How To Get Last Minute Cheap Cruise Deals
Doug advises that you start with a travel agent, as they have relationships with the cruise companies and can often get better rates and last-minute deals. And my experience has me agreeing. While there are many do it yourself options, travel agents often can find much lower prices and can act as liaison to cruise companies when something goes wrong.
If you want to go with the do it yourself angle, you only need to go to these three best websites for finding a cheap cruise:
These websites do a detailed job of scouring the web for cheap cruise deals. Vacations to Go is more of a travel agent/operator and thus often has better deals since they can negotiate with the cruise lines directly, but keep in mind that they add a lot of fees. Cruise Sheet is simply a website aggregator that crawls the web and then displays cheap last-minute fares. This is my favorite cruise site, as it seems to find all the deals and makes finding a cheap cruise easy.
In terms of timing, dont book early. As Doug states, the only benefit to booking early is to secure the room you want. If you want a specific cabin, book early. Otherwise, wait until the last minute. As I said in the beginning, cruise companies dont want to sail empty ships and so do heavy last-minute discounting be sure to sign up for cruise company newsletters to stay informed!
As Chris from Chris Cruises states, There are so many ships now, prices are at an all-time low. Now is a great time to go on a cruise.
Top Shore Excursions On Last
Culinary Cravings
From conch fritters in the Bahamas to mouthwatering tacos in Mexico and fresh seafood throughout the islands, the Caribbean is filled with tasty treats and adventurous flavors. With Chef’s Market Discoveries, accompany our chef and watch how he sources ingredients at a local fish market in Barbados, learn how to make authentic Mexican salsa and guacamole in Costa Maya, and taste Key Wests famous key lime pie.
Sea & Sun
In the Caribbean, theres no shortage of ways to experience its turquoise seas, tropical sunsets, and pristine beaches. Go underwater and dive famous shipwrecks in Tortola and St. Croix. Explore the St. Vincent coast from a traditional schooner or kayak through mangroves in Fort de France. Spend an afternoon snorkeling and bathing in the Virgin Gorda Baths of Tortola or explore the deep waters of Barbados from a submarine. When youre not exploring, unwind in paradise on the silky sands that make the Caribbean the worlds hottest destination.
Caribbean Culture
Discover the secrets of the Caribbean culture and history on shore excursions to the islands most important landmarks. In each port, youll be able to explore the monuments, museums, and sites that make each island unique. Wander through the forts of Old San Juan, stop in the Caribbeans oldest church in St. Lucia, and visit a former British Garrison in St. Vincent.
Easy Way To Save On Your Disney Cruise
In our opinion, you should always book a Disney cruise using a travel agent. The benefits are just too great, both in convenience and price. First off, the best travel agents give you onboard credit, which is effectively FREE money, since the cruise fare isnt any higher than if you booked through Disney. Furthermore, Disney Cruise Line has lots of confusing options involving tradeoffs that arent always clear. Using an experienced travel agent is like getting a FREE expert who knows everything about the Disney Cruise Line and is happy to walk you through the process and offer advice.
The travel agency we personally recommend here on MouseSavers.com,Small World Vacations, has some of the most experienced agents in the industry. The agents who handle cruise bookings for Small World have been on multiple Disney cruises, and know a truly astonishing amount about all four ships, the various Disney ports of call and all the common itineraries . Many of them are Platinum members of Disneys Castaway Club, meaning that they have personally been on 10 or more Disney cruises! They each have a direct phone number and email address they give out to their clients, so you can mail them questions or requests any time.
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Things To Do In South Florida
Depending on your situation, if youre more than a couple of hours away, you may want to add an extra day or two and take a little pre-cruise holiday and enjoy a South Florida event. Sometimes, we dont visit areas that are closer to our home, and we should! Why not get a Park and Cruise Hotel and play tourist in your own city? Take a look at these amazing free things to do in Miami.
Disney Cruise Discounts For Disney Vacation Club Members
DVC Onboard Spending Discounts
Disney Vacation Club members get several discounts on purchases onboard any Disney Cruise. You need to ask for the discount and show your Disney Vacation Club card at time of purchase.
This discount cannot be combined with any other discounts you might qualify for, such as Disney Visa discounts. DVC members who only own points purchased via resale after April 4, 2016 are not eligible for discounts, including this one.
Discounts include:
- 10% off selected merchandise purchases of $50 or more.
- 10% off any digital photo package.
- 20% off full-priced massage or facial treatment in the onboard spa while in port. This does not include massages on Castaway Cay or treatments discounted as part of onboard specials.
DVC Cruise Fare Discounts
The following cruises have discounts available for Disney Vacation Club members for up to 3 persons . Prices given are base fares per person . 3rd, 4th and 5th guest fares for children 12 and under will be lower. Taxes, fees and port expenses are not included. All sailings are from Port Canaveral unless noted otherwise.
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Also Check: Are There Payment Plans For Disney Cruises
What You Need To Know When Cruising Out Of South Florida
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If you live in Florida, thats amazing! The fact is, youre within driving distance of two of the best cruise ports in the world! In this post, youll find all you need to know about cruising out of South Florida, whether your ship departs from Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, or the Port of Miami.
