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Do Disney Cruises Get Cheaper Last Minute?

Author
travelhub
Published
August 19, 2025
Updated: August 22, 2025
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Do Disney Cruises Get Cheaper Last Minute?
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Yes, Disney Cruises often get cheaper as the date of departure approaches. The credit goes to their “Restricted Guarantee” Stateroom program. The discounts on booking can be available up to 60 to 90 days prior to the date of departure. The passengers can expect a clear drop of 20% or more in the ticket price, especially during the low season or on the less popular itineraries.  How does the Disney Cruise Restricted Guarantee work?  Disney Cruise Restricted Guarantee allows passengers to get a discounted rate at ticket booking. However, there are certain restrictions imposed on passengers while selecting the ticket. If you are looking to book a ticket with Disney Cruise for a discounted price and want to learn how it works, then review the points below:  Room Selection: Passengers do not have the flexibility to select their own room. Instead, they are asked to choose the categories (Inside, Oceanview, or Verandah), and the Disney Cruise will itself assign a room to the passengers just a week or two before the sailing date.  Discounted Rate: When a passenger gives up the flexibility of selecting a preferred room, the cruise rewards them with a significant discount. This discount can go up to 20% or even more during the off-season.  Categories: There are three categories, and the passengers will have to choose one:  IGT: Inside Guarantee (You are guaranteed an inside stateroom on your booking)  OGT: Oceanview Guarantee (You are guaranteed to get an oceanview stateroom) VGT: Verandah Guarantee (You are guaranteed to get a Verandah stateroom on your booking)  Restriction: As the name suggests, there are some restrictions imposed on passengers to get the discount. These restrictions are as follows:  The passengers must make the complete payment while booking the Disney Cruise ticket.  The ticket is non-refundable and non-transferable. It means that the passenger will not be eligible for a refund upon cancellation, and also they cannot make changes to the sailing date, destination, or stateroom.  The passengers making a reservation under the Restricted Guarantee program cannot request a special room. They can only select the stateroom category, and the cruise will assign the room to these passengers a week or two before departure.  Potential Upside: Sometimes you will be put in a superior room within your booked category, but no guarantee of such an upgrade. Where the room is placed is completely left to Disney Cruise Line. Restrictions: At these rates, the ship may not be full, at which point these rates are published near the timing of sailing and a smaller group (2-3 guests per room) will likely have better availability. The major tradeoff is savings flexibility: you save money but surrender all choice over exactly what stateroom you are in and any option to change your booking after booking.   What are the risks of booking a Disney Guaranteed stateroom?  Passengers often ask Do Disney cruises get cheaper closer to sail date? So the answer is yes, as the date of departure approaches, the Restricted Guarantee program activates, and passengers can get tickets at a discounted rate. However, before you move to book a restricted guaranteed stateroom, there are certain limitations that you must be aware of. Here is the list:    No Guarantee of Ticket: The restricted Guarantee deals in the leftover seats and thus, there is no guarantee that a passenger will surely get a ticket. In case the rooms are not available on the Disney Cruise, they might deny you from booking a ticket.  No Choice of Room Location: The passengers are allowed to select a room with restricted guarantee booking; they can only select the stateroom category, and the cruise will assign a room to the passengers just a week or two before departure.  Possibility of Obstructed View: You might very well be stuck in an obstructed view stateroom (read: in oceanview or verandah tiers where staterooms have the least chance to sell at full price). No Control or Changes: After getting your room assignment (normally 1-2 weeks before leaving), you cannot change your room. Any cabin Disney assigns you is what you are stuck with. Non-Refundable and No Modifications: The fare is non-refundable and non-transferable and full payment must be made at the time of booking. There is nothing you can change about the dates, names, or categories. Not ideal for groups: When traveling with a group, you might not appreciate restrictions, as rooms may not be assigned near each other. This is also because the cruise can only offer you the leftover rooms.  No Combining with other deals: When you are booking your trip under a restricted guarantee, you are not allowed to use another travel voucher or promo code to get an extra discount on the booking.    Conclusion  The Restricted Guarantee program in making a Disney Cruise booking may prove to be expensive one step before departure, but on the departure day, immense savings may be realized. The usage, however, denies passengers flexibility in room choice, the terms of booking are non-refundable, and the view may be blocked. There is a need to consider the advantages of lower additional costs, compare them with possible restrictions, and the failure to control your booking.    

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