Expiration date of FCC?

[Thorben-Hendrik]

Hi,

what is the last date you can use a FCC?🤔

If the FCC expires on 12/12/2019 can it be applied to a cruise that departs 02/02/2020 ?🤔

Can FCC be split?👍

I know if the FCC is larger than the cruise fare you get a new FCC for the remainder……

👍

 

Thank you for the input!

[twangster]

FCC's should have the rules noted right on the FCC.  They can vary by region.  

 

Here are some T&Cs from a recent US based FCC:

 

• Redeemable towards cruise fare only. Guest is responsible for taxes and fees where applicable. Not valid on Complimentary cruises, Incentive bookings, or Charter sailings.
• One certificate per person, per booking, and valid only for the person noted on this certificate.
• If credit is applied to a booking of lesser value, the difference will be issued as a new Future Cruise Certificate.
• Royal Caribbean reserves the right to void the FCC Savings amount if the guest named above receives reimbursement.
• Cruise must be taken by 02/28/2020.
• Valid only for the cruise brand shown above.
• As are all requests for reservations, the offered space is subject to availability, and from time to time, itineraries may be altered or services on a specific ship may be discontinued. Certain restrictions apply
• Non-transferable and may not be redeemed for cash.

 

In typical Royal fashion the implementation of FCC rules is inconsistent.  

 

I used a partial amount from an FCC which clearly states "If credit is applied to a booking of lesser value, the difference will be issued as a new Future Cruise Certificate."  My travel agent reported a lot of grief attempting to split an FCC in this manner.  First denied but then In the end the unpublished rule became  - the first cruise where a partial FCC is applied must be completed before the difference will be issued in the form of a 2nd new FCC.

 

Based on that I had her apply the FCC to my next cruise so that it would complete sooner rather than later.

 

I completed that cruise last week.  Last week my travel agent was initially denied attempting to get the residual FCC issued.  Then they quoted the same rule "1st cruise must be completed".  She pointed out my 1st cruise had completed.  Her liaison at Royal then stated she has to send an email (4 to 5 business days) and that department has 14 business days to respond to her.   If successful the new FCC with be issued within 6 to 8 weeks. Add the month it takes for two Royal departments to communicate with each other plus the 8 weeks to issue the new FCC and I am looking at 3 months before my residual FCC will be available to use.  

 

This is why I wanted to use the first part of the FCC as soon as possible because who knows what date the new FCC will have given it takes 3 months just to get it issued.    It might have the same one year from original cruise date expiration.

 

In terms of dates, my cancelled cruise where the FCC noted above came from was to sail 2/28/2019.  Note the condition "Cruise must be taken by 02/28/2020".    I cannot apply this FCC to a cruise that departs anytime after 2/28/2020.  The booking date doesn't matter, the cruise must start by 2/28/2020.  However like all things Royal I have heard inconsistencies with respect to this.  By the letter of the rules though they can enforce the "use by" date.  

 

That is exactly why I wanted to use the 1st partial FCC amount as soon as possible in case the re-issued residual 2nd FCC date is still one year from original cancelled cruise date.  Fortunately I have more cruises booked that I can apply the 2nd FCC towards but for someone who only cruises once a year or once every two years the 2nd FCC may become expired before it can be used.  

 

When I asked my TA to apply the FCC to my next cruise, that cruise had been paid in full, it was ~45 days away at that point.  The FCC was applied and I received a credit card refund for the amount of the FCC we applied to that cruise.  FCC can't be used for ports fees and taxes so all but those were refunded to me on my credit card.  The point is that FCC can be applied to an existing booked cruise, even one paid in full.

 

Only one FCC can be applied to any given cruise.  If you have already applied another FCC to a future cruise, you can't apply a second FCC to the same cruise.  

 

Everything I have stated will likely be different for someone else.  It's consistently inconsistent.  

[Thorben-Hendrik]

8 minutes ago, twangster said:

the first cruise where a partial FCC is applied must be completed before the difference will be issued in the form of a 2nd new FCC. 

That's what the told me.... the problem is I have a B2B and the FCC will be higher than the first leg... now the next cruise past the 2nd leg is past the expiration date... unless the leftover FCC gets a new expiration date... 🤔

Never got a FCC in hand.... my TA gets them... 👍

I was told 30 days after the 1st cruise you get the leftover FCC... 🙄

Edited June 3, 2019 by Thorben-Hendrik

[twangster]

I've had two cruises cancelled by Royal this year.  In both cases they sent emails stating that FCC could take 6 - 8 weeks to issue but in both cases I was able to get the FCC in a few days.  The 3 months noted above is worst case scenario which if you deal with FCC long enough you are likely to encounter at some point.

 

I am hoping to get the residual FCC well before 3 months.  

 

Through a series of issues no fault of my own across 14-18 cruises per year I've encountered more FCC experience than I care for.  It's money but they are a PITA.  I learned to create a detailed spreadsheet that tracks them all.

 

I had used a previous FCC for the Oasis transatlantic that was cancelled when the crane accident occurred.  Without detailed notes I would have lost that original FCC and it's use by date.  When Royal fulfills a request to apply FCC they can see all your available FCC and randomly grab one instead of the FCC you request.  Often this means they grab one that isn't expiring next so you have to be very detailed and follow through to make sure FCC is applied in the order they expire.  

 

It's money you have earned one way or another but if you end up with multiple FCC in play it grows into a lot of effort to keep them all straight.  

[Thorben-Hendrik]

Good advice! 👍

Trying to juggle 4 FCC on 3 cruises.... with that B2B that might be a problem unless I get them to split the FCC right away.... 🙄 😱

[twangster]

Well, well.  Just now my residual FCC came through.  Even though I'm booked through a TA they sent it to my email.  

 

Use by date is 10/30/2020.  Not sure how they calculated that.  I had briefly applied it to a 10/30/2019 sailing then moved it to the May cruise so I wouldn't have to wait until November for the residual FCC to be available.  Somehow that caused them to extend the date beyond the one year anniversary of the cancelled Oasis TA (4/21/2019).  

 

In all other respects it looks like a standard FCC.  

Edited June 3, 2019 by twangster

[Thorben-Hendrik]

10 minutes ago, twangster said:

Use by date is 10/30/2020.  Not sure how they calculated that.  I had briefly applied it to a 10/30/2019 sailing then moved it to the May cruise so I wouldn't have to wait until November for the residual FCC to be available.  Somehow that caused them to extend the date beyond the one year anniversary of the cancelled Oasis TA (4/21/2019).  

Now if the leftover FCC gets a new exp. date I am all good......I should know in a few days - just asked my TA to check on the first leftover one....👍

For some reason they always send them to my TA....🤔

[Thorben-Hendrik]

 OK now it seems clear! 

My new leftover FCC got a new date - so I should not run into any problems! 😀

Seems the left over FCC always get a new expiration date.... which seems to be the case! 👍

I guess it is just too much work for them to look up the old date and then manually adjusted it! 👍

I assume it's an automatic process so the expiration date is always going to be new! 👍