Carnival is eliminating FCCs

[sppunk]

Just saw this thread: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1705285

 

Carnival is doing away with future cruise credits. You will still be able to book a specific cruise and receive on board credit, but no longer get OBC for an open booking.

 

Let us hope this stays with Carnival itself and doesn't branch to sister lines.

[PathfinderEss]

One can only hope.........

[Cruising-along]

Yes, keeping fingers crossed.....

We always do an open booking FCC and book later when we make up our minds. I wouldn't like to see this with HAL.

[Salacia]

Hi sppunk. Thanks for the heads-up. Maybe putting the pressure on for specific bookings will work on some ships with some passengers, but it won't work for me. Thanks again, -S.

 

See https://www.goccl.com/content/news_and_alerts/documents/FAQ_Future_Carnival_Vacations_Program_091112_final.pdf

[Krazy Kruizers]

Thank you for the link.

 

Only time will tell as to what will happen in the future with HAL.

[CtheW0rld]

i don't use them, but it seems like a dumb idea to eliminate the fcc. you've got a gauranteed future customer when you sell a fcc.

[KirkNC]

The bad thing is that so many things do trickle over from Carnival.

[kazu]

The bad thing is that so many things do trickle over from Carnival.

 

so true - I usually can't book on the ship as we need to check DH's vacation time - however I usually get inspired to book and then we get our FCC. Doesn't sound like a good idea to me at all - holding an open FCC encourages you to book;)

[CtheW0rld]

The bad thing is that so many things do trickle over from Carnival.

 

hal probably wouldn't be in existence today without carnival's backing.

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

One can only hope.........

I agree...

[sail7seas]

We buy FDC's to use after we get home.

I will never use my vacation time, make an appointment and sit with a FCC to book a future cruise without a VERY good reason for doing so. We have not found that very good reason, yet.

 

I always buy the FCD's and use them at our leisure.

 

[Viesczy]

That's a dumb idea IMNSHO, I mean w/o knowing our respective PTO calendars and getting approval we can't book anything.

 

Putting some $ down to be used for whenever we can get off is the best idea.

 

I guess CCL wants to KNOW exactly when they're going to make their $ so they can justify the bonus(es) to all those suits whose "greatest contribution" is limiting/lowering the provided product? :confused: Those are the same sorta guys/gals that will have something geometrically rearranged to lower the # of units, still charge the same price, rave about how they just made $0.03 more profit w/o ONCE thinking how they've screwed their source of income--us! You see it industry, nay worldwide! :mad:

 

Derek

[sail7seas]

As a reminder......

 

It can get confusing when mixing up the abbreviations

 

I sometimes have to read some posts several times when referring to FCC's and FCD's as they are frequently interchanged.

 

FCC = Future Cruise Consultant

(S)he is the representaive on board the ships who books future cruises and from whom we buy the FCD's.

 

FCD = Future Cruise Deposit

That is the item that enables us to place only $100 pp for most cruises and provides the OBC. They can be used at any time. Some of them say four years, non-refundable. Others do not have that language.

 

I hope HAL does not do away with the FCD's.

I don't mind if there are no FCC's on the ships if they find another way for us to purchase the FCD's without even using a FCC. Put a form in our cabin and let us turn it in at the front office would suffice IMO

 

[LAFFNVEGAS]

Not Suprising that Carnival is eliminating them, it kind of goes along with many of their other changes and strategy in selling.

First off Carnival's Future Cruise "Certificate" was not a Future Cruise Deposit like HAL and Princess.It never was :rolleyes: You still had to book a Future Cruise and pay the FULL Deposit then either the TA and or the passengers would have to turn in that certificate to Carnival to get that extra money applied to receive extra Ship Board Credit. It never really encouraged people to book a new cruise since they still had to come up with the deposit. Many people would ever forget they had it. Basically was just a lot of work for TA's, Passengers and Carnival. Then if a client purchased a cruise after Final it was almost impossible to use because it took that department 3 to 5 days to apply the credit and the full amount would be due on a cruise. Just way too many problems with their program :mad:

Then it also goes along the line Carnival eliminating Ship Board Credits. TA's can no longer give any type of Cash value gift. JMPO Carnival had problems processing these gifts, so many times people would not get what was to be given to them. We will see a year from now how On Board spending is for Carnival when they elimiate all these ways of having passengers have extra Ship Board Credit. It has been a proven fact that when you give passengers Ship Board Credit they tend to spend far more on board which in turn, turns into more on board revenue. Carnival is looking for ways to trim down the fat in paying employees in Miami. I got bets that eventually On Board Revenue will suffer.

