Why no Princess Sales

[Nebr.cruiser]

WooHooooo! for flash sales :D I just booked Alaska for DD and me, immediately after we get out of school. I wasn't planning another vacation, but how can I miss these prices? This will be the first time I've *ever* had three vacations planned in one summer:

 

Alaska (Golden Princess) DD (16) and me, June 16 through June 23

Mexico (Guadalajara and Mexico City) DH and me, June 26 through July 6

Texas and the Caribbean (Carnival Magic) DD (17), DH and me, July 26 through August 5

 

After we retire, my husband and I plan to travel pretty much full time. I guess I'm just practicing :p

 

Those flash sales are really something--we can't or won't usually cruise in summer, but wow, some good prices. $599 for a balcony to Alaska? Of course, it left today!, but still, other prices were really, really good too.

 

I'm waiting for those kind of prices for late fall and winter. Good for you, booking so many cruises!

[PunkiC]

The two really fabulous deals that I found and really wanted to take, just happened to fall at the same time as my favorite grand-nephew's wedding. I think skipping out on a family wedding is some sort of sin for which there may be no forgiveness. Otherwise I would so be headed for Beijing.

[sunsetbeachgal]

The problem boils down to the airfare for Europe and some of the other far flung places. We booked one of the Royal sailings in July, not a great price but the EZAir savings that was offered earlier in the year was $500 per person less than you could do on your own, and I definitely did my research and reserved flights under their flexible air program.

 

Right before final payment, Princess announced sales on cabins and I had my TA check it out, BUT you could not combine EZAir discounts with the sale. so in order to take advantage I would have had to cancel and start over, forego my discounted air reservation, and go back and do air on my own, so poof! no savings if you look at the total cruise price, and definitely much worse flight schedule!! We stuck with what we had...and I try not to look at the sales!

[cvpends]

Airfare and hotels can really add to the price of a cruise, that's for sure, plus the timing must work. We were really lucky because this one slipped just right into our schedule. Also, we needed to go up to the pacific northwest this summer to look at colleges, as our DD is considering going to school up there. My DH will drive up with us and we will look at Seattle area schools before the cruise, then DD and I will board the Golden and DH will fly home. Afterwards, on the drive home, DD and I will check out University of Oregon, which is top of her wish list. I just have to be home by Wednesday morning for our flight to Guadalajara.

Sent from my SGH-T589 using Tapatalk 2

[MCC retired]

Today 5/20 , is the last day of the Balcony Bonus Sale (Rate Code R75) .

Many have reported, here on CC in several posts ,that they got a nice rate .

New Bookings only , but reports of that being waived before Final Payment are common..

Your TA will have all the info .

[momofmeg]

[quote name='Pete69']Does anyone know why Princess doesnt really have sales like NCL or RCCL? We have been waiting for a sale on a pacific coastal cruise - but they never seem to have sales?[/QUOTE]

Princess really has no competition from the other lines on the Pacific coast. (out side a of few repositoning cruises in spring and fall, although Celebrity offers a very few from San Diego between Hawaii destinations) Carnival is the only other line out Of California for most of the cruising season, and they lean toward Mexican Riveria destinations. So, for Pacific or even Califonria coastal cruises you are not going to get a super great rate.

We did book a California coastal cruise in the least expensive balcony at 1099 a person for a 7 day out of SF. Princess was running a past guest sale which saved us about $300.

Princess has been very smart as to what ports/ittinearies they have put their ships which minimizes their needing to compete with other lines. Between that and their loyal customer base, they do not have to run extreme deeply discounted sales.