Last minute cruising advice

[In2why]

Has anyone booked a last minute cruise at a decent discount and how did it work? My assumption is that the best way to do it is to basically be packed and have all your paperwork and then call 1 week before the cruise is leaving to see about booking an unsold cabin. Is that about right? Also if people have booked guarantee, how long before the cruise are they given cabin numbers? I would think right before that might be a good time to call for a booking? Any info from those who have done a last minute booking is appreciated.

[okgirl]

The shortest time I have booked is 17 days out. I think it was a little cheaper but not much. I had plenty of time to pack and travel.

 

I have booked gty cabins in the past and generally received my cabin assignment within a week or so after final payment was made. But I have many friends who didn't receive it until days before or even at the pier from the porters list.

 

I was onetime booked in a gty cabin and had my cabin number and my luggage tags all printed and on my luggage. I got to the pier and checked in as usual and just happened to notice that the agent wrote down a number. I asked her what it was and she said it was my cabin number!!!!!

 

They had upgraded me without notification from an inside on deck 6 to a balcony on deck 10!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[YubaSutter]

I've booked several cruises on the day of departure. I used to live 10 minutes from port and would call about 9 am and check for any cabins available. About 25% of the time, there were some empty cabins. Often times I got the cabin at a great rate. Would be onboard by 2 pm.

[bamboozel]

Just got $289 per person, inside cabin on the Glory for January under the Casino offer...my husband and I couldn't pass this one up. Seven days to the Eastern Caribbean....what a deal!!!

[timkatmom]

In season (summer) they actually raise the prices last minute. SO if you plan to do this, do it in fall or perhaps winter.

[In2why]

I am thinking of the Fall, not the summer. We live an hour from Norfolk and 3 hours from Baltimore so I figured I would give it a shot and see. I didn't realize you could get on a ship the same day as I figured security would need a passenger list beforehand. Of course there are people that just don't show up as well.....hmmmm.

 

Yuba when you did a same day booking do you remember anything else about the pricing? I would figure that they would prefer someone in the cabin to it being empty....especially if they have your past guest number and know you spend money on the cruise?

[SeagoingMom]

In season (summer) they actually raise the prices last minute. SO if you plan to do this, do it in fall or perhaps winter.

 

May I ask how you know this?

 

And what do you mean by "last minute?"

 

For the cruise line to do this seems counter-intuitive, unless there are a lot more people booking last minute than I would expect...

[firefly333]

May I ask how you know this?

 

And what do you mean by "last minute?"

 

For the cruise line to do this seems counter-intuitive, unless there are a lot more people booking last minute than I would expect...

 

What the poster means is cruises are more filled to capacity in the summer when kids are off and cheaper prices are less rare than off season.

 

I did a hurricane special and booked the day of the cruise, but never again. I live 5 hours away and didnt realize it would take a couple of hours to call the ship and get a supervisor to sign off on the booking and didnt leave until around 10 am. I almost missed the ship.

 

It does take a little longer to finalize a day of sailing booking so make sure you allow the time.

 

I have all my sundries I leave packed in a suitcase and only have to add clothes to grab and go. Im always ready if there is a last minute deal.

 

They do not drop the prices any more than what you can see online, so you can check last minutes prices yourself except in the case of a change the morning of sailing for a hurricane or such. otherwise what you see online is the price, they dont negotiate, which is what I think you are thinking?

[In2why]

What the poster means is cruises are more filled to capacity in the summer when kids are off and cheaper prices are less rare than off season.

 

I did a hurricane special and booked the day of the cruise, but never again. I live 5 hours away and didnt realize it would take a couple of hours to call the ship and get a supervisor to sign off on the booking and didnt leave until around 10 am. I almost missed the ship.

 

It does take a little longer to finalize a day of sailing booking so make sure you allow the time.

 

I have all my sundries I leave packed in a suitcase and only have to add clothes to grab and go. Im always ready if there is a last minute deal.

 

They do not drop the prices any more than what you can see online, so you can check last minutes prices yourself except in the case of a change the morning of sailing for a hurricane or such. otherwise what you see online is the price, they dont negotiate, which is what I think you are thinking?

 

Yes, I did think they would sell a last minute booking for less than the online price. I wouldn't expect them to advertise it, but I am surprised that they don't lower the fare so they make something off the booking and extras a passenger spends versus leaving it unfilled. I can't imagine every ship sails at capacity without some type of deals going on? I could have sworn that I had read about this type of thing happening on these boards, but I didn't pay attention because I wasn't thinking I could pack and go at the time.

[firefly333]

If a ship isnt selling well they lower the price or have senior rates, or whatever until they dry up the supply and keep supply vs demand monitored via computer. The upsell fairy starts calling people to upgrade at a price so they dont have to lower prices to fill those last minute slots.

 

Unless something goes wrong .. and lots of people are cancelling, swine flu, hurricane, something like this.. you arent going to get a better last minute price.

 

IF there are a few unsold cabins, people who work at the port tell me they keep a suitcase in their trunk and they are allowed to take those last couple of unsold cabins. They ship will almost always go out full.

 

PS you have to realize that if you could wait until the last day and call up and get some great price, people who lived close to ports would always wait and do this. I know I would.

[timkatmom]

May I ask how you know this?

 

And what do you mean by "last minute?"

 

For the cruise line to do this seems counter-intuitive, unless there are a lot more people booking last minute than I would expect...

From experience! And I am going on a Cruise June 30th, the prices have gone up from two months ago they go up from about one month in...not sure if same day, etc...