It's probably going to cost you more than ever if you wait to book your cruise vacation.
Historically, last-minute cruises were a great way to score a cheap family vacation. While there was always a risk involved, the reward was often worth it. However, Royal Caribbean is changing that narrative.
Instead of slashing fares to fill empty cabins, Royal Caribbean is focusing its combating high last-minute demand while trying to prioritize early bookings and build a stronger fan base. This represents a significant change for travelers who have scored big at the last minute.
"We see...an uplift in demand as we get very close in. Not only do we see an uplift in demand, we're also about to raise our pricing during that period of time," said Jason Liberty, Royal Caribbean Group's C.E.O., during Royal Caribbean Group's first quarter earnings call on Tuesday, April 29.
He continued to talk about last-minute bookings driving revenue gains in the first quarter, and that trend is continuing into the second quarter, particularly among loyal cruisers who are big spenders.
While Royal Caribbean's last-minute fares might be higher than you remember, Liberty wants to maintain a high level of price integrity, which helps protect the brand's reputation and long-term revenue goals.
"We are very religious about price integrity," he said, "We've been through different cycles before, and ensuring that we have a high level of price integrity is very important."
Though they also have different promotional tools that help stimulate demand, Liberty wants to focus on making sure that whatever they're putting into the marketplace won't impact the integrity of the brands.
In other words, discounting is done carefully and strategically to avoid frequent price fluctuations that could undermine customer trust or devalue the brand.
Loyal cruisers are spending more
Members of Royal Caribbean Group's loyalty programs accounted for roughly 40% of the company's bookings in 2024. This is good news to the brand, as if you have been on a Royal Caribbean cruise, you're likely to spend more on your next sailing.
According to Liberty, loyal cruisers are likely to book direct and spend 25% more per trip than non-loyalty members.
Plus, cross-brand bookings between Royal Caribbean Group's three brands — Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, and Silversea — are increasing.
86% of the 2025 cruise inventory is booked
Demand for this year is strong. If you haven't booked your summer vacation, your options are narrowing, and prices are likely climbing.
With limited staterooms left and a high demand for the remaining cabins, waiting could mean settling for less desirable itineraries or higher costs. Worst case scenario? The sailing you've been eyeing sells out.
Looking ahead to 2026, Liberty said the booking window is about one week shorter, which is being driven by close-in demand.
"Our booked position for 2026, at this point, is in line with the same time last year on a volume standpoint...So we obviously have more capacity next year and at higher prices," he said.
