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Booking a cruise last minute?


travelchick989
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Hey all,

I'm sure this question has been asked multiple times but has anyone ever booked a cruise, a week, two weeks or a month away from a cruise? Do you get a better deal as a solo booking last minute? Also if your booking last minute, is your stateroom in a good location on the ship? Thanks!

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I've booked cruises at 2 - 3 weeks before sailing date and have found some great deals. I don't worry a whole lot about the so called single supplement because I believe it is a red herring. Rather, I look for good deals within my budget - typically up to $200 per day.

 

By definition I've always gotten a great cabin location because, if it wasn't, I wouldn't have booked it. 😉

 

There will always be a few people who have to cancel at the last minute due to, say, medical or job-related reasons. But you have to follow the availabilities closely (several times per day) and be willing to make an INSTANT decision when something suitable appears. And if airfare is needed, you must simultaneously look for a good deal there.   

 

 

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I do not book in advance like most double occupancy passengers. Early booking would be paying 100% for the cabin. I have booked as late as 4 days before departure to get the single supplement anywhere from low to zero. My most recent cruise was $44 per day. My benchmark is no more than $100 per day.

 

If you do not live within driving distance, then last minute airfare is a factor. Some cruise lines have good Air Departments that should be able to accommodate you. Another option is to put a cruise reservation on HOLD when a good price comes available. Then immediately go shopping for airfare to see if it is doable.

 

In most cases, last minute is a "guarantee" cabin assignment by the cruise line. So it could be anywhere on the ship. If you are picky about cabin location, then a "guarantee" is not your best bet. Cabin location is not important to me.

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@mtwingcpa  thanks for your reply! I MIGHT try booking a cruise 2-3 weeks away just to see if I get better deals. 

@IrieBanjan 54 thanks for your input!  Thanks for the advice on putting a cruise reservation on hold, haven't thought of that. And yea I am picky about cabin location as I typically prefer a balcony cabin. Thats my only concern about booking very last minute.  

 

When booking last minute do you all book through a travel agent or on your own? I'd think on your own since its very late?

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I booked a last minute cruise 3 weeks before sailing on the NCL Getaway last september and got a really good price.  I could have gotten the cruise even cheaper had I taken a "Guarantee", but I'm also picky about my cabin location and like to chose it myself.

 

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13 hours ago, travelchick989 said:

 

@mtwingcpa  thanks for your reply! I MIGHT try booking a cruise 2-3 weeks away just to see if I get better deals. 

@IrieBanjan 54 thanks for your input!  Thanks for the advice on putting a cruise reservation on hold, haven't thought of that. And yea I am picky about cabin location as I typically prefer a balcony cabin. Thats my only concern about booking very last minute.  

 

When booking last minute do you all book through a travel agent or on your own? I'd think on your own since its very late?

 

I've always booked on my own, occasionally with the assistance of a cruise line travel rep. When booking last minute, you might not be able to "hold" a reservation for more than (say) 30 minutes. But that would at least give you a chance to nail down a flight reservation before you commit on the cruise.

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On 2/3/2019 at 8:05 AM, travelchick989 said:

Hey all,

I'm sure this question has been asked multiple times but has anyone ever booked a cruise, a week, two weeks or a month away from a cruise? Do you get a better deal as a solo booking last minute? Also if your booking last minute, is your stateroom in a good location on the ship? Thanks!

Most of the cruises that I have taken have all been booked on what I would call a short term basis.  Usually I book a cruise about a month away, give or take a few days, and I have had very good luck doing that.  Of course though I am not fussy about what cabin I am, so that helps.  One time I did book a cruise almost 3 months out and it was about the longest before departure that I had ever booked.  Since I do have to fly into any port, you do have to watch the air fare prices as well.  Usually 30 to 45 days out has the best air fares in our market here.  I have taken over 20 different cruises on most of the mass market lines and booking short term has worked very well for me.  If I lived near a port where I could drive I would probably look at the 2 & 3 week departures as well.  Good Luck, and Happy Sailing.

