It might sound bold to say this but I believe families can book the “once in a lifetime” Star of the Seas every year without breaking the bank. 

At Travelmax, we’ve already secured fares that often undercut or at least match comparable long-haul or European holidays for both couples and families alike. 

Families of four tend to spend between £6,000 and £10,000 for peak summer dates so Star of the Seas represents excellent value. 

We recently booked a family-of-four direct return flights from Dublin, a two-night pre-cruise stay in Orlando with a seven-night sailing on Star in an Ocean View stateroom including private transfers through for just £1,199 per person (£4,796 total), which, when compared with rising costs for European summer holidays, feels like remarkable value for such a high-end experience.

In June, we booked a couple going on Star of the Seas. The booking includes a one-night pre-cruise stay, return flights and a seven-night sailing on Star of the Seas next March. 

They initially were looking at an interior cabin as it was just £1,599 per person but they chose to upgrade to a Guarantee Balcony booking for £225pp more, which I would say is still fantastic value. 

For any agents wanting to a last-minute bargain, the 12 October 2025 – a seven-night Western Caribbean & Perfect Day sailing on the same ship in an interior cabin is currently just £986 per person cruise-only fare.  

That obviously works out just over £140pp per night. You don’t need me to tell you would definitely struggle to find a hotel of that calibre for that cost. 

The key is dynamic pricing. Like airlines, cruise lines now use fluid pricing models, adjusting costs daily, sometimes hourly, based on demand, cabin availability, and flight connections. 

This means one week a sailing might be available from £1,200, but the subsequent departure could be double the price. 

We’ve even quoted for the same itinerary, just a few days apart and have seen prices decrease as well as increase, showing just how much timing matters. 

This is where experienced agents come in. By actively monitoring pricing, we’re able to use our experience to spot when the best-value sailings appear and secure them before they rise again.

Savannah Bracewell is a sales, media and marketing manager at Travelmax and is a member of the TTG 30 Under 30 class of 2025.