Last minute cruise deals

[groundloop]

I've recently retired (thanks to the pandemic) and am looking forward to another cruise whenever everything has settled down.  Since I'm now on permanent vacation we can pretty much take off for somewhere on a few days notice.  

 

I've heard some folks say that they've gotten very generous last-minute cruise deals, yet have read articles online suggesting that legitimate last minute deals are few and far between and that you're better off to just go ahead and book well in advance.

 

SO, what's the truth on last minute deals?  If they exist how does one find them?  Or do they find you?

[lizord]

The 3 days before sailing stories are a thing of the past but we generally see a price drop after final payment date if the Cruise isn't fully booked, or has a lot of cancellations. This was especially clear for NCL who overpriced their cruises until final payment the last couple years. Since the pandemic I don't see myself ever booking before final payment again, unless I'm offered a free cabin from the casino.

[Joanne G.]

I don't think there is a simple answer.  From what I can tell (in normal pre-pandemic times), the cruise lines constantly adjust prices and promotions based on demand.   Ship not filling up as expected?  Prices go down.  Ship filling up quickly?  Prices go up.   And it's based on information the customer doesn't have.   Just like the airlines.  

 

Some people say checking right after the final payment date can be a good time to check prices, as as certain number of passengers will cancel at that point, and the cruise line wants to fill the ship. I have never personally tested that theory. 

 

I have been on many cruises, and I have a rough per-day cost that I am comfortable with.  If a cruise I want is around that price or less, I book it.   I tend to book far in advance in order to have the best choice of cabins.   If you aren't particular about location and type of cabin, you are in a better position to take advantage of a last minute deal.   

 

If you have to fly to the port, any last-minute savings can be offset by high last minute flights.  

 

Enjoy your retirement!    I am not there yet, but close enough to envision being able to cruise without regard to a work schedule.  😄

 

  

 

 

[firefly333]

I got a last minute deal due to a hurricane. I booked that morning and by the time it was finalized almost missed the ship. Never again the day of.

 

Pack n go are carnivals last minute to fill the ship and are gtys.

[jsglow]

I will agree that 'last minute' typically means after final payment.  Any number of factors can drive it.  Often, the large internet travel agencies are the conduit through which lines 'dump' inventory.  One thing is that you have to remain flexible in all aspects of the cruise opportunity.  Don't have your heart set on anything.  I would say that we've pulled off 3 amazing deals through the years of our cruising, all for different reasons.  And be prepared to act on a dime (like within 24 hours) if something amazing materializes.  One typically doesn't get to 'ponder', even though departure might still be weeks away. 

 

Our best example was Alaska..... an absolutely amazing price on an 'okay' cabin that was available for a couple days through a TA about 75 days out.  The real challenge was seeing if I could make airfare work at a reasonable price/schedule.  When I did, we booked within a few hours. 

 

 

Edited January 31, 2021 by jsglow

[Tiger0613]

In the evening on 11/29/19, I was checking the price of my 12/30/19 cruise out of New Orleans.  Since the cruises were listed from lowest to highest price, I was expecting a 4 or 5 day cruise to be listed first.  The 12/1/19 7 day Key West/Bahamas cruise showed up first for $199 per person.  I was able to choose my cabin.  I got a starboard ocean view cabin on deck 2 under the aft dining room.  There were two or three other ocean view cabins available at that price.

 

I am retired and live in Baton Rouge, so New Orleans is only a two hour Greyhound ride away.  I took a bus to the Walmart down the street immediately after booking to get cash since I wouldn't be able to get to the few bank branches that would actually be open the next day, and no branches would be open the day of the cruise.  I don't use outside ATMs.  I had to make four transactions to get enough cash because Walmart limits cash back to $100 per transaction.

 

When I got in my cabin, the papers on the desk were for a presumably married couple.  I was by myself.  I later went to Guest Services to get the paperwork corrected.  When I asked, I was told that the couple wasn't on the ship.  I'm assuming they canceled last minute.

