Flash Sale???

[Cruising Greenie]

Can someone explain what a Flash Sale is? and why can't I get the sale price?

[cruiseron36]

Can someone explain what a Flash Sale is? and why can't I get the sale price?

 

A Flash Sale is lower prices only after the final payment date and is for new bookings only. If you have a booking and have made final payment you cannot get the Flash price.

[robgvic]

I have never seen a flash sale? Do they only come to selected passengers?

[Toto2Kansas]

I have never seen a flash sale? Do they only come to selected passengers?

 

Travel agents have access to flash promotions and can advise you on what is available. They are normally available after final payment date for those ships that have a certain percentage of staterooms unfilled that the cruise line is attempting to fill at a lower rate. They are (as has already been posted) available for 'new bookings only', so if you have already booked, you normally will not be able to have your price lowered. ;)

[csk]

is there a web site you can see them, or a special day of week?

[Colo Cruiser]

Flash fares have a non refundable deposit and you can't purchase Princess insurance with them.

[RickEk]

is there a web site you can see them, or a special day of week?

 

Flash sales, in general, only go out to travel agents. However, they do sometimes go out to past passengers who live close to the embarkation port. If a sailing has a flash sale promotion it's an indication that the sailing is undersold and the line is just trying to fill unsold berths.

[MCC retired]

You will save $$$ by waiting til after final payment passes for FLASH rates

to become available only "if" :

 

You arn't particular about cabin location.

You don't mind not getting your prefered dining request .

You don't require Princess Insurance.

You don't require Princess airfare.

You understand full payment is due immediatly to book and totaly unrefundable.

You won't be upset if Flash rates don't happen and cruise actually becomes more $$ or worse , unavailable.:eek:

 

Yes, TA's get notification of FLASH promo's.You will not see them at Princess.com:)

[donna5]

When I called Princess on our CB cruise they had one price that you could get ins. with and when the agent checked for other specials, for about $5.00 less:confused:, we could get a flash rate with no insurance option? Well duh which would you take if you were able to take advantage of the upgraded Princess Insurance?

[RickEk]

When I called Princess on our CB cruise they had one price that you could get ins. with and when the agent checked for other specials, for about $5.00 less:confused:, we could get a flash rate with no insurance option? Well duh which would you take if you were able to take advantage of the upgraded Princess Insurance?

 

Well, flash rates get progressively better the closer you are to sailing...

[Bethcb]

This past February we were in the plane on the way to Santiago, Chili for 14 days on the Star Princess. Then the earthquake hit, and the plane was returned to Atlanta. 12 hours round trip Atlanta! To make a very long story short, we never made it on that cruise, eventually got our money back as we had trip insurance. On that Saturday in Atlanta, we called our travel agent and were able to book a 7 day caribbean princess cruise for the following weekend. They offered us a Flash Rate with a guarantee inside cabin, no refunds, no insurance for $379 per person. At this point we wanted anything we could get to salvage our vacation, and we booked this. A couple days later we upgraded for a $200 for both of us to a guarantee balcony. We got a great balcony on Alohoa deck. The flash rate was just a last minute rate to sell remaining cabins. Worked out great for us and cruise was wonderful, despite not seeing the penguins in S America.

[SRQfireman]

When I called Princess on our CB cruise they had one price that you could get ins. with and when the agent checked for other specials, for about $5.00 less:confused:, we could get a flash rate with no insurance option? Well duh which would you take if you were able to take advantage of the upgraded Princess Insurance?

Not sure what you're getting at here with insurance.....but if you get a "regular rate", they allow you to buy their insurance......if you buy under the flash promotion, they don't allow you to buy their insurance.....so not sure what the $5.00 has to do with it other than maybe you're saying 1 price is $5.00 less (or more) than the other rate

[donna5]

Not sure what you're getting at here with insurance.....but if you get a "regular rate", they allow you to buy their insurance......if you buy under the flash promotion, they don't allow you to buy their insurance.....so not sure what the $5.00 has to do with it other than maybe you're saying 1 price is $5.00 less (or more) than the other rate

 

As I posted the flash rate was only $5.00 less than the other rate that allowed you to purchase insurance. Noone else had trouble understanding:rolleyes:.

[Hlitner]

Not sure what insurance has to do with this topic (if you want insurance private trip insurance is a better option) but Flash fares are a great way to save some real money on cruises. When we book Caribbean Cruises we always wait until the last minute (inside of 60 days) to find the best rates. In many cases with Princess we will be able to get a nice balcony cabin (and yes, we can choose our cabin) for about the same price as many would have paid for an outside (sometimes an inside) cabin. There is no mystery about the process but rather the cruise lines are just unloading their unsold inventory after booked passengers have paid their final payments. Its a great option for those who are flexible. We just did this and booked an October 14 day Grand Princess cruise for a really good price and had no problem getting a cabin in our favorite area of the Caribe Deck.

 

Hank

[Colo Cruiser]

Not sure what insurance has to do with this topic (if you want insurance private trip insurance is a better option)

 

 

Probably because the OP asked about flash fares, and not being able to purchase Princess ins or get your deposit back is all part of it. :rolleyes:

[more cruises]

I have never seen a flash sale? Do they only come to selected passengers?

 

Mostly you'll find them by checking prices religiously. If you see a great low rate all of a sudden it's probably a FLASH rate. They're posted for a very short time - until a specified # of cabins are sold and then they go away. If you check the terms and conditions for the rate they usually say Flash and also that they are non refundable and full price is due at time of bkg. HAL uses Flash rates pretty often too.