Active duty, retired or a veteran? Several cruise lines price you lower. We find out which one wins.
Carnival, Norwegian, MSC, Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, Princess, Holland America and Disney all run military programs for active and retired service members and veterans, verified through their own ID checks. The military fare is not always the cheapest option on a given sailing, so SmartCruiser prices it against the public fare, the senior and resident fares and our own SmartCruiser rates before you book, with taxes, fees and port expenses included in every number. Call 1-800-444-1560, tell us your branch and status, and we do the comparison in one call.
How the military programs work, line by line
Each line verifies eligibility its own way. Tell us which line you are leaning toward and we handle the paperwork.
Carnival, Norwegian and MSC
- Carnival military rates on most sailings for active, retired and veterans of all branches plus National Guard and Reserves
- Norwegian military and veteran savings through its ID verification partner, applied at booking
- MSC military and first-responder onboard credit offers in selected promotions
Best for: Caribbean and Bahamas weeks from Florida, Texas and New York
Royal Caribbean and Celebrity
- Military discounts on selected sailings for active, retired and veterans, sister-line rules match
- Often combinable with Crown & Anchor and Captain’s Club perks and SmartCruiser bonus onboard credit
- Police & fire, senior and resident fares on other dates; we check all four
Best for: 7 night Caribbean, Alaska and Europe on the newest ships
Princess, Holland America and Disney
- Princess gives eligible military guests free onboard credit on every sailing, for life, once enrolled
- Holland America and Disney run military rates on selected sailings and dates
- Enrollment is one-time; we add it to your profile so every future cruise carries it
Best for: Alaska, Panama Canal and longer voyages, families on Disney
Military cruise deals: SmartCruiser picks first
The picks at the top are sailings where booking with SmartCruiser gets you something extra this week: instant savings, bonus onboard credit, a Special SmartCruiser rate, or a senior, resident or police & fire fare that beats the public price. Military fares are applied by the line after we verify your status, so call and we check whether the military fare, a pick or the public offer is lower on your sailing. Below the picks, every ocean sailing from every line, priced with taxes, fees and port expenses included.
SmartCruiser picks
Sorted by what you save, biggest firstEvery sailing, every line
Stack any filters, then pick a sortPrices are per person, double occupancy, in US dollars, and include cruise fare, taxes, fees and port expenses as published by the cruise line at the moment you load this page. Fares are capacity controlled and change daily; the fare is confirmed when you book. Flights, hotels and transfers are extra unless the line’s offer says otherwise. SmartCruiser instant savings and bonus onboard credit are provided by SmartCruiser on top of the cruise line’s price and are not available when booking direct; amounts are per stateroom, vary by stateroom category and are shown for the lowest category offered. Special SmartCruiser rates are pricing SmartCruiser holds on that sailing for its clients, with extra onboard credit; you book your own stateroom and travel on your own. Senior fares apply to guests 55 and over; resident fares need proof of residency in a listed state or province at check-in; police and fire fares apply to active or retired police, fire and EMT personnel with ID. Qualifier-fare savings are measured against the best fare the cruise line offers the general public for the same stateroom category on the day the list was pulled, updated weekly.
Sail from near a base
Pick a port and the list above filters to it.
Which lines have military programs?
Our one-line take on each, with a link to the line’s deals page.
When to go
Military rates exist year-round; these windows carry the most of them.
Military cruise fare questions we answer every day
Who qualifies for a military cruise fare?
Active duty, retired and veteran members of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard and Space Force, and on most lines the National Guard and Reserves. Carnival and Norwegian also include spouses on some fares. Each line verifies eligibility through its own ID program, and one qualifying guest in the stateroom usually covers everyone in it.
Is the military fare always the cheapest?
No. On many sailings the public promotion, a senior or resident fare, or a SmartCruiser pick is lower. That is why we price the military fare against every other offer on your sailing before you book, with taxes, fees and port expenses included in each number, and tell you which one wins.
How do I prove my status?
Carnival and Norwegian verify through an online ID check at booking; Princess enrolls you once in its military program; Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, Holland America and Disney ask for a military ID, DD-214 or retiree card before sailing. We tell you exactly what your line needs and handle the paperwork with the reservation.
Can I combine the military fare with SmartCruiser bonus onboard credit?
On most lines, yes. The military fare replaces the public fare and SmartCruiser’s bonus onboard credit applies on top where the line allows it, along with the line’s loyalty perks. We confirm the exact amount before you pay the deposit.
Are taxes and fees included in the prices here?
Yes. Every price on this page includes cruise fare, taxes, fees and port expenses. Flights, hotels, gratuities, drinks packages and excursions are extra.
What about police, fire and EMT fares?
Royal Caribbean publishes police & fire fares on selected sailings, and we list the dates where they beat the public price on our police, fire and EMT cruise deals page.
Talk to a military cruise specialist
Tell us your branch, your status and the week you can travel, and we check the military fare against every other offer on that sailing before you book. Monday to Thursday 9 to 6, Friday 9 to 5, Saturday 10 to 6 ET.