Do Last Minute Cruise Deals Exist?

The answer is yes and no of course. In the time of Homeland Security, the days of showing up at the port, packed and hoping that a cabin is available are long gone. But that does not mean that you cant find last minute deals. People can still call and try to book a cruise with less than a week of notice. It helps to live close to the port that you want to cruise out of, because while the chance to snag a cabin on the cruise may be available, cutting it close on getting airfare probably would offset the price which defeats the purpose. As I noted in a previous post, (using 2006 numbers) ships have been traveling at 104% capacity on average, but with the number of families that travel and share 3 and 4 to a cabin, even at 104% there is the chance that a few cabins may be unoccupied. Now this will be more true in the off season than during peak season, but with off season cruising, the prices are already lower, so getting yet another price cut on a cabin that is already reduced is always a good thing. There will be occasions when the ship may not be full cabin wise, yet the price does not drop, so if your looking for the discount last minute cruise, you need to have options, both by date, and even ship or destination. If you have your heart set on a specific cruise, then your best bet is to book early and watch for price drops. You will be happier than if you play the last minute game only to lose.