If you expect to cruise with the same line again, an onboard offer can be worth buying. I prefer a small, refundable deposit when plans are still open. With a non-refundable purchase, I want a clearer plan for using it.
The offer should save money on a trip you would choose anyway. If it pushes you toward the wrong line, an inconvenient date or a more expensive cabin, I’d pass.
Count the extra benefit, not your own deposit
A deposit applied to your next cruise is money you have prepaid. The additional benefit is the discount or onboard credit that comes with it. Onboard credit is most useful when it covers something you would have paid for anyway.
Also check whether you are buying an open credit or booking a particular sailing. An open credit does not necessarily reserve a cabin or lock in a fare. This article covers offers you buy, not compensation credits issued after a canceled cruise.
The offers side by side
Amounts below are in U.S. dollars. “Transfer” means giving the credit to another person, not moving a booking to a travel advisor. Refunds describe unused credits or placeholders; once you book a sailing, its cancellation terms apply. Swipe or scroll across to see every column.
| Program | Pay now | Extra benefit | Main deadline | Unused-credit refund | Transfer to another person? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Norwegian CruiseNext | $250 net for two $250 credits under the offer described below | $250 extra future-cruise value; using both on one booking requires qualifying DoubleUp | No expiry under current terms | Within 30 days; promotional onboard credit is deducted | Yes; no transfer fee |
| Princess Future Cruise Deposit | $100 per person | Onboard credit by cabin and length; $50 per person in the seven-night balcony example | Book within one year under current program terms | Refundable; automatically refunded if unused at expiry | Confirm with line |
| Holland America Open Future Cruise Deposit | $100 per person for 3–21 days; more for longer cruises | Onboard credit by cabin and cruise length | Sail within four years | Refundable while unused | No |
| Virgin Voyages My Next Virgin Voyage | $150 per placeholder | $150–$250 fare discount plus matching onboard credit, by voyage length | Book and begin sailing within two years | Cash within seven days; later cancellation gives one-year voyage credit, without bonuses | Generally no; a name change requires a dated Premium booking. No resale |
| Royal Caribbean NextCruise Book Later | $200 per cabin | $25–$300 instant savings by cabin and cruise length | Choose sailing within two months for savings; deposit lost after one year without a selection | Non-refundable | Yes, before choosing ship and sail date; restrictions apply |
| Seabourn Future Cruise Deposit | $500 per person | 5% savings; the separate dated onboard booking offer is 10% | One-year limit; confirm book-by and sail-by dates | Refundable; automatically refunded after one year if unused | No; named guest only |
Norwegian: strong value for repeat cruisers
CruiseNext is one of the more appealing offers for someone who expects to sail Norwegian again. Under its advertised two-credit offer, you buy two $250 credits and receive $250 in onboard credit. That onboard credit first offsets the purchase, so your net cost is $250 for $500 toward future cruises.
For example, apply both credits to an eligible $3,000 booking and you have $2,500 left to pay. Add the $250 you spent buying them, and the trip costs $2,750. Your saving is $250, not $500.
The important limit is how many you can use. Normally, only one CruiseNext credit applies per stateroom. Using two on the same booking requires a qualifying DoubleUp promotion, with the rules in effect when you redeem them. Without that, you may need two bookings to use both.
Current credits do not expire and can be transferred, but cash refunds are limited to the first 30 days after purchase and deduct the promotional onboard credit. I’d buy what I reasonably expect to use, not a stack simply because the offer looks good. CruiseFirst is a separate program and cannot be combined with CruiseNext.
CruiseNext offer | Norwegian terms
Princess: a small commitment with a useful bonus
Princess’s Future Cruise Deposit costs $100 per person and is refundable while unused. Its current program terms give you one year to book; otherwise the deposit is automatically refunded. Once you apply it to a sailing, that booking’s cancellation rules apply.
Here is a typical example: two adults each buy a $100 deposit, then use them as the first two guests on an eligible seven-night balcony cruise. Their $200 goes toward the fare, and they receive $50 each in onboard credit. The extra benefit is $100 in spending money.
I like that structure for someone who enjoyed Princess but has not picked the next trip. Check the deadline on your certificate, and do not confuse this deposit with the separate Future Cruise Packages that bundle other products.
Holland America: appealing if flexibility comes first
Holland America’s published open-deposit form offers a refundable $100 deposit per person for cruises of three to 21 days, with higher deposits for longer trips. It gives you four years to sail, refunds unused deposits and adds onboard credit based on the cabin and cruise length. Deposits cannot be transferred.
For a traveler who wants to return but is not ready to choose dates, that is an appealing combination. Make sure the offer is the open-deposit program rather than a booking for a specific sailing.