Edited February 1, 2021 by Tiger0613

[Saint Greg]

50 minutes ago, Tiger0613 said:

 

I am retired and live in Baton Rouge, so New Orleans is only a two hour Greyhound ride away.

Two hours? Man those buses drive slow.

 

 

Edited February 1, 2021 by Saint Greg

[sanmarcosman]

28 minutes ago, Saint Greg said:

Two hours? Man those buses drive slow.

 

 

The driver has to stop often for the smokers 😉 

[sanmarcosman]

As recently as 2015 we would call our PVP early in the morning to check for same day availability out of Long Beach. We got good rates and the only thing that was different from an advance purchase cruise was we had to undergo secondary security which included a pat down search. The rates were always good. Covid has made this unlikely today and may never return.

[Saint Greg]

3 minutes ago, sanmarcosman said:

The driver has to stop often for the smokers 😉 

Really? I’ve only been on chartered Buses and its been a long time but that would drive me (no pun intended) crazy.

[sanmarcosman]

6 minutes ago, Saint Greg said:

Really? I’ve only been on chartered Buses and its been a long time but that would drive me (no pun intended) crazy.

On their long haul trips they say on their website they stop on average every 2 hours. The drivers are often smokers. When you could smoke anywhere on airplanes you knew if the pilot was a smoker by how soon he turned off the no smoking lamp. Sometimes it was funny how fast it was, wheels off the ground was the only requirement for some pilots. People would openly laugh about it.

It's not the same for the captain on the bridge of a Carnival ship.

 

 

Edited February 1, 2021 by sanmarcosman

[Tiger0613]

4 minutes ago, Saint Greg said:

Really? I’ve only been on chartered Buses and its been a long time but that would drive me (no pun intended) crazy.

Not on the Baton Rouge - New Orleans buses.  There are usually several per day that are 1 hour and 45 minutes with no stops in between before going to the next city.

 

The commuter trips only go between Baton Rouge and New Orleans.  It leaves the Baton Rouge station on Florida Blvd, goes to the Park & Ride stop at Albertsons on College Drive, then the Cabela's in Gonzales, a McDonald's in LaPlace, Starbucks at Canal & St Charles, St Charles & Poydras, and then UPT.  All of the in between stops are pick up and drop off only.  I have never seen anyone get picked up or dropped off at Albertsons.  The entire trip is scheduled for 2 hours and 20 minutes.  Getting off at Starbucks is scheduled for 1 hour and 50 minutes.  I walk from there.

 

With the exception of 12/1/19, I have been one of at most six people on a commuter trip.  One trip back to Baton Rouge was just me and my mother.  The bus always leaves Baton Rouge late on the commuter trips.  They don't start boarding until the time the bus is scheduled to depart or later.  They don't need the usual 20 minutes to board since so few people take the commuter trips.  The bus still gets to New Orleans at the scheduled time, so the actual travel time is less than the scheduled time.

[jsglow]

10 hours ago, groundloop said:

Which agencies?  (I've always just booked directly with CCL online).

We're not supposed to share that info.  I will say that I've never seen Carnival 'dump' cabins through one.

[firefly333]

2 minutes ago, jsglow said:

We're not supposed to share that info.  I will say that I've never seen Carnival 'dump' cabins through one.

Early I  covid I saw a ta with prices lower than carnival and thought they bought up some group cabins they could offer lower. First time I've seen it and those prices never went. 

 

My pvp told me only carnival or a pvp could offer the day of last minute cruises. They cannot be booked thru a TA

[jsglow]

13 hours ago, Tiger0613 said:

In the evening on 11/29/19, I was checking the price of my 12/30/19 cruise out of New Orleans.  Since the cruises were listed from lowest to highest price, I was expecting a 4 or 5 day cruise to be listed first.  The 12/1/19 7 day Key West/Bahamas cruise showed up first for $199 per person.  I was able to choose my cabin.  I got a starboard ocean view cabin on deck 2 under the aft dining room.  There were two or three other ocean view cabins available at that price.

