How to Find Last Minute Cruise Deals

This page answers the questions people ask before booking a cruise at short notice, using the tracker's own fares where it can and official sources where it cannot. Every figure on it is recomputed each morning from the 3,103 sailings leaving in the next 90 days.

Are last minute cruises cheaper?

A little, on today's fares. A night on a cruise leaving within 30 days cost 5% less than one leaving 60 to 90 days out. But within 5 of the 6 busiest lines, nights 60 to 90 days out were the cheaper ones. The typical (median) fare per night was $116 for sailings leaving in under 30 days, $148 for 30 to 59 days, and $122 for 60 to 90 days, across 3,009 priced sailings. Sailings 30 to 59 days out cost the most a night. The mix of ships and routes differs between the groups, so treat it as a snapshot of what is on sale, not a rule for any one cruise. It is recomputed every morning.

Per person, two sharing, taxes and fees included, as Cruisebound lists them. The median is the middle fare: half the sailings cost less a night, half more.

Do cruises get cheaper last minute on each line?

The overall figure mixes cheap short cruises with long voyages. Within one line the comparison is closer to like for like:

Median fare per night, with the number of priced sailings in brackets.

How to find cheap last minute cruises

• Compare the price per night, not the total. A three-night cruise at a low fare can cost more a night than a week at sea. The lists here sort either way.
• Be flexible on the ship and the line. Today 962 sailings cost under $100 a night per person, spread over 10 lines.
• Look at the ports you can drive to. A cheap fare can be outweighed by a last-minute flight to the port. Use the "Leaving from" filter on any list.
• Watch the price drops. The tracker compares each fare with last week's, cabin for cabin, and lists the biggest falls on the homepage.
• Check the live price before you count on one. Fares here are this morning's, and cabins can sell out between that check and your click.

How to book last minute cruises, and where

You can book with the cruise line, through a travel agent, or through an online agency. This site's buttons go to Cruisebound, an online agency, and the site earns a commission if you book there. The fare, the cabin and the payment rules are the line's in every case.

Paying in full

Every final payment date below falls 75 days or more before sailing, so a cruise leaving sooner than that is already past it. Celebrity and Norwegian say outright that a booking made inside that window is paid in full when you book. When each line's final payment falls, from its own pages:

• Carnival final payment is due 76 days before sailing for 2-5 day cruises, and 91 days before sailing for cruises of 6 days or longer and for Alaska, Europe, Panama Canal, Transatlantic and Transpacific cruises. (Carnival, page as of January 2026)
• Royal Caribbean final payment is due 75 days before sailing for 1-4 night cruises, 90 days for 5-14 nights and 120 days for 15+ nights. For bookings made from Sept 29, 2026 on Alaska, Hawaii, Transpacific, Panama Canal or Pacific Coastal sailings departing from April 11, 2028, the bands are 75 days (1-4 nights), 90 days (5-9) and 120 days (10+). Applies to bookings made in the US, Canada and Puerto Rico. (Royal Caribbean)
• Norwegian final payment is due 120 days before sailing for every cruise length (sailings departing from Aug 15, 2022), including holiday sailings and The Haven/suites. (Norwegian Cruise Line, page as of October 2026)
• Norwegian's terms say a reservation booked within the final payment period must be paid in full at the time of reservation (stated in its Air Choice program terms, covering the whole reservation including air). (Norwegian Cruise Line, page as of October 2026)
• Princess final payment is due 120 days before departure for bookings made on or after Sept 2, 2026, whatever the cruise length. For bookings made before that date it is 90 days for 1-13 day cruises and 120 days for 14+ days. (Princess Cruises)
• Celebrity tells you your balance due date at booking, and if you book within the final payment period you must pay the full balance at the time of booking. The current US FAQ does not state the number of days. (Celebrity Cruises)
• Disney Cruise Line's US terms do not publish a fixed number of days: the final payment date is set at the time of booking, and missing the deposit or final payment schedule cancels the reservation automatically. (Disney Cruise Line)
• Holland America final payment is due 120 days before travel for all cruises on bookings opened Sept 29, 2026 or later for 2027-and-later departures. Older bookings follow earlier schedules (mostly 90 days for cruises of 13 days or less and cruisetours, 120 days for 14+ days and Asia, Australia and South America cruises). (Holland America Line)

