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What's the Cheapest Month to Take a Cruise in 2026?

Travel Destinations Editor, ShopBackOctober 8, 2026

For US travelers, the cheapest time to sail is usually late September through mid-November and the weeks before Christmas, according to Royal Caribbean's own guide, while January to March (Wave Season) is the best time to book perks for later sailings. Compare Celebrity Cruises, CruiseDirect and Expedia, then book through ShopBack US.

Published: 8 October 2026 · Author: Mirabelle Chew, Shopping Editor, ShopBack US

ShopBack US is a free cashback app and website. You go through ShopBack, book on sites like Expedia, CruiseDirect or Celebrity Cruises as usual, and part of what you spent comes back to you as cash. Sign up for ShopBack before you start pricing sailings.

What's the cheapest month to take a cruise?

The cheapest time to sail is generally late September through mid-November, or early December just before Christmas, according to Royal Caribbean. Its guide to the best time to go on a cruise calls these weeks, between back-to-school and the holiday rush, part of cruise off-season. It says prices drop, sometimes significantly, and lines may add extras such as onboard credit, drink packages or free upgrades to encourage bookings.

Why these weeks are cheaper:

Kids are back in school, so family demand falls after the summer.
It is late in the Atlantic hurricane season, which the US National Hurricane Center says runs from June 1 to November 30. Some travelers avoid it, so demand dips.
It sits before the holiday peak. Royal Caribbean notes that November and December holiday sailings attract larger crowds, so the weeks around them, rather than the holiday weeks themselves, are where the value is.

Months that usually cost more: holiday weeks (Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year), spring break in March and April, and summer from June to August, when families travel and Alaska and Europe sailings are in season.

The trade-off. Off-season sailings tend to carry fewer guests, often skewing toward adults and retirees, Royal Caribbean says, and some onboard venues may run lighter schedules. For many cruisers the quieter pace is part of the appeal.

Cheapest month to cruise with Royal Caribbean: lowest fares

Royal Caribbean names late September through mid-November and early December before Christmas as generally the cheapest windows to sail. Its Caribbean guide adds a second angle: experienced cruisers often find the best Caribbean rates between January and March, after the holidays and before spring break demand picks up.

Here is how Royal Caribbean's published guides line up across the year:

Period	What Royal Caribbean says
January to March	Wave Season booking incentives; often the best Caribbean rates for sailings in this window
March to April	Spring break demand from college students and families
June to August	Summer sailings, with some limited-time deals; Alaska season
Late September to mid-November	Generally the cheapest time to sail (off-season)
Early December, before Christmas	Also part of the cheaper off-season window
Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year weeks	Larger crowds and higher demand

Royal Caribbean also says older ships often cost less than newer mega-ships, and inside cabins and shoulder season dates are the budget-friendly picks. Royal Caribbean sits in the same group as Celebrity Cruises, the Royal Caribbean Group.

Cheapest month for cruise deals: the price data for 2026

Cruise lines do not publish a month-by-month average fare table, so the most reliable data is what the lines themselves say about their seasons and booking windows. These are the figures and dates that hold up:

Off-season: late September to mid-November and early December, per Royal Caribbean.
Wave Season: January to March. Royal Caribbean says its booking incentives in this period can include onboard credit, discounts and added-value offers, and that lines may offer reduced deposits, flexible cancellation or bundles with Wi-Fi and specialty dining.
Booking window: Royal Caribbean calls 6 to 12 months ahead the sweet spot, and 12 to 18 months for far-off itineraries such as Alaska, the Mediterranean or Australia. Booking 3 to 4 months out can turn up deals, but many cabins on sailings of 7 nights or more are already taken.
Hurricane season: June 1 to November 30. Based on the 1991 to 2020 climate period, the National Hurricane Center says an average Atlantic season has 14 named storms and 7 hurricanes.
Drinks and Wi-Fi: Celebrity Cruises says its All Included fare, with classic drinks and basic Wi-Fi, saves $200 to $800 compared with buying them onboard, at the time of writing. If you would buy those anyway, compare the All Included price with the base fare plus what you would spend onboard.

2026 sale dates to watch. In 2026, Black Friday is Friday 27 November, Cyber Monday is Monday 30 November and Travel Tuesday is Tuesday 1 December. Royal Caribbean lists Thanksgiving, Christmas and other holidays as times when you can find deals on upcoming cruises, and Wave Season 2027 opens in January.