I really doubt seriously you will see HAL or Princess change or eliminate this. Why should they? They sitting on this extra cash knowing people will eventually use to encourage booking. Most people do actually book quickly with HAL after they purchase their FCC.

Now kind of just the opposite direction of Carnival is Norwegian's Future Cruise Deposit. You Purchase a Future Cruise Deposit of $250.00 (Their normal deposit for a 7 day cruise PP) but this is good for everyone in the cabin as well as any length of cruise. When you purchase on board you imediately get $100.00 in Ship Board Credit on your present cruise which encourages spending RIGHT NOW. You do not get Ship Board Credit for when your booking the Future Cruise. Interesting thing with this is that these are transferable and you can buy up to 4 on each sailing then give them to who ever you like. So if you buy 4 you get instantly $400 in SBC. This has been a huge sucess for NCL.

Over ALL Carnival had the worst program out there so who knows they may totally revamp it and they will introduce something new later on down the road.

[Jumbiecruiser]

Carnival is clearly the bottom of the heap when it comes to cruise lines. They are now in class all by themselves. They have gone beyond budget cruising.

[LAFFNVEGAS]

As a reminder......

 

It can get confusing when mixing up the abbreviations

 

I sometimes have to read some posts several times when referring to FCC's and FCD's as they are frequently interchanged.

 

FCC = Future Cruise Consultant

(S)he is the representaive on board the ships who books future cruises and from whom we buy the FCD's.

 

FCD = Future Cruise Deposit

That is the item that enables us to place only $100 pp for most cruises and provides the OBC. They can be used at any time. Some of them say four years, non-refundable. Others do not have that language.

 

I hope HAL does not do away with the FCD's.

I don't mind if there are no FCC's on the ships if they find another way for us to purchase the FCD's without even using a FCC. Put a form in our cabin and let us turn it in at the front office would suffice IMO

 

Sail, actually Carnival called them FCC because they were Future Cruise Certificates. They were not deposits, so in this case in talking about Carnival FCC is correct ;)

[Cruising-along]

Lisa, thank you for the very informative post! I learned a lot this morning. :)

[sail7seas]

Sail, actually Carnival called them FCC because they were Future Cruise Certificates. They were not deposits, so in this case in talking about Carnival FCC is correct ;)

 

 

But, Lisa, ;)

This is the HAL board and the discussion raised here included whether HAL would follow suit.

 

[LAFFNVEGAS]

But, Lisa, ;)

This is the HAL board and the discussion raised here included whether HAL would follow suit.

 

Sail my correction to you is that that program of Carnival's that is being canceleld is NOT a Deposit so it is not a FCD it is a FCC and Carnival calls them Future Cruise Certificates They are a Certificate that passengers purchase for $100 and Carnival gives them a Ship Board Credit to hold on to their money that they can later apply toward a cruise they book but it cannot be the deposit. The passenger must book a cruise, pay the FULL deposit then cash in this Certificate that gets applied toward that booking to receive a relatively small Ship Board Credit. Lots of paper work and a very silly way of doing it.

 

This is absolutely nothing like what HAL does and I am stating the reason why I doubt HAL would even consider following suit because what Carnival has is not at all what HAL or Princess does. IT really is comparing apples and oranges.

 

HAL very seldom has ever followed what Carnival does, the cruise line that HAL follows is Princess ;)

[sail7seas]

;) Yes, Lisa.

I fully read and totally understood. You expressed it clearly and I 'got it'.

