Two years ago, Frommer's told you about Holland America Line's last-minute discounts, which fill extra space on soon-to-be departing ships by offering head-turning bargains as steep as 64% off regular cruise rates.
All you have to do to attain this crazy markdown is agree not to find out if you have a confirmed booking until just before your chosen sailing. You choose a trip to try for, pay up front, and if there's last-minute space on that voyage, you'll be informed by Holland America that your trip's a go between a week and 2 days before departure. If the ship's sold out, you just stay home and get a refund in 4 to 6 weeks.
It's a gamble that can truly pay off. The Wall Street Journal called the line's standby program a "hack to the affordable last-minute cruise of your dreams."
The scheme must work like a dream for the cruise lines, too. Princess Cruises has now joined Holland America in offering a nearly identical program of its own, giving consumers a second major line willing to sell staterooms for low rates just to keep cabins from being vacant.
Joining Princess Cruises' last-minute list
To join the standby list at Princess, you'll start by visiting the line's Standby Program page, which lists the currently available departure ports.
Right now, the four ports offering this deal are Florida's Fort Lauderdale and Port Canaveral as well as Los Angeles and Seattle.
To choose your port and then pick your specific sailing date, you must call Princess Cruises at 888/370-3404.
Once you choose your hoped-for departure and category, you pay in advance. If Princess winds up having space available, you'll be told that you're confirmed between 7 days and 48 hours before sailing.
The cheapest last-minute deals are for oceanview (non-balcony) or inside cabins leaving from Florida or California ($79/day for the first two people in the cabin, $29/day for additional people). Seattle sailings (for Alaska) start at $119 per day per person.
Also appealing: Taxes and fees are included in all rates. You can add onboard packages separately if you choose.
Even opting for a balcony only costs $20 more a day for the first two people. That's still fairly cheap. (If you want a balcony but Princess only has inside cabins available, you'll be offered the inside cabin instead, but you won't have to take it.)
Make sure you're near your chosen port or can get there fast, because if you're accepted and you're a no-show, there are no refunds. The only refunds come if Princess can't find you a cabin.
According to the terms of purchase, paying passengers must be at least 21 years old (additional guests may be younger). If you're planning to travel solo, you'll have to pay double because of the cruise industry's pesky single supplement policies. Then again, at the $79 rate that would still only cost a solo traveler $158 a day—not bad to have a cabin to yourself.
You'll find an excellent explanation of how to navigate the uncertainties of these deals at our original story about the Holland America Standby Program.
For more tips for slashing more than 50% off cruise fares, check out our recent story on the low rates you'll find by choosing the cruise lines' older vessels. Occasionally the per-day rates on those venerable ships can be even lower than some of the last-minute discounts from Holland America and Princess Cruises.