What This Means
That matters because 1200 is where the release stops being mostly entry-level Caribbean and Mexico inventory and starts giving you repeatable Alaska value. The tier still includes a broad spread of regions, but the top end is anchored by Alaska sailings that are easy to compare and easy to justify.
The other reason 1200 stands out is consistency. The tier has 441 sailings, so it is not a one-off outlier. It has enough depth to support the value case, and the best options are not buried in a tiny sample.
If you are choosing one tier to watch this month, 1200 is the one. It is the first point where the itinerary quality, region mix, and offer structure line up cleanly.