 

I am retired and live in Baton Rouge, so New Orleans is only a two hour Greyhound ride away.  I took a bus to the Walmart down the street immediately after booking to get cash since I wouldn't be able to get to the few bank branches that would actually be open the next day, and no branches would be open the day of the cruise.  I don't use outside ATMs.  I had to make four transactions to get enough cash because Walmart limits cash back to $100 per transaction.

 

When I got in my cabin, the papers on the desk were for a presumably married couple.  I was by myself.  I later went to Guest Services to get the paperwork corrected.  When I asked, I was told that the couple wasn't on the ship.  I'm assuming they canceled last minute.

 

We took a cruise out of San Juan booking Friday for a Sunday departure.  I had a second browser screen open for our R/T flight.  Our price wasn't that awesome but it was darn fun to get out of the northern snow!

Edited February 1, 2021 by jsglow

[jsglow]

All this said, when things start up I think you'll see crazy pricing.  A lot high because of pent up demand.  But some low on stuff that doesn't sell for some reason.  A very inefficient market for awhile.

[groundloop]

2 hours ago, jsglow said:

All this said, when things start up I think you'll see crazy pricing.  A lot high because of pent up demand.  But some low on stuff that doesn't sell for some reason.  A very inefficient market for awhile.

Yep, I'm not doubting that for an instant.  I have no illusions of finding great "last minute" deals for at least a year or so after the cruise industry restarts..... just thinking ahead.

[IntrepidFromDC]

14 hours ago, sanmarcosman said:

The driver has to stop often for the smokers 😉 

They can't go without a nicotine fix for an hour and a half?  Sad - slaves.

[BoozinCroozin]

My parents were involved in the back in the late 1990s and 2000s. It is a thing of the past. My dad booked a cruise with a travel agent and told her he would go next week if he could. The TA called back and said she had rooms on a ship for $500 total for 2 people. Long story short, there were about 20 rooms available. Their retirement community filled with people that could travel in an instant took all 20 rooms, they picked them up by bus, and drove them from WPB to PE or PoM. They did that multiple times a year until it stopped around 2008.

[ray98]

I think last minute deals will be a thing of the past for a long time.  You will see high demand when cruises start due to reduced onboard capacity, reduced capacity from fleet reductions, loads of passengers with credits to spend and people excited to travel after being grounded during the pandemic.

[firefly333]

2 hours ago, ray98 said:

I think last minute deals will be a thing of the past for a long time.  You will see high demand when cruises start due to reduced onboard capacity, reduced capacity from fleet reductions, loads of passengers with credits to spend and people excited to travel after being grounded during the pandemic.

Who knows. No one here imo. I'm reading posts saying if masks still required they wouldnt cruise. There will be some not jumping on. 

[Darcy03231]

I booked a cruise 2 weeks out once for DH and I.  7 days out of Galveston for just under $1000 for the 2 of us in an interior cabin.   Airfare on SW was $59/pp each way.   We had a blast!

[cruisingguy007]

Best deals on last min cruises seem to be from the 3rd party travel agents. Expedia has great deals for cruises that are looking to fill empty cabins. I got an incredible deal by booking 3 days before sailing, basically pack and go. 

[SNJCruisers]

On 2/1/2021 at 8:54 PM, firefly333 said:

 I'm reading posts saying if masks still required they wouldnt cruise. There will be some not jumping on. 

This is the Carnival board.  The cruisers who will not cruise if masks are required are the Loyal Royals with their proclamations from their pedestals. 

[firefly333]

5 hours ago, SNJCruisers said:

This is the Carnival board.  The cruisers who will not cruise if masks are required are the Loyal Royals with their proclamations from their pedestals. 

I'm just reading a thread showing the carnival protocols. I am sure I just read someone saying they were booked carnival and will not cruise under carnivals protocols . My next booked cruise is on carnival vista. I sure will go no matter what, but seems like quite a few booked on carnival say they will not. Lol. My thoughts were how could these people act so surprised and upset. Surely they knew when they booked how things might be. I got 210 on my vista roll call hoping for a big party. This sept.

 

These carnival folks must have missed your memo that only rcl cared.