If you’re planning a cruise in 2026, you’ll want to pay attention. Cruise lines are rolling out significant changes that will affect everything from loyalty programs to what you’ll pay onboard. Some of these updates might work in your favor, while others could hit your wallet harder than expected.
I can’t recall a year when cruise lines announced so many major shifts all at once. Some changes have already taken effect over the past few months, while others won’t impact your vacation until 2026. Let’s break down what’s changing and how it affects your next sailing.
Loyalty Programs Are Getting a Major Overhaul
If you’re a frequent cruiser, the way you earn perks and maintain status is about to change in some exciting and controversial ways.
Royal Caribbean Introduces Points Choice
Royal Caribbean Group recently unveiled their new Points Choice system, launching in early 2026. This flexible approach lets you sail with any Royal Caribbean Group brand and earn points toward the cruise line of your choice.
Here’s how it works: If you have higher loyalty status with Royal Caribbean and decide to take a Celebrity or Silver Sea cruise, those points can still apply to your Crown and Anchor Society status.
The same goes in reverse. If you typically sail Celebrity and want to bring the grandkids on a Royal Caribbean cruise, you can direct those points to Celebrity’s Captain’s Club.
While Royal Caribbean Group made some loyalty changes last year, this level of flexibility is unprecedented. It makes their loyalty programs feel genuinely connected across brands. Keep in mind this only applies to cruises sailing after the launch date in early 2026.
Carnival Rewards Replaces VFP (The Controversial One)
Carnival Cruise Line is making a bigger shake-up. Starting June 1, 2026, their longstanding VIFP program is being replaced by Carnival Rewards.
The big difference? Instead of earning status solely based on cruise nights, the new system factors in how much you spend on both fares and onboard purchases. You’ll earn stars toward your tier status, plus points you can redeem for things like onboard credit and discounts.
Some cruisers appreciate having different ways to earn rewards besides time at sea. Others feel it makes earning rewards harder, especially for those who take shorter cruises or travel on a budget.
If you’re Platinum or Diamond now, Carnival says you’ll keep that status until the new system launches. Anyone reaching Diamond before June 2026 will keep their lifetime Diamond status. This was actually a recent change Carnival made after hearing guest feedback, so it’s worth noting they’re listening to concerns.
The question on many cruisers’ minds is whether other cruise lines will watch how this goes and consider tying their loyalty programs to spending rather than just sea days. We’ll have to wait and see.
New Fees and Extra Charges to Budget For
While cruise lines love to tout how much is included in your fare, we’re seeing more little charges creep onto bills. Here’s what’s new for 2026.
Norwegian Adds Extra Entree Fee
Norwegian Cruise Line now charges $5 for an additional entree in the main dining room or included restaurants. To be fair, they’re not the first. MSC has a similar policy, and Carnival lets you order two entrees without charge, only adding the $5 fee when you reach a third.
Norwegian says this helps reduce food waste. Many cruisers see it as another way to nickel and dime passengers, especially since unlimited entrees were previously included. You’ll still have enough to eat because appetizers and desserts remain unlimited, and you can always visit other casual restaurants and the buffet.
Beverage Packages Won’t Work on Great Stirrup Cay
Speaking of Norwegian, there’s a less-than-ideal change coming to their private island, Great Stirrup Cay. Starting March 1st 2026, your onboard beverage package won’t work on the island. Instead, you’ll need to purchase a special package just for Great Stirrup Cay.
Don’t worry, basic drinks like lemonade, iced tea, and water will still be available at no charge. If you want additional beverages, you’ll need to open your wallet.
On the bright side, Norwegian is opening a massive 6-acre water park in summer 2026 with 19 water slides and a lazy river, plus new dining and bar areas. They’re also building a new pier and dock, making it faster and easier to get to the island without tendering.
Room Service Limits on Norwegian
Norwegian already charges for room service ($4.95 for breakfast, $9.95 for other times). Now they’re adding limits on how much food you can order per delivery. Recent passengers report you can order one hot dish and one cold dish per person for breakfast, and two hot dishes during the rest of the day for that single delivery fee.
Royal Caribbean Increases Child Care Fees
Over at Royal Caribbean, these changes will hit families with young children. The kids club remains free, but late-night Adventure Ocean (10:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m.) is increasing from $10 to $15 per hour per child.
When I first sailed Royal Caribbean with my kids back in 2005, it was $6 per hour. With inflation, $15 is probably reasonable, though it definitely adds up if you have multiple kids or want to enjoy several date nights during your cruise.
Virgin Voyages Drops All-Inclusive Gratuities
Virgin Voyages shook up the industry by including Wi-Fi, soft drinks, specialty restaurants, and crew gratuities in one inclusive fare. That’s changing.
Gratuities are now a separate line item. They’re $20 per person per day if you prepay, or $22 per person per day if you pay onboard. One of the things people loved about Virgin—no tipping, no surprises—is gone. You’ll need to factor in an additional $140 to $150 per person for a 7-night cruise.
