One of the major drawbacks of booking a last-minute cruise is that you don't have time to anticipate the trip.

Isn't that the whole point of a vacation -- the build-up, the anticipation, the pouring over guidebooks at Borders? However, the flip side of booking last-minute is a kind of wild, carefree, even reckless feeling you get when you do it.

One day you're sitting at home. The next you are in the middle of the Pacific watching dolphins frolic.

One disadvantage of booking a last minute cruise is that you will likely get the left overs when it comes to cabin room assignments. Make sure that they don't hose you by getting a layout of the ship and checking the actual cabin assignment before finalizing the purchase. Most agencies will work with you and if you are particular, assign you a better room than if you had not bothered to check.

There are quite a few solo travelers on cruises, which are full of sophisticated and pleasant passengers from all over the world. You get to meet eclectic travelers from all parts of the world. I have met scuba divers from San Diego and families living in Iceland and all spots between.

We've made some great friends that we kept in touch with for years off cruises.

Visas and other hassles

Make sure you have all the visas in place. Several passengers on our cruise were denied boarding because they'd forgotten to get a required visa for Brazil. They had to go get one, then at their own expense fly down and meet the ship en route.

And these were people who had booked far in advance.

For last-minute cruisers, the issue of missing documents is an even bigger potential nightmare. There is less time to fix mistakes. There is little time to get a passport, visa or immunization you might need.

"It is the sole responsibility of the guest to identify and obtain all required travel documents ... such as a passport, visas, inoculation certificate and family/legal documents," reads Royal Caribbean's cruise packet.

That means, they're not gonna do it for you, so check www.travel.state.gov and www.cdc.gov/travel.

Immunizations
Know that you will be required to have immunizations for certain cruises. Ask the travel agent that you are working with on this and make sure they are informed.

On Shore Excursions

The good news is that most shore excursions are available even after you come aboard. They'll be begging for your business.

Also in the don't worry category -- packing. Last-minute, you basically just throw what you've got in a suitcase and leave. Bathing suit. Shorts. Something nice to wear on formal nights. Hat. Sunscreen. That's pretty much it.

One day before I left, I remembered to call my credit card companies to put a travel note on my account. One hour before I left for the airport I remembered to pack my toothbrush.

One more piece of advice for people booking last-minute cruises.

Never tell other passengers how little you paid, they said. It might make them feel bad.

Always e-mail your friends from the ship and let them know what a swell time you're having on your last-minute cruise.

Maybe next time they'll be more impulsive and join you.