Hotmail
Last-minute cruising
Nabbing a great deal is still possible
The pre-September 11 tradition of showing up at the dock, suitcase in hand, hoping to negotiate your way onboard may be history (these days, cruise lines are required by law to submit passenger manifests within 24 - 48 hours of departure), but nabbing a great last-minute deal is still possible! Last-minute cruises -- defined roughly in industry terms as a sailing that departs between sixty days and six months in the future -- offer savings to those of us who either procrastinate for a living or enjoy the luxury of cruising on a whim. The Internet has evolved as a terrific resource for deals, and travel agencies regularly receive faxes from cruise lines trying to fill ships on close-in voyages.
But like any deal that comes with a "too good to be true" price tag, buying a last-minute cruise has its pros and cons. Read these tips and tricks for cruising on the cheap, and avoiding potential savings pitfalls:
Strike while the iron's hot. One of the best times to find last-minute rates on a particular sailing is 60 days prior to departure. The reason? This is the last call (for most cruise lines) for travelers to cancel existing reservations without penalty. At this point, the cruise line will know exactly how many cabins are left -- and if there is more space available than the cruise line would like, they will quickly (and often heavily) reduce the fare so that they can sell out the ship. Don't expect "peak" travel. There's a reason why a cruise is being unloaded with little time to spare -- and it's not because it's a hot seller. Calendar wise, you probably won't find a last-minute bargain on Christmas or New Year's sailings, Easter week, or even Thanksgiving. You might -- but don't hold out if you have your heart set on traveling during those times. On the flip side, you're very likely to find plenty of variety in the Caribbean during peak hurricane season (September through early November), or during the pre-holiday travel lull (first week or two of December) and the post-holiday travel lull (first two weeks of January). Embrace repositioning cruises. Often times certain itineraries just don't sell well, particularly when ships reposition. When vessels change "regions" for the season, they are known as repositioning cruises. These voyages are usually longer -- maybe two weeks or so instead of 7 to 10 days -- and visit lots of ports, all at a reasonable price. There is a catch: Because these voyages begin in one port and end in another, the passenger is responsible for picking up generally expensive one-way or open-jaw airfares. Still, crunch the numbers -- if you can find a good deal on airfare (check the Bargain Box on IndependentTraveler.com for the latest air bargains), you'll save big on eleventh-hour repositionings. Do your homework. Many cruises are often pretty well discounted in the first place. By going the ultra-discount route, you might even lose perks -- upgrades, free air, a bottle of wine or bouquet of flowers from your travel agent, etc. Defining value is key. How much of a bargain is a cheap cruise that requires you to spend twice as much on airfare? You'll more often see more Anchorage - Vancouver voyages on last-minute lists than the more affordable Vancouver - Vancouver trip. Why? Air is typically cheaper on the latter, which goes to and from Vancouver, than the former, which has you flying in and out of different airports. Measure that cost in before committing.
- Discuss Story On Newsvine
-
Rate Story:
View popularLowHigh - Instant Message
MORE FROM CRUISING |
 Cruising Section Front |
| Add Cruising headlines to your news reader: |
Resource guide