last minute San Diego - how to find?

[JAB8408]

We'll be visiting the San Diego area in Jan and Feb. We'd like to hop on a last minute cruise, at a bargain price.

 

The length or ports of call don't really matter, we just love cruising, and it will give us a break from the three grandkids. But I'm sure a short cruise would be better for our budget.

 

Can anyone reccomend a San Diego local Cruise Travel agent who we might get in touch with?

[Splinter]

Local TAs don't have any special "ins" for last minute cruises vs. your own local TA or an on-line TA. Suggest you try the latter for bargins or anything available that is last-minute. Regardless, according to these forum rules, members are not allowed to give recommendations for specific TAs.

 

Carnival has 3-4 day cruises out of San Diego. Other cruise lines would offer 7 day Mexican Riviera cruises (HAL) or 15 day RT to Hawaii cruises (HAL, Celebrity, RCCL). Otherwise you would need to cruise out of Los Angeles.

[andynapril]

Give this website a try:

 

http://www.*****.com/

[cruiserbryce]

it wasnt from SD but the above recommended site, *****.com worked great for us when we booked a short Mexico cruise from LA on RC a couple years ago

[JAB8408]

Thank you all for your responses. I wasn't aware that reccomending TAs was not allowed. It makes sense, CC is such a wonderful website.

 

I will try the online folks that have been mentioned.

 

We've gotten as far as Las Vegas on our snowbird escape from Wisconsin. The weather is already much nicer. Thank you again for your suggestions.

[Jen1000]

We'll be visiting the San Diego area in Jan and Feb. We'd like to hop on a last minute cruise, at a bargain price.

 

The length or ports of call don't really matter, we just love cruising, and it will give us a break from the three grandkids. But I'm sure a short cruise would be better for our budget.

 

Can anyone reccomend a San Diego local Cruise Travel agent who we might get in touch with?

 

We really loved our cruise on the Carnival Elation out of San Diego, 5 nite to Cabo and Ensenada. They are changing to only 3 and 4 nite cruises. If you hurry you can still do the 5 nite. I noticed the prices are good. My Mom did 7 nite Mexico on HA last Jan and got a great price.

 

Our local AAA TA (San Diego) booked both. Had the online TA give wrong info to my cousins and aunts...

 

Jen in SoCal

[murphysmum]

Hello...

 

*****.com (I've used them also with good results.) has a 7 day cruise listed now on the HAL Oosterdam, Balcony for $649, departs Jan 31).

 

In contrast, Carnival's five day was more at $669. I would take HAL over Carnival anytime.

 

Whatever you do, enjoy your trip!

 

murphysmum;)

[billsrobb]

I sure would not take HAL over Carnival.

Robb

[Splinter]

I sure would not take HAL over Carnival.

Robb

 

I would...in a heartbeat. Better food, better wheelchair accessibility, better wheelchair accomodation for tendering, better service all the way around.

[eyegel]

I find that the most useful and flexible cruise search engine is the advanced find option on Travelocity. Since many of major cruise lines implemented rules prohibiting discounting or commission rebates, all of the major search engines (Travelocity, Expedia, Orbitz, etc.) give you the same rates. Periodically, however, they compete by offering varying specials (such as shipboard credits for using a mastercard or free tickets for the reservation only restaurants).

 

In my historical experience, the cruiseline websites used to demand HIGHER rates. These days, however, they charge no more than the majors, but they are less likely to offer additional incentives. It pays to check them all out. When it comes to saving money money, however, i always return to a website which must remain nameless, but where cruise travel agents compete for your business. You post the details on the cruise you want to take and various travel agencies send you offers. Most of them involve cabin credits. [Think LendingTree.com before the credit crunch.] If you are getting only one cabin on a 3-5 day cruise, however, do not expect too much of a windfall.

 

In my opinion, the either the five-day or the eight-day Carnival Cruise trips (starting at under $300 and $550, respectively) are great deals. If only I had the time! I paid almost $1,000 for a seven day Mexican Riviera cruise in July 2008.

 

As for HAL vs. Carnival, I took a ten-day cruise on the Noorland to the Caribbean in December 2007. The crowd is MUCH older than Carnival and the cruise line caters to their client base. The crew members are EXTREMELY ATTENTIVE to their guests (carrying trays to their tables and helping them maneuver wheelchairs and walkers around the ship). The basic quality of the food was good, but I found the seasonings to be extraordinarily bland and the food to be uniformly undersalted. I suspect they wanted all the dishes accessible for even the most delicate palates and restricted diets.

 

The pace of life on the Noordam was VERY sedate. For example, there were no dirty midnight comedy shows. the late show seatings were three-quarters empty, and there was not enough interest for a talent show. The only sold-out, standing-room-only performances were for the attorney who was flogging advice about estate planning. As an attorney myself, I admired the way the guy worked his audience. It was like shooting fish in a barrel.

 

For our first three stops we were the only ship in port. I got so used to my fellow passengers that I experienced culture shock on St. Martin. We were docked on the same quay as a Carnival ship and I was dumbstruck when I exited to find myself among hordes of people of all ages.

 

For now, my favorite cruise line is Royal Caribbean. I am 53 and in decent health right now (ignoring my own silvering (where it is not balding) pate, belly fat, elevated blood pressure, and astronomically high lipid levels). When I reach the time when I need the kind of attention which the HAL crew lavishes on their more elderly and infirm guests, they (or Celebrity) will be my favorite cruise line. For the time being, however, I would choose Carnival over HAL.