last minute cruises for FL residents

[jtorty]

We winter near the Tampa area and would love to find a source for last minute cruise deals. We are Mariners but would enjoy experiencing other nice cruise lines. Has anyone from FL. have suggestions?

Thanks ahead. Oh by the way, we sailed the Noordam in the E.Med in Sept. She is a lovely ship so to those of you sailing her in the Caribbean your'e in for a treat and the AYW dining can be very nice.

[KULPN]

I live in the Tampa area. The Tampa Tribune has cruise bargains listed every Sunday in the travel section.

[DavidA23]

Real last-minute deals are a thing of the past, I'm afraid. Post 9/11 regulations require cruise lines to submit passenger lists at least a week before sailing, as I understand it. I would recommend two strategies for finding deals. First, sign up for every travel and cruise newsletter you come across. I have a separate Hotmail account just for these. Frequently, when a cruise isn't full 60 days out, they will begin dropping the prices and you will find some sweet deals. Secondly, use a travel agent to book. The prices thru an agent are frequently less than you will get on the cruise line's website. Cruise critic has a last minute deals page. Check it often and sign up for their newsletters. A little research will land you some great deals.

One more thing. Don't be afraid to try other lines. There is no such thing as a bad cruise, just some that are better than others. Your attitude will determine how much fun you have. We've taken some 30+ cruises over the past 35 years and Celebrity has become our carrier of choice. A while back we got a deal on a short Carnival cruise out of Tampa. The first day or so, instead of enjoying ourselves, we were busy looking at the differences between Carnival and Celebrity. We stopped for a drink before dinner and struck up a converstaion with a very elderly couple. They were on their first cruise. I asked how they were enjoying it, expecting to get some of the same complaints we had voiced. Instead, she said "We're having the time of our lives! We never knew cruising would be this much fun." After an attitude adjustment, we also had the time of our lives. It really did turn out to be one of our favorite cruises. The point is, all cruises should be fun!