You’ve probably seen Royal Caribbean’s splashy advertising filled with onboard activities and amenities on TV and across social media. The cruise line has a big presence in the travel space — literally! Royal Caribbean’s fleet incudes many of the largest cruise ships in the world, and is a popular vacation option for couples and families alike. But you may be wondering, “Amongst all those fun activities and restaurants, how much does a Royal Caribbean cruise cost?”

Here, we’re breaking down how much you should expect to pay when taking a cruise on Royal Caribbean International.

How much does a Royal Caribbean cruise cost? (2025)

What is the Royal Caribbean cruise cost for my family?

Unlike a hotel room which has a set nightly price no matter how many people are staying in it, cruises are priced per person. This is because, in addition to accommodations, you’re also getting the benefits of included food, activities, and entertainment with the cruise fare.

To give you a rough idea of the average cost you should expect for the base cruise fare on a Royal Caribbean cruise, here are some estimates based on two people in an interior cabin: $110 to $140 per person, per night. A balcony cabin bumps this estimate up to $170 to $210 per person, per night.

These figures do not include gratuities, shore excursions, travel insurance, or any other extras on the ship. Remember that these are just estimates based on Royal Caribbean’s currently-published cruises, and many are much cheaper or much more expensive than this. It’s also important to keep in mind that the newest, largest ships that you see Royal Caribbean advertise command a premium. We’ll touch on that more below.

The first two passengers in a stateroom generally pay the full published cruise fare, regardless of their age. If there are more than two people in a cabin, the additional guests will be charged a discounted fare. This means that whether you’re traveling as a young family, a friend group, or with your adult children, if everyone is staying in the same cabin the total cost will be cheaper than the full per-person published fare.

Transportation and Travel Insurance

On top of the cruise fare, the other major cost of your vacation is going to be transportation to get to your ship unless you live close to the homeport. Whether you fly, drive, or take a train, make sure to factor in how much getting to the port will cost you when considering your total trip budget.

We also want to touch on travel insurance. Royal Caribbean doesn’t require that its guests have travel insurance, but we recommend that you purchase it anyway. Most health insurance plans don’t cover medical expenses in other countries. This means if there’s an accident or you get sick while on the ship or in port, you’ll have to pay for your medical bills out-of-pocket. Travel insurance also covers things such as lost luggage and trip interruptions.

Royal Caribbean Cruise Costs by Ship

Royal Caribbean’s newest and largest ships command a premium over its smaller, older ones, which is the case with pretty much all cruise lines. Pricing for middle aged vessels should fall somewhere in between, unless they’re operating highly sought-after or rarer itineraries.

There are currently 28 ships in the Royal Caribbean fleet. The current newest vessels are the Oasis-class ship Utopia of the Seas and Icon-class vessel Icon of the Seas.

Royal Caribbean’s two largest and most expensive ship classes are the aforementioned ones: the Oasis and Icon classes. The Oasis class comprises six ships: Oasis, Allure, Harmony, Symphony, Wonder, and Utopia of the Seas. The Icon class has the largest cruise ship in the world: Icon of the Seas. A second vessel in this class, Star of the Seas, is scheduled to debut in August 2025. Taking a cruise on any of these ships usually commands a premium thanks to their massive size and abundance of entertainment options, restaurants, bars, and activities. You’ll find better deals — though less bells and whistles — on ships like Adventure, Grandeur, Voyager, or Radiance of the Seas.

Royal Caribbean Cruise Costs by Destination

Some cruising regions and destinations are more coveted and/or expensive to operate in than others. Because of this, another major factor in the cost of your cruise will be the itinerary and length of the voyage.

For example, the Caribbean and Bahamas are easy to get to from a variety of southern and east coast ports and an abundance of cruise lines have ships sailing in that region. The convenience of location and high competition make cruises in that area generally more affordable. In addition, many Americans can easily drive to a port that sails to the Caribbean, making it more budget-friendly since it can eliminate the cost for airfare.

Royal Caribbean cruises to the Mexican Riviera from California can also be a cheaper option thanks to the high numbers of people that live near one of those homeports and a large variety of ships in the area. Similar is true for cruises in Canada/New England and the Mediterranean. And don’t forget that older ships often cost less, which is one of the reasons Royal Caribbean cruises in Canada and New England are a bit more affordable: smaller and older ships generally sail there.

On the flipside, Alaska is an extremely popular cruise destination but also has a very limited cruising season each year. This means these voyages command a premium — especially during the peak months of June through August.

Other less-common Royal Caribbean cruise destinations such as Bermuda and northern Europe cost more because of their limited availability and unique port calls. Transatlantic or transpacific crossings are often cheaper because they lack the convenience of starting and ending in the same port and have a very large number of sea days vs. port days.

Royal Caribbean Cruise Costs by Cabin Type

Once you’ve figured out which ship and itinerary you want to sail, the next factor that greatly impacts the cost of your cruise is the type of stateroom you choose. Just like with most cruise lines, Royal Caribbean has four basic categories that then break down into further specific types of cabins: interior, oceanview, balcony, and suite.

