Thoughts on booking the last cruise of a season?

[Infi]

I'm considering booking the last cruise of Nieuw Amsterdam's Caribbean season for next Spring. Any thoughts on booking the last cruise of the season? The only potential negative I thought of was there could be a lot of crew changeover prior to the transatlantic, so crew might be checked out, ready to go home etc. Other than that, I assume it would just be business as usual. Thanks in advance.

[sail7seas]

We have booked last cruise of the season through the years and never had an issue with Caribbean cruises.

 

Last cruise of the season can be an issue for Alaska and Canada/New England as some vendors, shops and restaurants could be closed. They start to close down and you might not have all the choices cruises a bit earlier had.

 

Often cruises late (or very early) in the season for those locations are priced a bit lower.

 

[startwin]

We have booked the last cruise of the season 3 times for Alaska, and Sail is right about some vendors being finished for the season. But overall it's been a plus because everything is on sale, and it's not as busy as it is in high season. So far - touch wood - we have had great weather each time too. I hope that holds true for our Alaska cruise this year:)

[CruiserBruce]

Crew rotations take place at widely varying times. There isn't a mass rotation at the end of each "season".

[igraf]

I was checking the 2011 Alaskan port schedules to see if the total passenger count (for all ships combined on a given day) would diminish on the last week, but was surprised to find out that the last week of the Alaskan cruising season is one of the busiest weeks. For example, there are five ships scheduled to stop in Juneau (on our day) during the last week, as opposed to four ships for the week prior. I doubt that many shops will be closed with five ships in port!

 

We ended up booking for the week prior to avoid the extra crowds.

 

igraf

 

 

 

We have booked last cruise of the season through the years and never had an issue with Caribbean cruises.

 

Last cruise of the season can be an issue for Alaska and Canada/New England as some vendors, shops and restaurants could be closed. They start to close down and you might not have all the choices cruises a bit earlier had.

 

Often cruises late (or very early) in the season for those locations are priced a bit lower.

 

[DutchByAssociation]

I'm considering booking the last cruise of Nieuw Amsterdam's Caribbean season for next Spring. Any thoughts on booking the last cruise of the season? The only potential negative I thought of was there could be a lot of crew changeover prior to the transatlantic, so crew might be checked out, ready to go home etc. Other than that, I assume it would just be business as usual. Thanks in advance.

 

I was on the last 2 weeks of the Caribbean season THIS spring (March 20-April 3) and everything was fine. Best part was being on the beach in Ft. Lauderdale having some drinks with friends and watching the parade of ships leave. I say go for it. We had a blast.

[sail7seas]

I was checking the 2011 Alaskan port schedules to see if the total passenger count (for all ships combined on a given day) would diminish on the last week, but was surprised to find out that the last week of the Alaskan cruising season is one of the busiest weeks. For example, there are five ships scheduled to stop in Juneau (on our day) during the last week, as opposed to four ships for the week prior. I doubt that many shops will be closed with five ships in port!

 

We ended up booking for the week prior to avoid the extra crowds.

 

igraf

 

 

Well.......

 

Just yesterday I had an e-mail from a CC'er saying exactly that is the case for him in Charlottetown. He had requested recommendation for a certain type restaurant. I gave him the web link to what he wanted and he tried to make a booking for 'last cruise of the season'. He received the reply that Sorry, they would be closed for the season.

 

Also, you may have missed the very recent conversation about shops in the Caribbean closing during the summer (or cutting staff) as they send some to Alaska. At the end of the season, those people would be relocated back in St. Thomas (or whichever island) for the winter season just beginning.

 

[3rdGenCunarder]

Well.......

 

Just yesterday I had an e-mail from a CC'er saying exactly that is the case for him in Charlottetown. He had requested recommendation for a certain type restaurant. I gave him the web link to what he wanted and he tried to make a booking for 'last cruise of the season'. He received the reply that Sorry, they would be closed for the season.

 

Also, you may have missed the very recent conversation about shops in the Caribbean closing during the summer (or cutting staff) as they send some to Alaska. At the end of the season, those people would be relocated back in St. Thomas (or whichever island) for the winter season just beginning.

 

 

In researching for our fall Canada cruise, I've discovered that lots of things in Canada shut down after their Thanksgiving (usually the same Monday as our Columbus Day). Some close even before that. I mean, we're talkin' rolling up the sidewalks!

 

But when we did the last Alaska cruise last year, most of the shops were open (and having great sales), and we were able to get all the tours we wanted. We had two other ships with us in Juneau and Skagway, and two or three in Ketchikan.

 

The Caribbean sees ships pretty much all year, so I don't think HAL's last cruise there should be a problem. You might see good sales onboard on "Caribbean" merchandise.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Years ago before the Alaskan season was extended -- many of the shops and restaurants did start to close up by the 2nd week of September. There would only be 1 or 2 ships in a port. I know -- we cruised once at that time.

Now all the cruise lines pull the majority of their ships put of the Caribbean earlier than before and do longer seasons in Alaska and the Med.

Quite a number of years ago we did a Canada/New England cruise out of New York the third week of October -- so many of the shops were already closed for the season. We were the only ship up in that area at that time. Now there are several ships doing that itinerary and stores stay open longer.

[catl331]

We did last Alaska #14 one yr and at Denali at the shops and restaurants some had closed. Alaskans had their chance that day also to tour the park (done by lottery) but it snowed and they closed the deeper portions of the park. Skagway stores had 75% off though. Living in Florida I really didn't need winter woolies but I did buy a wool pair of moose socks!! Actually needed them last winter here in the south.;)

 

Caribbean gets tourists all year long. The ship should have a sale on Caribbean articles in the shops though.

[Watson's aunt]

Hi

 

Columbus day in canada is thier Thanksgiving

 

 

Mary

[aliaschief]

We had a 60% change over of crew members on our May MS Rotterdam TA from Florida to Rotterdam last May.

 

. Not a problem. Great service as we have come to expect from beginning to end.

[Zyzygy]

We did the last Caribbean cruise on the NA this spring, and as mentioned by others, all of their Caribbean merchandise was put on sale at deep discounts.

 

The crew morale was quite high, I felt, as everyone we spoke with mentioned they were looking forward to the European itinerary after a long Caribbean season.

 

Let's face it: HMC doesn't mean quite as much to the crew as it does to the passengers after doing it every week for a while.

[Infi]

Sorry it took me so long to get back to this post - internet problems. :( Thanks to everyone who replied. I really wasn't worried about the stores being closed - god knows we have enough junk from the Caribbean anyway! - but now I'm sure it won't be a problem.

 

I was mainly concerned because a few years ago, we took a cruise on X that was the first after a transatlantic, and there had just been a major crew changeover on our sailing. Trying to avoid that situation if possible, but it looks like HAL doesn't necessarily schedule crew changes at the end of a season. Looks like this cruise should be a go. :)

[SJSULIBRARIAN]

We are on the last Amsterdam cruise of the season - 7 days rather than the usual 14. I will be interested to see the difference, if any,from our 14 day cruise this past June. I think there is a 3-day cruise after us followed by the Asia Pacific Grand Voyage so I suspect there will be major crew changes on our cruise. If I note anything different, I will report upon our return.

[trophy_23]

I wouldn't worry about it. Many times with a last cruise it ends up as a reposition, we got a rate that was almost too good to be true for a 14day Canada/New England cruise in 2009. Last cruise of that itinerary before a switch over to the Caribbean.