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It's hard to pass up a good deal, especially for a cruise that costs you next to nothing. Well, sort of.
I sailed on a 5-night Western Caribbean cruise on Royal Caribbean's Serenade of the Seas from Tampa that was free as a result of my status with the cruise line's casino.
You may have heard about there are certain benefits for those that gamble enough in the casino on a cruise ship. While Royal Caribbean has a loyalty program, the casino has its own mini-loyalty program that is in addition to Crown and Anchor Society.
The second tier offers free drinks in the casino, discounts on internet access and at least one free cruise per year that you qualify.
I redeemed my free cruise offer, and it is indeed as advertised. The only catch is you have to gamble to earn it.
The cruise fare is indeed free, and all I had to do was pay the taxes and fees of $397.00 for two people.
In exchange for earning enough points in Royal Caribbean's casino loyalty program, I was awarded a free cruise to book. This free cruise isn't based on how much you gambled on a particular sailing. Rather, it's an annual benefit of being at least Prime within Casino Royale loyalty program.
Anyone that hits Prime or higher status in a casino year gets awarded a free cruise. It's given out in April, and it's good for a cruise within a year to book and sail on.
Your free cruise can be used on more or less any seven-night or shorter cruise that does not fall on a major holiday. And you can't book on any ship that's less than one year old. So you won't be able to go on Icon of the Seas (yet) or take the kids while they're on Spring Break.
There are many sailings to choose from, but also a lot of blackout dates. You'll have to careful find the right one, and that's assuming the casino offers aren't sold out for that sailing.
If you're flexible, it's not too difficult to find one. There's usually a lot in the fall and early winter when school is still in session.
As a Prime member (minimum 2500 points), I am entitled to an interior cabin on my free cruise.
I selected a Serenade of the Seas cruise because it was convenient, offered an opportunity to visit two ports in Mexico, and I like sailing on Radiance Class ships.
I booked the cruise through Royal Caribbean's casino department and also got $25 of free play in the casino with my booking.
I was given cabin 3047 midship on deck 3.
It was a little closer to the forward elevator banks, but pretty much in the middle of the deck. While deck 3 might not be the most popular location to have a cabin, it's exactly where you want to be if you want to minimize the sensation of movement to prevent seasickness.
I booked it as an Interior Guarantee cabin, which meant Royal Caribbean assigned me the exact room number. To be honest, I forgot to check when my room was actually assigned, but saw it was actually a good location given that it met my top three criteria:
I've stayed in plenty of inside cabins before, and this was exactly the sort of room I expected.
It's a Category 2V cabin, and Royal Caribbean describes it as, "our most budget-friendly option" and "A cozy and comfortable retreat, Perfect for long naps after an adventure-filled day."
I'd say that's a good description. It's the right cabin for a place to sleep, shower, and change. Otherwise, you will probably be out and about doing things elsewhere.
The room has all the standard features all cruise ship cabins offer: a bed that can be split up, private bathroom with shower, couch, vanity, and closet.
One notable change in this cabin was it had a nightlight in the ceiling near the bathroom. It's a motion-activated light, so if the room lights were off, the nightlight would come on and illuminate the room temporarily until movement ceased.
It's a nice feature, and something you don't find on any Royal Caribbean ship. I'm guessing it's a feature added for Royal Caribbean's first ever world cruise.
I was disappointed there were not more World Cruise upgrades offered. I heard from other passengers they had USB and electric outlets added to their cabin for the world cruise sailing, but my cabin was not one of them.
Speaking of lights, this inside room gets very dark when you turn the lights off. Since there's no natural light, it's pitch black when you go to bed. That's great for anyone who is disturbed by lights when sleeping, but it was strange to have my alarm go off and it still be quite dark. Anyone staying in this cabin might consider picking up a sunrise alarm clock to help make it feel more normal in that way.
The private bathroom is exactly what I needed, and it has the bare essentials. It's a small bathroom space, but functional.
I had one issue with the toilet not flushing on embarkation day, but there was a crew member working on the issue before I could even report it and it never was a problem after that.
The king size bed takes up most of the room, and it was quite comfortable. You can ask your cabin attendant to split the bed at any time.
There's just 160 square feet of living space, but for one person it's plenty. Even with two people, you might have to shuffle a bit, but it's functional enough.
I don't mind staying in an inside cabin, but after a few days I started missing having natural light or being able to glance outside and see if it's sunny, rainy, or dark.
I'm not the type of person that needs sunlight to feel good. Rather, it gives me perspective on what the weather is like, have we docked yet, and most importantly, is it 3pm or 3am.
The lack of natural light in the morning made it a bit jarring to wake up in a completely dark environment. While I wouldn't go as far as to say I'll never do it again, it was my primary gripe with this sort of a cabin.
