Booking last minute

[Sololux]

Hi, due to family constraints I will be probably be able to make a last minute cruise booking - I can’t book anything until event x occurs and then I can travel probably in the next two to three weeks following event x.  I’ve needed a holiday for the last two years but I don’t want to book anything in case I have to cancel at short notice and I need to fly back to the U.K.  On the plus side I’ve discovered Explora Journeys so, after plenty of research, I’m now happy to book one of their cruises for 2 to 3 weeks.  Unfortunately it’s just one of those “waiting games” that I have to deal with.  This time I will also be travelling as a solo, OH will be looking after our fur babies!

 

I know I will have to have flexibility if I want a specific suite - I particularly wanted a stop in Istanbul but might have to forgo the port, and perhaps the eastern Med as well, for the western Med instead. I can live with that.  Can you explain what other ramifications there could be.  For example, shore excursions may be fully booked by then, I may have to take whatever flights are available and/or stay longer or for less in hotels pre/post the cruise.  Does a last minute booking change the price of the cruise, a little or significantly.  I'm trying to work out how many moving parts there are and what I need to do to manage my expectations!

 

[Grandma Cruising]

If you make a last minute booking you generally have to ‘go with the flow’ and be prepared to take whatever is available in the way of cruises, suites, excursions, hotels & flights. Certainly your options will be more limited than if you book well ahead.

[crickette]

Now is definitely the time to be working with a skilled TA.  Speak to him/her now, so that there is some prep work that can be done ahead.  Good ones are your best tool for last minute bookings.

[uktog]

Agree with @crickette  In particular flight costs can be brutal last minute. We discovered this last year when Explora cancelled our cruise with ten days notice. Whilst we could find a substitute cruise easily none of them could match up to scheduled flight availability. 
Our TA did very well finding us an alternative on a Scenic River Cruise (ok not what was originally planned) because Scenic hadn’t released back their flight allocation. We did have to forgo the included pre cruise hotel with scenic (price was adjusted) but were able to book the same hotel ourselves so all the transfers worked still. 
As an example 10 days before flying BA to Athens was going to be £1200 each return ex Scotland in economy!!!

[Dr. Cocktail]

1 minute ago, uktog said:

Agree with @crickette  In particular flight costs can be brutal last minute. 

My travel agent was telling me that last minute bookings are a challenge this year because of the lack of available flights.  She said that clients simply don't understand that it's frequently basically impossible to get to and/or from your cruise!

[Sololux]

Thank you for your help.  I hadn’t realised how much of a problem the flights would be.  

[Sololux]

There are two U.K. TA’s that I have already contacted.  Because I’m in France they can only work with me from me flying into the U.K. first.  Fortunately there are three BA flights a day from my local airport.  There’s no way I feel confident, especially with the language constraints, with using a French cruise specialist TA.  I have seen one advertising EJ