Im delighted to have an expert cruiser and travel blogger, Ilana from Life Well Cruised, share with us her top tips from 10 plus years of experience sailing in and out of the South Florida ports. Dont be surprised if you find yourself looking for cruise options by the end of the post. I know, I did! Ill let Ilana take it from here
Recommended Reading: Is Royal Seas Cruises A Scam
Stick To Included Drinks
Alcohol, soda, and lattes all cost extra, and those costs could run up your cruise bill quickly.
Royal Caribbean includes quite a few drinks with your fare. The more of these you can consume, the less you’ll spend.
If you’re going to enjoy cocktails or beers, then try to wait until you get to a port of call. Prices for drinks off the ship are usually cheaper.
If you have your heart set on a Royal Caribbean drink package, be sure to purchase it before the cruise. The price will be higher onboard.
Read Also: Why Are Galapagos Cruises So Expensive
Three Things To Remember When Booking A Cheap Cruise
1. Smaller is cheaper Smaller boats tend to be less expensive since they offer fewer amenities and attractions.
2. Cruise in the off season Traveling off season will get you markedly cheaper fares.
3. Take a repositioning cruise Repositioning cruises are when cruise lines move ships from one part of the world to the next in anticipation of the upcoming season. These cruises are a great way to cross an ocean or sail down a continents coast on the cheap and can be found on any cruise booking website.
What about your flight? Dont book your flight with the cruise book it separately. Check out this guide to finding a cheap flight to lower that cost.
Book At The Right Time
One of the best times to find last minute rates on a particular sailing is 60 to 90 days before departure. The reason? This is the last call for travelers to cancel existing reservations without penalty. At that 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, it will quickly reduce the fare so that it can sell out the ship.
Related:
Recommended Reading: Can Kids Go On Cruises
Top Destinations For Last
Southern Carribbean
If you have more than a week, book a last-minute cruise from Florida to the spectacular islands of the Southern Caribbean. Board a catamaran and swim with sea turtles in Barbados, enjoy an unforgettable horseback ride on a beach in St. Lucia, and dance to an authentic steel pan band in St. Kitts. On a luxury cruise to the ABC Islands, snorkel off the coast of a private island in Aruba, visit flamingos and spot marine life on a glass-bottom kayak in Bonaire, and play with dolphins and sea lions in Curaçao.
Disney Cruise Discounts For Disney Visa Cardholders
Disney Visa cardholders who use their card as their payment method onboard automatically get several discounts on purchases on the ship and on Castaway Cay. In order for this to happen, you have to register your Disney Visa card when you check in at the port. You do not need to charge the cruise fare on your Disney Visa to get the discounts.
You should not need to ask at purchase time to get the discounts if you have the card registered any discounts should automatically be applied when you make an eligible purchase.
These discounts cannot be combined with any other discounts you might qualify for, such as Disney Vacation Club discounts.
Discounts include:
- 10% off selected merchandise purchases of $50 or more. Excludes sale merchandise, gift cards, Castaway Cay merchandise, DVDs, CDs, big-ticket items like art, jewelry, fragrances, cosmetics and watches, plus several vague catch-all categories like selected special items. Basically, ask first if youll get the 10% off, if its important to your purchase decision.
- 10% off 10-photo, 15-photo, 20-photo or unlimited photo packages.
- 10% off the Castaway Cay Getaway package .
- 20% off full-priced massage or facial treatment in the onboard spa while in port. This does not include massages on Castaway Cay or treatments discounted as part of onboard specials.
Also Check: Chicago’s First Lady Cruises
Special Offers Released The Week Of October 30 2022
Disney Cruise Line changes their discounts and special offers weekly, if not more, so be sure to check back each week to see whats new. You never know what discounts will show up!
If last-minute cruises are something youre interested in, be sure to look at the Special Rates list below of last-minute Restricted Guarantee discounts for great IGT/OGT/VGT rates!
For even MORE help finding the cruise thats perfect for your family and your budget, contact our partners at Dreams Unlimited Travel! In addition to discounts offered by Disney Cruise Line, vacations booked through Dreams Unlimited Travel are eligible for up to $1,000 in shipboard credit and the exclusive Dreams Unlimited Travel Gift Basket.
How To Find Last Minute Cruise Deals
There are a number of ways to get last-minute cruise deals, and we recommend you employ as many of these as possible for the best chance of finding what youre looking for.
Sign Up for Emails
Every online travel agent and cruise line wants you to sign up for their Email blasts because that allows them to target their advertising at you. So yes, youre going to get a whole lot of emails. But youre also going to get info that will prove useful.
Larger online travel agencies sometimes get exclusive last minute deals that you wont find anywhere else.
When you see an email with subject lines like Pack and Go! or Last Chance Savings open them immediately and book quickly if that offer interests you. The best deals dont stick around for long.