On a 5-night cruise, it's short enough that it wasn't a big issue. But if I was sailing longer than 6 or 7 nights, I might have to rethink the cost savings.
I got my free cruise as promised, and it was exactly what I expected.
There's no question Royal Caribbean's casino rewards are arguably the best value in cruising today, but there's a major caveat that it involves significant risk.
Gambling is addictive, and you could end up losing a lot of money in the process of trying to earn a "free cruise".
You should be in a financial position where you can afford to lose money gambling in the casino without damaging your personal finances. The annual tier free cruise is a bonus, not your primary booking strategy.
I estimate it will take about $2,000 - $3,000 to earn enough points to make it to Prime status and qualify for the annual tier cruise. That's a lot of money to gamble and potentially lose.
Moreover, you could go in with that amount in mind but the addictive nature of gambling would lead you to spend much more. Without a doubt, it's something not to take lightly.
In my situation, I felt the risks were worth it and I came away feeling like I got more out of the situation with my complimentary sailing (and other Casino Royale benefits) to justify it all.
I had a great cruise that cost me very little for the actual booking, and I'll be qualifying again in 2025 for my next tier certificate.
Opening in 2025 is Royal Caribbean's first ever beach club, and it's going to take your beach day to a new level.
Royal Beach Club Paradise Island is going to open in late 2025, and it's being built on a 17-acre site that is just about the most prime real estate in all of Nassau.
The plan is simple, but the promise is enormous. Offer an unfiltered beach day experience that hits every important factor for any tourist, while making it an unforgettable experience exclusively for Royal Caribbean cruisers only.
While Royal Caribbean has built private island experiences, it's never tried a limited-capacity and extra cost beach offering. It's a lot like building its own shore excursion that is designed, built, and operated with the cruise line at the helm.
The proposed site masterplan is available online, and it shows a variety of experiences tourists can expect. It's clear they want to offer a little of everything, so no matter how much chill, swim, beach, pool, or adventure you want, there's going to be something for you.
The heart of Royal Beach Club Paradise Island is a beach day experience, and you'll find two different spots to enjoy the beautiful Bahamian waters.
Located on both ends of the property, you'll find a sprawling beach that features chairs and umbrellas, along with upgraded spots for your day.
Each beach faces the north shore, so it's nothing but the open ocean views in front of you.
There are beach cabanas, hammocks, and bungalows available. Of course, the beach bar is not very far away either.
You'll also find a snack shack at each beach when you need something a bite to eat.
A tropical getaway can include a dip in the ocean or pool, and there are three different pools to choose from.
Each pool has a swim-up bar, and they're big too. This not only spreads people out, but each has its own vibe. One pool has a DJ and swim-up bar combo, similar to the Hideaway Beach experience at Perfect Day at CocoCay.
Another pool flanks the kids' water play area, and the other pool is located towards the end of the property.
There are also cabanas you can rent near the pools, so you don't have to go far from the fun.
Food is a big draw for any cruise experience, and there will be four different places to eat.
Royal Caribbean hasn't said what exactly the food offerings will be, but there will be "four island-style spots for quick bites and local fare."
One thing is for certain, Royal Caribbean wants to lean into the Bahamian culture as much as they can, so there will be a good mix of familiar and local options.
The sitemap shows there will be shopping opportunities that tie into the people of Nassau.
The artisan huts are in the center of the property, and it's an opportunity to highlight local crafts and businesses.
A major reason Royal Caribbean is building its first beach club is to address a need its customers have told them for a long time.
Nassau is one of the most popular cruise ports, with Royal Caribbean pulling in around one million visitors each year. However, it ranks poorly among cruise ship guest surveys.
According to Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley, cruise ship passengers have, "come here many times before and there’s nothing new, fresh or innovative."
"There needs to be more product, more experience, more uniqueness, more options."
The result is a beach club that the cruise line thinks will solve problems across the board. It will give tourists the exact beach day experience they want, based on in-depth research. That will improve the perception cruisers have of Nassau too.
For The Bahamas, they get a piece of the action as well. Royal Caribbean is creating an unique public-private partnership in which Bahamians will own up to 49% equity.
Individual Bahamians will have the opportunity to buy equity in the beach club and benefit from the profits. That's unheard of with a tourist beach day operation. Certainly no hotel resorts around Paradise Island are offering that opportunity.
On top of all of that, 1% of gross revenue of the beach club will be invested in a new fund to develop other attractions around The Bahamas.
If looking at the sitemap gets you excited, you're probably equally interested to know how much it will cost you to get in.
Royal Caribbean hasn't said anything about prices yet, and haven't put admission on sale yet.
Almost certainly the admission cost will have variable pricing, which means the price will fluctuate based on which ship is in port and demand. That assumption is based on the fact that's how Royal Caribbean charges for all of its extra cost add-ons at its private islands.
The projected opening date is sometime between October - December 2025, according to a comment Mr. Bayley made recently.
