Last Minute Or Advance Bookings?

[thefirstnoel]

Thanks to all of you for responding to my questions regarding Celebrity vs. HAL. It really helped alot and because of your answers, we think we are going to give HAL a try. Another question----Are there any advantages to booking a cruise at the last minute or is it advisable to book one way in advance? I realize the choice of cabins would probably be better w/the advance booking, but is there any monetary benefits to booking a cruise at the last minute? Is there a big difference between newer and older ships? Are they pretty much comprable?

[garydm]

You might be able to get a great deal with a late booking, but you might not. Each Friday night HAL releases 5 Day Flashes which are sales on cruises coming up soon. The one you want might be featured or it might not and the prices can be great or not so great.

 

We tend to book early because I am irritated by noise and vibration, so we want an assigned (not guaranteed) cabin that mimizes these concerns.

 

Gary

[FlorenceItaly]

on the popularity of the itinerary and time of year, in my opinion. What are you specifically looking at?

 

 

Marie

[Randyk47]

TheFirstNoel - I'd also remind anybody reading this that you're playing a guessing game with transportation to the port. Now, assuming you're talking an Alaska cruise, other than the wonderful traffic going north on I-5 to Seattle getting there from Lakewood is not a big deal. (PS - I'm a Clover Park grad....Lakewood was home for many years.) If you're talking some other port then the last minute flights could be a problem and it certainly might impact hotel availibilty if you're thinking of flying in the day before.

[Krazy Kruizers]

If you don't care what cabin you are in and don't have to worry about flying to the port of embarkation, then you may be able to get great last minute deals. Anyone looking at 2007 prices may try and hold off till the last minute (they ar really high). But those of us who have to fly to every port won't make out because the airlines really jack up the prices for last minute flights.

 

Like others , we like certain cabins so we try and book early.

[Randyk47]

KK - We went ahead and booked for next March on the Veendam but the cost increase is pretty significant. We went down two categories to get the same per day cost from our Volendam cruise this February. Nothing special about the cruises, neither the one this year nor next are Panama Canal cruises. Both are at the same time of the year and neither are big holiday periods.

[ventru]

We booked our cruise in the Netherlands (last minute) and had a 50% reduction.

[LHC]

I think if you are a planner and organizer that the last minute thing would be a nightmare....but if you are like my sister, creative and artsy, no real time table and can get the time off freely or are retired that last minute deals have to be money savers.

My vacation time is a planned event as I am a caregiver to my youngest son in an electric wheelchair. But my spirit, especially now as I have aged could and would be spontaneous if allowed. Money saving to buy more spa services would make my day.

LHC

[jhannah]

No last-minute deals for me. The savings on a cabin (if we can even get one we are willing to take ... and that's a big IF) would likely be more than offset by the cost of a last-minute airline ticket.

[ventru]

The price of the ticket is included in the cruise when you book in The Netherlands!!! What a difference that makes! I'm happy now to live in Europe. Even if we book the Alaska tour the price is included. So now we would pay 1200 euro's for the 9 day cruise (incl. ticket!)

 

http://zeetours.nl/script/detail.asp?ID=891