About Royal Caribbean

Royal Caribbean sells cruises departing from Southampton and from ports worldwide, and a Royal Caribbean discount code is applied at the booking stage to a fare that covers a great deal and excludes a surprising amount. A cruise is the holiday where the difference between the headline price and the final bill is largest, and almost all of that gap is decided before you sail.

What the fare includes

The cruise fare covers the cabin, main dining rooms, buffet, most entertainment and the use of the ship. It does not normally cover drinks beyond water, tea and basic coffee, speciality restaurants, shore excursions, spa treatments, wifi or the daily gratuity charged per person per night. That gratuity is automatic rather than optional in most cases, and for a family over two weeks it is a real number. Add it before comparing a cruise against a hotel.

Cabin grade decides more than the view

Inside, oceanview, balcony and suite are the broad grades, and within each there are sub-categories priced by deck and position. A guarantee booking gives you the grade at a lower price and lets the line allocate the specific cabin, which is fine unless you care where you are. If anyone is prone to motion sickness, a mid-ship cabin on a lower deck moves least, and that is worth more than a balcony.

Passports, visas and the ports

An itinerary that touches several countries can have entry requirements for each, and the cruise line checks documents at embarkation. Passport validity rules differ by destination, some ports require a visa even for a day visit, and a missed document means being refused boarding with no refund. Check every port on the itinerary, not just the departure country.

Deposits, balances and changes

Cruises are held on a deposit with the balance due months before sailing, and cancellation charges rise steeply as the date approaches. Travel insurance that covers cruising specifically, including missed port departure, is worth having from the day you book rather than the week you sail.

Using a Royal Caribbean discount code

Enter the code before the deposit is taken and confirm the total, since a confirmed booking is repriced only by cancelling it. Offers here are usually tied to a sailing window, a cabin grade or a number of guests in the cabin, and they rarely stack with an onboard credit promotion.