 

I was making a separate point which it seems I did Not express clearly. :)

 

I appreciate all you contribute.

[solocanadian]

Thanks for the clarification, Lisa. One just has to remember they have a Future Cruise Deposit with HAL. As a Canadian, I also have to remember whether I made it in U.S. or Canadian dollars. A couple of years ago I finally remembered I had an FCD in U.S. dollars which I had completely forgotten about. It took a smart on board cruise consultant to ask and check. It if were not for him I probably would have lost that money. I'm really not a fan of these on board consultants but did appreciate this guy.:)

[boards]

We have the same problem. We purchased FCD in US several years ago and have not used it because it was dollar wise better for us to purchase cruise in Canadian funds. Wish we could use it either way and have them apply the exchange rate to it.

[serendipity1499]

Not Suprising that Carnival is eliminating them, it kind of goes along with many of their other changes and strategy in selling.

 

First off Carnival's Future Cruise "Certificate" was not a Future Cruise Deposit like HAL and Princess.It never was :rolleyes: You still had to book a Future Cruise and pay the FULL Deposit then either the TA and or the passengers would have to turn in that certificate to Carnival to get that extra money applied to receive extra Ship Board Credit. It never really encouraged people to book a new cruise since they still had to come up with the deposit. Many people would ever forget they had it. Basically was just a lot of work for TA's, Passengers and Carnival. Then if a client purchased a cruise after Final it was almost impossible to use because it took that department 3 to 5 days to apply the credit and the full amount would be due on a cruise. Just way too many problems with their program :mad:

 

Then it also goes along the line Carnival eliminating Ship Board Credits. TA's can no longer give any type of Cash value gift. JMPO Carnival had problems processing these gifts, so many times people would not get what was to be given to them. We will see a year from now how On Board spending is for Carnival when they elimiate all these ways of having passengers have extra Ship Board Credit. It has been a proven fact that when you give passengers Ship Board Credit they tend to spend far more on board which in turn, turns into more on board revenue. Carnival is looking for ways to trim down the fat in paying employees in Miami. I got bets that eventually On Board Revenue will suffer.

 

I really doubt seriously you will see HAL or Princess change or eliminate this. Why should they? They sitting on this extra cash knowing people will eventually use to encourage booking. Most people do actually book quickly with HAL after they purchase their FCC.

 

Now kind of just the opposite direction of Carnival is Norwegian's Future Cruise Deposit. You Purchase a Future Cruise Deposit of $250.00 (Their normal deposit for a 7 day cruise PP) but this is good for everyone in the cabin as well as any length of cruise. When you purchase on board you imediately get $100.00 in Ship Board Credit on your present cruise which encourages spending RIGHT NOW. You do not get Ship Board Credit for when your booking the Future Cruise. Interesting thing with this is that these are transferable and you can buy up to 4 on each sailing then give them to who ever you like. So if you buy 4 you get instantly $400 in SBC. This has been a huge sucess for NCL.

 

Over ALL Carnival had the worst program out there so who knows they may totally revamp it and they will introduce something new later on down the road.

 

Thanks Lisa for your very clear explanation...Hopefully future posters on this thread will read your explanation & the entire thread before getting worried about HAL's Future Cruise Deposits..

Cheers...:)Betty

[SilvertoGold]

Thanks for the clarification, Lisa. One just has to remember they have a Future Cruise Deposit with HAL. As a Canadian, I also have to remember whether I made it in U.S. or Canadian dollars. A couple of years ago I finally remembered I had an FCD in U.S. dollars which I had completely forgotten about. It took a smart on board cruise consultant to ask and check. It if were not for him I probably would have lost that money. I'm really not a fan of these on board consultants but did appreciate this guy.:)

 

Without my asking about the status of my FCDs/FCCs my TA tells me what I have every time I ask for a quote. It is certainly to her benefit to look it up and yours should, too, automatically.

[sail7seas]

Here's a suggestion...... :)

 

Make a note on the front cover of your Cruise Atlas listing the certificate number of your FCD's. As you use one or purchase another, update the list. :)