Has anyone waited until the last minute to book a cruise?

[geauxgirl]

What the closest booking date to time of actual sailing date that you have done? Example- I think I will be able to sail on the Valor in July, but probably won't book it until the middle of April. I've been on 9 cruises and they've all been booked 9months to 1 year in advance. I know the possibilities of getting good cabins in good locations will be slim, but I don't want to be hassled with booking now and having to cancel in 1 to 2 months. Just wondering, what your thoughts on this would be. Thanks

[bearette]

I just booked a trip for the end of may so it can be done. What you miss in cabin location you make up for in last minute specials (at least sometimes.) If you are going in July though I would book it now. That is peak season and you are risking a large price increase on a full ship. For peak summer and holiday times sooner is better. You should have booked yesterday! I rarely book my cruises more three months in advance so when the late person is telling you to book you should listen!

[Mikew0805]

I would love to wait till last minute to book. Some of the prices are so good, it wouldn't matter what cabin ya got. LOL

 

Good luck, I hope you find one!

 

-Mike

[cruzin w chris]

we booked our april 9th cruise at the very beginning of march, an inside cabin and a great rate for family of 4.

[geauxgirl]

I just booked a trip for the end of may so it can be done. What you miss in cabin location you make up for in last minute specials (at least sometimes.) If you are going in July though I would book it now. That is peak season and you are risking a large price increase on a full ship. For peak summer and holiday times sooner is better. You should have booked yesterday! I rarely book my cruises more three months in advance so when the late person is telling you to book you should listen!

 

OOOOOOhhhhh, I know, but what if.................. I'll make my decision in a week. Its really not me thats dragging my feet, its other parties that can't commit yet,stupid things are stopping them like maybe trying to get pregnant, building a new house.(ha ha!! joking) I know, you'd think " cruise without them" and probably will do, but also torn between 2 vacations myself. If its just the 2 of us, I might want to fly and stay in St. Martin... decisions, decisions... Thanks for the advice, keep it rolling!!

[bunny1954]

We decided on the spur of the moment to take a cruise last month. :) Called on the 9th......sailed on the 19th. Even managed to get an ocean view room as a free upgrade. :D

[Las Vegas Non Rev]

Three days before cruise on our last one. We were watching the Paradise out of Long Beach and Imagination out of Miami. Imagination won with the lowest price.

[CaptainEdwardJohnSmith]

What the closest booking date to time of actual sailing date that you have done? Example- I think I will be able to sail on the Valor in July, but probably won't book it until the middle of April. I've been on 9 cruises and they've all been booked 9months to 1 year in advance. I know the possibilities of getting good cabins in good locations will be slim, but I don't want to be hassled with booking now and having to cancel in 1 to 2 months. Just wondering, what your thoughts on this would be. Thanks

 

Geauxgirl,

If you are flexible with your travel dates and can travel last-minute, you can cruise for as low as $30 :D daily per person, including port charges/fees! If you are interested in this topic, search the Captain's :) posts. I can only say that the last 6 months the Captain and the Mrs cruised 5 times:p , the shortest was 7 days,the longest 20 days (yeah, that's like 3 1-week cruisies) all booked last-minute, total for all 5 cruises including flights, port charges, taxes/fees was $2540 each!!!! As the Captain said, search my posts for further info.

 

Again, this is NOT for most cruisers as flexibility is key!

Happy cruising everyone :)

[runcassrun_07]

Geauxgirl,

If you are flexible with your travel dates and can travel last-minute, you can cruise for as low as $30 :D daily per person, including port charges/fees! If you are interested in this topic, search the Captain's :) posts. I can only say that the last 6 months the Captain and the Mrs cruised 5 times:p , the shortest was 7 days,the longest 20 days (yeah, that's like 3 1-week cruisies) all booked last-minute, total for all 5 cruises including flights, port charges, taxes/fees was $2540 each!!!! As the Captain said, search my posts for further info.

 

Again, this is NOT for most cruisers as flexibility is key!

 

Happy cruising everyone :)

Hi Captain, I'm someone kind of new to boards and wondering how exactly do we search your posts? We are flexible at some times through the year, like we go cruising around Halloween every year with just me and my hubby and have our choices of when and where to cruise.:)

Thanks,

Cassandra

[Rirruto]

Last year I booked my cruise on March 28th for an April 24th cruise, and this year I booked on March 15th for an April 28th cruise.

[CaptainEdwardJohnSmith]

Hi Captain, I'm someone kind of new to boards and wondering how exactly do we search your posts? We are flexible at some times through the year, like we go cruising around Halloween every year with just me and my hubby and have our choices of when and where to cruise.:)

Thanks,

Cassandra

 

Cassandra,

To check out member's posts, left click on their screen name in any of their posts, then a pop-up box opens, you can choose to view their profile or view/search their posts amongst some of the choices available to yu when that pop-up box opens. If you click on View Profile, you can find mor info such as searching THREADS started by the member or searching POSTS by that member.

