If you’re on the fence about booking that next cruise, Royal Caribbean is going to make it easier by giving you more time to hold a booking before pulling the trigger.
On October 28, 2024, Royal Caribbean officially changed its courtesy hold policy, which lets guests and travel advisors temporarily hold reservations without a deposit.
The new guidelines give cruisers up to five days to book a held itinerary.
“We are pleased to share an update to our courtesy hold policy aimed at providing a more streamlined booking experience, making your bookings easier to manage, and encouraging your clients to finalize their reservations earlier,” the cruise line stated in a letter to travel advisors.
“The amount of time allotted for a courtesy hold is dependent upon the number of days prior to sailing,” Royal Caribbean said, while also pointing out that it will no longer offer extensions, so once the hold period ends, a deposit is required to keep the booking.
Royal Caribbean previously allowed potential guests to hold a booking with no deposit for 24 or 48 hours. The booking hold guaranteed a cabin selection and cruise price would not be lost, giving passengers the opportunity to sleep on it before committing.
Under the revised policy, the hold time varies on how close the sail date is. For trips within the next 30 days, there’s no hold time – meaning the reservation must be confirmed with a deposit to secure.
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However, sailings 31 to 45 days out can be held for one day, those 46 to 90 days out can be held for two days, and those more than 91 days out get the full five days.
Booking deposits have to be received before the courtesy hold window closed, as was the case under the old policy.
“Please note that any booking created before October 28th will be honored under the existing option date policy,” added the cruise line.
The courtesy hold updates affect only FIT (Free Independent Traveler) bookings, which are individual reservations.
Group bookings will continue to follow the existing deposit schedule, which allows for holds for 30 days without deposits. (Although groups requiring 16 or more staterooms are required to pay an initial deposit of $50 per stateroom.)
The Advantage of Courtesy Holds
Courtesy hold policies are common features among cruise lines and airlines, allowing guests to temporarily reserve a space without committing to a deposit. These policies give potential cruisers a window to make decisions or coordinate with fellow passengers and finalize their plans.
These holds offer benefits to both the passenger and the cruise lines. For guests, a courtesy hold can reduce the pressure of making an instant decision, giving them time to verify travel documents, align with other travelers, and confirm availability at work or other personal responsibilities.
It also allows passengers not to miss out on special sales and travel deals with limited booking timeframes advertised to inspire cruising when they weren’t actively seeking to plan a voyage.
Cruise lines also benefit by improving the booking experience, reducing the likelihood of late cancellations, and minimizing overbookings, so this new policy is a win-win for cruisers and Royal Caribbean alike.
With the new courtesy hold, Royal Caribbean one-upped its competitors. Other lines, such as Norwegian Cruise Line, Carnival Cruise Line, and Celebrity Cruises offer courtesy holds for 48 hours.
