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Future Cruise Deposit

qsuzi

By qsuzi,
in Holland America Line

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qsuzi

qsuzi

Posted
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Are "Open Bookings" part of HAL's Future Cruise Deposit Program? I read HAL information on this and it only mentioned booking a cruise (ship and date), but I just want to make sure. thanks from this newbie.

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DaveOKC

DaveOKC

Posted
Posted
Are "Open Bookings" part of HAL's Future Cruise Deposit Program? I read HAL information on this and it only mentioned booking a cruise (ship and date), but I just want to make sure. thanks from this newbie.

 

I am not quite sure what your question is or what "open bookings" are.

 

The Future Cruise Deposit Program is offered onboard every ship. You put down $100 per person towards a future cruise (which you can book then or later once you get home) and this $100 serves as your deposit for the cruise (if it is under 21 days) you select (normally the deposit is ALOT more than $100. You have 4 years to book the cruise (you get your money back if you end up not booking anything).

 

PLUS, you get some On Board Credits on the future cruise. This varies by type of cabin and length of cruise booked (from $25 to $100 on cruises under 21 days).

 

This is a great program and we use it all the time. You can purchase more than one per person if you wish, but you have to pay (credit card) at the time.

 

Best part.... once you get home, you LIKELY will get an email from Holland America welcoming you home and offering to DOUBLE the On Board Credits (OBC) if you book within 2 months.

 

On our upcoming 7 day cruise we are getting $100 each in OBC, which can be combined with just about all the other offers out there. That $200 will more than pay for the automatic gratuity that Holland charges.

 

Any other questions?

 

DaveOKC

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SJSULIBRARIAN

SJSULIBRARIAN

Posted
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Any Future Cruise Deposits you may buy while aboard will be linked to your Mariner's number so they are easily identified when you ready to use them for a future booking.

 

 

Definitely true. I had forgotten that I had one of the old $100. each FCDs and when I booked with HAL recently , the agent told me she would use the $200. for the deposit. Nice surprise.

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igraf

igraf

Posted
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I personally avoid anything like future deposits, paid discount memberships, etc., and am very suspicious of anything that has to bought within tight time constraints. Better just to keep our options open, which has saved us much more than what people receive in FCD ship credits.

 

Also, there have been postings on this forum from people who were denied the use of their future credits.

 

igraf

 

 

 

 

 

Do you have to be on board a cruise to buy a FCC? We haven't taken a HAL cruise yet but are planning to in the summer of 2016.
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SilvertoGold

SilvertoGold

Posted
Posted
I personally avoid anything like future deposits, paid discount memberships, etc., and am very suspicious of anything that has to bought within tight time constraints. Better just to keep our options open, which has saved us much more than what people receive in FCD ship credits.

 

Also, there have been postings on this forum from people who were denied the use of their future credits.

 

igraf

 

The deposits are fully refundable if you don't use them.

You can keep your options open by waiting until you find the exact cruise you want.

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sail7seas

sail7seas

Posted
Posted
I personally avoid anything like future deposits, paid discount memberships, etc., and am very suspicious of anything that has to bought within tight time constraints. Better just to keep our options open, which has saved us much more than what people receive in FCD ship credits.

 

Also, there have been postings on this forum from people who were denied the use of their future credits.

 

igraf

 

They are automatically refunded if not used by expiration date.

When my DH passed away, the FCD's we had in his name were just about immediately credited back to the credit card that paid for them. I didn't even request it.

 

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DaveOKC

DaveOKC

Posted
Posted
I personally avoid anything like future deposits, paid discount memberships, etc., and am very suspicious of anything that has to bought within tight time constraints. Better just to keep our options open, which has saved us much more than what people receive in FCD ship credits.

 

Also, there have been postings on this forum from people who were denied the use of their future credits.

 

igraf

 

I disagree. HAL's FCD program is a no lose deal - a very low deposit, extra OBC (on board credits), often bonus OBC with the Welcome Back email, and you automatically get your money back after 4 years if you do not use them. I just do not see the downside. Plus, IMO 4 years is not a "tight time constraint".

