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The trend in cruising is supposedly that cruise lines are moving away from last minute cruise deals and instead offering discounts to those who book early. Although it is true that more people are booking their cruises well in advance, that doesn’t mean that last minute cruise deals are non-existent. It really depends on the type of cruise ship you are booking as well as the particular cruise line. According to some cruise lines, people who book at the last minute pay brochure rates whereas other cruise lines offer last minute discounts if it looks like there will be empty cabins as the departure date approaches.
Mainstream lines and luxury lines differ in this regard. Mainstream cruise lines make a lot of money off of shore excursions, alcohol purchases, and onboard casinos. In order to make a profit, mainstream cruise lines must fill their ships. If the embarkation date is approaching and there are still a lot of empty cabins, mainstream cruise lines slash prices in order to entice travelers to come on board. On the other hand, luxury cruise lines have smaller ships and many of their passengers book early in order to get the best suites. They do not make revenue from onboard purchases since everything is all-inclusive. Since they have less space to fill and they don’t want to alienate those who remained loyal by booking early, luxury cruise lines typically do not lower prices at the last minute.
How to Find Last Minute Cruise Deals
Contrary to popular belief, there are still last minute bargains out there. You simply need to know where to look in order to find them. Keep the following tips in mind in order to get discounted rates when you book at the last minute.
Don’t plan to take a cruise during a time of year when cruising is the most popular. Cruises during these busy times of year tend to sell out in advance whereas cabins are usually available at the last minute during shoulder seasons.
The first two weeks of December and first few weeks of January are a good time to go cruising. September through December and May are also good times to take cruises. In the Mediterranean, cruises in March, April, October, or November fill up more slowly than summertime cruises.
The higher the total number of cabins that a cruise line has in a particular cruise region, the more likely you are to find good last minute bargains. For example, the Carnival Cruise line has several ships that operate in the Caribbean so it’s easy to find last minute bargains there. On the other hand, Carnival only operates one ship in the Mediterranean so if the ship sells out, you don’t have any opportunities to score last minute bargains with them.
Be flexible about cabin class. Towards the last minute, usually only mid-range cabins are available. If you’re only willing to stay in a top-end cabin or prefer a specific location on the ship, you’re going to have a harder time finding what you’re looking for at the last minute.
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