Royal Caribbean will revise its North America cancellation penalty schedule starting October 11, 2026, as announced to travel partners on September 28, 2026.
Revised Sailing Length Categories and Penalty Tiers
The current sailing length categories of 1-4 nights, 5-14 nights, and 15 or more nights will change to 1-4 nights, 5-9 nights, and 10 or more nights. Cruises of 10 to 14 nights, previously under the middle penalty tier, will now fall into the highest penalty tier reserved for cruises of 10 or more nights.
Elimination of the 25% Penalty Window
The 25% cancellation penalty window is removed for all sailing lengths effective October 11, 2026. Previously, this penalty applied 89-75 days before
embarkation for 5-14 night cruises and 119-75 days for cruises of 15 nights or longer. Cruises of 1-4 nights did not have this penalty tier.
Changes to Third and Fourth Guest Cancellation Penalties
Royal Caribbean will automate cancellation penalties for third and fourth guests based on booking status at cancellation, eliminating prior individual waiver practices.
Immediate Application for 2028-2029 Alaska and Pacific Bookings
New bookings from September 29, 2026 for 2028-2029 Alaska, Hawaii, Pacific Coastal, and Transpacific sailings will follow the new penalty structure immediately. From October 11, 2026, the updated policy applies to all North America deployments and existing bookings.
The revised penalties apply to North America sailings only; European and other regional policies may
differ.
Passengers should review the updated cancellation penalties to avoid unexpected fees when canceling cruises effective October 11, 2026.
