Shortest time between booking and cruising.

[matondo]

I have always wanted to take a last minute cruise. My question is what is the shortest time frame you have allowed between booking and cruising? What was it like taking a last minute cruise as opposed to booking one months in advance?

[RuthC]

The shortest time for me was three weeks from booking to sail-away.

The Noordam was setting sail on her maiden voyage. A few days before I had spent the evening on the ship touring, having dinner, seeing a show, and generally having a grand old time. A few days later a friend had a similar experience on the ship. She called me that night, said "We booked. You're coming." I said "Sure!". (It's nice to be retired and not have to ask for time off.)

Next day I booked and three weeks later---the Noordam's third voyage---we were on it.

Since it was a Caribbean cruise there was little in the way of planning that needed to be done. This isn't an area where extensive research is necessary. Pack a swimsuit and some sunscreen, then have a good time.

It was one heck of a lot of fun.

[Susie51]

Seven weeks shortest time. Longest 17 months.

 

I really enjoy the anticipation, so I like booking as much in advance as possible.

[Essiesmom]

I was trying to get to Platinum on Carnival before the Carnival Dream TA. I booked on Sunday night for a Thursday departure on Sensation. EM

[Tamaracboy]

Half the reason I moved to Ft Lauderdale was to be able to just jump on a ship.

I've researched, and booking the day of sailing IS possible. :)

The cut off time is 90 minutes before sailing, since that is when the manifest is closed.

And I'm only 20 minutes from Port Everglades with only one stoplight.

The problem is that I have yet to do it. :(

However I do live with one bag half packed and ready to go. :rolleyes:

r.

[Live4cruises]

We tend to do 12 - 18 months in advance. I like to be a planner. However, this spring a good deal on a great cabin (on Celebrity) showed up and we jumped on it 12 DAYS before sailing. We had to do speed planning, but we were up to the task!

For us in the middle of the country, last minute air fares can be a big problem. On this spring's cruise, we discovered that the lines owned by Royal Caribbean have a complementary travel-agent-style air service separate from their air add-ons (for which we were too late). This worked well for us, and got us a very reasonable fare - considering the time frame.

[Krazy Kruizers]

We book 12 - 18 months in advance.

 

There is no way we could book a last minute cruise -- the main reason being that we would never get a flight to anywhere on short notice.

 

Also there would be little choice of cabins and we do prefer certain cabins.

[Randyk47]

We book 12 - 18 months in advance.

 

There is no way we could book a last minute cruise -- the main reason being that we would never get a flight to anywhere on short notice.

 

Also there would be little choice of cabins and we do prefer certain cabins.

 

Same here. I'd only add that we also have to plan around my wife's work, she's a director in her agency so that's not something done quickly or easily.

[jhannah]

I think the shortest time for me was 5 months. Not that I couldn't book later than that; it's just that I never have.

 

A last-minute cruise is out of the question for us. Since we're not within driving distance of a port our ships of choice would use, the airfare at the 11th hour would negate any last-minute bargains.

[GmaPajama]

We normally book well over a year out, but recently jumped on a sale for a cruise at the two month point. Airfare would have been a deal breaker, but we used Amex points to fly free. I was surprised that we were able to make Shorex decisions in just a few days - where it usually takes us months to do that.

 

The more immediate anticipation is sort of exciting, and I don't think we'd hesitate to book short like this again. Being retired allows for plenty of flexibility in our schedules, and we're not as fussy about cabin location as we once were.

[YXU AC*SE]

Eight days, for our Valparaiso - Antarctica - Rio cruise. Booked an HH guar in the morning and when our Express Docs were ready the next day we discovered we had landed in a B cat verandah. I have top-tier frequent flier status with Air Canada, and I am able to book award tickets with out worrying about seat availability -- if there's a seat in exec first I'm flying! :D

 

Generally though, we have an idea of when we'd like to go, although not necessarily where -- so we book anywhere from four months out to six weeks out, depending on what deals might be available, and what I might be able to swing in terms of frequent flier redemptions.

 

Scott.

[iancal]

When we lived in Vancouver.....we booked an Alaskan cruise on a Wednesday and sailed on a Saturday. My TA for business travel saw a great deal, booked all four of us, and then called to say that we had 24 hours to confirm. It was a great deal but even more importantly, the weather in Alaska could not have been better. We are just about to do the same in the next month, this time for an all inclusive in Mexico or Cuba.