Cruise deals: the best deals in the US for 2026

The best cruise deal usually comes from sailing off-season and booking in a promotion window, not from one or the other. A simple plan for 2026:

Pick a cheaper sailing window. Late September to mid-November or early December for most itineraries; January to March for the Caribbean.
Book in a deal window. Black Friday week, Travel Tuesday or Wave Season (January to March).
Choose the cabin and ship for value. Inside cabins and older ships usually cost less than balcony cabins on the newest ships.
Price the all-in fare. Compare the base fare plus drinks and Wi-Fi against bundled fares like Celebrity's All Included.
Check the price after you book. Celebrity's Best Price Guarantee lets you ask for a price adjustment or upgrade if its own channels show a lower fare before final payment.
Save on your trip by booking cruises, flights, hotels and activities through ShopBack. Go through ShopBack US before you pay for the cruise, the flight to the port and the hotel the night before.

Celebrity Cruises, CruiseDirect and Expedia: cruise deals in the US

All three sell cruises to US travelers, and each suits a different kind of booking. Here is how they work.

Celebrity Cruises

Celebrity Cruises is a premium cruise line in the Royal Caribbean Group that sails the Caribbean, Alaska, Europe and other regions. According to Celebrity at the time of writing:

Fare choices: a lowest-price fare where you add drinks and Wi-Fi later, or an All Included fare with classic drinks and basic Wi-Fi, which Celebrity says saves $200 to $800 against onboard prices.
Best Price Guarantee: if Celebrity's own channels show a lower fare for the same ship, sail date and cabin category, you can ask for a price adjustment or a complimentary upgrade before final payment, or within 24 hours of booking. After final payment, you may be eligible for an upgrade, subject to availability.
Captain's Club: Celebrity's loyalty programme for repeat guests.

Book through ShopBack's Celebrity Cruises page.

CruiseDirect

CruiseDirect is an online cruise booking site that sells sailings from many major cruise lines in one search. It suits travelers who know their dates but not their line, and want to compare several ships at once. Book through ShopBack's CruiseDirect page.

Expedia

Expedia sells cruises from several cruise lines next to its flights, hotels and rental cars. It is useful when you need the whole trip in one place, such as a flight to Miami, Fort Lauderdale or Galveston and a hotel the night before you sail. Book through ShopBack's Expedia page.

Other cruise lines US travelers often compare include Royal Caribbean, Carnival, Norwegian Cruise Line and Princess Cruises; check each line's own site for the same sailing.

CruiseDirect vs Celebrity Cruises: cruise deals price comparison 2026

Neither is always cheaper, because cruise lines set the base fare and the difference usually comes down to perks, timing and what is included. Compare fairly with this checklist:

Check	Why it matters
Same ship, sail date and cabin category	Small changes in any of these move the price
Total including taxes, fees and port expenses	The headline fare is not the final price
Fare type	A base fare and an All Included fare are different products
Perks included	Onboard credit or other extras can be worth more than a small fare gap
Deposit and cancellation terms	Refundable and non-refundable deposits differ in flexibility and price
Price protection	Celebrity's Best Price Guarantee compares against fares on Celebrity's own channels; requests go through Celebrity or your travel partner, per its terms

Once you have picked the booking with the best total, the last step is the same: open it from ShopBack US before you pay.

How ShopBack US lowers what you pay for a cruise

Save on your trip by booking cruises, flights, hotels and activities through ShopBack. You still book the same ship, the same cabin and the same fare on the site you chose; ShopBack is the step you take before you pay.

ShopBack lowers the effective price of cruises, flights, hotels and online orders after you pay. A worked example with an illustrative rate: a $1,500 cruise booked through Expedia at an illustrative 3% would return $45, so the effective price is $1,455. Check the live rate on the store's ShopBack page, because rates change and some cruise bookings may be treated differently from hotels or flights.

Cashback lowers what you actually pay for an order. It comes back as cash, so it works like a discount on the price, not like points or miles that you can only use with one cruise line or airline.

How to do it:

Open ShopBack US in the app or on the website.
Choose Expedia, CruiseDirect or Celebrity Cruises and activate it.
Book your cruise, flight or hotel in the same session, as usual.
Cash comes back to your ShopBack account once the store confirms the booking.