 

DaveOKC

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Mary Ellen

Mary Ellen

Posted
Posted
I personally avoid anything like future deposits, paid discount memberships, etc., and am very suspicious of anything that has to bought within tight time constraints. Better just to keep our options open, which has saved us much more than what people receive in FCD ship credits.

 

Also, there have been postings on this forum from people who were denied the use of their future credits.

 

igraf

The only postings I've seen where people were denied use of a FCD were those where they wanted to use them for Grand Voyages or segments thereof. Those have always been expressly stated as an exception for the use of a FCD. The posters were upset that, no matter that what the terms were when buying the FCD, they still expected to use that $100 deposit for a Grand Voyage. At least since the change in the FCD program, where there is now a sliding scale of the FCD determined by the length of the cruise, people have seemed more aware of the (quite reasonable) restrictions about Grand Voyages.
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RuthC

RuthC

Posted
Posted
Also, there have been postings on this forum from people who were denied the use of their future credits.

This statement is at best misleading.

It's been rare, but I have seen this type of denial from people who purchased the FCD in one currency (such as Canadian), and wanted to pay for the cruise in another currency (such as US). That is understandable.

 

But I have never seen another posting (and I read practically all of them) where people were saying they had been denied use of their FCD when the typical circumstances are in play.

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sail7seas

sail7seas

Posted
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This statement is at best misleading.

It's been rare, but I have seen this type of denial from people who purchased the FCD in one currency (such as Canadian), and wanted to pay for the cruise in another currency (such as US). That is understandable.

 

But I have never seen another posting (and I read practically all of them) where people were saying they had been denied use of their FCD when the typical circumstances are in play.

 

Ditto......

I agree with every word. :)

 

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DaveOKC

DaveOKC

Posted
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This statement is at best misleading.

It's been rare, but I have seen this type of denial from people who purchased the FCD in one currency (such as Canadian), and wanted to pay for the cruise in another currency (such as US). That is understandable.

 

But I have never seen another posting (and I read practically all of them) where people were saying they had been denied use of their FCD when the typical circumstances are in play.

 

They are pretty flexible in combining with other programs. I just used them, plus the Welcome Home bonus, with Explore 4 ($300 OBC) and Cruise Week ($200) promotions.

 

DaveOKC

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igraf

igraf

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I was referring to the time constraint of having to buy them during a cruise.

 

The downside is that I would feel compelled to go again with HAL when there might be a better offering from another cruise line. HAL sells FCDs for good business reasons.

 

igraf

 

 

 

 

I disagree. HAL's FCD program is a no lose deal - a very low deposit, extra OBC (on board credits), often bonus OBC with the Welcome Back email, and you automatically get your money back after 4 years if you do not use them. I just do not see the downside. Plus, IMO 4 years is not a "tight time constraint".

 

DaveOKC

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DaveOKC

DaveOKC

Posted
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I was referring to the time constraint of having to buy them during a cruise.

 

The downside is that I would feel compelled to go again with HAL when there might be a better offering from another cruise line. HAL sells FCDs for good business reasons.

 

igraf

 

Just FYI - you can ask for a form from the Future Cruise Consultant (or maybe the front desk or some folks have reported that they got them in their cabin mail) that you can fill out at your leisure and drop off at the future cruise consultant desk. Takes less than 5 minutes.

 

DaveOKC

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sail7seas

sail7seas

Posted
Posted (edited)
Just FYI - you can ask for a form from the Future Cruise Consultant (or maybe the front desk or some folks have reported that they got them in their cabin mail) that you can fill out at your leisure and drop off at the future cruise consultant desk. Takes less than 5 minutes.

 

DaveOKC

 

I posted last week I never even meet the FCC and purchase FCD's through use of my mailbox and the concierge. I tell them how many I want, they charge the credit card I have on record and deliver the receipts to my mailbox. I don't spend five minutes and I do it when I feel like it.

 

Anyone with access to telephone concierge vs Neptune Lounge concierge can do the same.

I would inquire at Front Office to see if they would handle that for you if that sounds like a plan for you.

 

 

Edited by sail7seas
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