Q&A: Christmas in the Carribean: To book last minute or ahead of time?
Question by HMGator: Christmas in the Carribean: To book last minute or ahead of time?
My fiance and I will be married in October but only have time for a budget honeymoon in December after classes are over. We are considering booking a cruise or Caribbean vacation packages last minute in order to get a better deal. Would it be a mistake to try getting a last minute deal a few weeks before Christmas? Surely not everywhere is going to be full even at that time. Thank you in advance!
Best answer:
Answer by The Cruise Ladies
Most of the last minute deals on Christmas cruises are slim and far between. Most holiday sailing sell out early and rates increase rather than decrease. It is “supply and demand” If there are tons of cabins left, prices drop. If there are only a small amount-the price will go up.
I book my guests both ways and usually for a holiday sailing, booking early is best
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Tagged with: ahead • book • Carribean • Christmas • Last • minute • time
Filed under: December Cruise Deals
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Book now. The holiday cruises fill up fast.
Last minute deals are rarely a good deal, especially when your talking during a holiday. Also cruising during a holiday is always more expensive then not during a holiday. You would get a much better deal to book after a holiday or before. The best deals for booking a cruise is 1 year in advance. Booking now for this December is too late as most of the ship is already booked up. Only time some last minute deals pay off is if the ship is not filling up, but you never see this on a holiday booking.
Christmas Cruises book up very quickly. In June 2005, we book a cruise for Christmas 2006. My relatives are going are a Panama Canal and Caribbean Cruise this Christmas and they had to book the middle of last year too. We have been looking for Christmas cruises this year and a lot of them are booked up. The only free places are for balcony’s and suites with can be over £3,000 per person. I would advice you to book now for 2011. Caribbean Cruises at Christmas are fabulous we have been on three (two P and O, one Fred Olsen). Depending on which cruise line you choose, they can be very expensive and it may be difficult if you are on a budget, however, all your food and entertainment is included so you only have to worry about spending money at ports and drinks. I would advise you to choose a large cruise ship, even if you are new to cruising. Going on a Fred Cruise was a big mistake because even though the ports were fantastic, it was such a small ship (less than a thousand passengers) so when the sea was rough, you really felt it. When we went in 2004, it was the time of the Tsunami which effected all the oceans and was the first time I actually got sea sick. New Year’s eve is amazing. Words cannot describe how fabulous celebrating new year while at sea. The party on deck is magnificent and it lasts for much of the night. It is fabulous dancing with the sea as your background.
Cruises are a brilliant experience, but be warned, once you have been on one cruise, no other holiday will be good enough.
I would advise you go for Christmas and New Year as the experience at new year shouldn’t be missed.
I hope I have helped you and that you have a fantastic honeymoon. If you have any more questions about cruising, please feel free to email me
Doubtful you’ll find any “deals” on any kind of travel to the Caribbean at Christmas – that’s the most expensive time to cruise or visit the islands. You’ll also not likely be able to book anything at Christmas for a cruise at this late date. They will also be overrun with kids. Resorts and the air fare to get to them will also be at their most expensive. Yes, lots of places will be full – it’s one of the times of year when families can travel and some families get together for trips at Christmas.
Since you’re students, if you can wait until the week after New Year’s, you may be able to find a relatively inexpensive cruise, but the that’s still high season for any of the land-based resorts.
I doubt there are any deals on a x-mas cruise. These are pricy cruises, high selling and fill up very quickly.