Flash Fare Terms and Conditions Changes Effective June 11

[willysgrandma]

Received this info from Princess and Cunard about changes to Flash Fares effective June 11. I'd like to hear opinions on the changes. I had heard this last month but the implementation date had changed from last month to apparently June 11:

 

The following terms and conditions will apply to Flash products effective June 11, 2009:

1.Flash promotions will be non-refundable: 100% cancellation fees apply. Full payment will be due by the end of the business day; non-payment will result in an automatic cancellation that evening.

2.Flash promotions will be available for individual new bookings only. Existing bookings must cancel (cancellation fees apply) and re-book to qualify for this promotion.

3.Offer is not combinable with groups for Tour Conductor credits or group amenities (including shipboard credits), or with cruisetours or other discounts.

4.Air will no longer be available on Flash promotions.

5.Princess Vacation Protection and Cunard Care will no longer be available on Flash promotions.

6.All new Flash promotions will be “Guarantee Only.” Cabin assignments will no longer be available at the time of booking. We will attempt to accommodate triple or quad requests – please contact Princess or Cunard Reservations for assistance with triple or quad requests.

Dining confirmation will be limited to space available at the time of booking.

If a client cancels and rebooks under a Flash promotion, the client will lose their air flight reservation (cancellation fees apply), cabin assignment, dining confirmation (if no longer available), group amenities, and most shipboard credits which may have been on their current booking.

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[Rockymountainsparky]

These flash fares better be damn good for all the restrictions they're placing on them.:mad:

[kendon]

They make sense to me, from a business point of view. People want something for nothing. Those flash promotions are a last attempt to fill the ship, so for fares that low, what else could they give away and still make money....

[dakacz]

What are flash fares? How do you find them?

 

Dotty

[Pam in CA]

Interesting. My take is that this is an equalizer of sorts so people who have booked and then see a flash promotion with much lower prices won't be quite as upset.

[Coral]

I often book flash fares because as a single, it is pretty $$$$ otherwise. The only thing listed that disappoints me is the insurance. I often buy 2 plans (Princess and a 3rd party) because they cover for different things. I will just be buying 3rd party insurance now. It is strange how Princess pushes their insurance so much, for them to make this change.

 

Most of the time when I book a flash special - the only dining that is available is anytime. I can't think of the last time I received group amenities on flash bookings - so many of these items are not new to me.

[willysgrandma]

I often book flash fares because as a single, it is pretty $$$$ otherwise. The only thing listed that disappoints me is the insurance. I often buy 2 plans (Princess and a 3rd party) because they cover for different things. I will just be buying 3rd party insurance now. It is strange how Princess pushes their insurance so much, for them to make this change.

 

Most of the time when I book a flash special - the only dining that is available is anytime. I can't think of the last time I received group amenities on flash bookings - so many of these items are not new to me.

 

You wouldn't normally get a group amenity unless you were booked into a group.

 

We always recommend third party insurance. When you buy the suppliers insurance, on the very rare occassion the supplier goes out of business their insurance is worth squat. You usually have some form of protection from supplier default if you buy outside insurance.

[RickEk]

It seems that if you want a Flash fare, you must REALLY want it. :p

[TracieABD]

How do you access "flash fares"? Where are they listed?

[Coral]

You wouldn't normally get a group amenity unless you were booked into a group.

 

We always recommend third party insurance. When you buy the suppliers insurance, on the very rare occassion the supplier goes out of business their insurance is worth squat. You usually have some form of protection from supplier default if you buy outside insurance.

 

I know my agent has group bookings for every sailing but when I book a flash rate, I have never been able to get those group amenities.

 

I understand about insurance - I have a unique situation where if I travel with my mom, she has a service dog. If the service dog gets sick, 3rd party insurance won't cover a cancellation. Thus, I often book insurance from Princess so I can cancel for any reason and 3rd party insurance to cover my mom. I know - an unusual situation but I often double book to cover all of my bases. Situations that normal people don't have to think of.

[rdsqrl]

You wouldn't normally get a group amenity unless you were booked into a group.

 

We always recommend third party insurance. When you buy the suppliers insurance, on the very rare occassion the supplier goes out of business their insurance is worth squat. You usually have some form of protection from supplier default if you buy outside insurance.

Well, if Princess goes out of business, we'll have bigger problems than losing the insurance protection . . . We'll all be stuck having to sail on [fill in the name of your favourite hated cruise line] instead.

-signed, someone too lazy to research any insurance other than Princess's own.

[Toto2Kansas]

How do you access "flash fares"? Where are they listed?

 

That's the problem, they aren't listed anywhere. Best thing to do is to find a good TA that can give you a yell if one you might be interested in shows up. I wish Princess would have a seperate site that listed 'flash promotions', it might increase my last minute cruises. ;)

[TracieABD]

Thanks, Toto.

I vote for a website from Princess, too. Though maybe they are afraid of lost revenue from people who wait until the last minute to book. Still, I know lots of folk (like me) who have to plan well in advance, so we probably would still use the traditional method of planning our vacation (i.e. set a date, get time off, save like crazy, plan, dream, save some more...:o)

[JanMD]

And the cruiselines are hard up?? hmmm....

[ssbeagle]

I wouldn't book a flash fare for the simple reason that they may be last-minute and we live too far from a port to get there. Also, you don't know where you will end up on the ship. It could be inside or at the very front. I will stick with the traditional way of booking my cruises, thank you.

[DrivesLikeMario]

Not a lot of big changes, but it's good for newbies to see it all the limitations spelled out.

[caribill]

Not a lot of big changes, but it's good for newbies to see it all the limitations spelled out.

 

Not being able to book air through Princess is a big new limitation.

[willysgrandma]

Not being able to book air through Princess is a big new limitation.

 

Many times you can do better on your own.

 

I think the changes are to encourage people to book earlier. It really is making the flash fares not as attractive for last minute bookings - unless the prices are well worth it.

[cattman]

Princess does send the occasional flash flyer by email and snail mail to CC members, esp. if you fill out the "standby program" info on the CC site.

 

Problem is that the really good flash promos may be limited to only a few cabins and can last from only a few days to a few hours. So by the time a client gets back to ya the promo is usually sold out.

 

Limiting the availability to only guaranteed cabins is the biggest change, IMHO.

[jhannah]

It is strange how Princess pushes their insurance so much, for them to make this change.

It's simply a matter of dollars. Princess charges a percentage (8 or 12, depending on which plan you choose) of the cruise fare. It's not based on age and length of trip like third-party policies are. Thus, with a bargain basement flash promotion, they don't collect sufficient premium dollars to take their risk of exposure.

[Coral]

It's simply a matter of dollars. Princess charges a percentage (8 or 12, depending on which plan you choose) of the cruise fare. It's not based on age and length of trip like third-party policies are. Thus, with a bargain basement flash promotion, they don't collect sufficient premium dollars to take their risk of exposure.

 

You are right - it recently (meaning since I cruised last on Princess) changed to a percentage base. I forgot about that.