I am not an expert on this subject however when I noticed you had no replys I thought I would at least post a comment. We have used both local travel agents and the internet. At first we had really good personal service from the local agent but after a time we begin to think she knew very little about cruising and various ports. We then started our internet search and have used two agents for the past 20 years and we feel we always get very good prices especially after we get on board and some of the folks start talking about what they paid. Our fares have always been excellant as far as we are concerned.We don't buy the first time we stake out our cruise and will shop around and almost always end up with one of our two agents.
Cruise deals don't come around very much. Most cruises are now sold out
about 60 in advance . In Canada I saw a TA that deals in last minute cruises.
You specify which cruise and how far in advance you want to book.
You put a deposit down . If the cruise becomes available you only
get a few hours to decide. The worsest cost is buying last minute airfare
in Canada.
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2006 Panama Canal - Volendam (HAL 18 Days))
2008 E&W Caribbean on Mariner (RCI 14 days)
2008 Alaska on the Veendam (HAL 14 Days)
I think the days of getting on a cruise at the last minute are over.
I think according to Homeland Security there is a 72 hours limit on getting on board.
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Cruising OCT. 25 2009 on the Westerdam
I think the days of getting on a cruise at the last minute are over.
I think according to Homeland Security there is a 72 hours limit on getting on board.
I believe you are right Earl. The ship has to submit it's manifest 72 hours prior to sailing. You can no longer arrive at the pier hoping to get an empty cabin.
You can use the cruise line's website, another site that was mentioned before, other online sites or use a good travel agent to book last minute.
I too believed that it was 72 hours before sailing until I contacted the cruise line and found out the correct answer.
I was always perplexed why some cruise sites and even the cruise lines displayed cruises that were sailing one or two days later.
It was 72 hours for about a month after 9/11 and that was it. I believed, who I thought was a "reliable" source, that it was 72 hours but have now learned I need to verify things on my own.
The Homeland Security requires that the manifest must be submitted one hour before sailing.
The current requirements for "booking" the cruise are:
Carnival Corporation: Day of sailing but before submission of manifest.
RCI: 24 hours before sailing
Take care,
Mike
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Until the Radiance of the Seas Until the CM Norwegian Epic I Get Lei'd 5-0
"There is a great difference between being well traveled and just having been to many places." ~Me
I've used Vacations to Go a few times and, on each occasion, have found them to give excellent prices and first class service. I can certainly recommend them.
Online Vacation Center often sends me e-mails on last minute over 55 specials. None are the week of sailing date -but like within 2 months, the sailing dates.
I have never booked with them -so I have no idea how reputable they are.
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Equal opportunity cruiser since 1998-4 Carnival, 3 RCI, 2 HAL, 2 Princess, 2 Celebrity, 1 NCL, 1 Disney
Just last week, I happened to pose this question to a representative from Vacations to Go. He informed me that as long as cabins are available, you can book the cruise with approximately 36 hours before departure. So whether it's 24, 36, or 48 hours max., you can book relatively late. Peter
Getting the best price on cruises is similar to playing the stock market. Sign up with several different cruise agents like Vacations to go and check thier emails twice weekly. You will see the price rise and fall just like the stock market. The best prices are about one month before the cruisedepending on the season. Most cruise lines like to fill their ships at least two weeks before and anything in the last two weeks is very tight for cabin selection and pricing. There is rarely huge bargains available shortly before the cruise. Thay may change if the H1N1 flu becomes a problem and cruise lines deny boarding or people cancel at the last minute.
Where can I get last minute cruise deals?
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