Royal Caribbean has released its deployment schedule of when it will put new summer 2023 - winter 2024 cruises on sale.
While some new itineraries were released in November and December, the bulk of the new itineraries are set to be released between February and April 2022.
Royal Caribbean posted the new deployment schedule for a variety of itineraries, such as Long and Short Caribbean, Mexican Riviera, cruises from the Northeast and more.
- Week of February 21, 2022: Northeast
- Week of February 28, 2022: Long Caribbean
- Week of March 7, 2022: Short Caribbean
- Week of March 14, 2022: Los Angeles
- Week of March 28, 2022: Barbados & Panama
- Week of April 4, 2022: Australia
- Week of April 11, 2022: China
- Week of April 18, 2022: 7-night Caribbean
- Week of Singapore: Week of June 6
Keep in mind this deployment schedule is subject to change, and may end up being delayed.
If you missed it, here is a look at the 2023-2024 cruises already available to book now:
What is a deployment schedule?
The deployment schedule is when Royal Caribbean plans to release new cruises to book by the public.
At some point in that week, the new itineraries will go on sale.
This means at some point between Monday and Friday of that week, the new cruises will be loaded into Royal Caribbean's system to become bookable.
Typically, the new sailings start getting loaded into the system in the evening, and then fully available by morning of the next day.
A common mistake is for guests to read the date, and assume that will be the first day the sailings on on sale.
Why does it matter when Royal Caribbean releases new sailings?
Generally speaking, when a new sailing is released, this is one of the best times to book a cruise to lock in a low price.
Cruise ship pricing follows a supply and demand model, similar to airfare. When a new sailing opens up, all the cabins are available and that means price is low. As more and more people book cabins, supply goes down and that can drive the price up.
Booking first is also super important if you care about being in a specific cabin, especially suites.
While there are plenty of balcony and interior cabins on Royal Caribbean ships, suites and cabins in special areas (like the aft) are always in high demand. Securing one of these rooms early is important.
What you can do now while you wait
While you wait the weeks and months until Royal Caribbean releases the new bookings, there are a few things you can do to prepare for when they become available.
It's a good idea to talk to your travel agent now to let them know you're interested in pricing something out when it becomes available.
By telling your travel agent now what you are considering, you might be able to get a head start on everyone else.
Researching the type of cabin you want, as well as what each type of itinerary offers can make the decision-making process later when the sailings open up much easier.
Planning on booking a cruise in 2023-2024? These posts will help:
