Expect Cruise Pricing to Play in Your Favour

Welcome to the latest edition of my Vacation Views. This week in my Horizon Scan I examine new orders on the books for cruise ships and what this means for pricing, share a Traveller Tip on my top five cruise saving money tips, and cue up a great deal in Sail Savings. So, let’s get started!

Cruise Industry Expansion: What New Ship Orders Reveal About Growth and Pricing Trends

The latest edition of the ‘Cruise Ship Orderbook’ from Informa Seatrade Cruise provides an overview of upcoming ship deliveries over the next decade, but my analysis of these new orders reveals key pricing trends that travellers should watch. In short, you can expect even more deals. Over the next 12 to 24 months, increased supply in the luxury and contemporary segments will create pricing pressure on all but the ultra-luxury sector. Now, let’s dive into what’s happening in the industry and why I am drawing this conclusion.

Cruise Industry Segments

Cruise lines can be divided into four categories:

• Contemporary: Large, family-friendly resorts at sea (Royal Caribbean, Norwegian, Carnival, MSC)

• Premium: Mid-size ships with elevated service (Princess, Celebrity, Holland America, TUI) and Premium Plus, a subsegment featuring brands with distinct identities (Cunard, Virgin Voyages, Disney)

• Luxury: Small, mostly all-inclusive ships (Oceania, Viking Ocean, Seabourn, Windstar)

• Ultra-Luxury: Highly exclusive, ultra-premium experiences (Four Seasons, Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection, Orient Express)

New Ships and What They Mean for Pricing

From now through 2026, 30 new ocean cruise ships will add 67,280 passengers in capacity. I anticipate this increased supply will create pricing shifts across segments:

1. Contemporary: The Largest Growth but Price Pressure Ahead 

With 15 new ships accommodating 74,248 passengers coming online over the next decade, major cruise lines are expanding their mega-ship fleets. Pricing impact:

• Increased supply will lead to discounts and promotions, especially in off-peak seasons.

• Themed experiences and unique itineraries will be key differentiators.

• With Disney’s expansion in the Premium Plus segment, it may pull family travellers away, leading to further pricing incentives in this category to fill their sailings. 

2. Premium & Premium Plus: Modest Growth but Facing Price Pressure

This combined segment is adding 14 new ships and 45,848 additional passenger capacity. However, most of these ships are scheduled for years down the road. The exception is a significant portion is coming from Disney’s 8 new ships - unique unto itself and accounting for more than half of the new ship supply. Pricing impact:

The increased capacity bookending this segment within the Contemporary and Luxury segments will create downward pricing pressure on the Premium and Premium Plus segment.

• Expect enhanced value offerings or extra charges for previously included perks as cruise lines seek to make up lost revenues

• Travellers may shift to Luxury brands if prices narrow between the two segments.

• Disney’s brand loyalty allows it to maintain higher pricing, though competition may introduce value-based promotions.

3. Luxury: More Ships, More Competition

Luxury cruising is seeing the largest ship expansion as a proportion of the segment’s total passenger capacity, with 20 new vessels and increasing capacity by 18,694 passengers. Pricing Impact:

• More competition will soften fares as brands aim to attract new Premium customers.

• Expect fare reductions and unbundled services to enhance affordability.

• Promotions will be key to filling these smaller, high-end ships.

4. Ultra-Luxury: Exclusive and Price-Resistant 

With only 5 new ships adding just 1,052 passengers, this segment remains niche. Pricing Impact:

• Prices will remain high or increase, given the exclusivity and limited supply.

• More all-inclusive, ultra-premium packages will be introduced.

Final Thoughts: What This Means for Cruisers

The cruise industry is expanding rapidly, particularly in the family-friendly and luxury sectors. While deals are harder to find now due to strong advance bookings, supply increases will lead to better pricing and promotions over the next two years.

Looking for value? Luxury and Contemporary categories will see the most discounts while Premium will see pricing pressure from both directions. Finally, with all this new supply, expect to see early booking incentives increasing so the cruise lines will be able to build their base of business.  

As economic and geopolitical factors evolve, pricing trends could shift further. Regardless of your budget, the industry is offering more choices than ever. Where can I help you sail next? 🚢

Everyone loves an opportunity to save money. So here are my top five money saving tips to get the most value from your next cruise vacation:

1. vBe flexible with dates - go offseason when fares are lower

2. Book a cabin on a lower decke - the higher the deck the more expensive it will be. 

3. Book early, the most desireable destinations and itineraries often go first.

4. Make sure you have travel insurance - think of your vacation as an investment. And,

5.  Research online but book through a specialist agency - or even consider transferring the reservation you made through the cruise line directly to the agency/agent manage on your behalf. Why? Because in addition to learning about cruise line promotions early, we are alerted to price changes and new incentives being offered on your cruise. This can lead us to try and get your cruise repriced or seek other concessions like an upgrade or additional onboard credit as I just did for another client this week.  

Sail Savings and other Vacation Values

In addition to incredible offerings I have found with Cunard and Oceania, here is a sail savings for later this year that is exceptionally priced:

1. 6 Nights | Caribbean Western | Celebrity Cruises: Celebrity Silhouette | Oct 26, 2025 from CA $690.00 per person taxes and port fees included!

That concludes this edition of my Vacation Views. The next edition will be sent on March 2.  Please reach out to allow me to provide a quote for your next dream vacation and feel free to share this with colleagues and friends!

 Bon Voyage!