 

Hope that helps and Happy (last-minute ;) ) Cruising :)

[CruzVinnieCruz]

On last minute cruises you would have to weigh the savings of the cruise to the cost of an last minute airline ticket. We do last minute cruising but my DW is a flight attendant for a major airline. Others that have posted are lucky enough to live close to a port, can fly at a reduced rate, or drive to ports. If flight costs are no problem than the savings can be significant.

 

We have made reservations as close as three days from the sailing date. With the savings it really did not matter on room selection.

[jetskier]

total for all 5 cruises including flights, port charges, taxes/fees was $2540 each!!!!

 

I sure am glad I dont have to fly. :) I sailed Jan 18th for $240 single supplement on a 4-day Cat 5A, Jan 23 $700 for two on a 5-day Cat JJ, Jan 29th for $440 for two in a Cat 5A for a 5-day.

 

We will be sailing Sept 2nd for $1600 for four people on a 7-day in a Cat 4C and then Nov 3rd for $2200 on a 15 day for two people in a Cat BE balcony plus $260 total for airfare New Orleans to New York.

 

To answer the OP's question, I have booked as late as three weeks out. It all depends on the supply and demand. We are content with just being on the ship, so room location or type ranks right after price for us.

Dave

[travel girl23]

On our last cruise on the Glory we booked two weeks in advance which was the soonest we have ever booked. Like you, we usually book 6-9 months in advance. However, one disadvantage was that we were assigned the late seating (we had asked for early seating) in the dining room. When I went to the Maitre'd to change it, he explained that we booked so late that was all that was left. He probably would have changed it but we ended up liking our waiters and table mates so much we kept the late dining. However, we probably won't do that again as we do not like to eat late.

I, too, am interested in "last minute" cruises, now that both DH and I are retired. I will check your past threads, Captain, to see how you do it. I have already notified my PVP to put me on the "last minute" list (if there is such a thing - LOL). TG23

[CaptainEdwardJohnSmith]

.........to follow.....

[CaptainEdwardJohnSmith]

I sure am glad I dont have to fly. I sailed Jan 18th for $240 single supplement on a 4-day Cat 5A, Jan 23 $700 for two on a 5-day Cat JJ, Jan 29th for $440 for two in a Cat 5A for a 5-day.

 

We will be sailing Sept 2nd for $1600 for four people on a 7-day in a Cat 4C and then Nov 3rd for $2200 on a 15 day for two people in a Cat BE balcony plus $260 total for airfare New Orleans to New York.

 

To answer the OP's question, I have booked as late as three weeks out. It all depends on the supply and demand. We are content with just being on the ship, so room location or type ranks right after price for us.

Dave

 

Sorry if the Captain caused some confusion here , maybe it's the captain's bad for not elaborating a bit more, but I had posted the details of our last 5 cruises on another thread, but anyways, here they are again:

 

Sept 06 20 DAY Regal Princess Panama Canal (that's like 3 weeks!!!) $900 each Oceanview :)

Oct 06 7 DAY Carnival Pride Mexican Riviera $349 each Balcony :D

Dec 06 11 DAY NCL Wind Hawaii/Fanning Island (Includes airfare) $618 each Balcony :D

Jan 07 7 DAY Costa Magica Eastern Caribbean (Includes airfare) $434 each Oceanview :)

Mar 07 8 DAY Carnival Spirit Mexican Riviera $239 each Inside :cool:

 

Happy cruising everyone

[PA Dutchman]

Anybody book a extra week while on a cruise. Just stay on the ship for two weeks or whatever amount of time your cruise is ??? What kind of prices ???

[crusinmama06]

3 weeks for me. I received an email showing Elation prices, I went and checked airfare and saw it was cheap for that week...told my hubby I was taking the kids and we would be back in 5 days. :D

[CaptainEdwardJohnSmith]

Anybody book a extra week while on a cruise. Just stay on the ship for two weeks or whatever amount of time your cruise is ??? What kind of prices ???

 

:D :D Flying Dutchman ;) ;) ,

The Captain and the Mrs tried to do that quite a few times on some of the sailings when the ship was NOT full, but, despite having close to 50 cruises under our belts, it never worked for us. They always seem

to have asked us astronomically high prices to stay another week or so onboard.

 

Happy cruising everyone :)

[PA Dutchman]

Thanks Captain, we were thinking about trying that, just to see what prices we would get. We will stay with booking b to bs with different ships. We like 8 to 15 days so you feel like you were on a cruise, 7 days go to fast.

[ashleycrew]

Keep in Mind that sailing in July trying to book last minute is totally differant than booking an off season cruise. The ships do fill up during vacation season. I have done last minute but always off season, don't know how much of a risk I would take on the peak season if I decided to go then. Just my 2 cents....