All You Late Bookers Out There...

[dln929]

My cruise is paid for already, not that that stops me from clicking on all the links for "cruise deals." ;) On certain sailings there are some incredible bargains! So I am curious if it's been a good experience for those of you who have waited til the last minute. As best as I can guess, the only difference is cabin choice; everything else is the same, isn't it? Has anyone gotten a cabin that they couldn't stand (and why didn't you like it)? What are the best things about booking only a month or two out? Just wondering!

[mtsnd1900]

Seems it would work nice for retired folks who can be flexible with their schedules, or those who live right near the cruise port and can drive there on short notice. Last minute airfare evens out the cost a lot of the times.

 

Booking closer can only help in getting a good rate in some instances. If really want a particular cruise, room, etc. I find it best to book far in advance. Additionally, can often take advantage of the price drops.

[leerobbs]

We booked a cruise on a Wednesday for a Sunday sailing on the FOS in April of this year. We booked a guarantee inside cabin for $399.00 ea and we had a cabin on the 9th deck and it was great. This was the best price we have ever had on a cruise. We did not have any luggage tags and our check in was not as smooth as it has been in the past but it really was not a big deal. I think the last minute booking was to blame but who knows it might not have been the reason for the problems that we had. I have been looking for another sweet deal like that one but I have not found one yet. I do have a cruise booked on the Navigator for 1-22-12 and with a recent price reduction we are paying 469.00 ea for an inside cabin. That is pretty good and it is not last minute. I am always looking for a bargain!

[Sequim88]

My observation has been that closer to sail date a bunch of gauranties become available. Probably as they juggle upgrades in various categories and they want to fill the ship. On our last TA we had booked an inside but then balcony gauranties come out for $80/pp more than what we had paid so we switched. Got a great location but we had switched out of wheelchair accessible inside and knew we would not get an accessible cabin on the gaurantee. Bit of a hassle getting the wheelchair through the door but the balcony was nice. Fortunately my wife can walk some. That cruise we had book in January for April sailing.

 

Now we can't play the waiting game anymore because we really do need the accessible cabin. We booked next cruise within hours of it opening up for bookings.

[dachshunddoglover]

The biggest thing you lose from booking so late is the joy of anticipation, the thrill of counting the days down and the joy of planning everything down to the last detail. Our family had to book at the last second last April because I was not sure I could get the time off of work. Booked less than a week out. Got a great price. :D It's not a bad way to go if you can do it. I did miss the joy of planning. Had to do all excursions through the ship because I did not have time to plan things with outside vendors. Any cruise you can get on any way you can get there is a winner to me!!!!

E-Beth

[39august]

I don't book late as we like suites and they tend to sell out before other catagories. And prices frequently go up. So I book very far in advance. Late booking would not work for us regardless of cabin type as airfare is a killer when you book on short notice.

[Shippy]

It was from an internet TA whom we had registered with to get private email offers.

Remember, certain cruiselines like Royal forbid 'advertised' sale pricing that does not match there own.

We paid $900.something per person for a 7 night, end of July, GRAND SUITE on the Mariner.

[CptSticky]

Last year I booked so late that it took the rep 45 minutes and a supervisor to "unlock" the last 2 rooms on the ship. Never did figure out why they were locked up in their system, but I'm sure they would have been gone already if they hadn't been. It was a Tuesday and the sail date was Saturday. The price was very nice, but I had watched it change multiple times through out the day. Finally caught it on a dip that night.

[milton333]

I am not a last-minute booker, but did book 8 months in advance of our cruise and have been watching avidly. In all that time, my E1 on FOS has gone up only $50 per person. My parents' PR has gone up insanely, and is now nearly double what they paid for it.

 

Right now, when I price it, an inside is pricing for the same (or within $100, depends on when you look) of an E1 balcony. So it looks like insides have gone up hugely, too.

 

Anyway, my predictions of what would happen with prices are somewhat confounded. I guess I figured PRs would get more expensive, they're in shorter supply and have a novelty value, but to be priced for more than balconies? And the pricing on the insides :eek:

 

I guess, know your bottom line, but don't assume that last minute will be cheaper.

[dln929]

I don't know if I'd be able to book last minute because I'm too much of a planner but I do like hearing everyone's take on it. I'm glad the option is out there, though, because you just never know when an opportunity will fall into your lap!