How much does a cruise cost in 2026 and 2027?
A typical 6 to 8 night cruise on a mainstream line costs about $1,008 per person (median lead fare), and the median ocean cruise works out to about $164 per person per night. Mainstream lines and short Bahamas trips are cheapest per night; luxury and river lines cost several times more but include more. Figures below are lead per-person fares as listed by Cruisebound for sailings on sale in October 2026; check the booking page for taxes, fees and the cabin you want.
Cruise prices by cruise line
Sorted from cheapest to most expensive per night. "Median" is the middle fare of all that line's listed sailings; lines with fewer than 100 sailings in the catalog are left out.
| Cruise line | Type | Median per night | Lowest per night | Median 6–8 nights | Sailings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carnival Cruise Line | Mainstream | $131 | $53 | $780 | 2,512 |
| Royal Caribbean | Mainstream | $135 | $42 | $945 | 2,893 |
| Costa | Mainstream | $138 | $36 | $993 | 1,749 |
| Norwegian Cruise Line | Mainstream | $146 | $31 | $1,099 | 1,899 |
| MSC Cruises | Mainstream | $146 | $33 | $1,052 | 6,732 |
| Princess Cruises | Premium | $153 | $46 | $1,069 | 1,806 |
| Celebrity Cruises | Premium | $160 | $60 | $1,093 | 1,111 |
| Cunard | Premium | $166 | $55 | $1,269 | 558 |
| Holland America Line | Premium | $171 | $53 | $1,184 | 1,162 |
| Disney Cruise Line | Premium | $324 | $162 | $2,237 | 922 |
| Azamara | Premium | $387 | $123 | $2,349 | 386 |
| Oceania Cruises | Premium | $411 | $165 | $2,599 | 497 |
| Viking River | River | $436 | $340 | $3,199 | 2,225 |
| Windstar Cruises | Premium | $491 | $172 | $3,618 | 829 |
| AmaWaterways | River | $607 | $204 | $4,279 | 1,813 |
| Avalon Waterways | River | $653 | $407 | $4,601 | 1,182 |
| Viking (ocean) | Premium | $657 | $208 | $4,599 | 1,225 |
| Seabourn | Luxury | $857 | $377 | $6,398 | 532 |
| Silversea | Luxury | $896 | $282 | $7,500 | 721 |
| Regent Seven Seas Cruises | Luxury | $928 | $436 | $7,299 | 431 |
Cruise prices by destination
Ocean cruises only; river cruises are in the line table above.
| Region | Median per night | Lowest per night | Median 6–8 nights | Sailings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mexico | $123 | $39 | $749 | 1,931 |
| Caribbean | $131 | $39 | $903 | 4,107 |
| Bahamas | $136 | $35 | $903 | 3,056 |
| Panama Canal | $157 | $69 | $1,204 | 162 |
| Bermuda | $160 | $47 | $1,029 | 288 |
| Alaska | $162 | $83 | $1,099 | 1,535 |
| Europe (incl. Mediterranean) | $174 | $31 | $1,146 | 9,580 |
| Greece | $196 | $74 | $1,219 | 309 |
| Northern Europe and Iceland | $214 | $57 | $1,350 | 1,461 |
| Canada and New England | $219 | $90 | $1,079 | 230 |
| Hawaii | $251 | $67 | $2,097 | 196 |
Cruise prices by length
| Trip length | Median fare | Median per night | Sailings |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 to 5 nights | $502 | $144 | 5,294 |
| 6 to 8 nights | $1,289 | $184 | 16,942 |
| 9 to 14 nights | $2,759 | $225 | 6,387 |
| 15 nights or more | $5,849 | $226 | 2,588 |
How these prices are collected
Every week we read Cruisebound's catalog of sailings it sells (lead per-person fares for each departure) and keep sailings on the lines we cover that leave within about two years, dropping fares that are implausible for the trip length. Medians are less skewed by a few very cheap or very expensive sailings than averages. Fares change daily, so use these figures to compare, not to budget to the dollar. The same data drives the dated "from" prices on every page; see how our guides are made and how we rate cruises.
For which line suits you, start with the best cruise lines ranked; for cheap trips, see 3 to 5 night cruises and last-minute deals.