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Keep in mind that for a last minute booking, a specific ship, cabin or even your desired date could already be taken, as often offers are limited and limited in time. If you have a specific travel requirement, you should consider carefully whether a last minute cruise or a long term booking is suitable for you. How good is the bargain when you have to pay twice as much for airfare as a cheap cruise? The Alaska-to-Vancouver route has a higher percentage of last-minute bookings than the more affordable round-trip Seattle route. Air travel is often cheaper as the latter operates within the same city.
Consider repositioning cruises
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If you're ready for a change of scenery, take advantage of our most competitive fares on cruises setting sail in the next days. These cruise deals are only available for a limited time. By booking a last-minute cruise deal a few weeks or a couple of months before sailing, you may be able to enjoy a more affordable vacation. Cruise lines often discount their prices a month or two before sailing to fill vacant cabins. Cruise Critic is not a booking agent and does not charge any service fees to users of our site.
Holland America Line
Don't expect a deal on the latest, greatest ship or route, or in the fanciest cabin. If you're trying for something last-minute, you also should be flexible on when you will cruise or the length of the itinerary. All prices are per person, in US Dollars, based on double occupancy. Rates are subject to change without notice and cannot be guaranteed until a specific cabin category has been confirmed and a deposit on final payment has been applied.
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Cunard Cruises is the leader in luxury cruising and sailing strong since the nineteenth century, the golden age of ocean travel. When you travel with Cunard, you'll see locations like Africa, the British Isles, and more amazing destinations. If it’s farther-flung adventures you crave, browse through our last-minute cruises to Europe. Sail around the Greek Isles as you explore some of the world’s most famous landmarks. Indulge in Greek delicacies and admire the stunning architecture. On an Ireland and Iceland cruise, your itinerary could including hiking volcanoes, following the Titanic Trail in Belfast, Ireland, and whale watching in Akureyri, Iceland.
Furthermore, Cruise Critic makes no guarantees for availability of prices advertised on our site. Listed prices may have blackout dates, qualifications or restrictions. Venture further and save even more when you level up on deeper discovery with exciting weeklong itineraries to thrilling destinations. From snorkeling the azure waters of beautiful St. Thomas to dog sledding across massive glaciers in Alaska, chase the thrill of adventure on a weeklong vacay that brings on the bold. When you travel with Norwegian Cruise Line, you're in charge of your vacation from where you want to go to where you want to eat. Consider a cruise that departs from a nearby port to avoid paying for a costly flight to get there.
Don’t limit yourself to specific sail dates
Cruise Planners’ Fee says premium cabins such as suites, connecting cabins (popular with families), and cabins that have a third or fourth berth often are the first to sell out for any given voyage. But you never know what will be available when it comes to the last few weeks before a sailing. If you are looking for a last-minute deal on a route where a passport is required, such as Alaska, make sure your documentation is up to date.
VACATION TYPES
If you remain open to multiple destinations and have flexible travel dates (try to keep at least a two- to three-month window open), then you’re much more likely to find better cruise ship deals. Hunting for cruise deals when you want to sail with little advanced planning requires a bit more knowledge and strategy than searching for a discounted plane ticket or hotel room. Yes, but you might have to be OK with taking what's left. The closer to departure you book a last-minute fare, the less opportunity you will have to pre-book shore excursions; the most popular ones are likely to be sold out. The same goes for the opportunity to pre-book spa treatments and specialty dining at popular times, as well as prepaid drinks packages, which are limited in number. Because of this, cruise lines don't always offer last-minute deals.
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Cruise deals for last-minute cruises are available now, so start planning your trip. If you’re more concerned about how to find last-minute cruise deals than having a particular stateroom, then a discounted cruise deal is a good fit for you. Fee says most last-minute sales happen on the larger ships leaving from U.S. home ports on Caribbean cruises, where there is a huge amount of capacity. We’re talking sailings on the giant vessels of Royal Caribbean, Norwegian Cruise Line, and other similar lines.
Last-Minute Cruises
That said, the booking window varies widely by itinerary. Michelle Fee, CEO of Cruise Planners, one of the nation’s largest travel agency networks, says the booking window is now a full year out for long itineraries in faraway places such as Asia. But it’s three to six months for shorter, closer-to-home voyages. The latter category of cruises is where you’ll have the most luck finding last-minute cabin availability and deals. That means a large percentage of cabins on any given sailing is already booked up even three or four months out.
However, it's worth noting that a last-minute cruise doesn't always offer the most savings to travelers. Those who plan far ahead may be able to save even more. While booking a cruise last-minute isn’t the best option for everyone, it can be a win for your wallet if you're flexible and spontaneous.
Even if you find a great deal on a last-minute cruise, the price of a ticket to get to your embarkation city might not be as much of a steal. Sometimes it's difficult to predict when you will have a day off. Several last-minute cruise deals set sail soon, so if you find yourself in that situation, you're in luck. You could save a lot of money by taking advantage of last-minute cruise discounts if you can travel suddenly.
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It’ll be tougher to find a last-minute spot (let alone a deal) on one of the smaller luxury ships operated by the likes of Regent Seven Seas Cruises or Crystal Cruises, which book up far in advance. When you take advantage of our special offers, you’ll have access to all of the pleasures our luxury cruise ships offer. Sip a signature cocktail poolside as you relax the day away.
