Royal Caribbean quietly rolled out a change that makes their standard balcony cabins the worst value on most ships. They now charge extra for what used to be included.
Here’s what happened. Basic balcony cabins no longer include the drink package pre-purchase discount. They removed the specialty dining credit. Most importantly, they stripped out the internet package that was automatically included.
Meanwhile, their suite prices stayed roughly the same. You still get everything included plus room service and priority everything. The math now heavily favors either going cheaper with an interior cabin or splurging for a junior suite.
The middle got squeezed out. A standard balcony cabin on a 7-day Caribbean cruise used to cost about $400 more than an interior cabin. Now with all the add-ons you actually want, that gap is closer to $800.
For that same $800 extra, you can often upgrade to a junior suite and get perks that would cost $600 if purchased separately. The balcony cabin becomes the worst deal on the ship. You pay premium prices for a budget experience.
This affects every major Royal Caribbean ship launching in 2024 and beyond. Older ships are being retrofitted with this pricing structure during routine maintenance. If you’ve been waiting to book that Icon of the Seas cruise, the game just changed.
The smart move now is picking either end of the spectrum. Interior cabins for budget cruisers who spend all day exploring the ship anyway. Junior suites for anyone who wants to actually enjoy their room. The middle ground disappeared while everyone was distracted by ice skating rinks and robot bartenders.
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