We’re only a few weeks away from countless plates of turkey, stuffing, and pumpkin pie, and that also means Royal Caribbean will soon be announcing their 2022 Black Friday sale.
While Royal Caribbean’s Black Friday sale changes year to year, you can expect to see savings on both base cruise fare and add-ons purchased through Royal Caribbean’s Cruise Planner.
Let’s take a look at what you should expect for Royal Caribbean’s 2022 Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals.
Does Royal Caribbean offer a Black Friday sale?
Black Friday–a major sales event on the day after Thanksgiving in the United States–is the unofficial start to the holiday shopping season. Retailers typically offer their most elusive deals during this time of the year. These sales continue on Cyber Monday, the online equivalent of Black Friday.
Because of this, you’ll find Royal Caribbean combining Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales into a weeklong “Cyber Week Sale”.
While Black Friday sales are standard within the cruise industry, the best offers typically come during Wave Season (the first three months of the calendar year). That being said, you can expect to see some savings during the cruise line’s Cyber Week Sale.
When will Royal Caribbean's Black Friday sale be announced?
Royal Caribbean typically releases its Cyber Week Sale information a few days before Thanksgiving. Last year, the sale for pre-cruise add-ons began Tuesday, November 23 and the sale on cruise fares began Wednesday, November 24.
We can expect to see Royal Caribbean’s 2022 Black Friday and Cyber Monday cruise deals announced around November 20, 21, or 22 (Sunday, Monday, or Tuesday) this year. The sale will likely run for one week, from around Wednesday, November 23 to Tuesday, November 29.
What types of deals are offered on Black Friday?
The exact deal offered on Black Friday can change by year, but you can expect to see both savings on cruise fares and savings on pre-cruise purchases like shore excursions and dining packages.
Last year’s Black Friday sale on cruise fare allowed guests to save up to $550 in instant savings + 30% off every guest. The promotion ran from the Wednesday before Thanksgiving to the Tuesday after Thanksgiving.
It also had many discounts offered on pre-cruise add-ons, including the following:
- Soda or Refreshment Package: up to 50% off onboard prices
- Deluxe Beverage Package: 30% off onboard prices
- Shore excursions: up to 50% off
- Internet: up to 60% off
- Discounts on Unlimited Dining Package (discount varies by ship)
- Dinner at Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen: 25% off onboard prices
- 30% off spa treatments (discount varies by ship)
If you’re interested to see what types of Black Friday deals have been offered in recent years, check out our article on Royal Caribbean’s past Black Friday deals.
NOTE: Royal Caribbean will change the name of the promotion on the website depending on which day you visit the site (Thanksgiving, Black Friday, Cyber Monday, etc.), but the promotion remains the same.
Should I book my cruise now or wait until Black Friday?
Royal Caribbean allows you to reprice your cruise until final payment date, meaning you can take advantage of a lower price even after booking*. Final payment is due 75 days prior to the sale date for 1-4 night cruises and 90 days prior to the sale date for cruises 5 nights or longer.
If you book a cruise in early November for $1,500 and later find the same sailing offered for $1,200 during the Black Friday sale, you can reprice the cruise and save $300 (provided the cruise is not within final payment).
Why is this important? Despite Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales offering the potential for savings, this isn’t always the case. Let’s look at an example of how waiting to book a cruise during Black Friday can sometimes be more expensive than booking beforehand.
Sample scenario
It’s early November and you are interested in booking a 7-night cruise on Symphony of the Seas. Royal Caribbean is offering a standard promotion, and the cruise fare for 2 adults in a balcony stateroom is $2,200.
However, you decide to wait to book the cruise. Black Friday is coming up in only two weeks, so you assume the deal will be better then.
Unfortunately, when you go to book the cruise on Black Friday, the price of that same balcony room is now $2,500! In the two weeks since you last checked, more staterooms sold on that sailing, and Royal Caribbean increased prices for the remaining staterooms.
There’s no guarantee a Black Friday deal will be better than any other promotion offered by Royal Caribbean during the year. Because of this, it’s best to book as soon as possible to lock in the best price for your sailing.
Related: Did Black Friday sales save you money on your cruise?
*NOTE: While Royal Caribbean’s website states that “Our Best Price Guarantee lets you take advantage of a better price within 48 hours from the time you booked,” we’ve confirmed with a travel agent that you can still reprice a cruise up until final payment.
What about booking cruise add-ons like drink packages and internet?
Just like your cruise fare, it’s always better to book cruise add-ons as soon as possible rather than waiting for the chance of a better deal.
You can cancel and rebook any add-ons on Royal Caribbean’s Cruise Planner up to 48 hours before sailing. If you book a drink package at $75/day and later see the price drop to $65/day, you can cancel and rebook at the lower price with no penalty.
Related: The Ultimate Guide to the Royal Caribbean Cruise Planner site
Therefore, it’s best to book cruise add-ons now and check the Cruise Planner on Black Friday to see if the add-ons you purchased are being offered at a lower price. There’s no guarantee that you’ll find a better price on Black Friday, but if you do, you can easily cancel and rebook to save money.
