Tips for finding short notice bargains?

[superduper123]

Is there such a thing? I usually book reservations a year in advance. However, since I live relatively short driving distance to several Florida ports, I thought it would be easy to take a quick, spontaneous weekend to the Bahamas. I also thought I could find some good, last-minute bargains. This does not seem to be the case. The least expensive one I found for a 3 night (in June) was $527/ pp, interior.  Is it because it's now summer and families are taking vacations?  Is there a way to score a bargain last minute weekend getaway?  Maybe a certain time frame where I should be searching?

 

Edit to add - I do not use a travel agent if that makes a difference.

Edited June 4, 2019 by superduper123

[Biker19]

2 minutes ago, superduper123 said:

 Is it because it's now summer and families are taking vacations?  Is there a way to score a bargain last minute weekend getaway?  Maybe a certain time frame where I should be searching?

Yes. Keep looking, including the GGG flier. The week after Thanksgiving. Price drops, if any, seem to come about 60 days out.

[Clarea]

6 minutes ago, superduper123 said:

Is there such a thing? I usually book reservations a year in advance. However, since I live relatively short driving distance to several Florida ports, I thought it would be easy to take a quick, spontaneous weekend to the Bahamas. I also thought I could find some good, last-minute bargains. This does not seem to be the case. The least expensive one I found for a 3 night (in June) was $527/ pp, interior.  Is it because it's now summer and families are taking vacations?  Is there a way to score a bargain last minute weekend getaway?  Maybe a certain time frame where I should be searching?

 

Edit to add - I do not use a travel agent if that makes a difference.

 

Check this out, usually changes every Thursday afternoon: http://www.creative.rccl.com/sales/royal/Multi_Dest/Special_Offers/rci_sales_event.pdf

[Tom47]

Even if you don't use a TA, you can sign up for their newsletter, which will feature last minute bargains.

[OCSC Mike]

This year I found better deals by checking the website several times a day than anything that has been in the GGG flyer.  We live an hour from Port Canaveral and have done several last minute cruises.

 

The prices had been much higher than we're used to for the last 6 months then all of a sudden around Memorial Day weekend a couple nice ones popped up for June/July.

 

We can only cruise in the Summer when prices are higher, so my deals are only for Summer pricing out of PC and we don't use balconies so they're for interiors.  Best one I ever found was $599pp for 7-nights on Oasis in 2017.  I actually found it 2 days after we got off a family Oasis cruise so DW and I decided to hop back on 3 weeks later.  This year I had been seeing over $1000pp which is obviously terrible.  Ended up getting $749 for an interior GTY on Harmony for 6/16 which turned into a virtual balcony.  The price was gone by the next day.

 

At one point I also saw just slightly higher for a July Harmony cruise but the best deal for that one was an OV balcony for only $100 more.  Like the 6/16 cruise, those prices were gone within a day.

 

Short version... check the website as often as you can.  Prices change during the same sale and even in the same day.  Happy hunting!

[molly361]

I miss the good old days when there was some great last minute pricing on the short Florida sailings

[molly361]

I think it since the start of the RoyalUp program last minute bargains might be harder to find

[Clarea]

4 minutes ago, molly361 said:

I miss the good old days when there was some great last minute pricing on the short Florida sailings

 

Yeah, just as I'm moving to Florida!

[molly361]

2 minutes ago, Host Clarea said:

 

Yeah, just as I'm moving to Florida!

I can't help it if you are late to the party😇🍸

[AshleyDillo]

The first two weeks of December are insanely cheap (even some no-solo supplement offerings on Oasis).  I also noticed that the first 2 weeks of September were very low priced a month ago on Allure and they still are low for Majesty during that same timeframe.  

 

I haven't seen any good deals for last very minute cruises on Royal, though..and September is just at the 90 days so you have to commit and then still have almost three months of a torturous wait.

[Biker19]

9 minutes ago, molly361 said:

I think it since the start of the RoyalUp program last minute bargains might be harder to find

Not on insides - those are not really Royal Up biddable.

[smplybcause]

I think the weekend cruises out of Canaveral are getting the one-two punch of getting the upgraded Mariner and the launch of Perfect Day. That's driving demand..or at least Royal is betting it will be and is keeping prices higher. 

[molly361]

15 minutes ago, smplybcause said:

I think the weekend cruises out of Canaveral are getting the one-two punch of getting the upgraded Mariner and the launch of Perfect Day. That's driving demand..or at least Royal is betting it will be and is keeping prices higher. 

Yeah I'm curious to see if pricing comes down for fall sailings but I think not

[molly361]

16 minutes ago, Biker19 said:

Not on insides - those are not really Royal Up biddable.

I may have to change my ways

[Hogbay]

29 minutes ago, Biker19 said:

Not on insides - those are not really Royal Up biddable.

And not really habitable either 🙂

[Biker19]

2 minutes ago, Hogbay said:

And not really habitable either 🙂

Virtual balcony insides on the newer ships are pretty nice.

[OCSC Mike]

45 minutes ago, Biker19 said:

Virtual balcony insides on the newer ships are pretty nice.

 

What makes them nice in your opinion?  As I mentioned above, I have one on Harmony in 12 days via an interior GTY.

 

We figured the screen might be kinda neat and I like trying something new (especially for free) but we weren't any more excited about it than a regular interior.  We cruise for the ship/ports, not the cabin.

[ToroAzul]

6 hours ago, Host Clarea said:

 

Check this out, usually changes every Thursday afternoon: http://www.creative.rccl.com/sales/royal/Multi_Dest/Special_Offers/rci_sales_event.pdf

 

Are these prices per person?

[Biker19]

8 minutes ago, OCSC Mike said:

What makes them nice in your opinion? 

The size, they are newer and the screen can be useful. On Q class sometimes getting them late is difficult as balcony prices are about the same as insides or no insides left.

[Biker19]

Just now, ToroAzul said:

 

Are these prices per person?

Other than Virgin Voyages, virtually all main cruise lines quote prices per person.

[Kholland]

2 hours ago, OCSC Mike said:

This year I found better deals by checking the website several times a day than anything that has been in the GGG flyer.  We live an hour from Port Canaveral and have done several last minute cruises.

 

The prices had been much higher than we're used to for the last 6 months then all of a sudden around Memorial Day weekend a couple nice ones popped up for June/July.

 

We can only cruise in the Summer when prices are higher, so my deals are only for Summer pricing out of PC and we don't use balconies so they're for interiors.  Best one I ever found was $599pp for 7-nights on Oasis in 2017.  I actually found it 2 days after we got off a family Oasis cruise so DW and I decided to hop back on 3 weeks later.  This year I had been seeing over $1000pp which is obviously terrible.  Ended up getting $749 for an interior GTY on Harmony for 6/16 which turned into a virtual balcony.  The price was gone by the next day.

 

At one point I also saw just slightly higher for a July Harmony cruise but the best deal for that one was an OV balcony for only $100 more.  Like the 6/16 cruise, those prices were gone within a day.

 

Short version... check the website as often as you can.  Prices change during the same sale and even in the same day.  Happy hunting!

What specific websites do you check? Just the RCCL website?

[Clarea]

34 minutes ago, ToroAzul said:

 

Are these prices per person?

 

Yes, plus taxes.

[OCSC Mike]

1 minute ago, Kholland said:

What specific websites do you check? Just the RCCL website?

 

Yes, when it works.  🤣  And make sure you click all the way through any cruise you're considering.  The price on the initial page is not necessarily the actual price.