Are future cruise certificates really being discontinued after this month?

[ibcnusoon]

[quote name='urbanhawk'][B][COLOR=black]Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but that ended a few months ago, of being able to call in.:eek:[/COLOR][/B][/QUOTE]

Ok thanks. I didn't get the memo. That's not right of Carnival to have taken that away just because they don't have a desk for it on the ship; and it should have been an indication to all of you that it would go fleetwide - as we all now see.

[martinchem]

[quote name='Sargent_Schultz']There is nothing to defend and yes, I'm fine with it.

All it takes is a modicum of advance planning to have a cruise or two in mind and then book it while on a cruise. You get the same OBC as before. I don't see anything that would prevent you from later transferring the booking to your favorite TA for a better price.[/QUOTE]

But that doesn't do anything for booking a cruise out of the blue just because you see a deal you can't refuse.

[pe4all]

[quote name='firefly333']??? but you dont get any better deals booking onboard than you would booking on your own. they dont discount.

Not sure what you are getting at.. and I usually agree with your posts.[/QUOTE]
I also have never yet found a better price when I comparison shopped on board. I usually have a cruise in mind for the following Christmas, and check the prices when I get on whatever ship I Christmas cruise on. Not once have I ever gotten a better price than I saw at home. I usually book my next Christmas cruise a few days after I get home. I like my pvp, and would rather he get the credit than a "stranger!!" Now, it will be interesting to see if they continue to offer a perk for booking on the ship, or if they'll cut that out also.

[ShakyBeef]

[quote name='scperk']Have you priced any cruises while on board, you can get some great rates and OBC....WE are retired and are always looking for a good deal so booking on board might be a good option..You can then transfer the booking to your TA.....Dennis[/quote]

I can appreciate that booking onboard works for you and others. For me (and still others), it is not going to happen. It is not how I want to spend my time while cruising.

I enjoy the process of cruise shopping and planning while at home, stretched out over several days (sometimes weeks). I start the process sometime after a cruise, when I start "itching" for another cruise. Sometimes that is days after my last cruise, sometimes it is months later. But it is never during my cruise. During a cruise, I only want to think about [I]that[/I] cruise.:)

[LindaJean]

With Princess and HAL also part of the Carnival Corporation, wonder how long before they discontinue future cruise certs. I will miss getting the Carnival FCCs.

[Arizona cruisers]

[COLOR=indigo]I just talked to my PVP and he said all we need to do is call with the booking number when we return and it will be his booking.[/COLOR]
[COLOR=indigo][/COLOR]
[COLOR=indigo]I am really not happy about this...agree with the waste of vacation time to book another cruise. We had a very difficult time to purchase a fcc recently - the person was either not there when scheduled or was busy signing up people for the credit card.[/COLOR]
[COLOR=indigo][/COLOR]
[COLOR=indigo]We miss the new deadline by two days![/COLOR]
[COLOR=indigo][/COLOR]
[COLOR=indigo]Too many changes too fast! We may be close to the end with Carnival :mad:[/COLOR]

[wiskt]

[quote name='pe4all']I also have never yet found a better price when I comparison shopped on board. I usually have a cruise in mind for the following Christmas, and check the prices when I get on whatever ship I Christmas cruise on. Not once have I ever gotten a better price than I saw at home. I usually book my next Christmas cruise a few days after I get home. I like my pvp, and would rather he get the credit than a "stranger!!" Now, it will be interesting to see if they continue to offer a perk for booking on the ship, or if they'll cut that out also.[/quote]


Ive never seen any cheaper rates while onboard either. According to the initial report you can still get up to $200 OBC for an onboard booking. That at least they are not taking away.... yet.

So glad Im sailing 9/22-30 and plan to stock up with 2-3 or 4 while on board the LEGEND. I bought 3 on my last trip Sept 2011 and used all of them already. Im sure Ill be booking at least 3 more over 3 years. This was one itiem that sort of helped with paying myself back on a SOLO cruise. It may not be returning full price of the 2nd half of th ecabin, but at least it was something that made the sting of the double price a little more easier to take.

[foxesden1]

Yep I feel the same way - one time I tried to make a cruise booking while on the ship, 45min wasted, with nothing to show for it. Never again. Now they took away FCC, so rather then our family cruising twice a year, it will be maybe once a year - between the FCC being lost and the travel agent perks, something has to give. So we are going to be cruising less.

