How to Buy Last-Minute Cruises
By Isaiah David
Modern cruise ships are huge, and often difficult to fill completely. Canceled tickets, economic fluctuations and seasonal lulls contribute to empty cabins. The cruise line doesn't make any money on cabins it can't fill, which means great deals for brave travelers willing to wait for the 11th hour.
Instructions
Difficulty: Moderately Easy
Look during the off-season. Hurricane season (September to November), the beginning of December and the beginning of January are more likely to yield good deals. The off-season, however, depends on the region. For example, Alaskan cruises don't take place in winter, and the off-season in that case is May and September. Look at the cruise seasons link in Resources for more information.
Check last-minute cruise sites such as LastMinuteCruises.com. Look for cruises departing from the port nearest your home. You may be able to find open spots on cruises departing within the next day or two.
Sign up for last-minute travel alerts from sites such as Expedia.com. This service will send last-minute cruise deals and other travel alerts straight to your inbox.
Consider relocation cruises. A relocation or repositioning cruise is a seasonal one-way trip from one region of the world to another. Ships in Northern European and Alaskan waters and other chilly regions sail in winter to Florida, the Caribbean, South American and other warm climes. These trips are often less popular since they are not round-trip, but that means they are generally cheap and almost always offer last-minute tickets. Occasionally, they are packaged with airfare deals, saving you even more money.
Read the fine print. You will generally not be able to exchange or cancel a last-minute cruise, so make sure you know what you're getting into. Double check the pricing scheme (per person or per cabin), the type of room you're being promised and the cruise's itinerary.
Book the cruise as soon as you find it. Last-minute cruise deals can go quickly.
About The Author
Isaiah David is a freelance writer and musician living in Portland, Ore. He has nearly five years' experience as a professional writer and has been published on various online outlets. He holds a degree in creative writing from the University of Michigan.
