There are many reasons that someone might not hit upon the thought of holiday cruises until the very last minute. A sudden change in your relative’s holiday routines, getting bored with what you’re used to, or confronting a closet full of winter coats and realizing that you really, really, need a break. Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years cruises are certainly different from what you’re used to over the holidays. When, after all, was the last time you saw a Hallmark original movie set on a cruise ship?
A cruise is a popular escape from the depths of winter however, and the holiday season is when most cruise lines report their ships hitting maximum occupancy. Thanksgiving cruises and New Year’s cruises are liable to be pricey, and Christmas cruises look to be pricier still.
Knowing What You Want
Christmas cruises on large ships really belong to families. The combination of plenty of activities, babysitting services, and someone else handling the cooking and cleaning are irresistible to families. A cruise on a large ship is likely to be knee deep in children. That’s fine for families, but for couples and singles who are likely the ones who decided to take a cruise on the spur of the moment it probably isn’t what they’re looking for.
A better holiday cruise option is to look into the smaller ships. At Port Canaveral, the Carnival Sensation and Sunshine, and Royal Caribbean’s Enchantment of the Seas are smaller ships on short-term routine routes to the Bahamas. These ships have the nightclubs, bars, and spas that adults crave. What they’re lacking—if they can be said to be lacking—is big hefty amenities like water parks. A big appeal for kids, but something couples and single cruisers can probably cruise in perfect happiness without.
The drawback in these sort of routine cruises is that they don’t vary their schedules for the holiday. Rather than a Christmas feast in the main dining room on the open seas, you may instead be having a day in port with everything closed and nothing to mark the occasion except a meal when you return, and whatever celebrations you host in your stateroom.
Saving on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Cruises
The most common strategy for saving on holiday cruises is to book it well in advance. This article is titled “Last Minute Holiday Cruise” and you’re reading it. So it’s safe to say that we can rule it out for you.
The second common strategy is to wait until the very last minute then book your cruise. While this strategy suits the spontaneity of a last minute cruiser very well, it isn’t likely to work. There’s a housewife in Poughkeepsie who’s been wanting to go on a cruise forever, has signed up with every cruise related forum, e-mail list, and message board and she’s going to scoop up any deals and upgrades that become available before you can get to them. That is assuming that they even come on offer in the first place.
It isn’t that you shouldn’t try. It’s still the season for miracles after all. It’s just that you should consider all your other options, and explore them. Some years popular itineraries don’t sell out making for some great last minute bargains.
Have you booked your Holiday Cruise yet? Don’t let stress put a damper on your holiday vacation, we can remove any worries by providing packages for Port Canaveral hotels. Our packages can include transportation from Orlando to Port Canaveral, or any other Central Florida airport, hotel stay, cruise parking, and more! We can customize a package no matter how many guests just call toll free 855-755-4637
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