There's a new stipulation tied to the free cruises Royal Caribbean gives away to its casino players.
Royal Caribbean offers incentive-based cruise giveaways where passengers that earn enough points on a given sailing can qualify for complimentary sailings.
Up until now, the cruises covered the fare of two guests, and passengers had to only pay taxes and fees.
Beginning with the December offers, the Casino Royale program has made some changes to what's included.
What's different is the offer is now cruise for one guest is complimentary, while the second guest discounted. It's essentially a buy one free, second cheap offer.
What's not clear yet is how much is the discounted fare exactly. Since cruise fares vary from sailing to sailing, the exact price could depend.
In reading the terms and conditions, it appears a solo cruiser would still have to pay for the second guest, "Recipients who sail as a single passenger without a guest in a double occupancy stateroom are responsible for the payment of the cruise fare for the second passenger, at the Casino discount rate. The Discount Stateroom Offer is not applicable to single occupancy staterooms.
The new "complimentary for one, discounted for the second" offering only applies to the 2,000 point and lower tiers. The 3,000 point and higher tiers are still listed in the traditional manner.
There's no word why Royal Caribbean has made this change. There's no doubt Casino Royale's popularity among cruisers has been quite high, and it's arguably the best deal in cruising right now.
A positive change to the casino offers are free cruise offers at just 400 points, which is a significantly lower tier than ever before.
Royal Caribbean recently introduced an 800 point tier, but at 400, it makes the barrier to entry much easier.
Moreover, it appears there are newer ships and dates further out to book at the lower tiers.
If you gamble in the casino on a Royal Caribbean ship, you can earn points for your play. All you have to do is have your SeaPass card logged in before you start playing at a machine or table game.
Every Royal Caribbean ship features a casino equipped with table games, slot machines, and video poker. While the selection of games may differ slightly from ship to ship, and the size of the casinos can vary, their overall layout and offerings are generally consistent across the fleet.
Joining Club Royale is simple because every passenger is automatically enrolled, you just need to use your SeaPass card when playing.
For every $5 you wager in the casino, that is roughly equivalent to 1 point. On Video Poker, it's every $10. 10 points per hour playing $10-$15 blackjack.
The more you play and wager, the more points you earn.
There's a sheet at the casino host desk that lists all the cruise offers and point tiers available. You'll see two columns: money off or bonus offer.
The key is to earn enough points for any of the tiers, and make an open booking at NextCruise while you're still onboard. That enables you to call Casino Royale after the cruise and book one of the sailings.
You need to book an open booking with NextCruise while onboard to be eligible for the bonus offer that's listed in the second column.
Instant certificates are typically valid for redemption within 30 days after your cruise. Sometimes, the casino will provide a physical certificate with a partial list of available cruises delivered to your stateroom. In other instances, the offer may not be available until after your cruise concludes.
Even after you get home, you can verify your instant certificate offer on the Casino Royale website.
It's important to note the difference between an instant certificate earned from your play onboard versus an offer Royal Caribbean mails to you at home.
After playing in a Royal Caribbean casino, you may receive offers for free cruises. While the cruise line doesn't reveal exactly how these offers are determined, they are generally influenced by the number of points you earned during your last cruise and an assessment by the cruise line's system of your potential value as a guest if offered a complimentary stateroom.
It's impossible to anticipate who will get an offer, and the exact offerings will vary. No matter what offer you get, you should book quickly because there are limited cabins available on a sailing at the casino rate.
There's no indication yet that these targeted offers have changed similar to the instant certificates.
Cyber Monday has brought a new round of big savings opportunities that piggyback on Black Friday for a Royal Caribbean cruise.
The best Cyber Monday deals could be your last chance of the year to bag a bargain find on cruises or add-ons. The shopping weekend officially kicked off on November 29 since Thanksgiving is pretty late this year. Although the sales-friendly holiday marks some of the year's biggest deals, Royal Caribbean has been offering early sales for most of November. While the Cyber Monday offer might just be a rebranded Black Friday offer, it's still when you can find some of our favorite items are on sale right now.
Cyber Monday will undoubtedly offer even more savings opportunities and another chance to get in on discounts before the craziness of the shopping season winds down.
Here's what to expect with Royal Caribbean's Cyber Monday sale. This post will be updated with new Cyber Monday offers as soon as they are revealed.
Deal hunters will note that Royal Caribbean is calling its promotion, "Our Biggest Deal Ever".
The Cyber Week Sale combines three promotions into one.
Here's a breakdown of what's being offered. Keep in mind there are terms and conditions that apply, and you should refer to them before booking.
First up is Buy One Guest, Get Second Guest 60% Off & 30% Off on 3/4 Guest.
That's combinable with a Kids Sail Free deal that runs between November 8 - December 9, 2024 on sailings departing on or after November 9, 2024. As usual, Kids Sail Free comes with a lot of blackout dates and fine print.
