made a last min. booking?

[flbeachmom]

My question is...... Who has waited to the last min. to book.???

I have heard on my past cruises people who do this and get fabulous rates.

ok, Here is a thought i have and wanted to see if anyone has done this.

Spring break March 2009-- Looking at Crown Princess( friends are booked on it) i have a pty of 5 (3 kids ages 8-15) this ship has no conn. rooms.

If i can get one of these Fab rates i would not worry where my room is as much,> i love inside and high> I just feel guilty booking at current rates when economy is bad, and also me and hubby would have to sleep in different rooms and split up kids because of the no conn. room problem. I know some people put their kids in other rooms alone but that wont be me. Better safe than sorry. Let me know what you think.. I am not normally a tight wad but i did just get off a ship in Nov...

[Cruisin' Chick]

My question is...... Who has waited to the last min. to book.???

I have heard on my past cruises people who do this and get fabulous rates.

ok, Here is a thought i have and wanted to see if anyone has done this.

Spring break March 2009-- Looking at Crown Princess( friends are booked on it) i have a pty of 5 (3 kids ages 8-15) this ship has no conn. rooms.

If i can get one of these Fab rates i would not worry where my room is as much,> i love inside and high> I just feel guilty booking at current rates when economy is bad, and also me and hubby would have to sleep in different rooms and split up kids because of the no conn. room problem. I know some people put their kids in other rooms alone but that wont be me. Better safe than sorry. Let me know what you think.. I am not normally a tight wad but i did just get off a ship in Nov...

 

Here's something to think about: if many kids are out of school, there could be a high demand and the ship can be just about sold out. If you want last minute deals, you may have to go when there's lower demand (and sign up with Princess to be notified in that case). Even if younger kids are in school, there could be a run on cabins from college kids on spring break.

 

Another thing to think about (in a very serious vein), which I'm addressing more for other people considering placing their kids elsewhere on the ship (since you mentioned you wouldn't do this) I would be wary about being too far from your kids. A couple of years ago, there was a major fire on the Star Princess in the early hours of morning. Even if you have a teenager, you're still asking a lot of her, if there's a late night emergency.

[Colo Cruiser]

Most Princess cruises are sold out.

As stated the spring break ones even more, so if you want to go then I suggest you book asap.

 

Another thing there are limited rooms that hold 3 and 4 poeple so there is another snag.

[cacy6893076]

waiting until the last minute to book a cabin for 3 that time of year is probably a gamble, but if you can take it or leave it no harm in waiting to see if there is one available......It is almost february, to me this is last minute!

[mauiedin87]

We often book a year ahead of time. This time, 5 months ahead of time seemed like "last minute". And still, we could not get a balcony cabin anymore, we could not get early traditional dining anymore (waitlist was at 400 at the time). But we were lucky to get an "obstructed oceanview" cabin on Emerald Deck amidships which we consider preferable on a Hawaii cruise with its potentially heavy seas. We also got an incredible price, it being a Captain's Circle Special!:)

[Colo Cruiser]

Waiting until the last minute in off peak times of the year may work better.

[flbeachmom]

Our spring break is not during Easter so maybe i will get lucky. Ours is The last week of march, a few weeks before easter. Booked 5 weeks ahead this past T- Giving and had a decent rate but heard about several cruisers who jumped on at the last min. at a fabulous rate!! I will follow up and let you know if we get left behind or maybe are able to jump on another ship......

[flbeachmom]

thank you for the advice. im lucky we love the inside cabins, they are dark and cozy!!

[iancal]

We booked a last minute cabin for four on RCI. Booked on a Wednesday, left on our Alaska cruise on Saturday. We jammed our small children into the one cabin and had a great time.

[csrosey]

Just booked (yesterday) on the Caribbean Princess for the March, 8th departure and got a GREAT rate. It is Florida colleges spring break week and we still got great deals on the airfare and the cruise. Good luck.

[planb]

We booked LATE in my eyes, New Years eve, for early March but down Mexico way. Got a great deal on a mini suite for 703.each. Thought that was do able and this is our 2nd time on Princess and have done Carnival and hit some spring breakers:cool: and it almost ruined the cruise for many. They had to be removed from the formal dining room for jumping on peoples tables and knocking over a waiter. May have been just that time and ship but decided maybe Princess will be a bit tamer. Just glad to be getting away.;)

[pamwinn]

We got a fantastic deal last September on the NCL Dawn Canada/NE cruise out of NY. We booked 7 days in advance. We wound up with an Aft Balcony for just a little over $500.00 pp. I could not believe it! A friend booked 3 days before the cruise and got a BA for $466 pp...but not an aft. The airfare wasn't too bad as there are many flights from Atlanta to NY.

 

I'll do it again next September if I get the chance. THe lobster roll I had in Bar Harbour was worth the price of the cruise. :D

[Seal]

Just booked late Friday from Costco parking lot--we are leaving FLL for 14 day Caribbean--when we called we asked if there were any open cabins for this cruise--she half-laughed and told us that the ship was full--we asked about February--again--everything is full--then she said would you want an inside--our answer was no--then she said about the first one we asked for--and there were 2 minis on Dolphin--how hard was that--WHY would she have an automatic NO--we leave CA day after tomorrow--we just got home about an hour ago from our other home--brought some summer clothes that should be the ticket--the big idea was to surprise his brother that will be on that cruise--the crazy thing is that our room is by the elevators/stairs--never has been a problem before--his brother is directly across on the other side of the ship--If it had been my brother--I would just have found him after we boarded--

 

NO BARGAIN in this case they said that the bargains had come and gone--guess we were too late--seems strange--

 

Another way to look at things--we booked a South America cruise for March--long time ago--others that we know who are going that booked after us are paying almost double what we are--we booked aboard the day it was available--seems strange to me--we don't usually get that lucky.

 

Nancy:D