Bad experience with FCC-Anyone else?

[deerby27]

Earlier this my wife and I each purchased a Future Cruise Credit while sailing on the Carnival Valor. We had used the Princess FCC's several times and considered getting them a no-brainier. With Princess, you paid $100.00 and depending on cabin type and cruise length, there would be shipboard credit. This worked great on our Ruby Princess Med. cruise as we only had to put down the $200.00 as a deposit and we each received $150.00 shipboard credit. I thought that the Carnival FCC's worked the same way. When I booked a Carnival Miracle cruise for Feb. 2011, first I was told by my TA that they could not be used for the Early Saver Fares. Then after I mailed the FCC's to Carnival as instructed, I get a call from my TA and Carnival telling me that I could only apply one FCC per booking number and I would still have to pay the remaining $500.00 deposit to complete the booking. At that point I figured what good are these if you can't use them for Early Saver Fares and you still have to tie up a substantial deposit. I decided to ask for a full refund for both FCC's and cancel the cruise until a later date.

 

Has anyone else had a bad experience with Carnival FCC's

[aggieastrosfan]

Didn't know you couldn't use them on early saver. Great. Maybe I can have the luck others have had in getting it applied to an existing booking and try to use it for April.

[firefly333]

Sounds to me like you are confused, as of course you can only use one per booking. Princess doesnt allow you to use two for one cabin do they?? That would be news to me and I just dont think that could be correct.

 

Yes, you can use them with early saver. No you cant use two on the same cruise booking. yes, you still have to pay the whole deposit (as the future cruise rep would have explained if you asked... not sure why you are so confused, did you ask at the time you purchased?)

 

They are good, most people would know you can only use one per booking. Agreed maybe its not great you still have to pay the deposit and the FCC gets applied to the balance, but thems are the rules ... ask before you purchase if you are unclear. Getting $100 OBC is still worth it to me on a 7 day.

 

I have 4 more FCCs

[firefly333]

Didn't know you couldn't use them on early saver. Great. Maybe I can have the luck others have had in getting it applied to an existing booking and try to use it for April.

 

You most certainly CAN use them with early saver, you cant use them with Military rates ... I think the OP is just confused on the rules and maybe ran into someone at Carnival who didnt know??

 

I have used two on early saver rates just as they are supposed to work, mine were applied fine.

[aggieastrosfan]

You most certainly CAN use them with early saver, you cant use them with Military rates ... I think the OP is just confused on the rules and maybe ran into someone at Carnival who didnt know??

 

I have used two on early saver rates just as they are supposed to work, mine were applied fine.

 

Good to know, thanks! Our October cruise is ES, and using it in April was probably a long shot since we used our discount from the swine flu cruise on that one.

 

Oh, and Princess has recently changed their FCC rules. You now have to have a FCC for each person in the cabin for both to get the OBC. You can get the reduced deposit for both with just one FCC, but to get the OBC you now need one in the name of each person travelling.

[PaulMedik]

While on Liberty last summer they applied the credit to all of our future already booked cruises that had not changed in price so they do not apply to new bookings only.

 

We also have Future cruise OBC for our ES booked cruise this coming April so they do allow them to be used with Early Saver.

[firefly333]

While on Liberty last summer they applied the credit to all of our future already booked cruises that had not changed in price so they do not apply to new bookings only.

 

the caveat being it has to also be booked direct with Carnival I think for them to get into the booking and add the OBC? That was the impression I got. They were unable to add OBC to any of my already booked cruises.

[firefly333]

Oh, and Princess has recently changed their FCC rules. You now have to have a FCC for each person in the cabin for both to get the OBC. You can get the reduced deposit for both with just one FCC, but to get the OBC you now need one in the name of each person travelling.

 

wow, thats good to know. I recently called them and cancelled a FCC with Princess because I couldnt fit it in within the allowed 3 years, Im all booked up now with too many cruises. It was only in my name, not my sisters. Glad you told me this. Im glad now its cancelled. We dont buy anything in my sister's name, everything is in my name.