Royal Intel Insight

Best Place To Start in May 2026

The 4,000-point tier is the best-value tier in release 2605C. It has 915 sailings, a strong average score profile, and the clearest combination of free play and itinerary quality.

What This Means

The top sailing is Ovation of the Seas on a 7 Night Northbound Alaska & Hubbard Glacier Oceanview from Vancouver, paired with $300 FreePlay. That matters because it is not just a high-score outlier. Alaska shows up repeatedly in the tier, and the route quality stays strong across several departures.

This tier also avoids the biggest weakness in the release: free-play compression at the top. While 25,000 and 40,000 points still unlock premium cabins and long-haul itineraries, the cash value drops sharply versus April 2026. At 4,000 points, the offer is still substantial enough to matter, but the sailing pool is broad enough to give players choices.

The mix is also practical. It is fully cruise fare for 2 guests, which keeps the structure simple, and it still includes Caribbean, Mexico, Alaska, Asia, and Mediterranean options. That makes it the most balanced tier in the book, not just the highest-scoring one.

Tier

4000

915 sailings at this level

Average Rank

129.3

Based on the best sailings at this tier.

Best Cruise

Ovation Of The Seas

7 Night Northbound Alaska & Hubbard Glac Oceanview

Cruise fare for 2 guests | $300 FreePlay

Why This Tier Stands Out

This is not just a count of how many sailings land in a tier. It also gives more credit to better ships, stronger destinations, longer trips, better room types, and rarer combinations.

A lower tier can still hide a gem, but the stronger tier is where the best options tend to cluster more often.

Next Step

Open the specific tier page to see the best options at that level.

Then return to the month report to compare it with the opening points for Europe, Alaska, and longer sailings.

Tier Snapshot

Average Nights

5.4

Top Region

Caribbean

Most Common Room

Cruise fare for 2 guests