When to Find Best Last Minute Deals

[Mark]

I have the week of May 23 off from work and was thinking of booking a last minute cruise to save a lot of money by basically cruising standby and not being particular about the ship or cabin. When should I start surfing the internet for true last minute deals for the week of May 23? I have heard that there is a point in time when cruise linse will deeply slash prices on unsold cabins or on cancellations just to sail 100% occupied...

[spongerob]

Start looking now. I doubt you'll find any $99 specials. Plus, the longer you wait to book your cruise, the harder it might be to arrange flights. There are many web sites that offer discounted cruises.

[JrMafia90]

Try Orbitz, or something similar to that. Also, try the cruise line.

[Shifra]

Good Luck in you search. The cruise industry has changed so much and last minute bargains are harder to find. Ships are selling out much earlier than they used to. If you are truly flexible as you say and will accept any ship or cabin cat., you should probably speak to a local TA. If not do a google search for discounted online cruise agencies. :)

[LARGIN]

I agree.. Checked prices on my April cruise a couple of weeks ago. Inside rooms were almost double what I paid for my top category mini-suite.. Pays to shop early..

[kitty9]

The cruise industry has become completely wacko recently, and they are actually hiking prices way up the closer you get to a departure of a cruise. We booked a Celebrity cruise, and now that it's getting closer to when our cruise leaves, the prices have gone UP in price, with some cabins going for more than $800 from what we paid. There just doesn't seem to be much in the way of last minute deals anymore, and there's no more booking cruises at the last minute either, as cruise lines have to submit a passenger manifest two days before a cruise leaves, which means you have to be booked no later than 4 days early.

[EXBRIT]

a good place for last minute is skyauction. bidding is lower on last minute auctions.