Thanksgiving Sailings (Departing between November 22, 2024 – November 29, 2024); (Departing between November 20 - November 28, 2025), Holiday Sailings (Departing December 20, 2024 – January 3, 2025); (Departing between December 18, 2025 – January 1, 2026), Spring Break Sailings (Departing between March 7, 2025 – March 28, 2025); (Departing between March 6, 2026 – April 9, 2026), Holy Week/Easter sailings (Departing between April 12, 2025 – April 24, 2025), Radiance Alaska Cruise Tour Sailings (Departing May 16, 2025 – September 12, 2025); Summer sailings (Departing between May 22, 2025 – August 29, 2025); Anthem of the Seas sailings (Departing November 21 – December 28, 2024) and Chinese New Year sailing on Anthem of the Seas (Departing January 27, 2025).
The added bonus promotion for Cyber Monday is the Cyber Week Sale, which adds up to $800 Instant Savings.
Cyber Week Sale is available between November 28 – December 2, 2024, on sailings departing on or after November 29, 2024, and provides an instant savings per stateroom, varying by stateroom category booked, sailing length as follows:
Royal Caribbean is also offering discounts on some of its cruise extras.
The Cyber Week Sale runs on Cruise Planner and app purchases made between Friday, November 30 - December 11, 2024.
You'll find discounts on cruises that depart between November 13, 2024 – December 31, 2025.
It applies to all of its ships, except for Spectrum of the Seas sailings not from Singapore and group excursions.
It's unlikely we'll see this level of discounts carry forward past Cyber Monday and Travel Tuesday, so now is the time to get in on the best prices of the year.
Because there's so much variability with pricing, the actual savings will vary depending on your sailing. Some people are seeing really low prices, while others not as much.
Book a new cruise: It's easy to get hung up on the discounts Royal Caribbean has for its add-ons, but booking an actual cruise is a really good idea during Cyber Monday.
You can get up to $800 instant savings, and that's pretty much the most we'll see in a single offer at any time.
I think your best bet is to look forward to a cruise in 2026 or 2027 and start getting something booked now to take advantage of the sale. While you can absolutely start planning a new 2025 cruise, I think having cruises lined up even further out makes a lot of sense.
Drink packages: There's a good chance the lowest price you'll find for a Royal Caribbean drink package will be during this sale.
Prices for a drink package are as low as $54.99 per person, per day. Anytime you can get the Deluxe Beverage Package for less than $60 per day, that's a great price these days.
Remember, Royal Caribbean is charging at least $100 per day for the Deluxe Package onboard its ships, so waiting to book onboard would be a mistake.
Bundles: There are new bundles that Royal Caribbean is (allegedly) only offering for Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
These bundles offer combinations of popular add-ons, combining a drink package, admission to an area of CocoCay, and even WiFi.
Internet access: I already loaded up on WiFi plans during Black Friday, but Cyber Monday is a good reminder to take advantage of lower prices on it now.
The advertised discount is "up to 55% off", and I've observed prices for a one device package as cheap as $15.99 per day.
The price range seems to be between $15.99 and $21.99 per day for a one device package, and those savings add up when you consider onboard prices for the same package start at $27.99 and could easily go up from there.
Specialty restaurant lunch: If you want to dip your toe into Royal Caribbean's extra cost restaurants, the sale price on lunch is really good.
I've seen prices during Cyber Monday for just $15.99 for Chops Grille lunch or Giovanni's or Hooked for $14.99 each.
The lunch menu is similar to the dinner menu, and it comes at a fraction of the cost.
If you’ve already purchased add-ons like an internet package or spa service for your upcoming cruise, be sure to check the price of the add-on under the Cyber Monday sale.
If the price is lower, you can cancel and rebook the add-on with no penalty up to 48 hours before your cruise date.
To check if your sailing has this new offer available, log into the Cruise Planner on Royal Caribbean's web site look for any available offers. Keep in mind that not all sailings may see the sale applicable, nor are all offers significantly cheaper than previously posted.
If you spot a better discount on something you already pre-purchased, you should be able to cancel the purchase and then re-purchase the same item under this promotion.
After cancelling multiple visits to San Juan, Puerto Rico because of a damaged pier, many passengers want to know when cruise ships will be able to visit there again.
Royal Caribbean has been forced to cancel visits to San Juan and re-route ships away because of damage to Pier 3 West.
Ships have been sent to other destinations, including Royal Caribbean's private destination in Labadee, Haiti. The result has been a lot of outrage by cruisers who got a last-minute itinerary change.
One family spoke with a local news outlet to share their shock at the change. They actually thought it was a joke at first.
Royal Caribbean's giant cruise ships cannot dock in San Juan because the US Coast Guard declared the facility remains closed to cruise ships until further notice.
