Royal Caribbean is changing its cancellation policy for new bookings beginning Oct. 11, 2026, and one of the biggest changes is the elimination of its 25% cancellation penalty tier.
That doesn’t mean every cancellation penalty is doubling, though. Here’s what is actually changing.
Currently, for cruises lasting five to 14 nights, guests who cancel 89 to 75 days before departure are charged 25% of the total cruise fare. Cancel 74 to 61 days before departure, and the penalty is already 50%.
Under the new policy, Royal Caribbean is eliminating that 25% tier altogether. For new cruises lasting five to nine nights booked on or after Oct. 11, the cancellation penalty will be 50% from 89 all the way through 61 days before departure.
In other words, the biggest difference affects travelers canceling 75 to 89 days before their cruise: they’ll now face a 50% penalty rather than 25%.
Royal Caribbean says the change is intended to “streamline, consolidate, and simplify” its North American cancellation penalty structure.
Simple? Sure. More forgiving if your plans change? Not exactly.
For example, if you booked a $4,000 five-night cruise and canceled 80 days before departure, the old policy would mean a $1,000 penalty. Under the new policy, that same cancellation would cost $2,000.
Related: Royal Caribbean Just Bought Into Sandals Resorts
Longer Cruises Will Have an Earlier Cancellation Window
Royal Caribbean is also creating a separate cancellation schedule for cruises lasting 10 nights or longer, which means travelers taking extended vacations will need to commit to their plans earlier.
Under the new policy, the 50% cancellation penalty for these longer sailings begins 119 days before departure.
Currently, cruises lasting 10 to 14 nights are included in Royal Caribbean’s five-to-14-night category, where the first cancellation penalty generally doesn’t kick in until 89 days before sailing.
That means someone booking a 10-night cruise could enter the penalty period roughly a month earlier under the new rules.
What About Short Royal Caribbean Cruises?
There’s good news if you’re planning a quick getaway: Royal Caribbean’s cancellation schedule for cruises lasting one to four nights isn’t changing.
Travelers can still generally cancel 75 or more days before departure without a cancellation charge, aside from any applicable nonrefundable deposit. From 74 to 61 days before departure, the penalty is 50%; from 60 to 31 days, it’s 75%; and within 30 days, the cruise fare is nonrefundable.
When Does Royal Caribbean’s New Cancellation Policy Start?
The new cancellation schedule applies to new cruise and CruiseTour bookings made on or after Oct. 11, 2026, so travelers who already have a Royal Caribbean vacation booked shouldn’t assume their cancellation terms have suddenly changed.
Most existing reservations will remain subject to the cancellation schedule provided when they booked.
There is an early exception: Certain Alaska, Hawaii, Pacific Coastal, Panama Canal and Transpacific voyages departing on or after April 11, 2028, and booked beginning Sept. 29, 2026, are already subject to the new schedule.
The bottom line? If you’re booking a Royal Caribbean cruise after Oct. 11, check the cancellation deadlines before putting down your deposit. That date you might normally skim past could now make a pretty significant difference to your wallet.
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