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You can book Balcony guarantee....or a guarantee in whatever class you want..you just don't get to choose your specific room, and you often don't get any perks.

I have intentions of booking short notice from ports I seem to make other arrangements for those dates.

Indid book 2 cruises this Fall just after  final booking dates. Granted one was a system glitch that was 20% of the going solo rate. The other was a guarantee balcony on NCL 9 day repositioning cruise for $1200Cdn, so under $100 US a day. It gave me time to get a good air price. Others booked closer to sale date for a little cheaper but paid a lot more for flights back from Puerto Rico.

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I am doing a last minute cruise next week that I still have not booked.  I have my air to Miami on Friday,with a return Sunday so I can do a Saturday-Saturday, or Sunday--Sunday cruise.  The reason I am waiting is because I have friends on a sailing that I want but it's too high for me so I am hoping it comes down, but I have my eye on the back up and if that looks like the price will go up, or it may sell.out, I'll book that.  In the meantime, the backup price has dropped another $70 in the last 2 days.

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If you live close enough to a port that you do not need airfare and get to a port last minute then definitely yes.

 

I was browsing NCL last night , putting in 1 passenger and sorting by price and the best prices  were the closest dates.   Thought the days of booking the night before were over but it was listed

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34 minutes ago, jmsnyc said:

If you live close enough to a port that you do not need airfare and get to a port last minute then definitely yes.

 

I was browsing NCL last night , putting in 1 passenger and sorting by price and the best prices  were the closest dates.   Thought the days of booking the night before were over but it was listed

I've booked my last 3 NCL cruises within the last 2-3 days before cruise , got great prices and it was easy. I know you can see the listing the night before but i'm not sure if it actually goes thru. I have not spoken with/met anyone that purchased the night before.

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Thanks everyone for your responses.I'm a teacher so that means the only times I will be able to cruise is when the kids are out. And as I look I notice that it tends to be more pricey around winter break, spring break and summer breaks. I'm coming from NYC so thinking of booking a cruise out of NYC to save on a plane ticket. 

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2 hours ago, travelchick989 said:

Thanks everyone for your responses.I'm a teacher so that means the only times I will be able to cruise is when the kids are out. And as I look I notice that it tends to be more pricey around winter break, spring break and summer breaks. I'm coming from NYC so thinking of booking a cruise out of NYC to save on a plane ticket. 

That use to be my situation.   For teachers unfortunately the cheapest time to cruise is the summer, but then probably least desirable time when you want to get away for the weather.

 

Keep in mind though that the difference in cruise fare usually can out weigh the flight savings when leaving from NY vs Fla - though definitely more convienient, and if type of person that flies in day before you can also save on hotels, etc

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18 hours ago, travelchick989 said:

Thanks everyone for your responses.I'm a teacher so that means the only times I will be able to cruise is when the kids are out. And as I look I notice that it tends to be more pricey around winter break, spring break and summer breaks. I'm coming from NYC so thinking of booking a cruise out of NYC to save on a plane ticket. 

I have sailed out of NYC a couple of times, and it is one of my favorite sail away ports.  I have left from the Manhattan pier both times and sailing down the Hudson past the Statute of Liberty and under the Veranzo (sp) Narrows bridge is very enjoyable.  When I came back from Bermuda we cruised in very early in the morning on a Sunday and sailing up the Hudson and seeing the city streets almost empty was worth getting up very early in the morning as you don't get to see that very often.

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Hey Neil:classic_smile: I am sailing out of Manhattan in April!:classic_biggrin:...…...going on Azamara for the first time, 11 nights to Bermuda and Charleston, SC.  Should be fun!  I have my hotel booked (staying down in Lower Manhattan near Ground Zero) and going to see a Broadway show too.  Now I am trying to decide where to eat dinner:classic_biggrin:

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