Last minute cruises are probably the cheapest discount cruises available today. While you can also enjoy excellent deals by booking in advance, by booking your cruise with a group or booking through a discount travel agency, no other cruise deal can help you save up to 75% off the regular cruise price — just about any time of the year!
Here’s how last minute cruise deals work. If any given cruise isn’t completely booked several months before the departure date, cruise lines will offer most vacant cabins at a huge discount. In most cases, discounts can range anywhere from 50-75% off regular cruise prices. This means you may have the opportunity to take a cruise vacation to places like Mexico, the Caribbean, Alaska for as little as $199.
Besides booking your cruise vacation last minute, there are other ways to enjoy cruise discounts. You can book off-season (try booking off-season last minute), taking advantage of package deals, booking online, and booking with popular cruise lines. Popular cruise lines tend to offer more discount cruises than lesser known lines. Some of the world’s most popular cruise lines include: Carnival Cruise Lines, Celebrity Cruises, Crystal Cruises, Disney Cruise Line, Holland America Line, Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises, Princess Cruises, Royal Caribbean, Seabourn Cruise Line, Regent Seven Seas, Silversea Cruises, and Windstar Cruises.
If you want to book off-season, you will find the most cruise deals and discounts in year round destinations. For example, slow or “shoulder” seasons for Alaska may differ from the Mexican Riviera. The following is a list of destinations and their slow seasons: Alaska, May and September; Bermuda, April-May and September-October; Canada/New England, July-August; the Caribbean, late April-May, September-early January; Hawaii, late August, late November, and February; Mexican Riviera, early January and May, October-November; Eastern and Western Mediterranean, March-April and September-November.
Cruise lines also offer special rates for seniors. A senior is typically defined as a person who is 55 or older. In order to take advantage of special senior rates, you can book through a cruise travel specialist or call your favorite cruise line to speak book with a representative. Proof of age is required.
For access to discount cruises of all kinds, including last minute cruises, visit any of the following popular discount cruise websites or discount booking search engines to check out the lowest prices on cruises, to shop and compare, and you can even book your cruise right online!
Kayak.com
Expedia.com
Orbitz.com
Travelocity.com
CheapTickets.com
VacationsToGo.com
Cruise411.com
Cruise.com
Tip: Another source for last minute cruises is Lastminutecruises.com. Lastminutecruises.com features some of the internet’s lowest rates on Alaska cruises, Caribbean cruises, European cruises, and Mexico cruises for the following cruise lines: Carnival Cruise Lines, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian Cruise Line, Princess Cruises, Costa Cruises, Holland America Line, and Celebrity Cruises.