The damage first occurred in April 2024 when allegedly it was broken after the MSC Meraviglia was involved, however, specific details are not known.
The loss of a dolphin mooring structure just off the main pier is the primary issue, and the Coast Guard is working on it.
Seatrade News said the Coast Guard work is "pending requested satisfactory assessment studies followed by a Coast Guard on-site inspection of the facility."
"Once the satisfactory assessment studies are presented to the Coast Guard, Sector San Juan Prevention port facilities personnel will conduct an on-site inspection of Pier 3 West to corroborate the findings in the assessments and determine whether the operational control may be lifted. To date, the Coast Guard has not received the requested studies, and the operational control remains in effect."
A representative of the Coast Guard went on to say that the agency is working with local authorities to determine if cruise ships can safely use the pier.
On Thursday, the San Juan Cruise Port issued a statement saying it is working "diligently with regulatory agencies to restore service to Pier 3 West."
Royal Caribbean has made it clear the issue is out of their control. Until the damaged pier is repaired and subsequently cleared by the United States Coast Guard, its ships cannot safely go there.
As of now, Royal Caribbean has cancelled visits on two different Symphony of the Seas visits to San Juan.
The December 1 cruise is the latest sailing to have its itinerary changed, and because a ship the size of Symphony of the Seas cannot safely dock, there's no choice but to change itineraries.
Compounding the problem for cruise ship passengers are the ports that replace the original itinerary.
In the case of Symphony, they dropped San Juan and St. Maarten, and replaced with Labadee and Falmouth, Jamaica.
Visits to Labadee have been mired in controversy because technically the private beach destination is in Haiti. Haiti has experience a recent uptick in violence, with three commercial planes shot at in November. That prompted the Federal Aviation Administration to prohibit U.S. airlines from flying to Haiti for at least 30 days.
That's on top of a U.S. State Department also recommends that Americans do not travel to the country.
However, Labadee is in a remote area, walled off from the country. It's not near any urban centers, and Royal Caribbean has been monitoring the situation carefully.
Moreover, dozens of Royal Caribbean ships have visited Labadee recently with no incidents.
It's too early to tell which other upcoming cruises scheduled to visit San Juan will be impacted.
Royal Caribbean has taken a "wait and see" approach to determining if a change is needed to an itinerary. This could be because the situation is so fluid, if the Coast Guard were to allow ships back in, it's more difficult to change back an itinerary than keep it in place until it's clear a change is needed.
It's disappointing for passengers to be notified of an itinerary change, but the issue is firmly out of Royal Caribbean's hands while the local authorities and the Coast Guard sort it out.
That doesn't mean passengers are okay with these changes. Royal Caribbean Blog member Frank47 posted, "After customers have paid in full for their cruise RC alerts them they will have to divert to Labadie Haiti. That is totally wrong."
A commenter wrote, "My biggest ‘concern’ is that there’s no timeline for fixing this issue. Will it take a week, month, or year to fix? Some expectation setting from Royal would be appreciated."
Royal Caribbean is stuck in the middle of all of this, as the repair work and progress are all being handled by third parties. Properly estimating or being made aware of progress is not as easy as it sounds when you have different companies and government agencies all working together.
If your cruise is scheduled to visit San Juan in the coming weeks or months, there's a chance your itinerary could be changed. Given the complexity of the work being done and the parties involved, there's no firm timeline to share as of yet.
Royal Caribbean has gotten into the Black Friday season with its official sale for the mega shopping event.
While there have been Black Friday sales over the past few weeks leading up to the actual shopping holiday, the cruise line started its official sale today.
Right now you can save on cruise fares, drink packages, shore excursions and more.
We've shopped Royal Caribbean's offers for weeks, but with the actual Black Friday sale here, I wanted to point out the best deals you can find.
Royal Caribbean's Black Friday Sale increases the amount of instant savings offered.
It runs between November 28 – 29, 2024, and applies to sailings departing on or after November 29, 2024, and provides an instant savings per stateroom, varying by stateroom category booked, sailing length as follows
The instant savings for Black Friday are combinable with their Kids Sail Free and BOGO60 offer that has been running during November.
Royal Caribbean's sale on cruise add-ons runs through November 29, 2024 and applies to select sailings departing November 13, 2024 - December 31, 2025.
We've seen variations on discounts offered, so even if you checked prices earlier, it's worth looking again to see if there's a better deal now.
Coco Beach Club: Anyone looking for an elevated day at Royal Caribbean's private island should consider the price of admission to the Coco Beach Club.
I'm seeing prices consistently under $100 per person for admission, which gets you a less-crowded day, access to the heated infinity pool, and a full-service restaurant that serves up some of the best food Royal Caribbean offers.
Considering the Coco Beach Club admission is usually between $100 - $200 per person, this is a good opportunity to lock in a lower price.