[LSEA]

The shortest time between booking and sailing for us has been 10 days. The longest has been 3 months.

[happyglobetrotter]

The shortest time for me was 3 days and I had to arrange air. I did it through HAL.

 

I got to the cruise terminal without any tickets, just my reservation number. No problem.

 

The only inconvenience is that I could not fly back home the same day that I got off the ship and I had to sleep in Norfolk for one night.

 

Otherwise...all was fine. It was a great cruise.

[Kay240]

Like Tamaracboy, half the reason we moved to Florida was due to cruising!:D

I believe our shortest "lead time" was 3 weeks in OCTOBER, 2001. We lived in Maryland at the time and were able to cruise (probably an OV) for less than $350 pp, PLUS the same amount for airfare to San Juan.

Our longest "lead time" cruise (17 months) will be our first TA, Venice to Fort Lauderdale Oct. 2011. That beat out two other cruises by one month! Two of the three were purchased while we were "on board". We usually have one or two cruises already booked, so new ones must be further into the future.

[cruisin crazy in Michigan]

7 months is the longest and it is WAY too long. I think the shortest was 8 weeks.

[cec5248]

Five weeks. We were booked on the NCL ss Norway and when it didn't recover after an explosion in May 2003, we ended up booking the Noordam... our first HAL cruise.

[Cinder Again]

Half the reason I moved to Ft Lauderdale was to be able to just jump on a ship.

I've researched, and booking the day of sailing IS possible. :)

The cut off time is 90 minutes before sailing, since that is when the manifest is closed.

And I'm only 20 minutes from Port Everglades with only one stoplight.

The problem is that I have yet to do it. :(

However I do live with one bag half packed and ready to go. :rolleyes:

r.

I would love to do that! I thought after I retired, I could get some good deals last minute, but it really hasn't materialized...I said on another thread that I would love to see HAL offer their Mariners great deals on open cabins, last minute, or offer their single travelers last minute deals without the supplement...now THAT would be a great reward for loyalty! I'd take that over laundry any day!;)

[kakalina]

4 days. We called our PCC on a Thursday and were on the ship the following Sunday. We had just come into some unexpected money. We called and asked him when was the soonest we could get on a ship and we were on our way to Hawaii very quickly. :D

 

Generally though we book about a year out except when we get bored or restless and decide to heck with it it's only money so let's spend it onboard somewhere. :eek:

[matondo]

Half the reason I moved to Ft Lauderdale was to be able to just jump on a ship.

I've researched, and booking the day of sailing IS possible. :)

The cut off time is 90 minutes before sailing, since that is when the manifest is closed.

And I'm only 20 minutes from Port Everglades with only one stoplight.

The problem is that I have yet to do it. :(

However I do live with one bag half packed and ready to go. :rolleyes:

r.

It is great to know you can book 90 minutes before sailing. Last time DH and I were in Ft. Lauderdale on vacation I kept thinking wonder if we could just jump on a ship. Now I know we can if the occasion ever arises again. Do you have to book it before you get to the pier?

 

You need to "just do it" with a cruise just to say you did it. Good Luck!

[barante]

There have been other postings elsewhere that suggest that due to Homeland Security considerations cruises are closed days, not hours before. I have no idea, but that would seem right.

[serendipity1499]

There have been other postings elsewhere that suggest that due to Homeland Security considerations cruises are closed days, not hours before. I have no idea, but that would seem right.

 

 

Those posters are not correct...I'm copying a post I made on another thread re standing by & booking at the peir...

 

Many posters are under the impression that Cruise Ships & Airlines must report manifests 48 or 72 hrs prior to Departure to the Dept. of Homeland Security.. And that is not so.. It's never been so, but Homeland Security recently gave the Cruise Lines & Airlines more leeway in a rule which took effect in Feb. of 2008..This new rule implements the Intelligence Reform & Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004..

 

Cruise Lines only have to transmit their Passenger & Crew Manifests 60 minutes prior to departure to CBP.....

 

Cruise Companies also have no problem with taking bookings at the pier..Each Cruise Line can make their own decision as to whether they will permit last minute pier bookings...In order to get into the port you need your passport & another form of ID & tell the officers that you are on a "Standby basis" for such & such..

