waiting til last minute, chances of good vs bad cabin?

[kimmiecruises]

We are considering a last minute cruise, for those of you who have done this, were you happy with the cabin you were given? Obviously you were on a cruise, but my concern is the cabins no one wants being the only cabins left - under the pool or near the clubs or any loud public area. We have always booked way in advance for the pricing and choosing our cabin (cabins above and below), but thought we might take our chances. Thanks for any insight you can provide.

[beachbum53]

We are considering a last minute cruise, for those of you who have done this, were you happy with the cabin you were given? Obviously you were on a cruise, but my concern is the cabins no one wants being the only cabins left - under the pool or near the clubs or any loud public area. We have always booked way in advance for the pricing and choosing our cabin (cabins above and below), but thought we might take our chances. Thanks for any insight you can provide.

 

We've never booked a cruise last minute, but my brother and sister-in-law did once. They ended up with a cabin on deck two in the bow, and every morning, when the ship came into port, my brother said they didn't need an alarm clock, because the "Clunk! Clunk! Clunk!" of the anchor being dropped would wake them up.

 

Obviously, to have a more enjoyable cruise, it's best if you can book as far in advance as possible, to get a good cabin location.

[paul929207]

Most of the time, the less desirable cabins will be the ones left at the end.

[kimmiecruises]

beachbum53, yeah, that's why we usually book early to get the exact cabin we want, but I've been getting many e-mails with low last minute deals, and we were just considering it - also, a little bit of adventure, not knowing what we'll get.

Paul, that's what I was afraid of, it makes sense, then I read a couple of posts on here about getting great cabins, and a customer of ours was very happy with the one they got (inside tho, maybe there's less to go wrong there) so wondered if that was a rare occurrence or happens more often then I would think.

Maybe I should book a couple fake ones and see if I can pick the cabin still or they are all guarantees, we actually won't be going until next year, just thinking right now about the savings.

[sfaaa]

Last minute usually means bottom of the barrel unless you are incredibly lucky.

[tonyweir]

You can go to any cruise line's website, pick a cruise departing within the next 30 days and see what cabins are available. You would go through the booking process but not complete it.

 

You would see the cabins that are available are next to elevators, at the bow and at the stern. Elevators mean more people walking by making noise. Bow gets more motion and anchor or thruster noise and stern gets prop vibration and thruster noise.

 

You may get lucky but if it's only a few dollars more, I'd try and pick my own cabin.

Edited April 12, 2016 by tonyweir

[kimmiecruises]

OK, well it was a thought, kind of a fun gamble, decide the week now then look at different cruises after final pmt time and pick the one we can get the best deal on - we've been in the middle and back aft, never forward (thought it might be too rough but think the newer ships probably aren't bad) - noise really being our only concern, but near the club would ruin the cruise for me - oh well, book early and take advantage of price drops I guess.

[mtwingcpa]

I've booked several cruises at the last minute (under 30 days) and have always been happy with the cabins I ended up with. Note that many people cancel at the final payment date and/or they have to cancel later due to medical, etc. So NOT ALL of the cabins available at the last minute are ones that no one else wanted.

[XBGuy]

Two weeks ago I booked a cruise that leaves 11 days from today. I'm not exactly sure that is "last minute," but here was our decision making process.

 

I was on the Princess web site. The price for a balcony cabin, which is our preference, was amazing. There was one low-dollar balcony cabin available--after section, not rear facing, the next to last cabin on the port side. Now, keep in mind, our "preferred" cabin is the most forward one on Deck 12--we actually think that being able to feel the motion is part of the attraction of cruising.

 

OK, so, it looks like I can get a great price for a cabin in the far after section. I know, however, that it is never a bad idea to run these things past the Chancellor of the Exchequer--Mrs. XBGuy.

 

Mrs. XBGuy: Wow, that is an amazing price. What about that cabin, though? Do you think there is something wrong with it?

 

Me: Well, I assume everybody that has already booked the cruise does not think that cabin is particularly desirable. However, the decks immediately above and below are cabins, not noisy public rooms. Also, I double-checked, and it turns out that on this cruise, all cabins visit the same ports.

 

Mrs. XBGuy: That price is amazing. Let's do it.

 

:D

 

The funny thing is that after I booked, my documentation did not indicate the Cabin Number. It said "GTD" or something like that. I figured that somebody else snagged that cabin while we were discussing. OK, they took my money, and, so, I guess they'll upsell or upgrade somebody and, then, assign their room to me. A few days later, I noticed that a cabin had been assigned to us--the same one that was marked "Available" when I made the booking.