Virgin Voyages: worthwhile when the cabin and timing fit
My Next Virgin Voyage uses a $150 deposit to secure a fare discount and onboard credit. For an eligible six-to-eight-night voyage, the benefit is $200 off plus $200 onboard credit. Four-to-five-night voyages receive $150 of each; voyages of nine nights or longer receive $250 of each.
On a seven-night fare of $3,000 before taxes and fees, the $200 discount brings the fare to $2,800. The $150 deposit counts toward that amount, leaving $2,650 of fare to pay. You also receive $200 onboard credit. The deposit is part of your payment, not another discount.
You must book and begin sailing within two years, in an eligible Sea Terrace or suite. Not every balcony cabin or fare qualifies. I’d buy only if I already wanted one of the eligible cabins.
Virgin updated its terms on October 15, 2026. Transfers are restricted and resale is prohibited. An unused placeholder can be refunded within seven days of purchase. After that, proactively canceling it returns the deposit as voyage credit valid for one year from cancellation, but removes the bonuses. Letting it expire forfeits the deposit. Once it becomes a dated booking, the booking’s cancellation rules apply.
Virgin’s current terms | Virgin program FAQ
Royal Caribbean: better when you are nearly ready to book
NextCruise Book Later requires a $200 non-refundable deposit per cabin. You must choose a ship and sailing within two months to keep the advertised savings, which range from $25 to $300 per cabin. If you still have not selected a sailing after one year, the deposit is lost.
I would be cautious about this offer if the next trip is only a vague idea. A likely $25 or $50 saving is not much compensation for putting $200 at risk. If you are ready to choose a sailing, it is easier to judge the value.
Royal Caribbean NextCruise terms
Seabourn: compare the percentage savings
Seabourn distinguishes between booking a particular cruise onboard, with advertised additional savings of 10%, and buying a refundable $500 future deposit, which offers 5% savings. Confirm the booking and sailing deadlines in writing: Seabourn’s published pages describe the one-year limit differently. An unused deposit is automatically refunded after one year.
On a higher-priced cruise, a percentage discount can be worth more than a large-looking onboard-credit offer. Compare the actual eligible fare, and do not assume the refundable deposit comes with the larger 10% discount.
Seabourn onboard-booking benefits | Seabourn deposit restrictions
If you have already left the ship
Norwegian: You can buy CruiseFirst from home. It is a separate program, not an extension of the onboard CruiseNext offer, and the two cannot be combined. Check its own sailing and fare requirements before buying.
Virgin Voyages: The My Next Virgin Voyage Post-Voyage offer is available within 14 days after disembarkation. A $150 deposit earns $150–$250 in onboard credit, depending on voyage length, when you book and sail within two years in an eligible cabin. It does not include the onboard offer’s matching fare discount. On a seven-night voyage, that means $200 onboard credit, rather than $200 off plus $200 onboard credit.
Holland America and Royal Caribbean: Their published rules require buying the open deposit or creating the Book Later reservation while onboard. Royal’s two-month window is time to choose a ship and date after purchasing, not a grace period for buying after the cruise.
Princess and Seabourn: Both describe onboard purchase programs, but I could not confirm a public post-disembarkation purchase window. Ask the line promptly if you missed buying onboard, and do not assume the deadline for using an existing deposit is a window to buy a new one.
What I would choose
For flexibility, my benchmark is a small refundable deposit and enough time to use it. Princess and Holland America offer good examples. For a repeat Norwegian cruiser who can use the credits, CruiseNext offers stronger potential savings. The best choice depends on whether you need flexibility or already know how you will use the benefit.
None of these programs needs to be a ripoff to be a poor purchase for you. The biggest mistake is spending thousands on the wrong cruise to avoid wasting a much smaller credit.
Suppose an offer gives you $200 in onboard credit but requires a cabin costing $400 more than the one you wanted. Even if you use all the credit, you are spending $200 more. Unless the cabin upgrade is worth that difference to you, the offer has not improved the deal.
Before you pay
- Confirm what you will pay now and which benefit is genuinely additional.
- Write down the deadlines to book, sail and request a refund.
- Check the eligible cabins and fares, how many credits you can use, and what happens if you cancel.
- Confirm your travel advisor can remain attached to the booking, and keep the receipt and written terms.
If you are unsure, send me a photo of the offer and its terms before buying. We can compare it with the trip you actually want. My advice may be to buy it, buy fewer, or leave your options open.
See how working with a travel advisor helps.
Terms checked October 23, 2026. Examples are in U.S. dollars and use illustrative fares, not live quotes. Your purchase-date terms, booking market and current redemption rules govern the offer.
