Booking a future cruise onboard or not?

[allfloridagirl]

Hi All,

 

I recently booked a 4 day cruise in December on the Ruby Princess. I am now interested in booking another cruise for New England Oct '14. Question is, would I be better off to wait and book this cruise onboard the ship in December or book it now before the cruise? If I book it now, the online site is offering a $50 onboard credit and a deposit of $260 in order to book.

 

I've booked future cruises while onboard and remember that the deposit was like $100 bucks or around there but I don't recall if I received an onboard credit or not. I'm not as worried about paying a higher deposit with the online site but if I would get a better onboard credit with Princess, I would go that route and wait until December.

 

I am a Platinum member but not sure it matters either way. My husband is a vet, so we would get the $100 credit on that as well, right?

 

I appreciate your input and experiences with booking future cruises onboard.

[Seafoam Green]

Hi All,

 

I recently booked a 4 day cruise in December on the Ruby Princess. I am now interested in booking another cruise for New England Oct '14. Question is, would I be better off to wait and book this cruise onboard the ship in December or book it now before the cruise? If I book it now, the online site is offering a $50 onboard credit and a deposit of $260 in order to book.

 

I've booked future cruises while onboard and remember that the deposit was like $100 bucks or around there but I don't recall if I received an onboard credit or not. I'm not as worried about paying a higher deposit with the online site but if I would get a better onboard credit with Princess, I would go that route and wait until December.

 

I am a Platinum member but not sure it matters either way. My husband is a vet, so we would get the $100 credit on that as well, right?

 

I appreciate your input and experiences with booking future cruises onboard.

 

I wouldn't necessarily book the cruise on board, but I would definitely purchase FCC on board to increase the OBC on your future cruise.

 

:D

[casavaha]

I either book onboard or buy FCC's (future cruise credits). With FCC's you will get OBC

and pay just $100.00 for deposit. You can always switch your onboard booking to

an online travel agent later. Thus getting obc from Princess and your agent.

 

Greg

[allfloridagirl]

I either book onboard or buy FCC's (future cruise credits). With FCC's you will get OBC

and pay just $100.00 for deposit. You can always switch your onboard booking to

an online travel agent later. Thus getting obc from Princess and your agent.

 

Greg

 

Sorry, I don't understand buying future cruise credits. I'm not familiar with this. Last time I was on a ship was back in 2008. Is this something new or have I just missed this on previous cruises? How does that work? Is it something like buy $100 now and get $150 OBC?

[Pam in CA]

Sorry, I don't understand buying future cruise credits. I'm not familiar with this. Last time I was on a ship was back in 2008. Is this something new or have I just missed this on previous cruises? How does that work? Is it something like buy $100 now and get $150 OBC?

You must have missed it because FCCs have been around for a very long time. :( Princess calls them "Future Cruise Deposits." You pay $100 for each FCC/FCD. It can be used to book a cruise while onboard or after you get home for any cruise within the next two years (with the exception of a world cruise or world cruise segment.) By booking with an FCC/FCD, you get OBC ranging from $25-150, depending on the length of the cruise and cabin type. It's a win/win since you get a return on your money and it gives you the flexibility to book a cruise when you want.

 

FYI, when you purchase an FCC onboard, it's charged directly to your credit card on record, not to your onboard folio. Princess treats it like an actual cruise deposit so it's a different accounting system. FCCs can be bought only for passengers actually onboard the ship. Not friends or relatives not on the cruise.

 

You can buy more than one per-person. I usually have two on my Captain's Circle account.

Edited September 18, 2013 by Pam in CA

[allfloridagirl]

You must have missed it because FCCs have been around for a very long time. :( Princess calls them "Future Cruise Deposits." You pay $100 for each FCC/FCD. It can be used to book a cruise while onboard or after you get home for any cruise within the next two years (with the exception of a world cruise or world cruise segment.) By booking with an FCC/FCD, you get OBC ranging from $25-150, depending on the length of the cruise and cabin type. It's a win/win since you get a return on your money and it gives you the flexibility to book a cruise when you want.