 

Anyway, we're getting pretty excited. Now, our big debate is how many bottles of wine do we want to bring along.

 

:)

[kimmiecruises]

So there is hope :)

 

11 days, that's last minute to me, and Princess is where I saw the great drop and go prices, if I can choose my cabin not a problem, and it sounds like in the end you got a cabin I would be happy with, have a great time! Now I feel like grabbing a great price and going sooner than planned.

[jocap]

Yes, we've done this about 5 times before; twice we had normal balconies with no problems; once a straight forward inside, and the other two were booked as insides for a ridiculous price and were upgraded to an obstructed outside and a clear outside. The last two were really last minute ones, too- about a week before.

[GUT2407]

It really depends fow fussy you are about your cabin.

[MCC retired]

To me the ships features , the itinerary and especially the price , are far more important than a cabin location.

You can have the most desirable cabin location and still get bad neighbors .

Edited April 13, 2016 by MCC retired

[iancal]

We usually book inside the final payment window. Often about six weeks or so prior to departure although we have booked as close as five days.

 

We book balcony guys. We have never had a bad cabin. In fact, on several occasions we ended up what I would call primo cabins. They were in perfrct mis ship locations, has larger than normal balconies, and were situated above and below other cabins.

 

We are more than willing to take the chance as the savings can be substantial. Cannot comment on inasdes or outsides. Once on a Carnival cruise we got an assignment that did not thrill us. Carnival out us back in the 'pool' and we ended up with a better locale.

 

We are hoping to grab two last minute cruises. A Med cruise, perhaps two, in Sept/Oct and a SA cruise in Feb/March. We have a target price, when it hits we book.

[iancal]

We usually book inside the final payment window. Often about six weeks or so prior to departure although we have booked as close as five days.

 

We book balcony guys. We have never had a bad cabin. In fact, on several occasions we ended up what I would call primo cabins. They were in perfrct mis ship locations, had larger than normal balconies, and were situated above and below other cabins. There have been several times where we were able to select a cabin. I suspect we got good choices because others were upgraded. One of our best balcony cabins was purchased five days prior to departure on a Carnival ship. Booked as a low priced guy and ended up with a top category cabin in a perfect location. It is a crap shoot. We are happy to just get on the ship.

 

We are more than willing to take the chance as the savings can be substantial. Cannot comment on inasdes or outsides. Once on a Carnival cruise we got an assignment that did not thrill us. Carnival out us back in the 'pool' and we ended up with a better locale.

 

We are hoping to grab two last minute cruises. A Med cruise, perhaps two, in Sept/Oct and a SA cruise in Feb/March. We have a target price, when it hits we book.

[msmayor]

Our Westerdam cruise in 2015 was one we booked inside the final payment date. I booked the cheapest stateroom available, an inside guarantee. Husband and I only cared that we were on the ship...and we got a great rate (7 days Eastern Caribbean, $449 each).

 

With four weeks to sail date I got an upsell call...$300 total to go from an inside guarantee to a balcony guarantee. I thought it was a great price for a balcony, especially since we'd only ever sailed insides. Even though I knew there were a few balcony staterooms with solid steel railings, didn't care.

 

When we got our assignment at 10 days out, I discovered we'd been given an aft balcony on deck 5 in the center with a HUGE balcony. Hit the jackpot.

[SPacificbound]

I'm cabin picky, that's why I book early.

[kimmiecruises]

Well it's starting to sound like it might be worth a shot - we don't really care where on the ship the cabin is, as long as there's not a lot of noise, mainly loud, late at night. Near the elevators didn't bother us, and we had a rear cabin that we could hear the kitchen sounds out on our balcony, and some early morning sounds as we docked, not a problem either - but the pounding from the clubs, we'd skip the cruise.

We would probably book a balcony if there were any available, otherwise outside if the price was right - have to be low enough in case we got obstructed view that it would still be worth it. We've only booked an inside once, (on our 13th cruise, so we'd already been spoiled) an opportunity that wasn't in the plans/budget, but the inside made it possible, I wasn't a big fan of the inside cabin, didn't work with our sleeping/waking routines.

[iancal]

The majority of our last minute bookings have been on Celebrity Tuesday specials.

 

About half were guarantee balcony bookings, the other half we were able to select good balcony cabins. Did the same on RCI in Australia last year.

