Last Minute Cruise Deals

[Northshorecruisers]

Has anyone had experience with last minute cruise deals out of Florida?

 

My dad drives down to St Pete Beach the day after Christmas from Toronto and stays there until the end of March every year. Normally, my brother and his wife will book a suite on HAL, and my dad will join them at a cheap 3rd person rate in the cabin. Unfortunately, they aren't able to do that this year.

 

My dad was saying that he heard from someone in his seniors group that when they are in FL they put themselves on a last minute call list. They said they get significant discounts with being able to do the cruise with less than 3 days notice.

 

He was going to contact HAL and let them know he'd be interested for anything out of Tampa or Ft Lauderdale with 24 hour notice. Since he'll be travelling solo, he plans to take an inside cabin. He's extremely sociable, so he doesn't spend much time there anyway.

 

Any experience or comments?

[geoherb]

For us, last minute is anything after the final payment date. The closest we've ever booked was a few weeks out when we sailed on the Maasdam at Christmas.

 

HAL currently has some great prices--like a 14-night cruise for $729 plus port fees (based on double occupancy).

[Randyk47]

For us, last minute is anything after the final payment date. The closest we've ever booked was a few weeks out when we sailed on the Maasdam at Christmas.

 

HAL currently has some great prices--like a 14-night cruise for $729 plus port fees (based on double occupancy).

 

Wish we could do that but that darn thing called "work" gets in the way. :rolleyes::D Actually my wife is trying something different next year and that's setting aside two major vacation dates, one in March and another in December. We've booked the December cruise but are watching for a last minute deal on a March back-to-back cruise. If the March deal doesn't happen then she'll simply cancel/drop her vacation time off the calendar. Unfortunately her immediate boss has announced his retirement for the end of the year and March might become an issue as the new boss should be selected by then and will just be getting their feet on the ground. Of course Mrs. K may try for the job and if she were to get it that might change a lot of stuff. Having to plan is a pain sometimes. :)

[Padraic]

My dad was saying that he heard from someone in his seniors group that when they are in FL they put themselves on a last minute call list. They said they get significant discounts with being able to do the cruise with less than 3 days notice.

 

My wife and I were able to do this through a travel agent many years ago but I'm not aware of anything like that anymore.

[jtl513]

Don't get his hopes up. We've requested to be put on "last minute" HAL call lists many times over the last 10 years and have never been contacted. Maybe it's other lines that his friends have done it on.

[Randyk47]

My dad was saying that he heard from someone in his seniors group that when they are in FL they put themselves on a last minute call list. They said they get significant discounts with being able to do the cruise with less than 3 days notice.

 

Any experience or comments?

 

My late father and step-mother lived in Orlando and would often kind of camp out at his brother's house in Miami for the very purpose of catching a last minute cruise. This was years and years ago, back in the 90's, before the security concerns and subsequent policies and procedures. They'd literally go from terminal to terminal seeing if they could catch a "stand-by" fare. I'd bet he called me half a dozen or more times telling me they were off to such and such on some cruise ship. That's a little different than some kind of "last minute call" list but not totally different. I know my father couldn't do what they did today and kind of wonder how close a cruise line actually cuts it with the restrictions they do have now. Not saying it can't be done but I have to wonder..... ;):)