angel24_ga Posted December 16, 2012 #1 Share Posted December 16, 2012 What is the latest you have booked a cruise? Our cruise is on Jan 5th and I am wondering what is the latest someone might be able to join if there is still room. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrFunInTheSun Posted December 17, 2012 #2 Share Posted December 17, 2012 I've booked 9 days out as the earliest. My last cruise I booked about 11 days out. Sailings I've been on when I checked prices up to sailing saw availability up to the day before. Just depends on the time of year and sailing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Almost Packed Posted December 17, 2012 #3 Share Posted December 17, 2012 I have heard various answers to that question on these boards. I have heard that people have stood at the pier, waiting...and then others have said nope, you have 48 hours and then i've heard others say something different. sometimes prices are better, sometimes they get higher the closer they get. I have been watching cruise prices in January, and they were pretty low there for a bit, and now they have gone up again. So hopefully your friend can book quickly unless you are just adding to your cabin and that may be a different scenario all together. have fun Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdGuyMG Posted December 17, 2012 #4 Share Posted December 17, 2012 If there is space available you can call Carnival as late as the morning of the cruise sail date to book. You can not just show up at the pier. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texymouse Posted December 17, 2012 #5 Share Posted December 17, 2012 adguy has it right. I too have booked the day of a cruise. You cannot show up at the port, have to call in your booking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tmllvr Posted December 17, 2012 #6 Share Posted December 17, 2012 I always book months ahead. My parents live by the creedo "book today, sail tomorrow" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kamloops50 Posted December 17, 2012 #7 Share Posted December 17, 2012 What is the latest you have booked a cruise?Our cruise is on Jan 5th and I am wondering what is the latest someone might be able to join if there is still room. The latest you can legally book before a cruise is 48hrs. The cruise line has to submit a passenger manifest to "Homeland Security " 48 hrs before the cruise sails. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alliezona09 Posted December 17, 2012 #8 Share Posted December 17, 2012 The latest you can legally book before a cruise is 48hrs. The cruise line has to submit a passenger manifest to "Homeland Security " 48 hrs before the cruise sails. Then why are people saying they have booked a cruise the day of~? I've read numerous people stating you can not show up at the pier but you can call Carnival and book a cruise the day of~ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texymouse Posted December 17, 2012 #9 Share Posted December 17, 2012 The latest you can legally book before a cruise is 48hrs. The cruise line has to submit a passenger manifest to "Homeland Security " 48 hrs before the cruise sails. I can promise you I booked the day of a cruise and got on the ship. I know others who have too. The last manifest actually goes in 60 minutes before the cruise. I am not sure where you get your 48 hours manifest info? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kamloops50 Posted December 17, 2012 #10 Share Posted December 17, 2012 I can promise you I booked the day of a cruise and got on the ship. I know others who have too. The last manifest actually goes in 60 minutes before the cruise. I am not sure where you get your 48 hours manifest info? You'll note I said "Legally" that doesn't mean the cruise lines will not bend the rules to fill the ships. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bonnys Posted December 17, 2012 #11 Share Posted December 17, 2012 We normally books months to over a year out. The latest we have booked was last year, and we booked 8 days out and got a phenomenal price (4 of us in a quad OV on the Fascination 5 day for $798 total), but that was in mid-September. Our upcoming Christmas cruise we would be paying twice as much if we had waited, but that is because of it being a holiday. But there are still cabins available so it would be possible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandygal Posted December 17, 2012 #12 Share Posted December 17, 2012 We had a cruise booked for October 29 out of New York City. As we all know Sandy was coming up the coast with a vengeance, and it was clear that the cruise was not going to happen as scheduled. We canceled (had travel insurance) and booked on Sunday October 28 for a Holland America Cruise out of Ft Lauderdale on the 29th instead. I asked the agent what would have been the latest to book, and she said the day of was allowedas long as there were cabins still available. We wound up with an eleven day cruise instead of a 9. Dodged all the chaos, had a great time! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jakesnana Posted December 17, 2012 #13 Share Posted December 17, 2012 The latest you can legally book before a cruise is 48hrs. The cruise line has to submit a passenger manifest to "Homeland Security " 48 hrs before the cruise sails. You'll note I said "Legally" that doesn't mean the cruise lines will not bend the rules to fill the ships. My son is in the Coast Guard and works closely with Homeland Security, so this is directly from him. The cruise lines provide a "preliminary manifest", based on passengers who have already completed their fun passes, at the 48 hour mark (that is why you cannot complete your fun pass within 3 days of sailing). After that, any changes to the preliminary manifest are sent in at 1 hour prior to sailing. That way, there is only a small amount of information sent on embarkation day (new passengers, people who didn't complete their funpasses, no-shows, etc.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndrewD65 Posted December 17, 2012 #14 Share Posted December 17, 2012 45 days was the soonest I have booked. Most cruises are 150+ days Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texymouse Posted December 17, 2012 #15 Share Posted December 17, 2012 My son is in the Coast Guard and works closely with Homeland Security, so this is directly from him. The cruise lines provide a "preliminary manifest", based on passengers who have already completed their fun passes, at the 48 hour mark (that is why you cannot complete your fun pass within 3 days of sailing). After that, any changes to the preliminary manifest are sent in at 1 hour prior to sailing. That way, there is only a small amount of information sent on embarkation day (new passengers, people who didn't complete their funpasses, no-shows, etc.) I didnt do my last boarding pass until the night before. RCL now cuts you off on online boarding passes 3 days before ..but Carnival never has. I always wait until the night before on Carnival to do my boarding passes and pack. Never been a problem on Carnival. Its seems there is one thing that people say is true... and something else in reality that is true. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BenjiRodney Posted December 17, 2012 #16 Share Posted December 17, 2012 Booked Jan 2013 cruise last July, I usually book 1 year out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angel24_ga Posted December 18, 2012 Author #17 Share Posted December 18, 2012 Thanks for all the replies! We booked this cruise 2 years ago!! Our friend is hoping to book the week we set sail so we shall see! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
serene56 Posted December 18, 2012 #18 Share Posted December 18, 2012 VERY few balconies left-- many oceanview cabins. and only a few insides. whats going to happen is some people in the oceanviews will get a call to upgrade to those limited few balconies. less then 10 is available. and move those from inside to the oceanview.. freeing up the inside cabins. which then will be put out there with pack and go rates-- (as guarantees) and they will go quickly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RuthlessBoss Posted December 19, 2012 #19 Share Posted December 19, 2012 I can promise you I booked the day of a cruise and got on the ship. I know others who have too. The last manifest actually goes in 60 minutes before the cruise. I am not sure where you get your 48 hours manifest info? This answer is the correct one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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