[going2cruz]

[quote name='gck1249']Here is the latest news on the upcoming discontinuation of the Future Carnival Vacations certificate program. The decision to discontinue this program was made based on the economic performance of the program. For all sailings departing on or after September 27, 2012 we will no longer offer the Future Carnival Vacations certificate for purchase. All outstanding certificates will be honored up to the expiration date printed on the face of the certificate. While the certificate offer will be discontinued fleet wide, you willl still be offered the convenience of making a confirmed booking onboard during their cruise. Loyalty & Cruise Experts will assist guests in booking their next cruise at the Future Carnival Vacations desk on all ships, except for the Carnival Imagination, Inspiration, Sensation, Spirit and Victory. Guests will be able to select the ship and sail date of their next cruise, and will receive an Onboard Credit of up to $200 per stateroom for their next sailing. The Onboard Credit can be used in conjunction with any other promotion, excluding interline, friends & family and employee reduced rate travel.
UGGGGGG I sail September 30, 2012 and was going to buy 4 !!!![/quote]

OK sure and Cayhill has nothing to do with it .....cause everyone says he's corperate and not ccl .....sure .............keep drinking the cool-aid....

If I lose this and the investors discount well next year I'll cut two CCL cruises and that means in 2014 I'll be trying NCL and RCCl for a second time when I add two cruises back. I guess I'll be calling my broker tomorrow to transfer the stock over RCCL while it still trades a little under CCL and while RCCL still offers the investors credit.

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My VP's of over 10 years rersponse in and email today:

Vince,

I don't what you're referring to? The future cruise voucher, that you buy onboard? That's one of our more popular promotions and I haven't heard anything about it ending.

From: Vince
Sent: Thursday, September 13, 2012 10:36 AM
To:
Subject: Future Cruise Credit



I just heard that the future cruise credit program ending this month.
Is the investors credit program being taken away too?

[carpeperdiem]

[quote name='JdoggCruiser']Just sold my stock at $37[/QUOTE]

Why did you do that? Do you have a sure-thing that will bring you at least a 6% return without any appreciation? Well, of course you must... BUT considering CCL pays about 6% (2.6% div + the tax free OBC if you cruise once a year) before any appreciation, it's an interesting stock to hold - (100 shares) - so any appreciation is sweet. I am not a trader -- but I am not a buy and hold and watch things deteriorate guy either. I have been buying CCL for years -- tight stops on the downside, and letting things run when they decide to go up. It subsidizes my trips. Just sayin...

[big_duck]

[quote name='going2cruz']OK sure and Cayhill has nothing to do with it .....cause everyone says he's corperate and not ccl .....sure .............keep drinking the cool-aid....

If I lose this and the investors discount well next year I'll cut two CCL cruises and that means in 2014 I'll be trying NCL and RCCl for a second time when I add two cruises back. I guess I'll be calling my broker tomorrow to transfer the stock over RCCL while it still trades a little under CCL and while RCCL still offers the investors credit.

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My VP's of over 10 years rersponse in and email today:

Vince,

I don't what you're referring to? The future cruise voucher, that you buy onboard? That's one of our more popular promotions and I haven't heard anything about it ending.

From: Vince
Sent: Thursday, September 13, 2012 10:36 AM
To:
Subject: Future Cruise Credit



I just heard that the future cruise credit program ending this month.
Is the investors credit program being taken away too?[/QUOTE]

Other way round, Cahill is CCL, not corporate.

[url]http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=140690&p=irol-govmanage[/url]

[buddylover]

[quote name='firefly333']So .. [COLOR=red]its just the certificate gone[/COLOR], you cant buy one and bring it home.. but you still get the same OBC by booking onboard right?[/quote]

[FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3][COLOR=blue].....and the $100 reduction in payment of your fare......yes, you still get the OBC, but not the other $100 perk!! It stinks for sure.....[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]

[big_duck]

[quote name='buddylover'][FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3][COLOR=blue].....and the $100 reduction in payment of your fare......yes, you still get the OBC, but not the other $100 perk!! It stinks for sure.....[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/QUOTE]

The $100 fare reduction is just getting your FCC purchase back; it is a zero sum benefit.

[English Tim]

[quote name='Sargent_Schultz']What is NCL's refund policy on those?[/QUOTE]

Are you being fed questions, by Carnival?;)

[English Tim]

[quote name='Sargent_Schultz']As mentioned, there is no need to defend it or myself.[/QUOTE]

Interesting that you now have a signature to your posts, which is something you were strongly opposed to last year, as it takes up bandwidth. What has changed your mind - the VIP status perhaps?