Edited April 13, 2016 by iancal

[sfaaa]

, I wasn't a big fan of the inside cabin, didn't work with our sleeping/waking routines.

 

RCL has interior with virtual balcony to take care of problem like yours.

[tinkr2]

Two weeks ago I booked a cruise that leaves 11 days from today. I'm not exactly sure that is "last minute," but here was our decision making process.

 

I was on the Princess web site. The price for a balcony cabin, which is our preference, was amazing. There was one low-dollar balcony cabin available--after section, not rear facing, the next to last cabin on the port side. Now, keep in mind, our "preferred" cabin is the most forward one on Deck 12--we actually think that being able to feel the motion is part of the attraction of cruising.

 

OK, so, it looks like I can get a great price for a cabin in the far after section. I know, however, that it is never a bad idea to run these things past the Chancellor of the Exchequer--Mrs. XBGuy.

 

Mrs. XBGuy: Wow, that is an amazing price. What about that cabin, though? Do you think there is something wrong with it?

 

Me: Well, I assume everybody that has already booked the cruise does not think that cabin is particularly desirable. However, the decks immediately above and below are cabins, not noisy public rooms. Also, I double-checked, and it turns out that on this cruise, all cabins visit the same ports.

 

Mrs. XBGuy: That price is amazing. Let's do it.

 

:D

 

The funny thing is that after I booked, my documentation did not indicate the Cabin Number. It said "GTD" or something like that. I figured that somebody else snagged that cabin while we were discussing. OK, they took my money, and, so, I guess they'll upsell or upgrade somebody and, then, assign their room to me. A few days later, I noticed that a cabin had been assigned to us--the same one that was marked "Available" when I made the booking.

 

Anyway, we're getting pretty excited. Now, our big debate is how many bottles of wine do we want to bring along.

 

:)

 

I like your selling point that all the cabins visit the same ports:D

We have booked many last minute and always been fine. Princess drop and go prices are great. We did it once and were pleased.

[biker@sea]

We've never booked a cruise last minute, but my brother and sister-in-law did once. They ended up with a cabin on deck two in the bow, and every morning, when the ship came into port, my brother said they didn't need an alarm clock, because the "Clunk! Clunk! Clunk!" of the anchor being dropped would wake them up.

 

Obviously, to have a more enjoyable cruise, it's best if you can book as far in advance as possible, to get a good cabin location.

 

I would not book a cruise that dropped anchor and tendered every port every day.:eek:

 

.

[Slugsta]

We have cruised 9 times (10th coming up next week :D), of those 3 have been booked well ahead of time after doing research about the destinations, ship, cabins etc. The other times we have booked after final payment. Of those, we have only once been unhappy with the cabin and, fortunately, we able to move

(otherwise I would have turned tail and gone home!).

 

We usually have standard inside cabins and are not overly fussy about location.

[kimmiecruises]

iancal - We've never sailed Celebrity, (had to cancel our one booking with them) wasn't aware of Tuesday specials, will have to look at that, although not sure we could do last minute to Alaska, out of LA is much easier for us.

 

sfaaa - I've looked at those, our problem is I get up early and DH does not, and I need light to get around the cabin and that wakes him up, we take the fake candles and that helps, but I do like the sunlight in the morning. I just didn't care for the inside we had on the Jewel, it was crowded, maybe just the position of the bed etc - I really get a lot of use from a balcony too.

 

Slugsta = have a great time! this talking and looking at websites has me wanting to go sooner now - that's why I stay away from here when we aren't actually booking, gets me in trouble! ;)

[terracool]

I've booked 3x within final payment, and two of those were less than a month out. Maybe three weeks.

 

I've always got good cabins (balcony or mini-suite with balcony), but the reason I booked those cruises was because they had good cabins available. I generically know what area I want to cruise - Med, TA, etc - and then keep a half an eye on NCL cruises until I see a good deal.

 

It really comes down to this: the more specific your cruise parameters are (date, ship, port etc) the more it's a crap shoot to book for last-minute deals. You might get a really bad cabin or you might get shut out altogether. If you have flexibility and are in a position to go on a moment's notice, you can wait until a deal emerges with good cabins. (Although there are some prime-season itineraries for which this will never happen.)

 

I book early all the time, but if I am on a family cruise that is on Ship X sailing out of Port Y on Date Z, I am booking way early and not leaving cabin to chance.

 

.