| 180+ days | $144 |
Biggest Price Drops This Month
| Ship | Itinerary | Drop | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Norwegian Prima | 7-night Caribbean from Port Canaveral (Jan 4) | -69% | $44/night |
| Norwegian Prima | 7-night Caribbean from Port Canaveral (Jan 11) | -67% | $40/night |
| Norwegian Joy | 4-night Bahamas from Miami | -58% | $55/night |
| Norwegian Viva | 14-night Panama Canal from Galveston | -57% | $52/night |
| MSC Seascape | 7-night Caribbean from Galveston | -50% | $39/night |
Pro Tip: Use our Live Cruise Price Index to track these deals in real-time.
What to Expect in January
Expect Higher Prices:
- Wave Season marketing pushes begin in early January with promotional pricing
- Post-holiday demand for late January and February sailings typically rebounds
- Short Caribbean sailings see increased booking activity as winter sets in
Potential Deals:
- Norwegian's aggressive January pricing may continue into February sailings
- Repositioning cruises as ships move for spring itineraries
- Late January sailings after the initial wave of holiday bookings clear
- Longer itineraries (10+ nights) often see less demand in winter months
How We Calculate These Numbers
- 636,000 price snapshots collected over the past 30 days
- 7 major cruise lines and 55+ ships
- Data sourced from official cruise line websites
- Updated every few hours for accuracy
- Prices are per person, per night based on double occupancy
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Data collected November 28 - December 28, 2025. Prices subject to change. Past performance does not guarantee future pricing.
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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