The heated infinity pool and club restaurant are my two favorite things about visiting. The heated pool is a great idea if you have a winter cruise coming up in the next few months.
Drink packages: I'd wager the most popular thing you can buy for your cruise has to be a drink package of some kind.
There are a few different kinds of drink packages, and prices seem much lower than they've been at any point this year.
Depending on your sailing, I've seen the Deluxe Beverage Package as cheap as $54.99. People booked on very long sailings, such as a Panama Canal repositioning cruise, have reported prices less than $50 per day.
Even the coffee card and soda package are discounted, so now is definitely the time to book it.
Hideaway Beach: Another extra cost area of CocoCay is on sale, and it's a great choice for those without kids.
Hideaway Beach prices are back under $50 per person, and that makes it a slam dunk deal, in my opinion.
Available exclusively to passengers at least 18 years old, Hideaway Beach is an area that offers a large beach, heated pool party, and lots of food options. There's also a great outdoor sports bar with live music.
The DJ pool party has been the mega hit of this new expansion, and I think some of the new food choices also stand out as a great plus up.
Book a new cruise: Given the extra savings Royal Caribbean is offering during the actual Black Friday holiday, I think now is the right time to look at cruises for the coming years.
Getting up to $800 off your cruise in a single sale is not common, so while you have your family over for Thanksgiving, it might be the time to look for the right sailing.
Don't forget, Royal Caribbean just added new Alaska cruises and European cruises in 2026, along with Caribbean cruises in 2026-2027.
Internet access: My favorite must-buy during Black Friday is the thing I use on every cruise, and that's a wifi package.
Having unlimited internet during a cruise is a must-do for me, and I'm seeing some of the best prices right now. The cruise line says up to 55% off, and I've seen prices as low as $15.99 per person, per day.
With onboard prices as high as $27.99 per day, this is another great buy pre-cruise.
While the Black Friday sales are exciting, they're not evenly distributed.
The price of a cruise or cruise add-on will depend on the sailing, and some deals are going to be significantly better than others.
In looking at prices for dining, drink packages, excursions, CocoCay experiences, and even onboard gifts, there's a wide range of prices.
If you have multiple cruises booked, be sure to check prices for each sailing.
And yes, you can cancel and rebook any add-on you've already purchased to take advantage of a lower price. Just be sure to watch your credit card and emails from Royal Caribbean regarding your refunds, because there have been isolated incidents in how they are processing refunds.
If you're looking for a chance to save on a Royal Caribbean cruise, a Black Friday sale might be the perfect opportunity.
Black Friday falls on the Friday after Thanksgiving, which this year is November 29. Royal Caribbean has sales running over Thanksgiving and Black Friday.
The cruise line has begun rolling out "preview sales", with the actual Black Friday sale beginning November 28. In fact, there will be "offers every week" that extend all the way until Travel Tuesday.
You can expect all sorts of promotions during Black Friday cruise deals and Cyber Monday savings times. Most commonly, there are instant savings and onboard credit offers. Instant savings are deducted directly from your total vacation cost the moment you book.
This post will be updated with new Black Friday offers as soon as they are revealed.
Royal Caribbean began the Black Friday bonanza on November 8, 2024.
The Black Friday Beat the Rush Extension is the fourth Black Friday offer in 2024, and it runs between November 26 – 27, 2024.
We're listing the major bullet points of each sale, but please remember there are terms and conditions, and special rules about combinability with each sale. Refer to them at the time the sale begins.
Before the Black Friday promos hit, the monthly offer for November offers buy one guest, get second guest 60% off & 30% off on third and fourth guests.
That's coupled with a Kids Sail Free deal that runs between November 8 – December 9, 2024 on sailings departing on or after November 9, 2024. As usual, Kids Sail Free comes with a lot of blackout dates and fine print.
Thanksgiving Sailings (Departing between November 22, 2024 – November 29, 2024); (Departing between November 20 - November 28, 2025), Holiday Sailings (Departing December 20, 2024 – January 3, 2025); (Departing between December 18, 2025 – January 1, 2026), Spring Break Sailings (Departing between March 7, 2025 – March 28, 2025); (Departing between March 6, 2026 – April 9, 2026), Holy Week/Easter sailings (Departing between April 12, 2025 – April 24, 2025), Radiance Alaska Cruise Tour Sailings (Departing May 16, 2025 – September 12, 2025); Summer sailings (Departing between May 22, 2025 – August 29, 2025); Anthem of the Seas sailings (Departing November 21 – December 28, 2024) and Chinese New Year sailing on Anthem of the Seas (Departing January 27, 2025).
There are a series of Black Friday promotions, that began November 8.
The official Black Friday Sale applies to new, individual, and named group bookings at prevailing rates made November 28 – 29, 2024, on sailings departing on or after November 29, 2024, and provides an instant savings per stateroom, varying by stateroom category booked, sailing length as follows:
The Black Friday Beat the Rush Sale offers extra instant savings on cruises booked during this period.