Our guide on earning cashback on travel bookings covers the details, the US sale calendar maps the big sale weeks, and the US travel cashback hub lists more travel stores.

Frequently asked questions

What is the cheapest month to go on a cruise?

Usually the weeks between back-to-school and the holiday rush. Royal Caribbean's own guide says the cheapest time to sail is generally late September through mid-November, or early December just before Christmas, which is cruise off-season. Prices can drop and lines may add perks such as onboard credit to fill cabins.

When is the cheapest time to cruise with Royal Caribbean?

Royal Caribbean names late September through mid-November and early December before Christmas as generally the cheapest sailing windows. For the Caribbean specifically, its Caribbean guide says experienced cruisers often find the best rates between January and March, after the holiday rush and before spring break.

What is Wave Season for cruises?

Wave Season is the cruise industry's big booking period, running from January to March. Royal Caribbean says it offers booking incentives in this window that can include onboard credit, discounts and added-value offers, and that lines may offer reduced deposits or bundles with Wi-Fi or dining for sailings later in the year.

How far in advance should I book a cruise?

Royal Caribbean calls 6 to 12 months ahead the sweet spot for most travelers, and suggests 12 to 18 months for far-off or bucket-list itineraries such as Alaska, the Mediterranean or Australia. Booking 3 to 4 months out can turn up deals, but many cabins on longer sailings are already taken by then.

Is it cheaper to cruise during hurricane season?

Late-season sailings are often among the cheaper ones, because the Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30, according to the US National Hurricane Center, and demand dips in the fall. Cruise lines monitor the weather and can change itineraries, so read the cancellation terms and consider travel insurance.

When are cruises most expensive?

Holiday weeks, spring break and summer usually cost the most. Royal Caribbean notes that November and December holiday sailings attract larger crowds, and that spring brings college students and families on spring break, which pushes up demand.

Is CruiseDirect or Celebrity Cruises cheaper?

Compare the exact same ship, sail date and cabin category on both. Celebrity sells its own sailings direct with a Best Price Guarantee, while CruiseDirect sells sailings from many cruise lines in one place. Look at the total fare including taxes and port fees and any perks included, then go through ShopBack US before you pay.

What is the Celebrity Cruises Best Price Guarantee?

According to Celebrity Cruises, if its own channels later show a lower fare for the same ship, sail date and cabin category, you can ask for a price adjustment or a complimentary upgrade before final payment, or within 24 hours of booking. After final payment, you may be eligible for an upgrade, subject to availability.

Can I book a cruise on Expedia?

Yes. Expedia sells cruises from several cruise lines next to its flights and hotels, which is handy if you also need a flight to the departure port or a hotel the night before. Compare the cruise price on Expedia with the cruise line's own site for the same cabin.

How does ShopBack lower the price of a cruise?

ShopBack lowers the effective price of cruises, flights, hotels and online orders after you pay. Open Expedia, CruiseDirect or Celebrity Cruises from ShopBack US, book as usual, and part of what you paid comes back as cash. The live rate and terms, including which bookings qualify, are on each store's ShopBack page.

Is cashback the same as cruise loyalty points?

No. Cashback lowers what you actually pay for an order. It comes back as cash, so it works like a discount on the price, not like points or miles that you can only use with one cruise line or airline.

Key takeaways

The cheapest time to sail is generally late September through mid-November and early December before Christmas, according to Royal Caribbean.
For the Caribbean, January to March often brings the best rates, and it is also Wave Season for booking perks.
Book 6 to 12 months ahead for most sailings, 12 to 18 months for far-off itineraries.
Compare the same ship, date and cabin on Celebrity Cruises, CruiseDirect and Expedia, and price the all-in fare.
Before you pay, open ShopBack US: Expedia, CruiseDirect, Celebrity Cruises.

Book cruises and travel through ShopBack US: Expedia · CruiseDirect · Celebrity Cruises · Priceline · Trip.com · Booking.com

Disclaimer

The views in this article are those of the author and are for general information only. This article is not affiliated with or endorsed by Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises, CruiseDirect or Expedia. Seasonal guidance is based on Royal Caribbean's published guides, and fare options and the Best Price Guarantee are described from Celebrity Cruises' website at the time of writing; terms, fares and promotions can change, so check each site before you book. Cashback rates on ShopBack vary by store and campaign; check the current rate and terms on each store's ShopBack page before you book.