Of course, based on desirability, they are priced least to most expensive in that order. When you’re pricing a cruise, the base starting fare is the cost of an interior cabin. If you’re going for a higher category, you’ll pay more than what you initially see when scrolling through cruise options.

Within these standard categories are many variations. For example, just under half the ships in the fleet feature Studio interior, oceanview, and/or balcony cabins for solo travelers. Royal Caribbean’s Oasis and Icon-class ships feature two-story Loft Suites, and Icon-class ships offer staterooms with separate bedrooms and nooks for kids as well as infinite balcony cabins. Some ships feature various Royal Suite “classes” that offer suite guests perks like access to an exclusive restaurant, luxury stateroom amenities, priority boarding and reservations, and concierge/butler service.

Royal Caribbean is also one of the only cruise lines in the world that offers inward-facing balcony cabins. On its Oasis and Icon-class ships, there are window and balcony cabins that overlook the open-air Central Park, Boardwalk, and Surfside neighborhoods. So when you go to book a balcony cabin on one of these ships, you’ll have to choose whether you want an interior view or an ocean view.

The difference in cost between the stateroom categories varies depending on factors we’ve already discussed, like the particular ship and itinerary that it’s sailing as well as current availability.

Cabin Cost Comparisons

Here are some examples of the differences you might encounter between stateroom categories based on four random sailings (Prices are per person):

Eight-night Southern Caribbean on Oasis of the Seas — January 10-18, 2026

• Interior: $913
• Oceanview: $1,039
• Balcony: $1,155
• Suite: $4,770

Seven-night Alaska Inside Passage on Serenade of the Seas — July 27 to August 3, 2025

• Interior: $1,130
• Oceanview: $1,561
• Balcony: $2,276
• Suite: $5,420

Four-night Bahamas on Wonder of the Seas — November 3-7, 2025

• Interior: $619
• Oceanview: $779
• Balcony: $811
• Suite: $1,627

Seven-night Greece, Cyprus & Turkey on Brilliance of the Seas — July 4-11, 2025

• Interior: $924
• Oceanview: $998
• Balcony: $1,472
• Suite: $1,796

What costs extra on a Royal Caribbean cruise?

Once you’ve gotten the cruise fare, transportation to your homeport, and travel insurance out of the way, there are other expenses to keep in mind in terms of your Royal Caribbean cruise cost. While a lot is part of the standard cruise fare, here’s a breakdown on what will cost you extra.

Remember that you can easily have an amazing cruise without purchasing extras. This list is just a guide to show you what’s available if you do decide to spend extra to enhance your experience.

Shore Excursions

If you’re planning to get off the ship in port, you’re going to want an idea of how to spend your time there. One option is to take a shore excursion. While they’re not required and you can certainly do your own thing, they can be a great way to see the highlights of a destination or do a fun activity. If you do want to take shore excursions, be sure to budget for them when considering your overall Royal Caribbean cruise cost. Many cruisers opt for a mix during their cruise vacation. They take excursions in some ports and explore others on their own. Whatever your plan is for a port day, factor that into your vacation cost.

Internet

Aside from the use of the Royal Caribbean app, internet is not free on a Royal Caribbean cruise. The line offers one internet package, called VOOM Surf + Stream. It allows access for basic internet surfing, social media, and email in addition to streaming movies and music. This package works onboard the ship as well as on Royal’s private island Perfect Day at CocoCay.

Royal Caribbean utilizes dynamic pricing for its internet package, which means the cost varies depending on your specific cruise. But once you book your voyage, you’ll be able to see the price in your cruise planner. You should be able to purchase it for the entire cruise or buy a single-day pass once on board. If you plan to purchase internet, be sure to budget for it prior to sailing.

Gratuities

An automatic daily gratuity of $18.50 per person for a standard cabin ($21 for those staying in suites) is automatically added to your bill at the end of the cruise. This can also be pre-paid ahead of the voyage. These gratuities go towards guest-facing crew members including stateroom attendants and servers in the dining room, as well as behind-the-scenes staff like those who work in the laundry room.

Passengers can visit guest services to remove daily gratuities from their account or adjust the amount given, but this is discouraged. Additional cash tips for crew members who you feel deserve it are also welcomed. You also may want to bring some cash to tip porters and tour guides.

Beverages

Royal Caribbean cruises include basic beverages in the fare like juice, lemonade, milk, drip coffee, tea, and hot chocolate.

Soda, alcoholic drinks, smoothies, specialty beverages, and bottled water come at an additional cost. Here’s an idea of how much drinks cost on Royal Caribbean:

• Beer: $7.50 to $8
• Wine by the glass: $9 to $12
• Mixed drinks: $11
• Specialty cocktails: $14
• Bottled water: $3.50
• Soda, specialty coffees, and energy drinks: $3.50 to $4.50

Instead of paying for drinks a la carte, there are also Royal Caribbean drink packages that you can purchase for a per-day price.

Non-Alcoholic Drink Packages

Royal Caribbean offers the Classic Soda Package, which allows for unlimited fountain soda on the ship and at the line’s private destinations. Current onboard pricing is around $15 per person per day and includes a souvenir cup. Since soda is priced around $3.50, you’d need to drink four to five sodas per day to recoup the costs of this package.