The Black Friday Beat the Rush applies to new, individual, and named group bookings at prevailing rates made November 22 – 27, 2024, on sailings departing on or after November 23, 2024, and provides an instant savings per stateroom, varying by stateroom category booked, sailing length:
The Black Friday Preview Sale adds on extra savings to the November month offer.
The Black Friday Early Access Extension Sale applied to new, individual, and named group bookings at prevailing rates made November 19 – 21, 2024, on sailings departing on or after November 16, 2024, and provides an instant savings per stateroom, varying by stateroom category booked, sailing length:
The Black Friday Early Access offers extra instant savings on cruises booked during this period.
The Black Friday Early Access applied to new, individual, and named group bookings at prevailing rates made November 15 – 18, 2024, on sailings departing on or after November 16, 2024, and provides an instant savings per stateroom, varying by stateroom category booked, sailing length:
The Black Friday Preview Sale Extension applied to new, individual, and named group bookings at prevailing rates made November 12 – 14, 2024, on sailings departing on or after November 9, 2024, and provides an instant savings per stateroom, varying by stateroom category booked, sailing length:
The Black Friday Preview sale applied to new, individual, and named group bookings at prevailing rates made 11/8 – 11/11/24 on sailings departing on or after November 9, 2024 and provides an up to $750 instant savings per stateroom varying by stateroom category booked and sailing length.
BOGO60 and Kids Sail Free are combinable with each other and Black Friday sales.
Just as important as a deal on cruise fares are discounts on add-ons for the sailing.
The deals for purchases made on Royal Caribbean's Cruise Planner site began on November 8.
The sale is valid on purchases made from November 8, 2024 through November 29, 2024 and applies to select sailings departing November 13, 2024 - December 31, 2025.
In short, any of the prices offered during Black Friday are sure to be cheaper than if you waited to book them onboard the ship. They might even be cheaper than any sales in the coming months.
Deluxe Beverage Package
Starting at $54.99
Hideaway Beach Day Pass
Starting at $38.99
Coco Beach Club Day Pass
Starting at $113.99
Cafe Select Card
$23.99 per card
VOOM SURF + STREAM Internet Package
Starting at $15.99 for one device
Celebrity Cruises will have a similar sale to Royal Caribbean, offering a month of savings for cruises booked from November 8 through December 9.
The second passenger in a cabin can save up to 75% on cruises departing from now through May 10, 2027.
Black Friday savings are not applicable to Galápagos sailings or Alaska cruise-tours on Celebrity Summit departing May 9 through Sept. 5, 2025.
Now is a great time to take advantage of Black Friday sales to save money on shore excursions.
While Royal Caribbean has already discounted shore excursions as part of its Black Friday sale, I've found extra savings on the my go-to beach day idea.
When I'm on a Caribbean cruise and want a beach day, I usually book a day pass to a resort instead of taking a taxi or booking a traditional shore excursion that takes me to the beach.
There are a few sites that you can buy day passes to popular resorts around the Caribbean, and ResortPass.com just announced a new Black Friday discount.
When you book with the ResortPass app (free to download) and use the promo code EARLYBFAPP, you'll save $50 off the purchase of at least $200 or more.
It's not clear when the code expires exactly, but it's available now.
The added discount knocks out the service fee and saves a little bit on top of the overall cost.
The reason why I prefer getting a day pass is because it offers more amenities than you'll typically find at a traditional beach excursion, and that's so helpful for families.
Websites like ResortForADay.com or ResortPass.com make it simple to enter the island and date that you'll be visiting, and find a list of options.
Some resorts offer all-inclusive, while others are merely access to the facilities and you can optionally pay for food and drink.
Each resort has a per-person cost, and it means you could use their beach, pool, and even other facilities.
I've found in the popular cruise ports many different choices of places to go. Nassau, St. Maarten, St. Kitts, and other ports have a few places to consider.
It's easy and simple way to book, and in a few clicks you will have a confirmation of the date and resort.
I like that ResortPass offers more than just a day pass. In some cases there are hotel rooms or cabanas you can rent for the day.
On a recent visit to St. Maarten, we booked a cabana at the Morgan Resort. It includes admission for up to 8 people, and their pool is fantastic.
When we visited St. Kitts, there was a Marriott that included a hotel room. This meant we could shower, change, and nap in the room. Plus, the air conditioning was a nice break when it got too hot.
The variety of choices is a lovely bonus for those that want more than just access to the beach or pool.
One thing to keep in mind is transportation is not included, so you'll need to arrange that on your own.
I just walk to the taxi stand in the port and grab a taxi. On the way back, the resort is able to hail a taxi for you.
