Have you evere "planned" and "last minute" med cruise?

[CruisingGatorGirl]

How ironic, planning a last minute cruise :rolleyes:

 

There are some awesome last minute med cruises for this November. However, we are not in the position to take advantage with our wedding and honeymoon this year.

 

However, next October/November we feel we would be in a better position to take advantage of a last minute cruise- pending they have great deals like they do for this November. We have no children yet and would like to take advantage of this while we can :)

 

$2000 for cruise and airfare is a pretty good deal! One we would be able to jump on next year, just not this year.

 

Just cruise, have you done this? Thoughts?

 

It might be a bit of a scramble for excursion but I guess I could "plan" that out too.

 

** the only issue I can see is with work, but I am in education and most people with children never request this time of year off so I think I will be ok.

[A Sixth?]

c

How ironic, planning a last minute cruise :rolleyes:

 

There are some awesome last minute med cruises for this November. However, we are not in the position to take advantage with our wedding and honeymoon this year.

 

However, next October/November we feel we would be in a better position to take advantage of a last minute cruise- pending they have great deals like they do for this November. We have no children yet and would like to take advantage of this while we can :)

 

$2000 for cruise and airfare is a pretty good deal! One we would be able to jump on next year, just not this year.

 

Just cruise, have you done this? Thoughts?

 

It might be a bit of a scramble for excursion but I guess I could "plan" that out too.

 

** the only issue I can see is with work, but I am in education and most people with children never request this time of year off so I think I will be ok.

 

We took a last minute Med cruise this past May ($ 100.00 a day PP concierge class plus air)

 

You just never know. Maybe it'll be discounted maybe not.

 

We hadn't planned on going to Europe this year but Celebrity convinced us to change our minds. Last minute is more likely when school's in, but not guaranteed.

[Onessa]

We've done four Med cruises in late November. If you can get the airfare as part of the deal, it can be a great deal (but if airfare is on your own, the last minute airfare will kill the budget)

[teecee60]

We've done four Med cruises in late November. If you can get the airfare as part of the deal, it can be a great deal (but if airfare is on your own, the last minute airfare will kill the budget)

 

Using choice air can quite often negate the high prices of "last minute" air fares.

 

I just check today, (14 OCT) and you can get to Rome to meet the Reflection on 1 NOV for $508, or to Barcelona to meet the Equinox on 25 NOV for $477, or to Heathrow to meet Infinity on 24 OCT for $405, or to Istanbul to meet Constellation on 12 NOV for $457. Prices are one way from Minneapolis. (to meet transatlantic itineraries) Prices from major hubs in the eastern US are similar or LESS.

 

For "last minute" (2-6 weeks out) prices like that, I can put up with 6 hours even in a crappy coach seat.

[BubMunkeyBles]

Yes, but I was living in Germany at the time so it's not really the same. They do have some awesome deals though if you can be flexible last minute. :)

[lovemylab]

For us the price of last minute airfare would likely offset any savings we would receive.

 

If it's a cruise we really want to do we book the lowest price cabin ahead of time and take advantage of price drops along the way. If there are lower prices offered after final payment we then upgrade to a better cabin. We are happy with inside cabins though so it's not the end of the world if we can't upgrade.

 

For our med cruise we booked an inside and by the time we sailed we had a balcony cabin on the hump.

[RickT]

The past two years we had no plans to cruise and instead had planned a land cruise. Once past final payment date however some excellent prices opened up on two different Med cruises. We quickly found decent airfare and booked the cruises.

 

We had no problem finding room on various shore excursions that had been planned by our roll call friends and will consider doing this again in 2014 if the cruise prices are as low next year as they became this year.

 

I think the key is to be able to find reasonable flights to go along with the reduced cruise fare.

[Azulann]

We booked a cruise after final payment for the first time ever. Got a great price for inside, then the prices dropped further. Paid $130 pp for upgrade to a Veranda .

The airfare which we booked on our own was the trigger point. We got the airfare that was the cheapest I have ever paid for a European destination.But we are traveling end of Oct and into November. Not the height of tourist season.

I would say to look at two cruises that you are interested in and after final payment, if you like the price go for it.

[bklynhtsnyc]

I'll be on the oct 20th equinox in 6 days. I booked early but also booked my brother and cousin with their wives approx 6 wks before when the tues deals came out. There were lots and lots of cabins in all categories. I think from 999 for inside 1249 for cc. And 1409, which we booked, for A1 hump angled balcony. The ship somehow sold out 2 wks ago. I thought there was no chance. There were tons of cabins available one month out. I mean tons. SV had about 10. 6-8 A1s. Tons of cc. Just no oceanview. Actually oceanview were sold out even when I booked

 

 

Bklynhtsnyc

[bklynhtsnyc]

Flights however from JFK. Never budged. And we kept track for 6 months. Finally booked for about $930 to bcn direct through choice air and took the $600 choice air rebate deal with the 1,2,3,4 deal. Price had been hovering around 1150 all yr.

 

 

Bklynhtsnyc

[huskerc]

I haven't done done it, but certainly would be willing for the right deal. We've planned our current med cruise for a long time, but to be honest, so many of the ports can be done on your own. Check the roll call and you may find people looking for last minute additions to their private tours if you'd rather do that instead.

 

The main thing that I would see standing in the way is airfare. If you can find a deal on that, why not do it?