Last Minute or Searching Cruise Deals

[EmeraldCoastCruisers]

For those of us lucky to be able to cruise at any time, what are you go-to places to find deals? I seem to think there has to be a better way then doing what I am which is searching EACH cruise line, dates, etc. Seems like there should be a better way to find options. Thanks for any cruising advice!

[easyboy]

We subscribe our email address on cruise line and online TAs (that we can not name here) for offers, including last minute deals.

 

 

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[Clarea]

For those of us lucky to be able to cruise at any time, what are you go-to places to find deals? I seem to think there has to be a better way then doing what I am which is searching EACH cruise line, dates, etc. Seems like there should be a better way to find options. Thanks for any cruising advice!

For Royal Caribbean: http://www.creative.rccl.com/sales/royal/Multi_Dest/Special_Offers/rci_sales_event.pdf

[Hlitner]

We have snagged some amazing last minute deals and they each had one thing in common. They were "secret" deals in that they were not marketed anywhere on the internet. Many cruise lines will quietly turn to favored cruise/travel agencies to help them unload excess cabin inventory. But it is done quietly so as not to cause issues with most folks who have already booked at substantially higher prices. So how to find these deals? You need to register an e-mail address with the agency. Since you cannot know which agency will get these deals for a particular cruise, you need to register your e-mail with multiple reputable cruise agencies. Just about all the high volume agencies have private e-mail lists...and getting on that list is free! You just browse their web site until you find a place that asks you to register for special or private offers. And sometimes you need to be ready to jump at a last minute deal...without hesitation.

 

In early October of 2015 I was sitting at my computer late one afternoon when I received an e-mail from one of our favorite agencies about some last minute specials. One cruise was a 10 day repositioning cruise (less then 2 weeks away) on the then new Regal Princess. The cruise was from NYC to Ft Lauderdale...via 3 Caribbean islands. The price in the e-mail was about $1400 (total cost for 2) for a balcony. I yelled to my wife (who was making dinner) if she wanted to take a cruise in 2 weeks and got an affirmative answer. I telephoned the agency and the cruise agent put me on hold for a minute and then told me they had just received a fax from Princess dropping the price to $1200 (total price for 2 including all taxes and fees). This is $60 per person/day. In addition we were able to get $300 in On Board Credits taking the cost down to $45 per person/day...and this for a balcony. We immediately booked and were upgraded to the highest category balcony (amidships). At the same time I checked Southwest Airline and snagged a $69 airfare to get us home after the cruise! All this happened within 15 minutes! And that is the way it often works. Last July we snagged an amazing deal on a 24 day (back to back) HAL cruise in Northern Europe. Again it came from an e-mail offer and we jumped at the deal within a few minutes.

 

To us, these last minute things are just fun...when we have free time with no plans. We are flexible (at to cruise line and itinerary) and will also look for last minute deals on airfare, all inclusives, etc. The more you expand your options and flexibility...the better the chance of getting an amazing deal. I should add that whenever we have done these last minute trips...they have been wonderful. Call it luck...but we prefer to think its just travel instincts and the ability to make a very quick decision.

 

Hank

[LHT28]

have you checked the DEALS tab at the top of the page ?

[EmeraldCoastCruisers]

have you checked the DEALS tab at the top of the page ?

 

 

Top of what page?

 

 

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[LHT28]

Top of what page?

 

 

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sorry I use a net book so maybe your device does not show the top menu on Cruise critic

 

see if this works

 

http://www.cruisecritic.com/bargains/lastminute.cfm