Want a way to avoid being overwhelmed by the number of communications you receive? Create an Email account that you only use for travel-related purposes. That way, during the parts of the year youre not sailing, the offers will continue to come in, but they wont cause you to miss other emails which could get lost in the shuffle.
Leverage your Cruise Line Loyalty
If youve sailed on a particular cruise line multiple times, be sure your most recent info is on file, including your current email address and travel preferences.
READ: Best Cruise Line Loyalty Programs
Play the Slots
Carnival Cruise Line and Norwegian Cruise Lines casino players clubs tend to be the most aggressive with these kinds of offers.
Use a Travel Agent
Recommended Reading: Are Cruise Ships Safe Now
How Much Can You Save On Last Minute Cruises
Its not uncommon to see deals priced as low as $25 or $30 per night per person for a last-minute three-day cruise.
Last year, we even saw a 4-night cruise on Norwegian Sky go for $89 per person thats $22.25 per night. Youd pay more than that for a single meal in a nice restaurant, but your cruise fare includes 3+ meals a day, accommodations, entertainment and transportation. Thats an amazing value that only a cruise can provide.
How To Book A Cheap Cruise
Booking a cheap cruise is actually quite easy and requires only one thing: flexibility. See, cruise pricing is similar to tour pricing. The closer you get to the departure date, the cheaper the cruise becomes.
Why?
Because cruise ships dont want to depart with half-empty boats, so they drop prices steadily until that boat is leaving port, since for them empty cabins mean less money.
Cruises make the majority of their money from what people purchase on board, so they want bodies on those ships.
You can also book early, but I find last-minute bookings to be the best. And since you are booking close to departure, you need to be flexible with where you are willing to go or OK with not booking the actual cruise even if you booked your flights.
Another tip comes Doug Parker of Cruise Radio, When the kids are in school, the rates are the best. This holds true in all travel but especially cruising, because it is such a family activity. Dont travel when everyone else is traveling! If you do that or travel during the shoulder season, you can find the best rates. Chris from Chris Cruises also reiterates my recommendation: Book far in advance or last minute for the best fares.
Read Also: Celebrity Cruises Premium Beverage Package
Enjoy This Enchanting Offer On An Enchanting Cruise
Save up to 35% on prevailing rates for select Disney cruises from Miami and Port Canaveral, FL.
To take advantage of Florida residency cruise rates, at lease one adult in each stateroom must provide proof of qualifying residency within 48 hours of booking. Failure to submit a qualifying identification will result in a cancellation, with applicable cancellation fees. Proof of Florida residency must be valid at the time of sailing.
Important Details
Rate does not include gratuities, Taxes, Fees and Port Expenses orPort Adventures. The number of staterooms allocated for this offer is limited. This offer cannot be combined with any other offers or discounts. Not combinable with Disney Vacation Club® points. Valid on new and existing reservations. Rates in U.S. dollars. Offer subject to Disney Cruise Line Terms and Conditions.
To learn more Call 609-978-0740or contact your Academy Travel Agent. Dont have an Academy Travel Agent find one here!
Recommended Reading: What To Do In Nassau On A Cruise
Should I Plan Ahead Or Should I Wait Until The Last Minute
Its an age-old question does the early bird really get the worm, or are there perks to taking a wait-and-see approach? If youre booking a cruise vacation, youll find there are benefits to both strategies. Planning ahead is a great way to score big savings, as Royal Caribbean often runs early saver deals to guests booking well in advance. Its also pretty safe to assume prices usually go up as availability goes down the closer you get to your sail date, so booking ahead is a surefire way to lock in a great rate. That said, booking a cruise at the last minute can also yield some unexpected savings but only if the itinerary youre interested in hasnt sold out yet.
If you can be flexible when it comes to your travel dates, youll have your pick of unbeatable savings. Popular getaway dates like the holidays, spring break, and summer holidays sometimes see the highest prices .
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How To Book And Prepare For Last Minute Cruises
Since these deals tend to be for shorter sailings, like last-minute weekend cruises, you might feel comfortable booking online via the cruise line or travel agency website. While youre there, you can immediately process online check-in for your cruise, saving you time later.
But if youre new to cruising or not comfortable booking online, you can almost always call the cruise line or travel agency to book over the phone. Youll want to act quickly, though the best deals dont last long.
Once your cruise is booked, youll want to start preparing for your vacation since you dont have much time to get ready. Here are some things to keep in mind.
Buy Travel Insurance
Even though you booked last minute, its still a good idea to consider purchasing travel insurance.
A good travel insurance policy can cover you. And illness, injury, or lost luggage can strike on any cruise, so protect yourself against these types of unexpected expenses.
Check Your Proof of Citizenship
Even before trying to book a last-minute cruise, its important to make sure your proof of citizenship is ready. While its always best to cruise with a passport, a certified copy of your birth certificate and a valid government-issued ID are acceptable for most cruises from the US for US citizens.
READ MORE: Do I Need A Passport To Cruise?
If you need to apply for a passport, or your existing passport expires in less than 6 months, youll need to expedite your application or renewal.