Cruising is known for being an affordable vacation. There’s no doubt, however, that prices have seen an uptick in recent years. From the cruise fare itself to the prices of things like gratuities, wi-fi, and drink packages on board, passengers have seen costs rise significantly.
The good news is that overall you can still take a cruise for less than the cost of a typical vacation, but also there are ways you can save significant money… if you know a few tricks.
Having been on dozens of cruises, we know a thing or two about how to sail for less money. The tips below should help you save significantly on your cruise.
Use the AARP Discount (Royal Caribbean and Celebrity)
This used to be one of our favorite ways to save a ton on a cruise, but in recent years it has gotten harder to take advantage. Still, it’s worth it if sailing Royal Caribbean or Celebrity.
AARP (the retirement group) offers a number of benefits to members. This includes the ability to buy discount gift cards for everything from grocery stores to restaurants to movie theaters and more. And it used to be that lots of major cruise lines were included including Carnival, Princess, and Royal Caribbean.
Today it’s been trimmed down to just Royal Caribbean and Celebrity, but if you’re sailing those lines, the offer is great. By being an AARP member, you can buy gift cards for 10% off the face value.
So that means a $500 gift card is sold for $450. A $100 gift card is sold for $90. And you can buy thousands of dollars worth of cards to cover your whole trip.
The best news? Anyone — no matter their age — can join AARP. It costs around $15 per year.
Book Packages Ahead of Time
Perhaps the easiest way to save money on your cruise to simply buy packages you’ll use onboard ahead of time.
In an effort to get you to book early, cruise lines offer discounts for things like wi-fi and drink packages if you book them before you get on the ship. These savings can be significant. For instance, we’ve seen some lines offer drink packages 30% or more off the onboard price.
If you know you’re going to buy these items, there’s no reason not to book early and save. Even if you had to cancel your cruise, the packages are always refunded 100% so there is no risk.
Just know that the reason there are discounts ahead of time is because cruise lines have learned people who book packages early feel more comfortable spending on other items once on the ship compared to those who spend money on the packages right at the start of the cruise. Therefore, they end up spending more money overall.
Add a Third/Fourth Passenger Instead of Booking Two Rooms
There’s some pricing quirks in cruises that you can take advantage of to save a ton.
If you go to a cruise website, you’ll see low headline fares. However, these headline figures are all based on double occupancy for the cabin. That means it’s double the cost right off the bat, even if you’re sailing with only one person in the room.
But on the flipside, more passengers in the cabin sail for dirt cheap. In fact, they can sometimes sail for no extra cruise fare at all or just pennies on the dollar.
For instance, a cruise that might be $800 per person for the first two people could cost $129 for a third or fourth passenger in the cabin.
This can be a major factor if sailing as a family and deciding if you want to book two cabins or manage to squeeze all into one and save tons.
Share Internet Access Across Devices
Internet access on a cruise is expensive. Yes, you can find deals, but about the cheapest you’ll pay is $15 per day. In some cases it can be as much as $40 per day. That adds up to hundreds during the course of the cruise, and that’s only for one device. Prices are higher if you add access for a second, third or fourth device.
But there is a work around. Most cruise lines (MSC is the major exception) allow you to switch devices that are connecting. As long as only one device is using the service at a time, you can switch from a laptop to a phone to a tablet and more. You can also switch between others in your party, though they will need to enter the login information to use the service.
On a cruise, there’s no reason to be connected 24/7. It makes a lot of sense to only pay for access for one device, share the service, and save the money.
Bring Your Own Drinks
Cruises are notorious for nickel and diming passengers. Yes, a lot is included on your cruise, but a lot is also an extra charge. That includes most drinks, whether they are alcoholic or not. Sodas can cost $4 each on the trip.
The good news is that many lines, including majors like Royal Caribbean and Carnival allow you to bring on non-alcoholic drinks. You’re typically allowed a 12-pack of whatever you want to drink per person.
That may not sound like much, but at $4 per drink, a 12-pack of soda is worth nearly $50 on the ship. And a couple bringing a pack each saves nearly $100 between them.
Keep the Private Islands as “Free Days”
Private destinations like Celebration Key and CocoCay have become a favorite of both passengers and cruise lines.
Passengers love the spots because they cater only to cruisers, with everything you need for a day at the beach right at your fingertips. Cruise lines love them because they can completely control the environment and earn more money from passengers than when stopping in a normal port.
Private destinations are filled with upsells, just like the ship. From cabanas to food to activities, there’s a ton that you can spend your money on. But lines also make it fairly simple to have a completely free day with beaches, pools, and a buffet being offered at no charge.
We suggest saving the money on days in these ports. There’s so much to do that’s included that you can have a full day without forking over more dough. Instead of expensive excursions or cabanas where there is so much already, it’s a better idea to save your money to enjoy other ports of call.
Change Your Sailing Date
The biggest factor in what you’ll pay for your cruise is the time of year you sail. For the classic Caribbean cruises, the peak prices are seen in the summer and around the Christmas holidays. During these times more people have time off work or school, making it easier to travel.
If you’re flexible with your sail dates and avoid these times, you can save a ton. It’s not unheard of to pay hundreds less for the exact same cruise just by sailing a different time of year.
But don’t think you have to drastically change the time of year you sail to save. Some periods — such as the end of summer — can see drastic rate changes just by going a week or two later or earlier.
For instance, we found a Royal Caribbean trip aboard Symphony of the Seas leaving Galveston in August 2026. The price for the 6-day sailing starts at $1,118 for an interior cabin in early August, but only $926 two weeks later. That’s nearly $400 in savings for two passengers for the same trip.
More ways to save money on a cruise:
- The Best Time to Book Your Cruise (Save Money, Better Cabins)
- 30+ Tips to Save Money On a Cruise
- 8 Things Definitely Worth It On a Cruise and 3 Places to Save Your Money
