Booking Cruise at Terminal Last minute

[Bulzie]

Does Carnival New Orleans allow this if we just show up without a booking to get a reservation at the last minute at the terminal if they have any cabins still open?  Has anyone done this and is it at a discount?  We are not sure of our schedule rest of summer but thought might try it if it is allowed.  We are ok if we get there and nothing is available but obviously don't want to do that if it is not allowed.

[BlueRiband]

No cruise line, Carnival or anyone else, allows walk-up booking at the terminal.

 

Agents there only check in booked passengers.  They cannot sell accomodations.  You would have to telephone the cruise line and ask. 

 

Cruise lines sailing from the US have to send US Homeland Security a passenger manifest 72hrs before sailing and a final manifest 1hr before sailing.

[njhorseman]

1 hour ago, Bulzie said:

Does Carnival New Orleans allow this if we just show up without a booking to get a reservation at the last minute at the terminal if they have any cabins still open?  Has anyone done this and is it at a discount?  We are not sure of our schedule rest of summer but thought might try it if it is allowed.  We are ok if we get there and nothing is available but obviously don't want to do that if it is not allowed.

 

24 minutes ago, BlueRiband said:

No cruise line, Carnival or anyone else, allows walk-up booking at the terminal.

 

Agents there only check in booked passengers.  They cannot sell accomodations.  You would have to telephone the cruise line and ask. 

 

Cruise lines sailing from the US have to send US Homeland Security a passenger manifest 72hrs before sailing and a final manifest 1hr before sailing.

Being able to walk up to the cruise terminal and book a cabin on embarkation day, while possible in the past hasn't been allowed for years.

 

@BlueRiband: While the cruise line does have to submit the ship's preliminary passenger manifest to DHS 72 hours prior to sailing it is, as the word says, preliminary...and that means it can and does change prior to submission on embarkation day. There's nothing prohibiting the cruise line from adding passengers to the manifest after the preliminary 72 hour submission. Many cruise lines allow you to book after that time. Some have booking capability right on their website up to the day before sailing...or you can book by calling their reservation center. Some even used to allow booking the morning of the cruise by calling their reservation center, but I'm not certain that is still true. in any event if a cruise line doesn't permit you to book inside of 72 hours prior to sailing it's strictly due to their internal procedures, not law or regulation.

Even if they cut off preregistration on their website at 72 hours out you can still be booked, given a cabin number, and then you can come to the pier by the time you are instructed to, identify yourself, and the registration formalities will be done at the pier. 

[Essiesmom]

The final manifest goes in 60 minutes before sailing.  Which is why you must be checked in at least 60 minutes before sailing.  I believe on Carnival you can still CALL in the morning and sail in the afternoon.  EM

[thinfool]

Adding that the form submission is 60 minutes before sailing and that your competent travel agent can get you on a last minute booking.

 

At times a ship that is partially full will allow onboard bookings, esp if your travel agent is on the same sailing.  I have seen it on both Carnival and HAL.

Edited June 18 by thinfool

[njhorseman]

4 hours ago, Essiesmom said:

The final manifest goes in 60 minutes before sailing.  Which is why you must be checked in at least 60 minutes before sailing.  I believe on Carnival you can still CALL in the morning and sail in the afternoon.  EM

Cruise lines typically want you to be checked in 90 minutes to two hours prior to sailing in order to have time to prepare and transmit the final manifest. This is particularly true if you book less than three days prior to departure as many cruise lines close their online registration portal at the three day mark, which means you'll have to register when you arrive at the pier.

[njhorseman]

1 hour ago, thinfool said:

Adding that the form submission is 60 minutes before sailing and that your competent travel agent can get you on a last minute booking.

 

At times a ship that is partially full will allow onboard bookings, esp if your travel agent is on the same sailing.  I have seen it on both Carnival and HAL.

I'm curious as to when you last saw an onboard booking because AFAIK that was discontinued years ago.

In any event now that passenger loads have pretty much come back to pre-pandemic levels at over 100% of standard occupancy it's very rare for a ship to have space available. It can happen, but it won't happen very often.

[navybankerteacher]

6 hours ago, njhorseman said:

I'm curious as to when you last saw an onboard booking because AFAIK that was discontinued years ago.

In any event now that passenger loads have pretty much come back to pre-pandemic levels at over 100% of standard occupancy it's very rare for a ship to have space available. It can happen, but it won't happen very often.

Also, the last thing cruise lines want to do is to encourage people to hold out to the last minute in hopes of grabbing fire-sale fares.  They will prefer to sail with a few empty cabins than to risk creating a last minute market - so they will not seriously discount late beekings.

 

If you really want a low fare, book early - and rebook if fares do happen to drop.

[leaveitallbehind]

Generally those days are long past.  In our experience, manifests have to be submitted 90 minutes prior to departure. (DHS may require 60 minutes minimum, but generally the cruise lines require 90 minutes)  But the processing of a booking also takes time and involves some degree of vetting in advance.  As suggested by others there is a cut off time for bookings. RCCL, for example, closes final bookings at 72 hours prior to departure. This may vary to some degree with other lines, but this is typical with most and "walk up" bookings don't occur.

 

Also as mentioned, the other factor is that most ships sail full and there would be limited availability of staterooms close in to the sailing date.  All TA's would have access to availability on any given itinerary and there would be no advantage by one over another in securing a late booking as they all have to comply with the cruise lines and Government agencies late booking guidelines.

[leaveitallbehind]

One other thing to add, even if you are able to secure a late booking the price will usually be at the last sale date prevailing fare with most cruise lines.  They don't typically discount last minute bookings.

[runner15km]

Most likely you will pay full price no discounts.