Cancelling a late booking

• Carnival charges nothing (except non-refundable payments) for cancellations up to 76 days before departure on 2-5 day cruises, or 91 days on 6+ day, Alaska, Europe, Transatlantic and Panama Canal cruises. After that it keeps the deposit, then at least 50% and 75%, and 100% of the fare at 14 days or less. (Carnival)
• For US bookings created on or after Oct 11, 2026, Royal Caribbean cancellation is free (except non-refundable deposits) until 75 days out for 1-4 nights, 90 days for 5-9 nights and 120 days for 10+ nights; charges then rise to 50%, 75% from 60 days and 100% at 30 days or less. (Royal Caribbean)
• Norwegian charges 25% for cancellations 119-91 days before departure, 50% at 90-61 days, 75% at 60-31 days and 100% at 30 days or less (Club Balcony Suites and below); suites have a stricter schedule. (Norwegian Cruise Line, page as of October 2026)
• For Princess bookings made on or after Sept 2, 2026 (cruises up to 44 days), cancelling 120+ days out costs the deposit; fees then rise to 25% (113-119 days), 50% (91-112), 75% (61-90) and 100% at 60 days or less. (Princess Cruises)
• For Celebrity bookings made on or after Oct 11, 2026: 1-5 night cruises are free to cancel until 75 days out, 6+ nights and cruisetours until 120 days out; charges then climb, and at 30 days or less only taxes and fees are refunded. (Celebrity Cruises)
• Disney Cruise Line (standard staterooms) charges no fee 90+ days before a 1-5 night cruise or 120+ days before a 6+ night cruise; the fee starts at the deposit (from 89 or 119 days) and rises as sailing nears. (Disney Cruise Line)
• For Holland America bookings opened Sept 29, 2026 or later for 2027+ departures: full refund 120+ days before travel, 75% refund at 119-91 days, 50% at 90-61 days and no refund at 60 days or less. (Holland America Line)

Can families book cruises last minute?

Yes, as long as cabins are left for the whole party and everyone meets the line's rules. The family cruises page lists the sailings on lines with kids' clubs.

• Carnival: infants must be at least 6 months old at embarkation; 12 months on trans-ocean crossings and remote itineraries with more than 2 consecutive sea days. (Carnival, page as of June 2026)
• Royal Caribbean: infants must be at least 6 months old on the first day of the cruise; 12 months for transatlantic, transpacific, Hawaii, select South American cruises and any cruise with 3 or more consecutive sea days. (Royal Caribbean)
• Norwegian: no infant under 6 months may board or sail. (Norwegian Cruise Line, page as of October 2026)
• Princess: infants must be at least 6 months old at embarkation, and 12 months on cruises with more than 2 consecutive sea days, under its passage contract. Princess's age-requirements page words the rule differently, so check it for your itinerary. (Princess Cruises)
• MSC (US FAQ): infants under 2 are welcome on board except on cruises of 11 nights or longer, where they must already be 2 at embarkation; back-to-back cruises that return to the home port do not count as one long cruise. No 6-month minimum is stated. (MSC Cruises)
• Disney Cruise Line: minimum age is 6 months on most itineraries and 1 year for Transatlantic, Hawaii, Panama Canal and other select longer itineraries. (Disney Cruise Line)

Traveling while pregnant

• Carnival: a guest who will enter her 24th week of pregnancy at any time during the cruise may not book or board; the contract also lets Carnival refuse boarding to anyone past the 23rd week at sailing. (Carnival)
• Royal Caribbean cannot accept guests who will be more than 23 weeks pregnant at any time during the cruise or CruiseTour. (Royal Caribbean)
• Norwegian cannot accept guests who will have entered their 24th week of pregnancy by the start of or at any time during the cruise; a medical certificate with the due date and fitness to travel is required. (Norwegian Cruise Line, page as of October 2026)
• Princess: guests who will enter the 24th week of pregnancy by the last day of the cruise may not book or board, and Princess strictly bars them from boarding. (Princess Cruises)
• MSC cannot accommodate guests who will be more than 23 weeks and 6 days pregnant at any time during the cruise; a doctor's note is required at any stage of pregnancy. (MSC Cruises)
• Disney Cruise Line refuses passage to guests who have entered, or will enter during the cruise, their 24th week of pregnancy; no doctor's note or waiver is accepted. (Disney Cruise Line)

