Does anyone have any experience booking a cruise at the last minute? And by last minute, I mean leaving approx. 7 days before departure date. Do rates normally go lower the closer you get to departure date? How about airlines? I heard last minute travel can be very affordable, but I've never been brave enough to run that risk. Any thought?
mltvacations.com has hot deals come out Tuesday thru Thursday & you can only buy them then.
This week they had 7 days to a 4 star hotel in Playa del Carmen for $800
I can't tell you how much better last minute travel cost-wise & perks you get. Always a good deal...better rooms better to normal seats etc. The only downfall would be that security is tighter on last minute travelers they think you made thoses plans w/bad intentions it seems like. If you have patience on waiting while they go through your stuff paying more attention, then you will be fine! Have a wonderful time!!!
I always use a travel agent. They get commissions from the airline, cruise line, etc. I haven't gone on vacation since moving here, so I don't have an agent to recommend. Just do a Google search. Good luck and have fun!
Well, there is one thing I really want to tell you. I scheduled my honeymoon with Carlson Wagonlit travel on Mockingbird and it was TERRIBLE!!! I won't go into all the details, but the travel agent was not only rude to me, they sent me an email telling me to bad you didn't get what you asked for, not our fault........If you do chose a travel agent, make sure you get a referral!!!!
The prices will drop if you are traveling during off peak times. If you go while everyone else is going, then they have no reason to drop the prices. During peak times your best deals will be in advance. If the ships are not filling up then they will drop the prices.
Travel agents are the best way to go. I highly recommend Dynamic Travel in Southlake.
I just booked a cruise for our family for 8 days for 4 and it was $3,000. That's right at $100 per person per day for food & accommodations. I think that's a fair deal considering most 7 day cruises were within $100.
I can tell you the closer it got to the cruise the higher the prices became. I could have gotten the same cruise for $2,700 two weeks prior. I did get $240 in on-board credit so ultimately I am only out an extra $60...I can live with that.
Carnival has some great deals right now with that onboard credit. The Carnival Liberty ship has a great itinerary on June 20th for $1990 for two people but thats an interior room. There are some deals out there if you are willing to go to Mexico. I wasn't...
I can tell you that you should go to the websites... Carnival, Princess, Royal Carribbean, Norwegian Cruiselines. And, also try vacationstogo.com they have something you might be interested in... if you go to their site click on the left-hand side there's an icon that says "90 day ticker". Then from there you can select where you want to visit and it will show you all the discounts available... even cruises that go this weekend. You have to call the to book anything. But, be sure to check both the actual cruiseline prices against theirs.
I can tell you... because I have done my homework... if you can go before June 1, you can get a great deal! Rates go up for summer season.
Good luck!! If you have any questions, feel free to email me directly. I feel like I know a lot on this because I have been researching cruises for the last 2 months.
OH, and if you do a cruise, don't forget you may need passports!!
