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That being said, it's still possible to find last-minute deals, but you should not expect to always see cheap fares close to departure. Likewise, if you live anywhere on the west coast you’re better off searching for last-minute deals from the ports of Los Angeles, Seattle, or Vancouver. Itineraries on Navigator of the Seas out of Los Angeles, for example, tend to have regular deals available on both the 3-night and 4-night cruises. In addition, Voyager and Freedom Class ships come with great savings in the Caribbean compared to the Oasis Class, which rarely have last-minute deals available. Instead, take a look at Royal Caribbean’s older and smaller ships when searching for a last-minute cruise. Radiance Class ships, for example, may have better last-minute deals to Alaska compared to Quantum Class ships.
Fewer ship choices and itinerary options
The resource is completely free, but you will have to provide your email to sign up and access the list of cruises. The most straightforward way to find last-minute cruises on Royal Caribbean is directly on the cruise line’s website. Royal Caribbean’s website has a Last Minute Cruises page where they list the best deals on cruises. Earn your wilderness badge as you cruise between the Alaska glaciers, pan for gold in prospecting towns, and trek across the rugged tundra on an Alaska vacation.
Pros and Cons of booking a cruise early vs last-minute
One of the top reasons savvy travelers love cruising, though, is because of the incredible value it offers. With Royal Caribbean, your cruise fare includes access to most of the ship’s attractions, select dining venues and all of the entertainment onboard. If you want to make your experience even more all-inclusive, you can opt for beverage and specialty dining packages that cover drinks and dinner at some of the most exclusive restaurants in the fleet.
Guarantee staterooms
If you’re lucky enough to find a cheap last-minute cruise deal, you can have a truly amazing cruise experience on a budget. Saving money on cruise fare can mean splurging on extras like spa treatments, drink packages, or even a higher category stateroom. By doing this, you can see a list of the cheapest cruises departing in the next few months. You can also filter by departure port, destination, number of nights, and ships. Last-minute cruise deals are more frequently found during non-peak times of year.
GREAT CRUISES NEAR ME
Explore captivating tropical shores on a weekend getaway to the Caribbean’s top spots — at our best prices ever. Like our gamechanging private destination, Perfect Day at CocoCay where you can conquer the tallest waterslide in North America, one minute and lounge in the first overwater Cabanas in The Bahamas, the next. When we talk about last minute cruises, we are talking about any sailing that is past Royal Caribbean's final payment date.
If you book a cruise at the last minute, it’s important to consider any logistics you must take care of at home before leaving for your cruise. Whether childcare, finding someone to watch the dogs, or finishing up projects at work, it can be challenging to figure out logistics with little time to spare. Booking a cruise at the last minute, or even just a few months in advance, can lead to a feeling of increased excitement and spontaneity! Having a last-minute vacation planned can offer a fantastic getaway with little waiting required.
Where to find cheap last-minute cruises
The peak cruise season in North America and Europe is from May to August, aligning with the school calendar. Peak season is also found during holidays (Thanksgiving, Christmas, and spring break). It’s an age-old question — does the early bird really get the worm, or are there perks to taking a “wait-and-see” approach? If you’re booking a cruise vacation, you’ll 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.
How far in advance do you prefer to book a cruise? Let us know in the comments below!
24 Do's and Don'ts for your Royal Caribbean cruise in 2024 - Royal Caribbean Blog
24 Do's and Don'ts for your Royal Caribbean cruise in 2024.
Posted: Wed, 03 Jan 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]
If you know you want to dine at a specific specialty restaurant on a certain day or book a dining package, having a cruise booked early will ensure you have the chance to purchase these add-ons. With the costs of these cruises typically being lower, the ease of getting to the port and having to take less PTO, I am already looking ahead to see when I can book another 3-nighter. Similar to having fewer stateroom categories to choose from, you’ll also have less control over where your cabin is located on the cruise. If you only cruise in balcony cabins, you might find that these are sold out, especially if the last-minute cruise is on a ship with fewer balconies, like Vision or Radiance Class ships.
When looking for the best last-minute cruise, you’re unlikely to find deals on Royal Caribbean’s newest and biggest ships like Wonder of the Seas and Odyssey of the Seas. While you'll likely come across rooms available on newer ships, you probably won’t be seeing any major discounts. Cruises will be automatically sorted by the “Popularity” filter; to have cruises ordered by price, select “Price” in the dropdown menu instead. You do not have to book a cruise through Vacations To Go in order to use the ticker.
It’s 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 you’re interested in hasn’t sold out yet. A major perk of booking a cruise far in advance is also having the opportunity to book shore excursions, beverage packages, dining packages, and other cruise add-ons further in advance as well. Booking in advance not only means you can lock in the best price (or reprice if you notice a price drop), but it also means you can book cruise add-ons before they sell out. The flyer lists the ship name, sail date, itinerary, embarkation port, and special rates for cabins. Not every cabin category will offer a great deal on the flyer—one sailing may offer a cheap deal on a balcony cabin whereas another has a promotion on interior or oceanview cabins.
On top of all that, the cruise line presents frequent limited-time offers and seasonal sales, making it easy to score big savings when booking your vacation. If you can be flexible when it comes to your travel dates, you’ll have your pick of unbeatable savings. Popular vacation dates — like the holidays, spring break, summer vacation and week long cruises — sometimes see the highest prices (though you might get lucky with a seasonal sale). If you have the flexibility to travel during the shoulder season or off season, you’ll likely enjoy big savings on popular stateroom categories, like Balconies and even Suites.
If you have your heart set on a Royal Caribbean drink package, be sure to purchase it before the cruise. If you're going to enjoy cocktails or beers, then try to wait until you get to a port of call. Repositioning cruises are a necessary evil for the cruise industry so that a ship can move from one market to another to begin a new season. Unfortunately, older ships tend to have (an incorrect) stereotype that they're rundown and boring.
The best prices for a Royal Caribbean cruise tend to be found right after Royal Caribbean releases new itineraries, which are usually for cruises departing two years from the release date. Keeping an eye on when Royal Caribbean releases new cruise itineraries is a good idea for those hoping to book a cruise at a lower price. Now that I live in Florida, it is a lot easier to get to many of the ports, and I’ve found that my cruising options have grown.
Instead, last minute cruises are a good way to supplement your vacation plans, rather than a primary strategy. Since last minute cruise pricing is so rare, I do not recommend it as a means of planning your family vacation. There are too many risks involved with not getting a cruise at all, or perhaps at a bad price, to put everything in one basket like that. The closer you get to the sail date, the more difficult find a deal may be, but the rewards may be higher given the cruise line's desire to fill the room. After another port day in Nassau, most of the ship gathered to watch the International Belly Flop competition, Battle of the Sexes and Love & Marriage. This crowd was eager to participate in these games, with multiple people ready to audition or sign up.
Therefore if the cruise suddenly drops in price ~50 days prior to departure, you'll be stuck paying a higher fare than those booking last-minute. Therefore, when searching for a last-minute cruise deal, you might have better luck searching for short (3-4 night) and long (8+ night) sailings. Once you find a cheap cruise you’re interested in on Vacations To Go, you can search for the same cruise directly on Royal Caribbean’s website or contact your travel agent to book the cruise for you.
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