Last minute FL resident specials

[bob brown]

I recently moved from NYC to South Florida.  I have heard that some cruise lines maintain a list of local residents that can take advantage of a last minute cruise with as little as a day's notice.   If true, does anybody know which lines do that, and does anyone have experience doing it?

 

We are within a two hour drive to Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Tampa, and Cape Canaveral, and four hours from Jacksonville, so we'd like to take advantage of that fact, if possible...😎

[BNBR]

I'm trying to figure out where would be 2 hours to all these ports!  Maybe the Heartland?

[jacquesmm]

I am not the OP but we live in Vero Beach and those distances work: a little more than 2 hrs to Miami, 2 or less to Ft Lauderdale and Cape Canaveral, 3 to Tampa, 3.5 to JAX.

[Pyrate13]

Doesn't answer the OP's question but Lake Placid area would work pretty close with those times.

[bob brown]

2 hours ago, BNBR said:

I'm trying to figure out where would be 2 hours to all these ports!  Maybe the Heartland?

I am currently in Okeechobee....just a few miles west of town....😎

[BNBR]

17 minutes ago, bob brown said:

I am currently in Okeechobee....just a few miles west of town....😎

 

Figured 🙂  I was a bit confused because you wrote "South Florida" - I'm not sure anyone considers Okee to be South Florida.

 

We have a place in Lake Placid.  Right down 70 from you.

 

Unfortunately, I don't think cruise lines do last minute Florida resident deals anymore.  But you can look up close in sailings and if spots are open, the deals are usually pretty good.

Edited February 14, 2020 by BNBR

[Lois R]

I live in North Florida but don't know about any list that various cruise lines may have....wouldn't that be a bit odd

unless you have sailed with a specific line and you are on a specific mailing list? And how do they know if you

are a resident? Many folks these days have 2...….one up north and another south. And just so you know,

Jacksonville only has one ship offered from Carnival.   You get no choices up here

[bob brown]

2 hours ago, BNBR said:

 

Figured 🙂  I was a bit confused because you wrote "South Florida" - I'm not sure anyone considers Okee to be South Florida.

If not "South Florida", how else would you describe it?   I doubt many would know where Okeechobee (the town), is...

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Okeechobee,+FL/@27.747042,-82.9112526,7.5z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x88dc1f897baf5d23:0xaa8018663c28eac7!8m2!3d27.2439349!4d-80.8297828

[bob brown]

1 hour ago, Lois R said:

I live in North Florida but don't know about any list that various cruise lines may have....wouldn't that be a bit odd

unless you have sailed with a specific line and you are on a specific mailing list? And how do they know if you

are a resident? Many folks these days have 2...….one up north and another south. And just so you know,

Jacksonville only has one ship offered from Carnival.   You get no choices up here

I am on the past guest list on about ten cruiselines.  I thought I read somewhere on CC a couple of years ago, that some lines were looking for people who could sail at a moments notice to fill unsold cabins, at a deeply discounted rate...didn't necessarily have to be a resident, but that would help, as no need to book last minute air....

[thinfool]

17 hours ago, bob brown said:

I recently moved from NYC to South Florida.  I have heard that some cruise lines maintain a list of local residents that can take advantage of a last minute cruise with as little as a day's notice.   If true, does anybody know which lines do that, and does anyone have experience doing it?

 

We are within a two hour drive to Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Tampa, and Cape Canaveral, and four hours from Jacksonville, so we'd like to take advantage of that fact, if possible...😎

I know of no lines that do what you describe.

As mentioned, close in deals happen from time to time.  FL resident rates happen from time to time but are far from 'fire sale' prices.

I know for a fact that one of the larger lines (likely many lines) opens bookings to employees and their immediate families in the few weeks before a sailing.  As I understand it they pay the taxes and port fees, possibly gratuities.  Nice deal...but it is not for the general public.

I believe that, if what you describe were true, it would be news all over the forums here at CC.  In fact, CC might even have a 'last second cruising' forum.

[BNBR]

14 minutes ago, bob brown said:

If not "South Florida", how else would you describe it?   I doubt many would know where Okeechobee (the town), is...

