Latest date to book a cruise

[lenquixote66]

Is it possible to book a cruise a week before the sail date?..

[CruiserBruce]

Yes.

[Essiesmom]

On Carnival you can book (by calling) in the morning and sail in the afternoon.  Most other lines you need to do it the night before.  EM

[jlp20]

The legalize, you have to be booked before the ship's manifest is transmitted to government agencies. This used to be days, it is now hours. As I understand it, return pax to any given cruise line get a few hours reduced from this timeline. Believe it or not, not to long ago you could show up at the docks with a suitcase and a wad of cash. An offer of pennies on the dollar for a cruise could get you on a ship. In Los Angeles there was a Friday night radio show sponsored by a cruise line. The live audience showed up with their packed luggage. Random winner got a cruise leaving the next day.

[MicCanberra]

Yes, as you have all the paperwork, i.e  as long as visas are not required.

[zqvol]

13 hours ago, lenquixote66 said:

Is it possible to book a cruise a week before the sail date?..

 

On may lines you can book the day of sailing if you call the cruise line directly. A week is plenty of time.

[CruiserBruce]

How "many" is "many'? I don't think it is a lot...

[Shmoo here]

1 hour ago, CruiserBruce said:

How "many" is "many'? I don't think it is a lot...

It's my understanding you can book up to the morning of the cruise on some lines.  Don't know about "many". 

 

We booked on a Thursday night for a Sunday sailing in the past with no issue.  As noted, you have call direct, you can't do it online. 

[iancal]

In the past we have done 3 days on a 7 day cruise from Miami.  And 3 or 4 days on an 8 day Med cruise from Rome.

 

We often check on last minute cruises when we are travelling on independent land trips.  The last one we picked up was in Australia.

[Hflors]

We met a woman on a HAL  ship Amsterdam who had booked the morning of the cruise!!!  Of course we booked on the 15th of Dec. for the cruise that left on the 18th of Dec.   And we had to fly from Florida to California to meet the ship.   It was a last minute decision to say the least!!!

[jocap]

We met some Brits living in Spain who spend their winter on cheap, last minute cruises in the Med. Their TA rings them, usually the day before, and all they have to do is get to the port because they are already packed.

[GUT2407]

Sometimes.

[navybankerteacher]

As a practical matter, booking the morning of a cruise - or even the day before (which I have done a number of times) only works if you live at the port.  Last minute (same day) flights are very expensive - and often simply not possible to get.  Then there is the matter of holding mail, getting someone to care for dog or cat, cancelling plans, all the stuff which needs to be put on hold.

 

It is not that easy if you have a real life.

[zqvol]

On 11/19/2018 at 1:02 PM, CruiserBruce said:

How "many" is "many'? I don't think it is a lot...

 

I do not know of any of the mass market lines that do not allow it.

[iancal]

Air can be a challenge.  We typically shop for both at the same time. If air is too high we do not bother.  In most instances we are either in close proximity to the port, or in Europe where there tends to be a much better chance of snagging a lower cost flight.  

 

If we need air, our TA can typically manage to get our buy placed on hold for a few hours until such time as we nail down air.   This helps considerably.

[CruiserBruce]

3 hours ago, zqvol said:

 

I do not know of any of the mass market lines that do not allow it.

 HAL was 72 hours, last I heard.

[spookwife]

As others have said,  day before or even morning of.  However, selection will be limited and you may not catch any price breaks