 

FYI, when you purchase an FCC onboard, it's charged directly to your credit card on record, not to your onboard folio. Princess treats it like an actual cruise deposit so it's a different accounting system. FCCs can be bought only for passengers actually onboard the ship. Not friends or relatives not on the cruise.

 

You can buy more than one per-person. I usually have two on my Captain's Circle account.

 

Okay, so it's no different than what I was thinking. I just didn't understand FCC, as I always thought of it as our future deposit for whenever we wanted to sail, including some onboard credit.

 

The online site is offering a few more perks than just the $50 OBC. They emailed me that I would receive an add'l $75 bucks to book excursions through them, as well as a 2.5% rebate, once my cruise was completed, which will equate to another $60 bucks off of our cruise. I will go ahead and put at least $200 FCC for my husband and I when I'm onboard the Ruby in December, as that way we'll be encourage to take another cruise within a few years.

[bconley351]

Are there rules about when you can use a FCC? When we were on our HL cruise last October we booked our5 day Royal cruise. We were not allowed to use our FCC, and were told our booking would be through the TA that had booked the current cruise. Was this correct, or did the person at the desk have bad info? I've been wondering about that.

[Eagle Eye]

The 2 year future cruise expiration dates can be extended by notifying Princess.

[FritzG]

Are there rules about when you can use a FCC? When we were on our HL cruise last October we booked our5 day Royal cruise. We were not allowed to use our FCC, and were told our booking would be through the TA that had booked the current cruise. Was this correct, or did the person at the desk have bad info? I've been wondering about that.

 

That doesn't sound right to me unless it was some kind of special promotion. On our TA last fall we bought FCC's and immediately used two of them to book our April 2013 Hawaiian cruise while onboard. The booking listed our travel agent as the booking agent. We generally don't book while onboard, but a big sale started during our cruise.

Edited September 18, 2013 by FritzG

[Kinkacruiser]

We like to give the business to our TA, so just buy the FCC's on-board and book with her. You still get the on-board credits with the FCCs.

[Pam in CA]

Are there rules about when you can use a FCC? When we were on our HL cruise last October we booked our5 day Royal cruise. We were not allowed to use our FCC, and were told our booking would be through the TA that had booked the current cruise. Was this correct, or did the person at the desk have bad info? I've been wondering about that.

No, that's not quite correct. By default, an FCC will be linked to the TA used to book your current cruise. You can request that it be a Princess FCC and not attributed to any TA. But you have to request that.

 

The FCC OBC is not related to and should have nothing to do with FCC offered by a TA. One has nothing to do with the other and I would never use a TA that inferred otherwise. Unlike some other cruise lines, Princess allows OBC to be combined. You don't have to choose which one to get. You get them all. On my upcoming cruise, I'm getting $50 from my TA, $150 for using an FCC, $250 as a shareholder benefit and another credit ($50?) for completing more than 30 cruises. That's all added up so I'm starting with a really nice credit on my folio upon boarding.

 

[NavyVeteran]

You get them all. On my upcoming cruise, I'm getting $50 from my TA, $150 for using an FCC, $250 as a shareholder benefit and another credit ($50?) for completing more than 30 cruises. That's all added up so I'm starting with a really nice credit on my folio upon boarding.

 

You're missing out. You really need to enlist in the military to complete your OBC portfolio.;)

[Colo Cruiser]

We never book onboard, just buy the FCC's.

[Pam in CA]

You're missing out. You really need to enlist in the military to complete your OBC portfolio.;)

Think they'd take an overweight, extremely nearsighted, 72YO grey-haired lady? :)

[Go-Bucks!]

Think they'd take an overweight, extremely nearsighted, 72YO grey-haired lady? :)

 

 

Probably. ;) :p

[Go-Bucks!]

I've booked future cruises while onboard and remember that the deposit was like $100 bucks or around there but I don't recall if I received an onboard credit or not. I'm not as worried about paying a higher deposit with the online site but if I would get a better onboard credit with Princess, I would go that route and wait until December.

 

 

I had never booked a cruise onboard until this summer and have always used FCC's for the deposit. BUT . . . . we talked to the future cruise rep and here's the deal we got.

 

We wanted to book 4 short consecutive B2B segments (2, 3-day and 2, 4-day). Princess only required a $50 per segment deposit, gave us $25 OBC per segment and they booked the cruise under our travel agent.

