How to Get Discounts on Royal Caribbean (That Actually Work)
Royal Caribbean runs sales constantly. 75% off second guest. Kids sail free. BOGO balconies. There's always a promotion with a countdown timer.
Here's the problem: most of these aren't real discounts. They're repackaged standard pricing with urgency slapped on top.
The actual price of your cruise — the number that matters — fluctuates independently of whatever sale banner is running. Your coworker who "got a great deal" during Wave Season might have paid more than you'd pay today with no sale at all. That's why we built Cruise Radar — to show you what prices actually are, not what the marketing says.
This guide separates the tactics that actually save money from the ones that just feel like savings.
The Short Version
- Royal Caribbean "sales" run 52 weeks a year — most aren't real discounts
- Track the actual price, not the promotion (prices move independently of sale banners)
- Book when you see a fair price, then reprice if it drops before final payment
- Best booking window: 50-100 days out (70% of discounts happen here)
- Best day to check: Saturday (4.5x more likely to see a drop than Monday)
Why Are Royal Caribbean Sales Misleading?
Royal Caribbean promotes 52 weeks a year. If there's always a sale, there's never a sale.
"75% off second guest" isn't a limited-time offer — it's almost always available. The headline discount stays the same while the underlying fare moves up and down based on demand.
We track Royal Caribbean prices daily — over 192,000 price snapshots in the past 30 days alone. What the data shows: Royal Caribbean has the highest price volatility of any major cruise line. Prices move frequently, often with no connection to promotional periods.
That volatility is actually good news — it means real discounts happen all the time. You just can't rely on marketing to tell you when.
Real Example: The "All-In Sale" on Wonder of the Seas
Royal Caribbean's current "All-In Sale" shows a 4-night Bahamas cruise at $617/person — with a banner claiming "$612 saved" and "60% off second guest."
Our data for this exact ship shows March inside cabins average $163/night. A 4-night sailing at that rate? $652. The "sale" price of $617 is actually below average — but only by $35, not $612.
The discount is real. The size of it isn't.
How Do I Actually Get Royal Caribbean Discounts?
1. Track the Price, Not the Sale
A Royal Caribbean sailing can drop $50/night on a random Tuesday with no promotion. It can also rise $30/night during a "sale."
The only way to know: track the specific sailing you want over time.
How to do it:
- Manual: Bookmark the sailing, check every few days, write down the price
- With a tracker: See historical context instantly
Cruise Radar shows a 0-100 deal score right on Royal Caribbean's booking page. You see immediately whether the price is good relative to history — no spreadsheet required.
2. Book Then Reprice
This is the lowest-risk approach to Royal Caribbean discounts.
Royal Caribbean allows repricing if the fare drops before final payment. The process:
- Book when you see a price you're comfortable with
- Monitor the price
- If it drops, call and request the lower rate
- Get the difference as a price reduction or onboard credit
Final payment is typically 75-90 days before sailing (120 days for longer itineraries). See Royal Caribbean's payment policy for details.
How to track without the hassle:
The Cruise Radar extension includes price drop alerts. Set your cabin type, choose your target drop percentage, and get an email when the price hits your number. No spreadsheets, no daily checking.
For Pro members, we also have a rebook tracker — add your booked sailings and we'll monitor them automatically. When a price drops, you'll know before it bounces back.
3. Book Your Next Cruise Onboard
One tactic that's genuinely worth the effort.
Booking onboard gets you:
- Reduced deposit (often $100 or less)
- Onboard credit ($100-200 depending on cabin type)
- Flexibility to change the sailing later
You're essentially placing a placeholder. Pick any sailing, lock in the OBC, then call after you're home to switch to the cruise you actually want. You can also transfer the booking to a travel agent to stack additional perks.
4. Use Crown & Anchor Loyalty Rates
Royal Caribbean's loyalty program occasionally unlocks better pricing.
At higher tiers (Diamond and above), you'll see member-only rates and exclusive sailings that aren't available to the public. Even lower tiers sometimes get "Crown & Anchor rates" that beat standard fares.
Check the Crown & Anchor Society page to see what your tier unlocks.
When Is the Best Time to Book Royal Caribbean?
Our data shows Royal Caribbean discounts more than any other cruise line — but timing matters.
| Booking Window | % of Sailings Discounted |
|---|---|
| 0-50 days | 41% |
| 51-100 days | 29% |
| 101-200 days | 24% |
| 201-300 days | 11% |
| 300+ days | 7% |
Booking a year out almost never gets you the best price. The sweet spot is under 100 days — that's where 70% of Royal Caribbean discounts appear.
Full analysis: The Best Time to Book a Cruise
What Day of the Week Has the Best Royal Caribbean Prices?
Price drops cluster on specific days.
| Day | Price Drop Rate |
|---|---|
| Saturday | 10.8% |
| Friday | 9.4% |
| Thursday | 5.6% |
| Monday | 2.4% |
Saturday is 4.5x more likely to show a price drop than Monday. Simple habit: if you're watching a sailing, check Saturday morning.
Do Royal Caribbean Sales Actually Save Money?
Should I Wait for a Royal Caribbean Sale?
Sales are always running. There's no special one to wait for.
Wave Season (January-March) has good perks — reduced deposits, OBC, drink packages — but the base fare doesn't always drop. Black Friday is similar: perks stack up, but the cruise price itself may not move.
Can I Negotiate Royal Caribbean Prices?
Royal Caribbean pricing is system-driven. The phone agent sees the same fares you do.
You can ask about price matching or unadvertised rates, and you should always call if you see a lower price online. But there's no haggling. This isn't a car dealership.
Are Third-Party Cruise Sites Cheaper?
Sites like CruCon and Vacations To Go sometimes have competitive pricing. But Royal Caribbean's own site often matches, and booking direct gives you better flexibility for changes.
Exception: Group rates through travel agents can genuinely beat public fares. If you have a good agent relationship, ask what they can do.
The Real Strategy
Stop chasing sale banners. Start tracking prices.
Royal Caribbean's high volatility means real discounts happen constantly — just not when marketing says they will. The people who save money are the ones watching the price, not the promotion.
Beyond the Fare
Once you've locked in a good cruise price, the drink package is usually the next big decision. It's $50-100/day per person — potentially more than the cruise itself. Our beverage package calculator shows whether you'll break even based on what you actually drink.
See Deal Scores While You Shop
Cruise Radar shows a 0-100 score right on Royal Caribbean's booking page — based on historical pricing, not sale banners.
You see instantly whether the price in front of you is good, fair, or overpriced.
Methodology
- Based on 192,521 Royal Caribbean price snapshots
- Data tracked over the past 30 days, updated every few hours
- Full pricing analysis: Royal Caribbean Pricing Patterns
Found this helpful?
Share it with fellow cruisers
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