The actual cost of cruising probably hasn’t changed much. It’s just separated out now, similar to how traditional cruise lines price their sailings.
Virgin Introduces Voyage Fare Choices
Starting October 7, 2025, Virgin is switching to a new fare structure called Voyage Fare Choices. Instead of one simple everything-included price, you’ll choose between three different fare levels:
Base: The more affordable option with standard Wi-Fi, dining, and entertainment, but fewer booking perks and limited flexibility for changes and cancellations.
Essential: Includes faster Wi-Fi, earlier dining reservation access, and more flexibility if you need to change plans.
Premium: Features premium Wi-Fi, priority dining reservations, more onboard credit, and the most flexible cancellation terms.
Virgin says this makes pricing more transparent and easier to compare with other cruise lines. The downside is you’ll need to pay closer attention to what’s included in your fare, including practical details like when you can make dining reservations online before your cruise.
If you’ve enjoyed Virgin’s previously uncomplicated approach, this might take some getting used to. The new system just launched, so we’ll have to give it time and see how cruisers respond.
Princess Cruises Changes Deposit Policy
If you’ve booked with Princess Cruises before, you know most deposits were refundable until final payment. While refundable deposits are still available, Princess now makes a non-refundable deposit the default option.
The good news? Booking the non-refundable fare comes with a lower price. In most cases, the deposit is also lower than the refundable option.
This isn’t new to the industry. Royal Caribbean and Celebrity have been doing this for a few years. Travel agents say this will likely reduce placeholder bookings, freeing up cabins for cruisers who are ready to commit. Others miss the flexibility of refundable deposits that Princess previously offered.
Tourist Taxes Are Going Up (Especially in Hawaii)
Cruise fares might look similar for 2026, and you may even spot lower prices here and there. What you might not notice are the additional taxes and fees being implemented by destinations and cruise ports, which get passed on to passengers.
Most tourist taxes are relatively small and don’t significantly impact budgets. Hawaii is the big exception.
Hawaii’s New Cruise Tax
Beginning January 1, 2026, Hawaii will implement a new cruise passenger tax of approximately 14% on the portion of your fare for days spent docked in port. Cruise lines like Norwegian and Disney have already warned guests of increased costs ranging from $50 to even $500 per person, depending on the itinerary.
This tax is meant to fund environmental and tourism programs, making it one of the largest new travel taxes we’ve seen in years. In fact, it’s so major that the cruise industry through CLIA has filed a federal lawsuit arguing the tax violates federal maritime law. While we don’t know the outcome yet, factor this into your budget if you’ve booked or are considering booking a Hawaiian cruise.
Other Tourist Tax Increases Around the World
Mexico: A new non-resident tourism tax was added in 2025 and is increasing again in 2026 from $5 to $10 USD per person, depending on the port. You won’t see it itemized because it’s rolled into your fare.
Greece: The cruise visitor tax continues through 2026, charged per person per port. It varies by season—€20 in summer and only €4 in winter.
Amsterdam: Day tourists pay between €11 to €14.
US Virgin Islands: The port fee is rising by approximately $3 per passenger.
Private Islands and Beach Clubs Are Getting Major Upgrades
Cruise lines are investing heavily in their private destinations. While most of these changes are positive, there are a few things worth noting.
Royal Caribbean’s Royal Beach Clubs
Royal Caribbean is opening several new Royal Beach Clubs, though there’s been some confusion about these. They’re not private islands. These are Royal Caribbean destinations with significant investment, but they come with an additional cost, similar to booking an excursion or visiting a beach club.
Royal Beach Club Paradise Island opens in Nassau, Bahamas. If you’ve visited Nassau recently, you’ve probably seen the construction across the harbor. Day passes run approximately $170 per person for an all-inclusive package including food and drink.
Royal Beach Club Santorini opens in Greece in summer 2026. Day passes are currently selling on Royal Caribbean’s website for about $280 per adult (on sale at filming time for closer to $200). Children are welcome at a lower price.
Royal Beach Club Mexico opens along the west coast in late 2026.
These destinations will surely be stunning, though the criticism is obvious: it’s an added expense. Should cruise lines be building more exclusive destinations? That depends on whether you’re willing to pay extra for enhanced experiences.
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What This All Means for Your 2026 Cruise
The cruise industry is clearly evolving. Some changes benefit loyal cruisers who want more flexibility in how they earn rewards. Others shift costs around or add new fees that require careful budgeting.
My advice? Read the fine print carefully before booking. Know what’s included in your cruise fare and budget for extras. If you’re loyal to one cruise line, understand how the new loyalty programs work and whether they benefit your cruising style.
The good news is that cruising still offers incredible value for exploring multiple destinations while enjoying comfortable accommodations and quality dining. You just need to be more aware of what’s changing so you can make informed decisions about your next voyage.
What do you think about these changes? Are you excited about any of the new developments, or concerned about rising costs? The cruise industry is clearly listening to feedback, especially when changes generate significant pushback from passengers. Your voice matters in shaping how cruise lines approach these updates going forward.