You can expect to pay at least $284 for a seven-day cruise in 2026. This figure is based on research comparing the cheapest cruise rates from seven major cruise lines, on cruises to five major destinations.
However, there’s a lot at play when it comes to cruise prices, including destination, cruise line, accommodations and even cruise ship. Here’s what you need to know as you book your 2026 cruise.
So, How Much is a Week-Long Cruise Going to Cost You in 2026?
The table below shows the lowest available fares for cruises to five major destinations from seven major cruise lines, for cruises that are six to eight nights in length.
Prices are per person. For prices listed as “N/A,” the cruise line did not have a six- to eight-night cruise scheduled for 2026 to that particular destination at the time we checked.
Cruise LineWeek-Long Caribbean CruiseWeek-Long Mediterranean CruiseWeek-Long Alaskan CruiseWeek-Long Mexico CruiseWeek-Long Canada/New England CruiseCarnival Cruise LineFrom $479From $1,034From $899From $284From $829Royal CaribbeanFrom $465From $841From $694From $420N/AMSC CruisesFrom $339From $428From $739N/AN/ANorwegian Cruise LineFrom $549From $779From $679From $449From $839Princess CruisesFrom $463From $814From $673From $573From $873Celebrity CruisesFrom $542From $911From $616N/AN/AHolland AmericaFrom $1,274From $1,599From $1,299From $1,399 From $1,299
Cost of a Mainstream Cruise
As you can probably see from the table above, costs can vary wildly from cruise line to cruise line. This is, in part, thanks to the fact that cruises can be divided down into three main categories: mainstream, premium and luxury.
Mainstream cruise lines include those that offer cruising on a budget — think Carnival Cruise Line first and foremost, as well as Royal Caribbean, MSC Cruises and Norwegian Cruise Line.
Generally, you’ll find the best deals with these lines, with cruises starting as cheap as $284, which was the overall lowest price we could find for a 2026, week-long cruise.
Carnival Firenze in Long Beach (Photo Credit: Carnival)
This fare was offered from Carnival Cruise Line, for a six-day Mexican Riviera cruise that departed from Long Beach in California, before heading to Cabo San Lucas and Ensenada, aboard the Carnival Firenze.
However, fares on these cruise lines can get pretty pricey, if you travel on a big, new ship with lots of fancy bells and whistles, or if you travel on in-demand itineraries.
For example, Carnival Cruise Line’s cheapest week-long Mediterranean cruise for 2026 came in at $1,034. The eight-day, Mediterranean cruise from Barcelona included stops in Provence, Florence, Pisa, Rome, Amalfi, Pompeii and Malta, all aboard Carnival Freedom.
Cost of a Premium Cruise
Premium cruise lines are just a little more upscale. The ships may focus more on luxury features without extending all the way into millionaire-level luxury, and the clientele may include more older couples and fewer families.
We included three premium cruise lines in our data, including Holland America Line, Princess Cruises and Celebrity Cruises.
Photo Credit: Melissa Mayntz
Out of these three lines, the most affordable cruise fare for 2026 was $463 for a seven-day Western Caribbean cruise departing from Galveston, Texas, and visiting Cozumel, Belize City and Costa Maya, sailing on Regal Princess.
Again, though, premium cruises can really climb up in price, depending on a range of factors. As shown in the table above, Holland America’s cheapest week-long Mediterranean cruise for 2026 is $1,599 per person, on the line’s Oosterdam.
Cost of a Luxury Cruise
Then, there are the truly luxurious lines. Think butler service, all-suite accommodations, and absolutely everything included. Luxury cruise lines include Silversea Cruises, Regent Seven Seas and Seabourn, Oceania Cruises, among others.
The costs of these cruises can be absolutely astonishing for the average cruiser.
Silversea, for example (which doesn’t even allow you to sort cruises by price when perusing its fares on its websites — because, supposedly, for their cruisers, cost is no issue), offers fares ranging from around $4,000 per person to upwards of $15,000 per person.