 

Any Travel Agent can pull up the rule from the Dept. of Homeland Security - Federal Register Part II page 48320 (The last paragraph of column one begins the rule which Cruise Lines must follow:)

 

This is the QUOTE:

 

For sea travel, CBP will require vessel carriers to transmit passenger and crew manifests for vessels departing from the United States no later than 60 minutes prior to departure. For vessels departing from foreign ports destined to arrive at a U.S. port, CBP is retaining the current requirement to transmit passenger and crew arrival manifest data at least 24 hours and up to 96 hours prior to the vessel’s entry at the U.S. port of arrival. UNQUOTE

 

 

Airlines have a different rule ...We've often stood by for International flights..Airlines must report their manifests no later than 30 minutes prior to securing aircraft doors..

 

If you want to pull up the rules you can try this URL:

 

http://www.cbp.gov/linkhandler/cgov/travel/inspections_carriers_facilities/apis/apis_pre_departure.ctt/apis_pre_departure.pdf

Cheers...:)Betty

[Opinions]

During the 60's and 70's I often went to the pier in New York on a Saturday with my bags packed and hoping to get on a cruise...At that time there were a number of cruises sailing weekly to Bermuda or the Bahamas...I was always able to find a ship that had staterooms available...With all the security rules now in effect I don't know whether you can still do that.

[SJSULIBRARIAN]

Shortest time 5 weeks, longest time 18 month. Normally 6 months to a year.

[Tamaracboy]

There have been other postings elsewhere that suggest that due to Homeland Security considerations cruises are closed days, not hours before. I have no idea, but that would seem right.

 

See Betty's answer.

She is right about the 60 minutes as far as regulatory requirements, and the cruise lines usually give themselves 30 minutes to revise, double check, and get the manifest to the Homeland Security/ Customs Border Patrol. Thus the 90 minute rule for being on board before sailing.

 

.....Do you have to book it before you get to the pier?

You need to "just do it" with a cruise just to say you did it. Good Luck!

 

Again, see Betty's answer (Hi betty ;) ) And YES I will give myself that kick in the seat to get going :cool:

 

Those posters are not correct...I'm copying a post I made on another thread re standing by & booking at the peir...

 

Many posters are under the impression that Cruise Ships & Airlines must report manifests 48 or 72 hrs prior to Departure to the Dept. of Homeland Security.. And that is not so.. It's never been so, but Homeland Security recently gave the Cruise Lines & Airlines more leeway in a rule which took effect in Feb. of 2008..This new rule implements the Intelligence Reform & Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004..

 

Cruise Lines only have to transmit their Passenger & Crew Manifests 60 minutes prior to departure to CBP.....

 

Cruise Companies also have no problem with taking bookings at the pier..Each Cruise Line can make their own decision as to whether they will permit last minute pier bookings...In order to get into the port you need your passport & another form of ID & tell the officers that you are on a "Standby basis" for such & such..

 

Any Travel Agent can pull up the rule from the Dept. of Homeland Security - Federal Register Part II page 48320 (The last paragraph of column one begins the rule which Cruise Lines must follow:)

 

This is the QUOTE:

 

For sea travel, CBP will require vessel carriers to transmit passenger and crew manifests for vessels departing from the United States no later than 60 minutes prior to departure. For vessels departing from foreign ports destined to arrive at a U.S. port, CBP is retaining the current requirement to transmit passenger and crew arrival manifest data at least 24 hours and up to 96 hours prior to the vessel’s entry at the U.S. port of arrival. UNQUOTE

 

 

Airlines have a different rule ...We've often stood by for International flights..Airlines must report their manifests no later than 30 minutes prior to securing aircraft doors..

 

If you want to pull up the rules you can try this URL:

 

http://www.cbp.gov/linkhandler/cgov/travel/inspections_carriers_facilities/apis/apis_pre_departure.ctt/apis_pre_departure.pdf

Cheers...:)Betty

 

Betty,

 

At some ports there is (shockingly) no entrance/gate control whatsoever !

Miami comes to mind.

And even in FLL where there is ID control, you can just say you are driving in to pick up a passenger, which I often do, so this is not just a ruse.

 

Thanks again for doing my research for me :D

 

r.