The 9-11 terrorist attack on New York and Washington has caused fallout problems for tourists and vacationers.
Prior to 9-11 it was much easier for travelers to get last-minute deals on cruises, flights, hotels, etc.
One used to be able to walk right up to a cruise liner on the day of departure and get great deals on unused cabins, for example. Now, you must pay for your cabin at least 96 hours in advance – a security precaution brought on by 9-11.
U.S. Department of Homeland Security (dhs.gov) regulations as of 2011 require cruise lines to have a complete manifest of guests to them about four days before the cruise so that passports can be approved. That means “last minute” no longer means you can drive to the pier, book a cruise and walk onto a ship on the day of embarkation. Last minute now means five days to a week in advance. If you are cruising at the last minute, check out visa requirements for the countries on your itinerary; you won’t be able to sail without the appropriate documents.
But there are still great deals available for all modes of travel if you know how to get them.
Among the various websites which can help you get good cruise line deals a week or two before sailing include Last Minute Cruise and Cruise Cheap .
These are especially useful for people who have flexibility and live in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Washington, California, New York, New Jersey and Oregon as they can reach cruise sites by car in a matter of a few hours. Others may have to drive a bit further and spend a few more hours on the road, but the savings can more than make the trip worthwhile.
Even with last-minute cruise deals you are still stuck with such things as port fees and taxes which could add a few hundred dollars to the cost of your cruise. but that will be true regardless of the price you pay for your cruise since those costs go directly to the ports you are visiting. These same port costs are also paid even if you arrive by plane.
You can generally figure you will have to pay an extra $50 per person per day for cruises. Throw in an extra $15 per person per day for tips.
Cruise lines don’t like to sail with very many empty cabins, just as hotels don’t like to have empty beds and airlines hate to see empty seats. So, late booking savings are out there for those who flexibility in their travel plans.
Cruise lines, especially, are anxious to get those late empty cabins filled because they figure if they can get you aboard you are going to spend enough on drinks, food (specialty restaurants), shore excursions, entertainment or in casinos to make the price cuts worthwhile.
But if you happen to be travelling via cruise or air in Europe plan on paying even higher hidden costs – in some cases doubling the cost of the trip.
Even if you get a good “last-minute” deal be sure to read the fine print carefully to make sure you don’t get stuck with unexpected charges.
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More info on late booking savings can be found at websites such as CruiseOne.com, CruiseBrothers.com, CruCon.com, and LastMinute.com.
Another way to stay posted on last-minute deals and offers is to subscribe to the e-mail newsletters and alerts that many of these companies issue. You can often customize the messages to alert you only when cruises that depart from your nearest port become available.
Visitors should look for last minute cruise deals 60 to 90 days before departure, as this is when final payments are due, and cruise companies then have a better understanding of precisely how many cabins are left. There are also certain seasons for deals, such as autumn, which is between peak and low seasons for many destinations. The Cruisemates Website recommends looking in March, April, October or November for Mediterranean cruise discounts or browsing the weeks following major holidays. The first two weeks of December usually offers lots of inventory at a great value.
Those planning to cruise in the Caribbean in late summer or fall should carefully check for hurricane information. You might get a good deal on pricing, but a hurricane could ruin your trip.
If you’re a single traveler looking for a deal on cruising, cruise lines look on you less favorably. The cruise industry looks at a cabin with one person in it as “spoilage” — loss of half the room as well as half the cost of spa treatments, shore excursions and drinks. That’s why most lines charge singles an extra 50 to 100 percent price premium above the double-occupancy rate. Usually, options are limited for single travelers looking for a great deal at the last-minute.
A few cruise lines offer room-sharing programs that match single travelers of the same gender in a room, allowing them to take advantage of the lower double-occupancy rate. Holland America Line’s (hollandamerica.com) Single Partner’s Program will match you with another single traveler; if no single cruiser of your gender books a cruise, you will get a regular room at the double-occupancy rate. Some organizations, such as Singles Travel International (singlestravelintl.com), will help you find a roommate and even enable you to communicate with that person before your cruise to see whether you are compatible. This arrangement is tougher to accomplish with last-minute bookings.
