Cruise Best Price Guarantees Compared
Four published policies, side by side, from each line’s own terms.
Get a Quote and CompareA cruise best price guarantee is a cruise line’s own promise, published on its own site, about what you can claim when it lowers a fare after you book. The details vary a great deal, and the name on the policy does not tell you much. Here is how the guarantees of the lines people ask about most compare, based on each line’s published terms in October 2026.
Cruise Best Price Guarantees Side by Side
| Line and policy name | What has to match | Deadline | What you receive |
|---|---|---|---|
| Royal Caribbean — Best Price Guarantee | Same cruise, date and room type, priced on its own website or call center | Before final payment, or within 24 hours of booking | The lower price; in some cases an upgrade; not offered in every country or for every reservation |
| Celebrity Cruises — Best Price Guarantee | Same ship, sail date and stateroom category on Celebrity’s own channels | Before final payment for a price adjustment; afterwards an upgrade may be possible | Price adjustment, refund if paid in full, or a complimentary upgrade |
| Princess Cruises — Better Than Best Price Guarantee | An identical, publicly available fare on Princess.com | Before final payment; applied to bookings made in a set window | Onboard credit of 120% of the difference |
| Carnival Cruise Line — Early Saver price protection | The best current advertised price for a like category | As set in the Early Saver terms for the sailing | Your price lowered to the advertised one |
Details are condensed; each line’s terms add conditions and exclusions, and every line reserves the right to change or withdraw its policy. Read the line-by-line pages for Celebrity, Princess and Carnival.
Conditions Almost Every Guarantee Shares
- Like for like. A cheaper inside cabin does not help a balcony booking, and a different sailing date never counts.
- The line’s own price. Comparisons are against fares the line itself is selling to the public, not another seller’s quote.
- Excluded rates. Group, casino, travel-industry, corporate and association rates are commonly left out on both sides of the comparison.
- Fare type matters. A non-refundable-deposit booking may only move to another non-refundable fare.
- You must ask. No line we know of reprices automatically; a request or claim form is required.
Lines Not Shown Here
Norwegian, MSC and others also handle fare changes, and some publish guarantee terms on regional sites. We could not confirm their current U.S. terms from the lines’ own pages when we last checked, so we do not describe them here. Ask our cruise advisors at Mister Cruise what applies to your booking, and we will tell you what the line’s rules say on the day.
A Guarantee Is Not the Whole Story
A strong guarantee is reassuring, but it is no substitute for a fair price at the start. The best protection is a quote compared against current offers before you pay a deposit. CruiseSales.us explains the sale types you will meet, and Cruise Upgrades explains how cabin upgrades work if a guarantee offers one instead of cash.
Best Price Guarantee Questions
What is a cruise best price guarantee?
A cruise line’s written promise about what happens if it lowers the fare for the same ship, date and cabin category after you book. Typically you can claim the lower fare, onboard credit or an upgrade, within a deadline.
Does a best price guarantee cover prices from other websites?
Usually not. The policies we have read compare against fares on the line’s own website or call center, not prices at other sellers.
Can my travel advisor file a best price guarantee claim?
Yes, where the line allows it. Celebrity, for example, says requests can come through a travel partner. Your advisor files it with the booking details already to hand.
Get a Quote and Compare Before You Book
Our cruise advisors at Mister Cruise will price your sailing, explain the line’s guarantee in plain words and watch the fare before final payment.
Get a Quote and Compare