 

If we had used an FCC, we would have had to buy a $100 FCC for each segment ($400 deposit) and would have only gotten $15 OBC per segment from the FCC. So we ended up saving $200 on the deposit and got $40 more in OBC just to book while on the ship. And we still have it booked through our TA, not Princess.

 

I'm not sure if this was a special deal or not, but it only made sense to us to do it this way. And our TA is also giving us $25 OBC per segment as well as her 11% cheaper price than Princess! :D

[faymuiheng]

Are there rules about when you can use a FCC? When we were on our HL cruise last October we booked our5 day Royal cruise. We were not allowed to use our FCC, and were told our booking would be through the TA that had booked the current cruise. Was this correct, or did the person at the desk have bad info? I've been wondering about that.

 

Is there a minimum amount of days you need in order to use the FCC. I know on NCL, the cruise credits are only valid on cruises 7 days or more.

[Go-Bucks!]

Is there a minimum amount of days you need in order to use the FCC. I know on NCL, the cruise credits are only valid on cruises 7 days or more.

 

 

Princess allows you to use an FCC on a cruise of at least 3 days. NCL rules are very different from Princess'. I like the way Princess handles FCC's; personally, I won't buy any on NCL after reading how theirs works.

Edited September 19, 2013 by Go-Bucks!

[Times Prince]

I've recently seen an offer that appeared to exclude use of FCC. I phoned Princess and they said there were other offerings, like group fares, which did not combine. My booking via a TA did not have the restriction, although it was cited on the standard confirmation form.

 

The Future Cruise Deposit can be used even if one is booking last minute and the entire cruise fare is due. It just becomes the first $100 of your fare payment. Then you still get the onboard credit that works as Pam described.

[Pam in CA]

I've recently seen an offer that appeared to exclude use of FCC. I phoned Princess and they said there were other offerings, like group fares, which did not combine. My booking via a TA did not have the restriction, although it was cited on the standard confirmation form.

You can't use an FCC to book a "Flash" sale nor for a world cruise or segment. Chances are that with some of the recent sales and promotions, you can't use an FCC either.

[IECalCruiser]

...Chances are that with some of the recent sales and promotions, you can't use an FCC either.

They definitely can be used on the current "3 for Free" sale.

[trbarton]

I just booked the West Coast Getaway with Catalina and used a FCC as a deposit and only received $15 OBC listed as "Onboard Sales Promotion". Is this credit from my FCC? I also have $50 Military credit. My T/A has faxed in my Carnival Stock Benefits so I will get credit from that plus I have an additional $68 in credit that surprised my T/A but it was from 2 BVE. Plan to buy some more FCC's while onboard as their always good to have. May check out what perks I can get if I book while onboard. If I buy a FCC while onboard can I have that credit applied right away to a future cruise?

 

Thanks!

 

Tom

Edited September 20, 2013 by trbarton

[Hlitner]

We recently booked a longer Ruby cruise (26 day) and almost forgot we had an old Frequent Cruise Credit(FCC) on our account. That FCC cost us $200 ($100 each). So with our booking the original $200 was applied to our booking as the deposit. In addition we were given another $150 per person OBC as part of the FCC terms. Then we were able to get the $250 military credit plus another $250 OBC (Stockholder Credit) plus an additional $835 OBC from our TA. Now since this was done during a Princess promotion we also got a $200 OBC for shore excursions plus a free dinner in an alternative restaurant worth about $50. Now one needs a calculator to figure all this stuff but it seems to be about $1885. Kind of boggles the mind.

 

Hank

Edited September 20, 2013 by Hlitner

[donaldsc]

The big advantage of on-line future cruise credits is that you can book future cruises with only a $100 deposit.

 

DON

[allfloridagirl]

The big advantage of on-line future cruise credits is that you can book future cruises with only a $100 deposit.

 

DON

 

Thank you. I finally got the concept. It's better to keep your options open. I'll do the FCC for my husband and I when we're on the Ruby in December and book our upcoming cruise from our TA when we get back home. Our TA seems to always give us addl goodies that is normally not offered by Princess, like rebates back to use once we've completed our cruise.