A cabin for next to nothing?

[Tarquin]

A few years back, on a now defunct general travel forum, an elderly gentleman put a post up about his epic journeys around the world for silly money.

 

With no commitments, no ties, all the time in the world and a ready packed suitcase, he would contact the cruise companies and make it known that he would happily fill an empty cabin within hours of departure........if the price was right.

He spoke of £3k month long cruises being advertised for £2k which, as the clock ticked and time ran out he would secure for a few hundred pounds.

'Better they have a full ship and my onboard spend than empty cabins' he would say.............

 

Does anybody know if this sort of thing still happens?

[cementhands]

I’ve been in Florida on more than one occasion and gotten very cheap last minute cruises. 5 nights out of port canaveral for $198. Pp.

7 nights out of Tampa $299.pp.

Both RCL.

Reposition Cruise use to be very cheap. Now transatlantic are if timed right. Now retired I search for the deals on the Internet.

The quantity of cruises out of Florida seem to offer cheaper prices last minute. Thanksgiving cruises are also cheaper we’ve enjoyed many for family reunions.

[ReneeFLL]

On 8/24/2019 at 7:59 AM, cementhands said:

I’ve been in Florida on more than one occasion and gotten very cheap last minute cruises. 5 nights out of port canaveral for $198. Pp.

7 nights out of Tampa $299.pp.

Both RCL.

Reposition Cruise use to be very cheap. Now transatlantic are if timed right. Now retired I search for the deals on the Internet.

The quantity of cruises out of Florida seem to offer cheaper prices last minute. Thanksgiving cruises are also cheaper we’ve enjoyed many for family reunions.

Are those prices for inside rooms or what type? It makes a difference.

[cementhands]

Inside cabin. But free upgrade to ocean view. Diamond level and asked if any free upgrade. Got lucky.

[Sunseeker11]

3yrs ago NCL sent me an email with an incredible deal for an 8 night repositioning cruise just before Christmas sailing from San Juan to NYC (St. Kitts, St. Maarten, St. Thomas, Tortola) and was sailing in 6 days, it was $400 pp (cdn so around $300 us) incl the beverage package and specialty restaurants for an OV. I had a $200 gift certificate from a silent auction I bought for $25  so had to book through an agent, she didn’t believe me when I called to book.  She said she had never seen such a low price before.

 

The ship was certainly not near capacity.   We hadn’t been planning a vacation and had an amazing time.  The deal was too good to pass up and we managed to get reasonable airfare. 

[Canuker]

I doubt if it doesn't, OP.
Cruise lines make so much of their gross profit (as opposed to revenue) from activities aboard ship, rather than from the amounts collected to gain access the the ship.

Bars. Casinos. Photo galleries. Shore excursions. WiFI/telephones, theme restaurants, coffee even. 
THat's why they always plan to sail full.