LAST minute cruise but on wait list???

[pinkie1]

So last night my husband and I thought a cruise would be nice right about now especially since our son will still be on vacation next week. We checked for cruises leaving around the LA area and they're all sold out but we got on a wait list with Carnival 7 night departing Jan 1st.

 

So my question is has anyone ever done this or heard of someone doing this and was it successful? I'm not holding my breath, I realize our chances are very slim since it's only 4 days away! But I can dream. 

 

Do you know if our chances are better if we wait at the port for any "no shows"?

[beachchick]

Unless things have changed, you will not be allowed to hang out at the port hoping for no shows. Security procedures being what they are, you will not even be allowed into the pier area without cruise documentation. Your best bet is to call first thing that morning and up to 6 hours or so before departure time.

 

beachchick

[sail7seas]

We have placed a deposit to go on a wait list with HAL and got a cabin. I don't know if we would have gotten it anyway and it was refundable.... it also was further out than the few days you have.

 

See if you can give them a credit card and go to the top of the list.

Most ships are going out full these days and likely unless someone cancels, it might be hard to get a cabin.

 

Good luck.

 

Please let us know. I hate when we're left hanging not knowing what happened with the poster's situation. :)

 

[kitty9]

You must be ticketed to get into the port area or cruise terminal. Chances are you won't be clearing the wait list because you must be on board the ship 90 minutes before sailing, and any no shows would be last minute and beyond the 90 minute window.

[riffatsea]

I have friends who were waitlisted on HAL and got a call to "come on down" the night before the cruise!

Good luck!! (be packed)

[firefly333]

Within the last 7 days, people dont usually cancel since they get no money back.

 

No shows they cannot resell their cruise, since theoreticaly they could fly to meet the ship the first foreign port.

 

Good luck.

[sail7seas]

Within the last 7 days, people dont usually cancel since they get no money back.

 

No shows they cannot resell their cruise, since theoreticaly they could fly to meet the ship the first foreign port.

 

Good luck.

 

 

Sadly, there is always the chance of unexpected illness, death or accident that can occur.

[SadieN]

How does Carnival inform you that you have a cabin? I guess you could ask the porter if you are on the cabin list, bottom level of the parking structure.

 

What you can do is drive (OP lives in SoCal) and wait in the Queen Mary parking lot. This lot and the QM lot are a two second drive from each other. Parking in Long Beach is $15day.

[Dayenu]

"Within the last 7 days, people dont usually cancel since they get no money back." - unless they have insurance to cover emergency. We always do.

[firefly333]

Sadly, there is always the chance of unexpected illness, death or accident that can occur.

 

My point was most cruiselines offer 0 money back, so people do not bother to cancel .. they just do not show up. If its a no show the cabin cannot be resold.

 

Unless you have insurance that covers it .. people do not cancel. Why would they if they are not filing for insurance.

 

I would think the percentage of folks who buy insurance is not that large .. I quit buying it after I filed once and turned out I was not covered. waste of money.

 

so the OP is basically hoping someone with insurance cancels .. so the odds are very slim imo.

[sail7seas]

Exactly..... if someone with insurance has to cancel there is every motivation to notify the cruise line.

 

Most people who are not very cruise 'savvy' might also cancel in the hope their sad story might soften the heart of someone at the cruise line and get them some consideration.

 

I agree the odds of OP getting a cabin are not good.

 

We do not insure for cancellation either. We stopped spending money on all those premiums somewhere around 55+ cruises ago. We have been VERY fortunate to never have had to cancel after having made final payment. At this point, we are so far ahead while we'd be sorry to lose the money, we'd still be very far ahead.

 

 

[gerryl12]

Just about every cruise there are peiople who cancel at the last minute for one reason or another. Most cruisers are a little more on in age so there is more chance of ilness or death etc.

If you are near the top of the waiting list your chances are pretty good.

[kadey]

DH decided on a Thursday to join my daughter and I on a cruise that left on Monday. Our cabin could only be for two and the ship was full and he was put on a wait list. We kept calling every hour and a cabin opened up in a few hours. We were told it takes awhile for the cancelled cabin to go to the dept. that does wait list and you could be lucky to grab one by constant calling. Keep trying and good luck!!=Kade

[pinkie1]

 

Please let us know. I hate when we're left hanging not knowing what happened with the poster's situation. :)

 

 

Well, knowing that our chances were slim to nothing for this 7 night cruise (which our TA found out we were 7 on the list= not good) we looked into a 5 night leaving same day, same departure port. And a 4 nighter, leaving the next day, 1/2/12. We were waitlisted for both cruises too.

 

Couple hours later I got a call that a cabin opened up on the 4 night, TA said it was a total fluke because people don't usually cancel this late (4 days before departure). I'm sorry for the couple who had to cancel but this is good for me! :o AND the cabin is in a prime spot! We didn't get an outrageous deal like we'd hoped, but it's still not a bad price, same as if it would have been an inside, we ended with an ocean view.

 

Turns out this itinerary works better for us because of my husbands work schedule. He has to work on Sundays. He was going to take it off but his assistant was giving him a hard time.

 

I can't believe that less than a week after the initial thought of a cruise, I'm going! :D All because my hubby had to use vacation days or he'd lose them. We are NOT spontaneous people at all. My in-laws (who will be watching our son) thinks we're nuts, in a good way!:D

 

I'm also going at the end of Jan for a 3 nighter with some girl friends.:D I may be sick of cruising by then! ... Nah, I don't think so!

[paul929207]

My point was most cruiselines offer 0 money back, so people do not bother to cancel .. they just do not show up. If its a no show the cabin cannot be resold.

 

Unless you have insurance that covers it .. people do not cancel. Why would they if they are not filing for insurance.

 

I would think the percentage of folks who buy insurance is not that large .. I quit buying it after I filed once and turned out I was not covered. waste of money.

 

so the OP is basically hoping someone with insurance cancels .. so the odds are very slim imo.

Alot of people on these boards think that they can get their money back when some thing bad happens even though they have no insurance. Those people are all calling and canceling.

[sail7seas]

Wonderful news, Pinkie.

 

Very happy for you.

Have a wonderful time.

 

[caa]

...All because my hubby had to use vacation days or he'd lose them...

 

I hope you enjoy your cruise! However, if your husband works in California, he cannot lose his vacation days if he doesn't use them since "use it or lose it" plans are illegal here. He might want to look into this when he gets home.

[pinkie1]

I hope you enjoy your cruise! However, if your husband works in California, he cannot lose his vacation days if he doesn't use them since "use it or lose it" plans are illegal here. He might want to look into this when he gets home.

 

Thanks for the info! We'll look into it. I know he won't accrue any more after Jan. That's what he told me. I misspoke in the previous post. :o

[pinkie1]

Wonderful news, Pinkie.

 

Very happy for you.

Have a wonderful time.

 

 

Thanks, we will!!! :D

I need to start packing, although I do have cruise essentials already ready because I always say to my friends and family "you never know when an opportunity to cruise will come up, and when it does you gotta be ready!" :D For such a time as this!