Regent Seven Seas Cruise Ship Deck
However, the cruises are all-inclusive and you do enjoy white-glove butler service throughout the duration of your cruise.
Meanwhile, Regent Seven Seas’ most affordable cruise fare for a week-long 2026 cruise, is $4,499 for a seven-night Caribbean cruise departing from Miami on Seven Seas Grandeur.
Meanwhile, it’s most expensive week-long 2026 cruise fare is $8,999 for a seven-night North Sea cruise, also on Seven Seas Grandeur.
Similarly, Seabourn’s most affordable seven-day 2026 cruise is a Caribbean cruise on Seabourn Ovation, starting at $3,798 per person. Its most expensive seven-day 2026 cruise is $8,093 for a Northern Europe cruise.
Other Factors that Affect Cruise Prices
There are many, many other factors that affect cruise pricing, though, beyond whether you book a cruise with a mainstream, premium or luxury cruise line.
As you can see from our data above, after all, in some cases you can cruise for cheaper on Princess Cruises than you could on a Carnival cruise, if you were to pick the right cruise.
Here are a few key considerations that will affect your end cruise price.
Cabin Type
Probably the most obvious up-front factor that will affect your cruise fare is the type of cabin you choose.
Most often, interior cabins are going to be your cheapest option, but interior cabins come with their downsides. They’re small. They’re usually nothing fancy.
Royal Caribbean Stateroom (Photo Credit: Melissa Mayntz / Cruise Hive)
The larger and nicer your cabin, the more expensive it will be. Ocean view cabins are more expensive that interior rooms. Balconies are more expensive than ocean view rooms. Suites are more expensive than a balcony cabin.
Read Also: What NOT to Do When Choosing Your Cruise Cabins
As an example, on Royal Caribbean’s Wonder of the Seas, you can book a three-night cruise from Miami, in January 2026, starting at $499 per person, but that only gets you an interior stateroom that’s as small as 172 square feet. If you spring for the most luxurious option, a suite, the cost will start at $1,250 per person.
Time of Year
There are certain times of year when cruising in certain destinations is most expensive. Want to go to the Caribbean during the winter or spring break?
Cruise Passengers in Juneau, Alaska (Photo Credit: Kenneth Sponsler)
So does everyone else. Prices are high. Want to go to Alaska? Most prefer it in the warmest parts of summer, so you’ll find the cheapest prices in the spring or fall.
How Many People are Traveling with You
It could be cheaper to travel with another person than it is to travel alone, as many cruise lines tack on a single’s fee if you try to book a cabin as a solo cruiser.
This is because the cruise lines base stateroom fares on the idea that two people will be in the room, and thus spending two people’s worth of money elsewhere on the ship.
Photo Credit: Royal Caribbean
For example, on Royal Caribbean, if you want to take a seven-night Alaskan cruise on Ovation of the Seas from Vancouver to Seward, you’d pay a starting fare of $1,450 as a solo traveler, but you’d pay $774 per person if you were traveling as a couple.
Read Also: How Much Does an Alaska Cruise Cost?
While, yes, that does put the overall cost of the cabin at around the same, if you’re thinking of traveling alone, but want to save some cash, consider bringing a friend and splitting the cost.
Additionally, keep this fact in mind when perusing cruise fares. The price you see immediately upon search a cruise line’s website is based on an assumed two people traveling.
Age of the Ship
The newer and nicer the ship, the more you’ll pay to cruise on it. Royal Caribbean’s newest ship Star of the Seas’s lowest available fares as of fall 2024 are $1,158, for a seven-night Eastern Caribbean cruise.
In contrast, the lowest available fares on Royal Caribbean’s oldest ship in operation, Grandeur of the Seas, start at $368 — again for a seven-night Caribbean cruise.
Royal Caribbean’s Grandeur of the Seas Cruise Ship (Photo Credit: Dennis MacDonald)
And if you think that the age of the ship doesn’t matter to you, and you’ll take advantage of the much lower cost, consider that Grandeur of the Seas only has three complimentary dining options to Star of the Seas’ 11.