Another non-alcoholic package is the Refreshment Drink Package, which costs around $38 per person, per day. Royal Caribbean uses dynamic pricing for its beverage packages, so the exact price for your sailing may be different. The Refreshment package includes premium coffees and teas, soda, bottled water, fresh juices, non-alcoholic cocktails, and milkshakes at Johnny Rockets. Essentially, all non-alcoholic beverages across the ship.

Alcoholic Drink Package

Finally, there’s the Deluxe Drink Package. This includes everything in the Refreshment Drink Package, plus beer, wine by the glass, and cocktails worth up to $14. There are only a few things that aren’t included in this package, such as room service and mini bar items, drinks in souvenir glasses, and beverages served inside licensed Starbucks stores onboard.

Before making a decision about whether to purchase a drink package, break down how much you actually think you’ll drink on board. Be sure to factor in the time you plan to spend in port and won’t be using your package when deciding whether it will be cost-effective for you.

Do you plan to drink a fair amount on sea days but don’t think you’ll have more than a couple cocktails or beers on port days? Is your itinerary port-intensive? Then, it may be cheaper to go a la carte. If you like the idea of paying a per-day fee to not have to worry about how much you’re spending each time you order a drink, go for the package. If you drink alcohol but your spouse doesn’t, it might be better to go a la carte since if one person purchases the Deluxe Drink Package, everyone of legal drinking age sharing a cabin must also purchase it. Be mindful of the expense and do what makes the most sense for you.

Specialty Dining

Royal Caribbean has a wide variety of specialty restaurants to choose from, especially on its larger ships. Guests can choose from venues like Chops Grille steakhouse, Italian restaurant Giovanni’s, Izumi sushi, and Mexican restaurant Sabor, among others. Some have a per-person flat fee pricing structure, while others offer menu items a la carte.

Some specialty restaurants are also open for lunch, offering a smaller menu at a lower cost. They also welcome kids for a much smaller fee than the charge for adults at dinner. You can find exact prices for each restaurant in your cruise planner after booking the voyage. Take a look at which upcharge venues are on your ship and decide which (if any) you want to try. Then, be sure to include the cost in your overall budget.

Spa & Salon

Other Royal Caribbean cruise costs are the treatments and services available at the spa and salon. These include massages, facials, mani-pedis, haircuts, hair styling, and much more. Prices may vary depending on your cruise, but to give you an idea, a 50-minute Swedish massage starts at $125 and an aroma stone massage starts at $139. A traditional manicure with shellac starts at $55, while a shampoo and style dry for medium-length hair starts at $41.

In addition, most Royal ships also feature a small thermal suite. This is a space within the spa that includes things like a sauna, aromatic showers, a steam room, and heated stone loungers. A seven-day pass for this area starts at $109 per person. Single-day passes may also be available; check your cruise planner for pricing closer to your sail date.

Souvenirs

For many vacationers, a trip isn’t complete without a pin, magnet, or Christmas ornament to commemorate the occasion. You can get these — and much more — at the shops on board your ship. In addition to Royal Caribbean logo and destination-specific merchandise, vessels also have shops where you can purchase things like fine jewelry, perfume, makeup, name-brand clothing, and bottles of liquor.

You also may want to purchase souvenirs in different ports. We recommend setting a souvenir budget slightly higher than what you expect you’ll purchase, then do your best to stick to it.

Miscellaneous

In addition to the things already mentioned, build some wiggle room in your budget for miscellaneous onboard expenses. For example, Utopia of the Seas offers a dinnertime experience called Royal Railway. Guests dine in a “train car” that simulates movement through scenery passing by on LED “windows” — immersed in a show performed by actors that takes place throughout the meal.

Other various Royal Caribbean cruise costs include:

• North Star observation capsule (at select times)
• RipCord by iFly skydive simulator (at select times)
• Crown’s Edge ropes course
• Arcade
• Photos from the photo gallery
• Laundry service
• Room service (except for continental breakfast which is included)
• Bingo
• Casino
• Treats from Sugar Beach or Cupcake Cupboard

Note: These amenities are not available on all vessels; check Royal Caribbean’s website to see your ship’s specific offerings.

Does Royal Caribbean offer any deals or discounts?

Royal Caribbean frequently runs sales and promotions. So, if you’re looking to book a cruise be sure to keep an eye on the line’s website and social media platforms. Some sales revolve around a specific holiday or occasion, such as the after-Christmas sale or Black Friday/Cyber Monday. Others aren’t attached to any particular occasion or time of year.

Members of Royal Caribbean’s Crown and Anchor Society loyalty program also get discounts at certain levels. These may include discounts on actual room categories or on other onboard amenities.

Verdict

With the cruise fare, gratuities, and some on board extras added in, we estimate that you should plan to spend a minimum of $200 to $250 per person, per day on Royal Caribbean if staying in an interior or oceanview cabin. Of course, if you plan to book a balcony cabin or suite, take shore excursions in most ports, purchase a drink package, eat in specialty restaurants, etc., your cost will likely be higher.

Comments

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