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Unsold cabins


Auntycon

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Maybe you can check with a local TA (a cruising expert and not one of the online types -- we can't mention any names here -- as they usually just sell future cruises) and tell 'em you have the flexibility to go on any last minute cruises from specific ports.

 

Also, you can check the various websites for the cruiselines that leave from those ports. Often they have a section that you can sign up for any last minute specials.

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You can book as late as the morning of a cruise, some CC members have done it. I can be to Galveston within 5 hours ... some PVPs at Carnival have deals not on their website. RCL rep told me I could book Sat afternoon for a cruise leaving Sunday, so a Sunday cruise you apparantly cant book on a Sunday, at least with RCL. .. so it might depend on the day of the week and the cruiseline.

 

Iv booked 3 1/2 days before a RCL cruise and 2 1/2 days before a Carnival cruise. (before midnight on thursday for a cruise leaving sunday).

 

The only caveat is if you want some OBC for whatever, like you own stock, or are military and want a military rate ... some of these things can be done better on a weekday. I only had Friday to get my stock credit thru or I wouldnt have gotten it.

 

You still have to contact the cruiseline or a TA to book. You might not get much if anything off the rate online. I booked the one last minute because of cancellations for the swine flu in May (got a rate of $289 pp), and the other because my Dad had surgery I had to wait for .. one guy I sat with at dinner says he always books RCL last minute, he is a gambler.

 

I stay mostly packed. All my cruising toiletries are always packed, just have to add clothes to the suitcase and Im ready. (Iv done 7 cruises this year).

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I stay mostly packed. All my cruising toiletries are always packed, just have to add clothes to the suitcase and Im ready. (Iv done 7 cruises this year).

WOW - you must be retired or something, because even if I could afford 7 cruises in 1 year, I couldn't get the time off from work AND I certainly couldn't get the time so spur of the moment like that.

But maybe one day....:D

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Kinda retired, I run errands for my parents, and cant work regular hours, so I just do for them. It is hard to get away from very long at a time is the downside.. but I did manage one 2 week B2B, so its not as many cruises as it seems. My Dad is 91 and he sneaks out if I go away very long.

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Does anyone know how to get last minute unsold cabins? We live in Florida and could be there in as little as three hours. I have heard of this but do not know where to begin to find them.

Thanks

 

 

Some good information. I will see what we can find. It is a very special anniversary this year and we have already gone on two. Maybe I can surprise him this time..

 

Thanks to everyone for your posts.

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  • 8 months later...

We have been cruising for years and have 31 cruises under our belts however it seems cruises are getting higher and good deals are fewer. We are interested in some of the great deals some of our fellow cruisers have been talking about including last minute cruises. Unfortunately we live in Texas and several months if the year we only have 1 cruise company available to us so sometimes we have to suck up the airfare. Have been reading Cruise Critic reviews and info for sometime and decided to join in.

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These last minute bits can only be done by US citizens - just in case some of you were getting your hopes up. All foreigners need to be in 72 hours prior to departure due to the DHS checks on the manifest.

 

In case you are wondering we tried it in Jan 10 - our US friends got a cabin - we were told sorry no can do.....

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There's a lot of confusion about how far in advance the manifest must be submitted. This is what I have read (but Heaven knows, it could be wrong): The preliminary manifest is submitted 72 hours in advance; the final manifest must be submitted 2 hours or 1-1/2 hours (conflicting information) before departure and at that time, no changes may be made and all passengers must be fully registered and onboard.

 

I do know that people can no longer just walk up to the pier, go up to the check in or registration counter, and buy a cruise because only ticketed passengers are allowed past port/cruise line security. You have to have your tickets in hand before then. But it's certainly possible to contact a TA or the cruise line the morning of a cruise, book a cabin if available, and get last minute tickets.

 

I should mention that cruise lines have their own rules for when they cutoff new bookings. I think that some may not want to deal with the paperwork, etc. of bookings the day of a cruise, but that's just a WAG.

 

beachchick

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One way to find out about some bargains is to sign up for email notices with each individual cruise line you're interested in. I currently get emails from Princess and HAL. Princess lets you designate what time frame you desire in terms of last-minute cruises. I have my preference set to 3-5 weeks and the ports we're interested in to Seattle and Ft. Lauderdale/Miami. It allows you to set it to less than a week.

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My PVP has us down for last minute cruises. One time was a week before the cruise and then she called the Thursday before the 4th of July to tell us about the cruise to nowhere. We booked on the way to Galveston. She knows we can usually leave quickly.

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