A New Strategy For Cruising.

[vpearlkc]

We have a cruise booked for April 2021 that we are going to cancel. We just don't want to take the chance of paying for a cruise four months in advance. Remember what things looked like four months ago on Dec 31?

 

I came up with the idea of booking a flight early enough to get a bargain fare with plans to do something in the area such as from Miami driving to the  Everglades and on to Key West with stops in the upper Keys. Most Cruise departure ports are interesting places and great starting points for road trips. Our hotels and car rentals 

would be fully refundable. 

 

As vacation time approaches we might start looking at available cruises, say two weeks out, and if we find something good book it. If we get a cruise great. If not we have fine trip planned anyway. We have spent a lot of vacation time in the last few years alternating between cruising, spending weeks at beach resorts in Hawaii or Puerto Vallarta and touring through countries in Europe. Seeing parts of our own country would be great.

 

One question. We have never booked a last minute cruise and know little about the process. How close to departure date can a cruise be booked?  

 

  

 

[Mac4YYZ]

Depends on the cruise line. Some will keep filling cabins up to 24 hours before departure.

[billslowsky]

I booked NCL to Bermuda about 5 days in advance last year.  It's great if you are willing to take a less-than-preferred location, though I was really happy with my cabin.

[vpearlkc]

2 minutes ago, billslowsky said:

I booked NCL to Bermuda about 5 days in advance last year.  It's great if you are willing to take a less-than-preferred location, though I was really happy with my cabin.

 

Did you or were you able to get at least a balcony? 5 days sounds great.

[billslowsky]

Just now, vpearlkc said:

 

Did you or were you able to get at least a balcony? 5 days sounds great.

A nice one!  It was considered a forward balcony but might as well have been mid-ship on the Escape.  Booked as a sailaway rate.  No obstruction.  And the ship was pretty much full.

 

Booked July 2, sailed July 7.  I got lucky.

[Homosassa]

April 2021 will be spring break time and is still high season in the Keys.

 

Check the cancellation policies for any reservations at any resorts, Airbnb or VRBO.

 

You may find payment due  before your trip (30-60 days in some cases) and the last date for cancellation also will be out an amount of time before the reservation.