Royal Intel Insight

Did free play drop in August 2026?

Release 2608D shows a clear mid-tier lift in free play, while the top end stays unchanged. The largest per-tier increase is at 4,000 points, where average free play rises to $400 per sailing from $300 per sailing last month. The 3,000-point tier moves to $250 per sailing from $150 per sailing, and the 2,000-point tier moves to $150 per sailing from $100 per sailing. The 1,500-point tier also improves, rising to $100 per sailing from $50 per sailing. Above that band, the picture is flat. The 6,500-point tier remains at $500 per sailing. The 9,000-point tier stays at $750 per sailing. The 15,000-point tier holds at $1,000 per sailing. The 25,000-point tier remains at $1,500 per sailing, and the 40,000-point tier stays at $2,500 per sailing. The 70,000-point tier is still the outlier at $5,000 per sailing. The low end remains a no-free-play zone. The 800-point and 1,200-point tiers do not carry free play in either month, so there is no comparison to make there. This is a per-tier change month, not a mix-shift month. The shared tiers that changed did so directly: 1,500, 2,000, 3,000, and 4,000 points all increased their free-play amounts. That is the part readers should focus on. The weighted average free play across the certificate rises by $450.5 per sailing versus July 2026, but that average is sitting on top of real tier-level increases, not just a different sailing mix. The strongest practical effect is in the 2,000 to 4,000 range. Those tiers are where many players start to see a meaningful jump in cabin quality and itinerary quality, and the added free play makes them more competitive this month. The 3,000-point tier is especially notable because it combines a larger sailing count with a $250 per sailing free-play level. The certificate still leans heavily toward cruise fare offers at the low end and free-play-supported offers as points rise. The 800-point tier is entirely cruise fare for one guest. The 1,200-point tier is also fare-based, with no free play attached. By 1,500 points, the certificate starts to add modest free play, and that pattern continues through 4,000 points. From 6,500 points upward, the offer structure is stable. Free play amounts are fixed by tier and do not move month to month in this release. That makes the mid-tier changes the only meaningful free-play story here. If you are comparing 2608D to July 2026, the right takeaway is simple: free play improved in the middle of the chart and stayed flat elsewhere. Do not read this as a broad raise across the certificate. It is a targeted increase at 1,500 through 4,000 points, with the biggest step-up at 3,000 and 4,000 points.