Passports and documents when you book late

• U.S. citizens on a cruise that begins and ends at the same U.S. port can re-enter the U.S. with a birth certificate plus a government-issued photo ID. CBP warns that the foreign countries on the itinerary may still require a passport, and says to check with the cruise line. (U.S. Customs and Border Protection)
• CBP defines a closed-loop cruise as one that boards at a U.S. port, visits only places in the Western Hemisphere, and returns to the same U.S. port on the same ship. Proof of citizenship can be a birth certificate, a Consular Report of Birth Abroad or a Certificate of Naturalization, together with a government-issued photo ID. (U.S. Customs and Border Protection)
• CBP's general guidance is to bring an original or certified copy of the birth certificate when possible; a plain copy may be accepted only in some cases. (U.S. Customs and Border Protection)
• U.S. citizen children under 16 entering by land or sea need only a birth certificate or other proof of citizenship (under 19 when travelling with a school, religious or similar youth group). (U.S. Customs and Border Protection)
• Documents CBP accepts from U.S. citizens entering by sea under WHTI include a passport book, a passport card, a state enhanced driver's license and a Trusted Traveler card (NEXUS, SENTRI or FAST). (U.S. Customs and Border Protection)
• The State Department says a cruise line may require a passport book even when CBP or the foreign ports do not, and it strongly recommends that every cruise passenger travel with a passport book. (U.S. State Department, page as of June 2026)
• The State Department's reason: if you are hospitalized abroad and the ship leaves, or the ship is damaged, you need a passport book to fly home internationally. (U.S. State Department, page as of June 2026)
• A passport card works for re-entry at U.S. seaports from Mexico, Canada, Bermuda and the Caribbean, but it cannot be used to fly back internationally if you cannot return on the ship. (U.S. State Department, page as of June 2026)

• Some destinations require a passport valid at least 6 months beyond the trip dates, and some airlines will not board you if it is not. (U.S. State Department, page as of July 2026)
• For cruises, the State Department advises a passport valid at least 6 months beyond your travel dates with 2 or more blank pages. (U.S. State Department, page as of June 2026)

If you need a passport in a hurry

• Routine passport processing takes 4 to 6 weeks. (U.S. State Department, page as of July 2026)
• Expedited processing takes 2 to 3 weeks and costs an extra $60. (U.S. State Department, page as of July 2026)
• Mailing is not included in processing time: allow up to 2 weeks for the application to arrive and up to 2 weeks for the passport to come back (faster return delivery can be paid for). (U.S. State Department, page as of July 2026)
• Urgent travel needs an in-person appointment at a passport agency or center and proof of international travel within 14 calendar days. (U.S. State Department, page as of July 2026)
• Passport agency appointments are for travel abroad within 14 days (or a foreign visa needed within 28 days). They are free, are booked through the Online Passport Appointment System or by calling 877-487-2778, and the State Department warns against paid third-party booking services. (U.S. State Department, page as of July 2026)
• The State Department says its busiest period runs from late winter to summer and suggests applying between October and December, when demand is lower. (U.S. State Department, page as of July 2026)

Flying to the port

• REAL ID enforcement at TSA airport checkpoints began on May 7, 2025. Travelers 18 and older need a REAL ID-compliant license or ID, or another acceptable ID such as a passport, to fly within the U.S. (TSA)
• TSA does not require children under 18 to show ID on flights within the United States. (TSA)
• Since February 1, 2026, an adult who arrives at a TSA checkpoint without acceptable ID can pay a $45 fee to use TSA ConfirmID identity verification. (TSA)

Last minute Alaska and Hawaii cruises

3 Alaska sailingsleave in the next 90 days. See them all.

• Holland America says its Alaska cruise season runs May through September. (Holland America Line)
• Princess says the Alaska cruise season typically runs from May through September. (Princess Cruises)

54 Hawaii sailingsleave in the next 90 days, from $1,102 per person. See them all.

• Under the Passenger Vessel Services Act, a ship that is not coastwise-qualified (such as a foreign-flag cruise ship) may not carry passengers between U.S. ports. CBP's own example: sailing from Los Angeles to several Hawaiian islands and back to Los Angeles, with passengers going ashore, is a violation. (U.S. Customs and Border Protection)
• CBP lists Ensenada, Mexico as a 'nearby foreign port' (any port in North or Central America, Bermuda or the West Indies except Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao). Its example of a violation is Los Angeles to Hawaii and Ensenada, ending in San Diego. (U.S. Customs and Border Protection)
• Under 19 CFR 4.80a, a voyage that calls only at U.S. ports violates the law if passengers go ashore. A voyage that also calls at a nearby foreign port violates it only when passengers leave at a U.S. port other than the one where they boarded. (eCFR, 19 CFR 4.80a)