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Cheap last minute?


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A few years ago Royal announced that they would no longer be offering last minute cheap fares.  They have seemed to hedge a bit on that lately but I have not seen any REAL substantial last minute savings on a Royal cruise fare in a very long time.  That, combined with the fact that Royal ships sail "full" nearly 95% of the time AND the new Royal Up program have made last minute openings very rare.

Bottom line.  Yes, it could happen but I certainly wouldn't hold my breath.

...and just so ya know, 5 months before a cruise IS considered "last minute" !  Without a doubt, the best time to purchase a cruise is immediately after the itineraries are released.  As a general rule, the closer you get to sailing, the more expensive the fare is going to be.

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No one can predict it.  You may want to look at 8-10 weeks out, just past final payment. 

I think if you'll probably be ok assuming you aren't trying to travel for Spring/Easter Break.  Also be careful if you need a room for 4 as those can sell out.  As long as you aren't picky about location or room category, you probably can take a chance on it.

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Getting a decent price a few weeks/month before the cruise is very much in the eye of the beholder.  The word "deal" will vary depending on your definition.

The reality is, I don't advise to using this as your primary strategy because it means very limited room selection, limited ship selection and good luck with airfare. I'd certainly hate to peg my family's vacation plans on the likelihood of a deal emerging in the few weeks leading up to the cruise.

If, however, you like in an area where you can drive to the port and are quite flexible with dates and ships, then there is a lot more room for jumping on a deal.

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There is a Royal Caribbean flyer you can monitor for last minute deals called "Going, Going, Gone".

http://www.creative.rccl.com/Sales/Royal/Multi_Dest/Special_Offers/rci_sales_event.pdf

This is updated weekly.  

Symphony will appear but the GGG rates for Symphony won't be the same as GGG rates for older ships.  Also, this is a static flyer.  Once published it stays up until next week's flyer comes out.  A cruise that appears on this flyer can sell out the day the flyer is published so the fares on the GGG flyer may not be available by the time you call.  

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If you have the flexibility and it won't ruin your plans completely if you can't find a good price, then you might as well take the gamble.  You will be limited to what's left as far as room inventory, but sometimes you can hop on a cruise at a really reasonable price.

I'm planning on playing this game next year over Thanksgiving week.  But I also live in Florida and have the ability to drive to the port, so no need to plan anything in advance that I would be at risk of losing if a cheap didn't materialize.

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18 hours ago, melski94 said:

No one can predict it.  You may want to look at 8-10 weeks out, just past final payment. 

I think if you'll probably be ok assuming you aren't trying to travel for Spring/Easter Break.  Also be careful if you need a room for 4 as those can sell out.  As long as you aren't picky about location or room category, you probably can take a chance on it.

Yessss. It’s right after final payment that I hope to pounce on a boardwalk or ocean balcony...i guess you can say I’m picky ?

I need a room for me, my mom and 4 year old daughter and I would like for her ticket to be free. How am I doing for being completely unreasonable????
Flying to port is not going to be an issue for me.

Edited by Sheissailing
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