Walk on/last minute Mercury

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Dawn Anne

Guest
Has anyone had any luck with walking on cruises? We are heading to Seattle for a weekend away and thought we'd try to walk on Celebrity's Mercury if possible. Have you heard of anyone getting on and gettinga good deal? thanks!
 
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Ted_D

Guest
the practice of walking onto cruises by buying passage at the dock has ended. Security precautions necessitated after the 9/11 attacks require that the ship's manifest be "frozen" a couple of days prior to sailing and nobody else is allowed to sail.

Sorry.

Ted
 
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cruizinrican

Guest
What Ted said is true. We have just showed up packed at port after picking a ship and just paid for our fare and gotten on when we haven't had time to plan in advance. But after 911, forget! Security thing is tight. Try a last minute cruise, we now have to book these when we want a weekend or a week away.
 
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Frank Black

Guest
I have booked several last minute cruises on HAL and Celebrity. One was 3 days in advance (HAL) I was also wait listed for a cruise last spring and HAL called me with 24 hours notice. I declined. So you can get on last minute cruises, BUT not at the pier. You just need to call the cruise line a day or two befire the crusie and see what they say.
 
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MortgageChick

Guest
Last year on our HAL cruise in March (Oosterdam) I heard people say they called HAL 2 days before and got on for 199 plus port . On day 3 they made the same offer to us to stay onthe next week.
 
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cruizinrican

Guest
MortageChick-

Wow, that was quite a steal if you could stay the extra week! How did they make the offer available? How did you hear this? I have never been so lucky in all my 15 cruises. I hope to one day get such a deal as well.
 
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Frank Black

Guest
I booked the Ryndam two years ago with 4 days to go got on for $499 for a great outside cabin. I was seated at a table of 10 and all of us booked the last 3 or 4 days and got great deals. One inside went forr $399. Those prices includes all taxes and port fees too. To get this you need to live in a port city and travel during a times when ships have open cabins. Last spring I tried to book a last minute 14 day Statendam cruise and was called one day before it sailed. They refused to budge a dime off of the catalogue price, so I declined. I was not looking for much of a discount, but I thought something was due. The cabin was just a so so cabin with a porthole.
 
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cruizinrican

Guest
Okay deals, we are always open for a last minute deal and will try to do one after the holidays. I am assuming that you booked straight through a cruiseline for this type of deal? I need to try this for sure.
 
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harryjr

Guest
Two years ago my wife & I went on our first cruise--total price was $425 each for an outside cabin on the Zaandam (Western Caribbean). We had to make a quick decision--on a Tuesday afternoon--and were boarding the ship that Saturday morning. We got our cabin assignment at the port--it was a great location and we had a wonderful time. Our dinner assignment was at a table for 8 (with one single)--5 of us booked late. One factor in our favor, however, is that we live in Daytona--only an hour from Port Canaveral.

We were so impressed with HAL and the Zaandam that we booked the Eastern Caribbean itinerary this past spring for its farewell round trip cruise from Port Canaveral--again, we had a great time--but we're sure going to miss having the Zaandam so close by.

P.S. This year we paid $525 for an outside guarantee and got an outstanding cabin midship on the lower promenade deck (which is our favorite deck since we like to walk the perimeter of the ship--4 times=1mile. Now we're looking forward to a November cruise on Zaandam's sister ship, the Volendam.

Happy cruising,

harryjr
 
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MortgageChick

Guest
The offer of 199 while on board was delivered to our room by way of a flyer that was slipped under our door on the Tuesday. We had until Thursday to decide.
 
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cruizinrican

Guest
Mortgagechick-

Wow, what a great deal that was offered to you guys! I will have to keep my eyes open for one under my door on the coming cruises! I could only be so lucky! I am assuming this was the total for an inside lowest cabin for a 7 night? But for $199 for a week cruise, I'd pretty much sleep where ever they let me! Gym, pool chair, lounge chair in theatre or even in the stairwell! Shoot, I'd pretty much have to take that deal and screw whatever we had planned the following week! Please pick us for a $199 stay on?!!
 
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cruisindarryl

Guest
lol Lol LOL!! Cruizinrican that is exactly the post I was going to write and yes, definitely screw the next week wether more vacation or work!

take care!

CruisinD
 
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