Last updated: November 2, 2026
Armed Forces Vacation Club (AFVC) is a membership program for 7-night resort condo stays — it is not a cruise booking service. For an actual cruise, your real options are American Forces Travel, a base MWR/ITT office, booking direct with the cruise line, or a military cruise travel agency like Military Cruise Deals, which stacks its own discount on top of the cruise line’s military rate.
What Armed Forces Vacation Club actually is
AFVC sells week-long resort condominium stays. It is a “Space-A” style resort program run by Resort Rental, LLC — a private company, not the Department of Defense.
Its cruise offerings are limited compared with booking a specific sailing, cabin and date. It can be a good fit for a flexible resort week. It is not built for choosing a particular cruise ship and sailing date.
Your options for booking a cruise, compared
| Booking option | What it is | Military discount | Help picking a cabin & sailing | Price-drop monitoring after booking | Fees |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Forces Travel | The DoD’s official travel site, operated with Priceline. | Military pricing on cruises; no extra agency discount stacked on top. | No personal agent. | No price-drop monitoring service. | No extra agency fee mentioned. |
| Base MWR / ITT office | In-person help on base. | Military rates only. | In-person help, but hours and cruise expertise vary by installation. | No price-drop monitoring service mentioned. | No extra agency fee mentioned. |
| Cruise line direct | Booking direct with the cruise line. | The line’s own military fare (for example Norwegian 10%, Disney’s MTO rate on select sailings); no discount beyond the line’s own. | Help from the cruise line, with no independent agent. | No price-drop monitoring service mentioned. | No agency fee. |
| Military Cruise Deals (travel agency) | A military cruise travel agency. | The cruise line’s military rate PLUS at least 5% off on top for every cabin in the group. | Agents who know each line’s military rules. | Yes — monitors the rate and requests re-faring if the price drops before final payment. | No booking, change or cancellation fees. |
Which should you choose?
Choose AFVC for a resort week. Choose American Forces Travel or MWR if you prefer official DoD channels and self-service. Choose an agency when you want the lowest total price on a specific cruise, with every military discount stacked, and someone monitoring the fare after you book.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Armed Forces Vacation Club part of the Department of Defense?
No. AFVC is operated by Resort Rental, LLC, a private company. It is an authorized DoD recreation benefit provider, but it is not a government agency.
Can I book a specific cruise through Armed Forces Vacation Club?
AFVC is built around 7-night resort condo weeks. It lists some cruise offers, but for a specific ship, sailing date and cabin, a cruise booking channel — the cruise line, American Forces Travel, or a travel agency — will give you the full selection.
Does American Forces Travel give the lowest military cruise price?
American Forces Travel shows military pricing, but it does not stack an additional agency discount on top or monitor your fare for price drops after booking. Military Cruise Deals applies the cruise line’s military rate plus at least 5% off, and checks for price drops until final payment.
Does it cost more to book through Military Cruise Deals?
No. There are no booking, change or cancellation fees, and the price starts from the cruise line’s lowest rate before the extra military discount is applied.
Questions? Call Military Cruise Deals at 866-964-5482 — 7 days a week.