Depending which island you visit and how much you want included, the prices for a day pass vary. However, I find the prices quite reasonable.
A day pass at The Morgan Resort in St. Maarten costs $60 per person, while the cabana is $480. If you're in Nassau, Bahamas, a day pass to Margaritaville Resort costs $132 for adults and $66 for kids, and it includes access to their waterpark too.
Prices depend on a lot of factors, and you could easily find a cheap pass at a no-frills resort for as little as $25.
ResortPass has a fairly flexible cancellation policy. Unless explicitly stated otherwise, bookings for day passes can be canceled up until 11:59 p.m. the night before your reservation, while cabanas, daybeds, and day rooms can be canceled until 10 a.m. the day before your reservation. You can opt for either a refund to your credit card or a ResortPass credit.
Being able to cancel at the last minute is really helpful if bad weather is forecasted. Remember, Royal Caribbean requires at least 48 hours notice for a refund on a shore excursion.
I think the ideal ResortPass customer is someone that values having more in their beach day than just the beach.
You get to enjoy resort-level amenities without being a customer, and having the choice of pool and beach, along with chairs, shade, wifi and food or beverage options is a great add-on.
Families will love the choice of beach or pool, and not having to search for food is a godsend. Convenience is the name of the game with a resort day pass.
Of course, going to a public beach is almost certainly going to be cheaper, but you're on your own to figure out everything else beyond the beach.
Royal Caribbean shore excursions make a beach break a bit simpler to book, but I find I get more value from a day pass, even if I have to coordinate transportation on my own.
Before booking, you'll want to weigh the resort amenities you get for the price and determine if it's the right cost for you.
The ResortPass site (and app) is easy to use, prices are reasonable, and their cancellation policy is fantastic.
Royal Caribbean is known for coming up with some wild ideas, so is a treehouse next?
Over the years, Royal Caribbean has pushed the envelope not just in big ship designs, but also cabins.
When Icon of the Seas launched in 2024, it has a three-deck-high Ultimate Family Townhouse. That's a generation ahead of the Ultimate Family Suite that first debuted on the Oasis Class ships.
Now we might be on the precipice of the next idea, the Ultimate Family Treehouse.
Royal Caribbean filed a trademark application with the United States Patent and Trademark Office for a few ideas, including the treehouse.
The trademarks for the Townhouse and Suite are well established, but the others are new.
Trademark applications are notoriously vague, and they rarely offer much insight into what the cruise line may offer.
In addition, Royal Caribbean often trademarks names and ends up not using them at all. It's simply a mechanism for reserving the idea, just in case they decide to act on it later.
For the Ultimate Family Treehouse, it was trademarked on November 19, 2024 and is under the category of "Cruise ship services".
Until Royal Caribbean announces something, we can only dream as to what it could refer to.
The most likely ideas are either a new type of cruise ship cabin on a ship, or a type of accommodation at one of the line's private beaches.
Royal Caribbean recently revealed it's designing a new private destination in Mexico, as well as a beach club concept in Cozumel, Mexico and the South Pacific.
It's possible this treehouse could fit right into the motif of a tropical getaway, where passengers could book an opulent and exotic place to hang out.
Or it could be a new stateroom that includes more of an open-air concept to it.
The Product Development team is usually involved a number of projects at once, and not all of them see the light of day.
Royal Caribbean never comments on trademark applications, so there's no announcement yet.
Ultimately, the treehouse will be something to keep an eye out for to see if it ends up being a project.
One of these trademarks is probably going to happen, because it was leaked already.
Royal Caribbean's Senior Vice President and Chief Product Innovation Officer Jay Schneider shared a glimpse of the project when he spoke with travel agents during a webinar in July 2024.
The project was in reference to the beach club Royal Caribbean is building in Nassau, Bahamas that will open next year.
"We're dreaming of possibly an ultimate family cabana," he said. The concept was to follow in the footsteps of having the Ultimate Family Suite and Ultimate Family Townhouse, which are over-the-top suites that pack in just about everything a family might want in a cruise ship cabin.
That's all he said about it, but in my experience, if Mr. Schneider bothers to talk about something in a remotely public setting, it's usually an indication of an idea that has merit.
Of course, plans change and it may not end up being a thing.
Until something gets announced, the most over-the-top cruise ship cabin to date is one giant suite on Icon of the Seas.
The Ultimate Family Townhouse measures 1,772-square-feet and features an in-suite slide, movie-viewing room, a karaoke machine and spacious indoor living spaces.
There's also 751 square feet of outdoor space, divided among two balconies and a "backyard" with a ping pong table, outdoor seating and a white picket fence leading directly to all the Surfside neighborhood attractions.
When Star of the Seas launches in 2025, the Townhouse will get an "uplift" and "will get really a new look to it."
Feedback from passengers on Icon compelled Royal Caribbean to make changes to the cabin on Star.