Royal Caribbean has completed its covid return.
After returning to sailing on July 2, 2021, the cruise line saw passengers slowly return throughout 2022. Business returned to normal in early 2023 and beat 2019 levels after that period .
Chief Executive Officer Jason Liberty discussed the company’s performance during its fourth-quarter earnings conference call.
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“The momentum continues into 2024 with a record start to the wave season,” he said. said. “Bookings have consistently exceeded last year for all key products, at much higher rates. In fact, the five highest booking weeks in our company’s history have all occurred since the last call for results.”
That’s good news for investors, but it’s not good news for those looking to book a vacation, as prices have soared.
But that doesn’t mean all Royal Caribbean cruises now cost more.
You can still find deals and even top-notch cruises at super low prices if you know how to look and are willing to be flexible.
And since many Royal Caribbean passengers sail with family, this advice applies specifically to cruises still currently available for sailings in July and August 2024, when most children are out of school and families can sail together.
1. Downgrade your ship
Royal Caribbean regularly builds cruise ships that can claim the title of “world’s largest cruise ship.” That honor now goes to the newest ship in the fleet, the very first Icon-class ship, Icon of the Seas.
Icon is slightly larger than Wonder of the Seas, an Oasis-class ship. And while Icon is spectacular and features some amazing innovations, its cheapest fares in July or August from Miami start at $2,464 per person for a seven-night sailing. (All cruises require double occupancy, or the passenger will pay a single supplement equal to the cost of the second person less taxes and fees.)
You can book a week-long sailing from Miami on Allure of the Seas, an Oasis-class ship, for $1,426 per person. Allure hasn’t been renovated – or “Amped”, as Royal Caribbean calls it – so it’s missing water slides. It also still houses Sabor, a Mexican restaurant, instead of Playmakers, the cruise line’s sports bar. But these small sacrifices could be worth saving more than $2,000.
Additionally, the Wonder of the Seas, which was the world’s largest cruise ship before Icon, has been completely updated and offers a seven-night sailing from Port Canaveral for $1,007 per person. This is a very slight drop to save almost $3,000.
You can bring the cost of a seven-night sailing to $697 per person if you opt for Freedom of the Seas, a ship significantly smaller than the Icon or Wonder but which shares many of those ships’ features.
2. Sail on shorter Royal Caribbean itineraries.
Royal Caribbean has committed heavily to three- and four-day sailings with its next new ship, the Oasis Class Utopia of the Seas, sailing Friday through Monday and Monday through Friday from Port Canaveral. Additionally, in July and August, Allure of the Seas sails on this schedule approximately half the time.
You can book a four-day sailing Monday through Friday on Utopia, which shares many of the updates first introduced on Icon and basically everything offered on Wonder, for $561 per person. You can even pair it with a three-day cruise from Friday to Monday on either end with those prices starting at $441 (prices vary by date).
If you’re willing to downgrade to Allure (which isn’t a massive drop), then prices in this back-to-back scenario will fall even further.
3. Sail on Celebrity Cruises
Royal Caribbean owns Celebrity Cruises, and some would say its ships represent a higher quality than the company’s namesake brand.
It’s fair to say that Celebrity offers a somewhat elevated main dining room and buffet, but whether that’s a better experience depends on each cruiser.
Sailing from Fort Lauderdale during the same period of July and August 2024, Celebrity has the Reflection, a mid-sized Solstice-class ship with a capacity of 3,600 passengers. (For context, Wonder seats just under 7,000 passengers.) The cruise line also has Beyond, a member of its top-tier Edge class, which also sails from Fort Lauderdale.
Beyond, with a capacity of 3,200 passengers, also features some of the cruise line’s latest innovations. And you can book a six-night cruise on Beyond starting at $718 per person, while the ship’s eight-night itineraries start at just under $1,000.
Celebrity Reflection offers a mix of three-, four- and five-night cruises with prices starting at $278 per person for three-night cruises and $328 for four-night cruises.
However, for families looking to book on Celebrity, it is important to understand that while there are kids and teen clubs on board, there are no water slides, rock walls or laser tag, which Found on most Royal Caribbean ships.
Also note: cruise prices can change at any time.