SNAP fares are still there......

Booked a cruise yesterday. I was ready to book, but decided to ask my HAL PCC if there was a non-cancel (SNAP) fare. She said yes, and that it was $100 lower (on a $1000 base fare). Since the final payment date is not far off, plus I would only lose the FCD deposit of $100 (the PCC told me that - not sure if that is correct), I decided to roll the dice and take the lower fare.

The PCC did not offer it and I would not have known about it if I had not asked.

Booked a cruise yesterday. I was ready to book, but decided to ask my HAL PCC if there was a non-cancel (SNAP) fare. She said yes, and that it was $100 lower (on a $1000 base fare). Since the final payment date is not far off, plus I would only lose the FCD deposit of $100 (the PCC told me that - not sure if that is correct), I decided to roll the dice and take the lower fare.

 

The PCC did not offer it and I would not have known about it if I had not asked.

Our TA told us the same thing a while back, although in our case the FCD was $300 per person because of a longer cruise. It was still a very good deal for us at the time and the cost of that cruise has gone up approx $3000 per person since then.

If you are sure of going, SNAP fare and non-refundable deposit are becoming more popular with many cruise lines.

So if you take the SNAP fare with non refundable deposit and you buy trip insurance and have to cancel, you would be reimbursed by the insurance company. If you buy trip insurance, why not take the SNAP fare? Am I missing something?

So if you take the SNAP fare with non refundable deposit and you buy trip insurance and have to cancel, you would be reimbursed by the insurance company. If you buy trip insurance, why not take the SNAP fare? Am I missing something?

That would depend on who you buy the trip insurance from and what is covered. All "trip" insurance does not necessarily cover "cancel for any reason". Purchasing HAL's insurance would cover you somewhat.

So if you take the SNAP fare with non refundable deposit and you buy trip insurance and have to cancel, you would be reimbursed by the insurance company. If you buy trip insurance, why not take the SNAP fare? Am I missing something?

You just have to be careful what insurance you buy -- some do not clauses for canceling for any reason.

The HAL PCC suggested we buy the cancel for any reason insurance but we declined as we have travel insurance (that does NOT include cancel for any reason) with our credit card.

HAL started by publishing the Snap Fares, but now they are advertising on the HAL Home Page without any list of which cruises, what rates.

Unfortunately, you have to phone HAL to find out anything. Not very useful for browsing for a cruise.

If I book with a snap fare a year in advance, do I still have the option of adding a promo (like the anniversary sale with prepaid gratuities, etc) if it becomes available?

If I book with a snap fare a year in advance, do I still have the option of adding a promo (like the anniversary sale with prepaid gratuities, etc) if it becomes available?

I do not know for certain, but I suspect that you cannot. I would ask HAL directly before I booked. I my case I got the Cruise month promotion and a low fare (IMO), so I did not worry about it.

Do SNAP fares ever include Alaska cruises? If so, when is it best to get a SNAP fare?

Do SNAP fares ever include Alaska cruises? If so, when is it best to get a SNAP fare?

I would think they would also be on AK cruises. Hard to say when is the best time to book - I think they are just a bit below whatever the standard fare is at the time, so book when the standard fares are low.

In my case, I saw what I considered to be a "good" standard fare and asked about the SNAP fare (it was about 10% lower).

If I book with a snap fare a year in advance, do I still have the option of adding a promo (like the anniversary sale with prepaid gratuities, etc) if it becomes available?

I was told the snap fare,NON REFUNDABLE DEPOSIT pricing, is not able to be re-fared. However, I would call to get exact information. At the time, snap fare, or non refundable deposit fare, was fairly new and I called a few times, and received conflicting information.

I would think they would also be on AK cruises. Hard to say when is the best time to book - I think they are just a bit below whatever the standard fare is at the time, so book when the standard fares are low.

 

In my case, I saw what I considered to be a "good" standard fare and asked about the SNAP fare (it was about 10% lower).

Thanks.