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Okeechobee,+FL/@27.747042,-82.9112526,7.5z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x88dc1f897baf5d23:0xaa8018663c28eac7!8m2!3d27.2439349!4d-80.8297828

 

Okeechobee is considered the Florida Heartland.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florida_Heartland

 

Many would consider it more central than south.  And if you are really curious, Lake Placid, Sebring, etc... that's in the Heartland, but considered the Ridge.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Wales_Ridge

 

Welcome to Florida 😉

Edited February 14, 2020 by BNBR

[bob brown]

18 minutes ago, BNBR said:

 

Okeechobee is considered the Florida Heartland.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florida_Heartland

 

Many would consider it more central than south.  And if you are really curious, Lake Placid, Sebring, etc... that's in the Heartland, but considered the Ridge.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Wales_Ridge

 

Welcome to Florida 😉

Thanks for the geography lesson...perhaps I should change my profile, but in the near future, I will be moving to Wellington, and I'm pretty sure that is considered "South Florida"....🙂

[BNBR]

Just now, bob brown said:

Thanks for the geography lesson...perhaps I should change my profile, but in the near future, I will be moving to Wellington, and I'm pretty sure that is considered "South Florida"....🙂

 

Definitely South Florida!  I've considered the Aero Club there.  It's a fantastic area.

[JohninDC]

37 minutes ago, bob brown said:

Thanks for the geography lesson...perhaps I should change my profile, but in the near future, I will be moving to Wellington, and I'm pretty sure that is considered "South Florida"....🙂

Before you move check out the Wild Turkey between Sebring and Avon Park - they serve the best gator tail in the state! 😎

[bob brown]

Thanks...but I think I will just 'take your word for that'....😆

[BNBR]

On 2/14/2020 at 2:20 PM, bob brown said:

Thanks...but I think I will just 'take your word for that'....😆

 

Wait, are you not enjoying gator on the regular?  Thats part of heartland living....

[Pyrate13]

Blackened gator tail, good stuff that!😀

[AdGuyMG]

On 2/13/2020 at 7:42 PM, bob brown said:

I recently moved from NYC to South Florida.  I have heard that some cruise lines maintain a list of local residents that can take advantage of a last minute cruise with as little as a day's notice.   If true, does anybody know which lines do that, and does anyone have experience doing it?

For various reasons, no such lists exist.

[Capt_BJ]

I live 30 minutes from 'a port'

 

I've never heard of a program like this

 

BUT if you have a GOOD Travel Agent ........ THEY may provide this service ....

 

a GOOD travel agent

 

******************

 

what I DO is watch the web sites for the cruises out of the place near to me ...... and often I'll ask Mrs .... "wanna take a cruise next week" for {silly low dollars} and off we go . . . 

Edited February 17, 2020 by Capt_BJ

[bigrednole]

I don't have any direct experience, but my dad encountered this and many times after. This was in the early 2000s,  so things may have changed. He got a call from a cruiseline agent he went through once that they had rooms available 5 days out. It was $500 for 2 people. His community booked the last 20 rooms in a few hours and they all got $100 cabin credits. 

[Cienfuegos]

21 hours ago, bigrednole said:

I don't have any direct experience, but my dad encountered this and many times after. This was in the early 2000s,  so things may have changed. He got a call from a cruiseline agent he went through once that they had rooms available 5 days out. It was $500 for 2 people. His community booked the last 20 rooms in a few hours and they all got $100 cabin credits. 

 

My parents occasionally used deals like that in the 1990s and early 2000s. They were prolific travelers, local residents, and often nailed 10-12 cruises yearly. Exactly as you describe, a call from the cruise line, departure in three days, etc. "Cheaper than staying home"

 

My recollection is the deals dried up with the internet, and the rise of sites like Hotwire / Priceline.

[morfred]

Actually I have "heard" that Homeland Security, Customs or whomever else may be concerned need time to vet all passengers and the days of last minute cruising may be declining if not over. I am not sure of this but that is what I have been told.

[steve20832]

Homeland Security and the USCG need the passenger list at least 3 days before the cruise sails from the cruise line. Before 9/11 you should show up at the pier with a suitcase hoping that ship had empty cabins at a great deal but 9/11 put that to an end. If you are looking for deals, cruise lines put cabins at a pretty good discount about 30 days before sailing date if there are a still a bunch of empty cabins. The last few cruises I went on were booked less than 60 days out. One was $599 for an inside cabin on a 8 night cruise

[bob brown]

Thanks for all the tips.

after a lot of research, I snagged a great deal on a Hurtigruten Antarctica cruise leaving on 28 February.   I do have to fly for that one, but still got “an offer I couldn’t refuse”....😉.

 

People typically book those a couple of years ahead, especially for a new ship (Roald Admundsen).

Edited February 22, 2020 by bob brown