One of the advantages of living in South Florida is the ability to take advantage of last-minute cruise deals. Those up north may have to arrange airfare to PortMiami, but all we have to do is grab a ride from a friend, hop an Uber, or even walk right into the port.

While it's no longer possible to show up at the dock, with your roller-bag hoping to negotiate your way onboard for the ultimate last-minute cruise deal, nabbing a Caribbean cruise at a great discount is easier than you think. If your schedule allows, take advantage of deals cruise lines offer to fill their unbooked cabins. 

Just as in your love life, being flexible is advantageous. When booking a last-minute cruise, you may need to be open to which ports of call you visit. You’ll also probably have little choice in cabin selection — you may not be able to book a veranda or suite, most likely you’ll need to settle for the last cabins to be booked, obstructed views on lower decks, but if you don’t plan on spending much time in your room, that may not matter to you.

There are a number of websites specializing in last-minute cruise deals. On many, you can even sign up for alerts for ports of call or cruise lines that are of special interest to you. Recently, I went to cruises.com and found a four-day cruise to the Bahamas for less than $400, vacationstogo.com offered a four-day cruise on the Celebrity Reflection for $441, that’s a 74% reduction on the regular price. Royal Caribbean’s Jewel of the Seas had a four-day cruise offered on cruisecritic.com, a 48% savings on the going rate.

Not all the cruises are low-end economy, either. On cruisesonly.com the 14-day Caribbean cruise aboard a luxury vessel, Silversea Cruises’ Silver Shadow 14 Night Panama Canal & South America is $4,908. On board, all-suite luxury accommodations include the complimentary services of a dedicated butler to meet all of your needs: a welcome bottle of champagne complimentary beverages including fine wines, champagnes, spirits, bottled water, and soft drinks in your suite’s bar, complimentary in-suite dining including full course-by-course dinners, late night snacks or full breakfasts delivered at your request — with no charge and no tipping. Open seating dining. The cruise includes stops in Samana/Dominican Republic, Oranjestad, Gustavia, Saint Thomas, Hamilton, and New York City, with a complimentary shore excursion in each port.

While the Internet is a terrific resource for deals, getting to know a travel agent is a big help here. They often receive offers from cruise lines trying to fill ships on close-in voyages. While this is more often the case with mainstream cruises, occasionally an all-gay cruise or a mainstream cruise with a large gay group aboard may end up with a few extra cabins. Being ready to go with a few days’ notice can save you some significant cash. Most cruise packages, whether a gay group sailing aboard a mainstream liner or a gay group chartering an entire ship, include your cabin (try to travel with a friend or be prepared to pay a single upgrade fee), all meals, and entertainment. Drink packages are usually available for purchase, but most require both parties in a cabin to buy the same package, which can be pricey if only one of you wants alcohol. In addition to mandatory taxes and port fees, gratuities are usually added to the bill in the form of a daily charge ($15 a day on Celebrity, for example). Additional costs can accrue by booking shore excursions and dining in specialty restaurants.

Another little-known benefit is that most cruise lines offer discounts to Florida residents. For example, Virgin Voyages offers a 15% discount, on top of any other discounts you can find elsewhere. On the other end of the spectrum, Disney Cruises also offer Florida residents discounts. Most cruise lines also have last-minute deals on their own websites. These last minute deals sometimes have restrictions, but if they are parameters you can work with, make certain that your passport is up-to-date and keep your eyes peeled.