Find Cheap Last Minute Cruises

Whether you want to soak up the sun in the Caribbean or want to watch whales cavort in Alaskan waters, you can find cheap last minute cruises for a relaxing vacation. While you can't just show up at the destination port with your suitcase and expect to find an open cabin anymore, you can still book cruises in the weeks and months before departure. By definition, last minute cruises are those sailing between 60 days and 6 months in the future. Cruise ships have to finalize passenger lists 24 to 48 hours before departure so true last minute deals don't really exist post 9/11.

One of the best times to find last minute cruises at great prices is 60 days before departure. Generally, travelers can cancel their reservations up to this time without penalty. So, 60 days before departure, cruise lines know exactly how many cabins are left and if there are more than they want, they discount, often heavily, to get the rooms filled.

Look for last minute deals at off-travel times. You're more likely to find cheap cruises during hurricane season than at Christmas time, for example. By looking at non-peak times, you can find great deals to the locations that you are interested in.

You can also find some great deals with repositioned cruises. Sometimes a cruise doesn't sell well and the company will reposition one of the ports. These cruises are often longer than normal and you'll visit lots of ports, but you will be responsible for your own one-way travel which can be expensive. However, if you're willing to fly an airline like Southwest that sells one way tickets and they fly to both the port locations, you can get a great deal.

When you're looking for cheap last minute cruises, you should keep in mind some things though. Most cruises are already discounted on many sites so if there is one that you really want to go on, you may just want to pay the little bit extra. You'll also want to read the fine print and know what the price includes. Be sure to add up extra expenses like airfare for cruises. You may get a great deal on one cruise but if the airfare is expensive, you may be better off choosing a more expensive cruise with lower airfare.

With a little homework and a keen eye, you can find some great cheap last minute cruises. By being flexible and willing to take an off-peak or less desirable cabin, you'll find a variety of cruises to hot destinations.