Grandeur of the Seas has two pools, while Star of the Seas has seven, plus the largest waterpark at sea.
While Grandeur of the Seas may have a rock-climbing wall, theater and a casino, Star of the Seas has an Aquadome, ice arena, obstacle course and other entertainment options.
In other words, you get what you pay for.
Additional Costs to Expect
It’s important to also remember that your basic cruise fare won’t be all-inclusive unless you specifically book an all-inclusive cruise, which will likely be on a luxury cruise ship and thus come with a higher price tag.
If you’re just cruising on a mainstream cruise line, your base fare will include meals at a handful of restaurants (not all), some activities on the ship (again, not all), some non-alcoholic beverages and access to facilities such as pools and fitness centers.
There are many, many other, extra costs that you could incur over the course of your cruise. For example, you might purchase a beverage package so you get a certain number of sodas and alcoholic beverages each day.
Carnival Cruise Line Zero Proof Drink Package
That cost will vary from cruise line to cruise line, but, as an example, Carnival Cruise Line’s Cheers! package, which includes up to 15 beer or cocktails per 24 hours, plus unlimited non-alcoholic beverages, starts at $70 per person per day.
If you’re traveling as a couple, on a seven-day cruise, that adds up to an extra $980 tacked onto your base cruise fare.
Read Also: What is the Carnival CHEERS! Package?
Then, you’ll pay a la carte fees for dining at specialty restaurants (expect to pay around $100 per person for the average dinner), or you can purchase a specialty dining package.
Royal Caribbean offers an Unlimited Dining Package (which does come with caveats; it’s not truly unlimited) for $665 for two people.
You’ll also pay more for add-ons, onboard activities and experiences such as shore excursions, spa treatments, fitness classes and specialty experiences such as escape rooms and laser tag.
Royal Caribbean Drinks Exception Change (Photo Credit: Sandra Foyt)
Other nice-to-haves that are an extra fee include wi-fi packages. These start at $18.70 per person per day on Carnival Cruise Line and, again, if you’re traveling as a couple on a seven-night cruise, that adds up significantly, to the tune of $261 per cruise.
Worth Reading: When Is the Best Time to Buy a Royal Caribbean Drink Package?
Gratuities are additionally added to your cruise bill, and you might not even see that cost until the very end of your cruise, when the bill is delivered. Gratuities range, but usually are around 15–20% of your bills at restaurants, bars and the spa.
Of course, if you shop on-board the ship at all, such as at the duty-free shops or souvenir shops, that will likewise eat into your vacation budget.
How to Find the Best Cruise Deals
No matter how you like to cruise or what kind of cruise you want to book, there are certain things you can do to ensure you get the best cruise deal possible.
First, before shopping directly with a cruise line, easily compare and contrast all of the options within your budget by using booking engines like the Cruise Hive booking tool.
Cruise Hive Booking Bonus
It allows you to search your options based on a range of factors, including price, cruise length, travel dates, cruise line, ship, destination, cruise type and more. Currently, you can find four-night cruises through the booking engine for under $200 per person per night.
Additionally, look out for cruise line discounts and promotions. Cruise lines often offer discounts on upcoming, last-minute sailings as the travel dates draw closer.
Cruise Ships Docked at PortMiami, Florida (Photo Credit: Just dance)
Additionally, they may offer special deals and free perks like free kids’ dining or ship credits, for cruises occurring during the shoulder season or off season.
In some cases, you can also find special cruise deals offered to residents of certain states, if cruise lines are specifically trying to market to certain demographics. Other discounts that may add up include senior or military discounts.
Lastly, if you’re loyal to a certain cruise line, be sure to join that line’s loyalty program, which often gives guests access to exclusive fare sales and deals, and subscribe to that line’s social media channels and newsletters.
Appeared first on: Cruisehive.com
