Waiting to book a last minute Royal Caribbean cruise could result in a great deal or possibly frustration with a lack of choices.
It's understandable wanting to get the lowest possible price for a cruise, but waiting to book comes with risks and rewards.
Time it just right and take advantage of a price drop, but wait too long and you miss out completely.
Royal Caribbean cruise prices sometimes feel like the stock market: up one day, down the next.
Here are the pros and cons of booking a last minute cruise so you can decide the right course of action.
Possible savings on a vacation sooner
There are two really good reasons to book a last minute cruise: it might be a great deal and it means less waiting for the vacation to start.
Most people that wait for a last minute cruise are usually looking to get in on a good price.
Depending on the ship and sailing, there could be a lower price for unsold cabins.
Royal Caribbean uses dynamic prices for its fares, which means the price can change minute-to-minute based on supply and demand.
When a cruise doesn't sell very well, the result is sometimes a great deal.
The other reason some will book last minute is because that's when they start their vacation search.
Ideally, you'll plan out a cruise as much as a year in advance because I've found the best prices are usually early on before most of the rooms are taken.
However, booking that early may not be feasible. Or you simply thought "wouldn't it be nice to go on a cruise soon" and started looking for options.
Booking a cruise that departs less than 90 days from now means you don't have to wait as long to get onboard and enjoy it. That's a great feeling when you suddenly have a vacation to look forward to without a long delay.
Waiting for a last minute cruise could leave few options
The biggest negative to waiting to book a last minute Royal Caribbean cruise is you may find few options and high prices.
Cruises are like airlines in that there's limited seating on any given trip, and the quicker they get booked up, the higher prices go.
There's no guarantee that waiting for the last minute will save you money or get you a deal. In fact, Royal Caribbean recently told investors it raises prices in the final months before a cruise.
I'd argue the bigger risk with waiting to book a Royal Caribbean cruise is what options you have to choose from.
You may find the remaining choices are sail dates, ships, or cabins that you don't love.
High demand cabins will likely be sold out, such as suites. Likewise, cruises over holidays sell faster.
What I've found is the choices are usually older cruise ships, sailing over dates that may or may not work with your schedule.
The other consideration is airfare and other logistics to get to your cruise.
If you get in on the ship and cabin you want, you may find very high airfare, sold out hotels, or booked up kennels that create a different issue to factor.
Are there last minute Royal Caribbean cruise deals?
Demand right now for cruises is red hot, as Royal Caribbean has reported strong booking trends to its investors. That's good news for Wall Street, but not so much for consumers looking to get in on a low price.
Those macroeconomic numbers don't tell the entire story, as a particular sailing could have lagging demand, and that could spur better prices.
In short, there are still deals out there for a last minute sailing, but you're going to have to be nimble to find them.
The days of $99 cruise fares seem to be behind us, but I think there's still some flexibility in pricing from time to time.
Finding them is another challenge, but savvy consumers should be able to find lower prices with the right strategies.
Flexibility is critical
If you are thinking about taking advantage of a last minute cruise, you need to have maximum flexibility with ship, itinerary, and cabin.
Once a sailing passes the final payment date, the clock starts ticking on what availability is left and how good the price will be.
If you're okay sailing off season, on an older cruise ship, and don't need to be in a specific type of stateroom, you may find excellent choices for a fun vacation.
This strategy favors those not beholden to a school calendar, strict work holidays, and live close enough to a cruise port to easily hop onboard.
I often hear from Royal Caribbean fans that take advantage of last minute cruises that can drive to their cruise, such as those living in Florida.
Regardless of where you live, the more open you are to where your ship goes, the size and age of the ship, and where you stay, the more it's a good idea.
What to expect if you wait to book a last minute cruise
It's not always a good or bad idea to book a last minute cruise, but if you have the choice, I'd book early.
The top reason not to book at the last minute is the lack of choices, and I think new cruisers would potentially be stuck with less than ideal options.
Not only does booking early get you more choices in ships, it's usually also the lowest prices. Cruise prices tend to rise over time, and that's why I always try to book my cruises as early as I can, even two years early.
If you're reading this with many months to go, I'd recommend booking your cruise now and locking in the price and room you want rather than risking waiting.
However, if you're seized with the inspiration to book a cruise suddenly and are close-in, prepare for low inventory. You might be able to get a great price, or not at all. Sometimes there are cruises left at higher prices and it's that or no cruise at all.
