Wave Season Deals Are Arriving Early, and Here’s What You Should Know

The Thanksgiving and Black Friday hangover is officially over. And I’ll admit, I just returned from an incredibly inexpensive, last-minute Celebrity cruise that I discovered while researching this year’s Black Friday promotions. Now, we are buckling up and preparing for the onslaught of 2026 Wave Season deals, each vying for our dollars.

While the general start of Wave Season isn’t until January, cruise lines are already rolling out Wave-style promotions. Some brands have announced offers earlier than usual, while others are still keeping their plans under wraps. Wave Season typically unfolds over several months, with new or adjusted offers appearing as inventory and demand shift.

At CruiseNews, we’re keeping a close eye on cruise sales and promotions over the coming months. As Wave Season start to take shape, it’s a good moment to talk about what you can realistically expect and how to get the most value from this booking window.

Standout Wave Season Deals So Far

Several early Wave Season deals are already worth a closer look, especially for travelers planning ahead. Across the offers announced so far, savings vary widely depending on the cruise line, destination, and sailing date.

Fare discounts are ranging up to 50% off, while savings can range up to thousands of dollars. Onboard credit remains one of the most common features, with offers ranging up to $4,000 per stateroom.

• American Cruise Lines is promoting free domestic airfare alongside savings of up to $1,600 per booking on select 2026 Great Lakes, Lower Mississippi, Florida Gulf Coast, and Florida river cruises.
• Virgin Voyages’ Wave offer equates to a 40% discount per passenger when two travelers share a cabin, paired with bar tab credits of up to $400 per cabin. The line is also running a concurrent, combinable promotion that matches your status across more than 35 loyalty programs. In order to get perks on you cruise, you must register with Virgin Blue Perks before you book.
• Royal Caribbean’s December Explore More promotion offers up to $400 in instant savings and up to $200 in onboard credit on select sailings. When booked by January 1, 2026, December Explore More can be combined with BOGO60, allowing you to layer those instant savings on top of 60% off the second guest’s cruise fare.

Instead of relying on steep fare cuts alone, Wave Season will emphasize added value, including onboard credit, airfare incentives, or reduced deposits. The table below outlines Wave Season offers and overlapping promotions we’ve reviewed so far across multiple cruise lines.

2026 Wave Season Offers

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(Based on officially released terms and conditions at press time.)

Cruise Demand Remains Strong

Cruising continues to hold up well, even amid broader economic uncertainty. Several brands have already pointed to healthy to record-setting Black Friday performance, particularly for sailings farther down the road.

According to Cruise Lines International Association’s 2025 State of the Cruise Industry data, travelers are booking earlier than ever. Many consumers are now reserving cruises six to 12 months in advance, and sometimes even further out.

That trend helps explain why Wave Season offers look a little different today. Travelers hoping to find a wide range of 2025 sailings may notice more limited availability, as many of those cruises were booked last year or earlier. As a result, many Wave Season deals are better suited for 2026 and even 2027 sailings. For those cruises, you will find more choice across ships, itineraries, and stateroom categories.

Why Wave Season Still Matter

Even with these shifts, Wave Season is less about last-minute bargains and more about planning ahead. With patience and planning, you can score your dream cruise vacation during Wave Season, and have it with the right ship, right dates and right price.

We’ll continue to monitor new Wave Season offers as they’re announced and share updates as the season evolves.