Change deposit to Future Cruise credit

[emeraldlake]

If you have put a deposit down on a cruise and then buy future cruise credits, can you get your deposit back and

use the future cruise credit??

[paul929207]

No.

[Reader0108598]

3 minutes ago, emeraldlake said:

If you have put a deposit down on a cruise and then buy future cruise credits, can you get your deposit back and

use the future cruise credit??

Most down payments are non refundable ! 

[jeanandjim]

22 minutes ago, emeraldlake said:

If you have put a deposit down on a cruise and then buy future cruise credits, can you get your deposit back and

use the future cruise credit??

Prior to final payment, I believe that you can apply the $100 to your booking, you will then get the appropriate OBC. Your initial deposit will not be returned but will still be applied. I think that we have actually done this.

Jim

[Pstcrik]

4 minutes ago, jeanandjim said:

Prior to final payment, I believe that you can apply the $100 to your booking, you will then get the appropriate OBC. Your initial deposit will not be returned but will still be applied. I think that we have actually done this.

Jim

Yes, I have also done this .

[emeraldlake]

I just called Princess and they confirmed that if the deposit is refundable, then you can get your deposit

back and use a Future Cruise deposit in its place.  I usually book a cruise when it is first released so deposit

is usually refundable.

[npcl]

1 hour ago, emeraldlake said:

If you have put a deposit down on a cruise and then buy future cruise credits, can you get your deposit back and

use the future cruise credit??

If you buy the fcc after you book the cruise then the answer is no.

 

If you have an fcc but have booked a cruise with a deposit, but then want to use your already existing fcc then the answer is yes.

 

Bottom line is the purchase date of the fcc must be prior to the booking date of the cruise.

 

If it is a refundable deposit then you can always cancel the cruise and and make a new booking with the fcc if the current terms are as good or better than when you originally booked.

 

I go through a lot of fcc's and have tried to do what you have asked about. There have been a couple of prior discussions on this exact issue of fcc purchase date vs cruise booking dates.

Edited August 13, 2019 by npcl

[npcl]

1 hour ago, emeraldlake said:

I just called Princess and they confirmed that if the deposit is refundable, then you can get your deposit

back and use a Future Cruise deposit in its place.  I usually book a cruise when it is first released so deposit

is usually refundable.

Did you ask them if the fcc must have been purchased before the booking date?  Most customer service reps are not aware, but if they try and change it the system will not allow them to apply the fcc.

[emeraldlake]

When I called Princess I explained that I wanted to book now and was going on a cruise in Jan 2020 when

I would purchase FCC and then use FCC in place of deposit.  She said "why sure".  Guess I should call again to see if I get a different answer.

 

UPDATE:  Just called again.  Same answer.  Book tomorrow, buy FCC in Feb 2020, if deposit refundable, will get deposit back and can use FCC.  If non-refundable, just add FCC and you will get OBC that applies.

 

Edited August 13, 2019 by emeraldlake
update

[npcl]

1 minute ago, emeraldlake said:

When I called Princess I explained that I wanted to book now and was going on a cruise in Jan 2020 when

I would purchase FCC and then use FCC in place of deposit.  She said "why sure".  Guess I should call again to

see if I get a different answer.

When I have tried it the customer service reps have not known anything about it.  They would just grab a fcc and then apply it. I found out about the rules when I had let my fccs get low (i go through 5-6 a year ans have a similar number of cruises booked on Princess up to 18 months out).  I called to get an fcc applied and when the rep tried to apply it, the system would not accept it.  They checked and found out that it had failed because the fcc was purchased after the cruise booking date.

[npcl]

Here is the copy of a letter I once received associated with an fcc purchase.  I added

 

"* This letter has been issued from the Future Cruise Sales Department for a Future Cruise Deposit (“FCD”) in the amount specified above. The FCD is available to use on new future bookings only and is non-transferable. The FCD currency is non-changeable. The FCD is combinable with most publicly offered fares and promotions. The FCD will be automatically refunded if not applied to a new booking created within two years from date of purchase. Once applied to a booking the FCD is considered money and is subject to booking terms and conditions in the Passage contract. Only one FCD per person applied to a booking will provide shipboard credit. Shipboard credit is nonrefundable and only applicable to each FCD purchased and applies to the holder of the FCD only, excluding 3rd and 4th berth guests. Shipboard credit is based on the ship’s onboard currency and is not redeemable for cash. FCDs do not apply to bookings on Charter voyages. Reduced deposit and onboard credits do not apply to bookings 45+ days. The reduced deposit requirement for these bookings may vary based on booking dates, and a fare discount of 3% is provided. To make your next booking, please contact your Travel Agent, or Princess Cruises at 1-800-PRINCESS."

Edited August 13, 2019 by npcl

[npcl]

22 minutes ago, emeraldlake said:

When I called Princess I explained that I wanted to book now and was going on a cruise in Jan 2020 when

I would purchase FCC and then use FCC in place of deposit.  She said "why sure".  Guess I should call again to see if I get a different answer.

 

UPDATE:  Just called again.  Same answer.  Book tomorrow, buy FCC in Feb 2020, if deposit refundable, will get deposit back and can use FCC.  If non-refundable, just add FCC and you will get OBC that applies.

 

Good luck.  They may have changed the rules in the last three months.  However don't be surprised if their system does not accept it.

 

Just looked at the on board booking form from my last cruise.  It also contains the words new booking.

Edited August 13, 2019 by npcl

[villauk]

Do you have to use a FCC per person to get the OBC pp? My DH & I both have a FCC but I wondered if we have to use both of them on the same booking, or do we automatically both get the OBC from using just the one?

[NavyVeteran]

8 minutes ago, villauk said:

Do you have to use a FCC per person to get the OBC pp? My DH & I both have a FCC but I wondered if we have to use both of them on the same booking, or do we automatically both get the OBC from using just the one?

If you each use a FCD, then you each receive the OBC.

 

If only one of you uses a FCD, then only that one receives the OBC. However, the other person can book with a $100 deposit instead of with the normal deposit amount. But no OBC.

[pms4104]

4 hours ago, emeraldlake said:

I just called Princess and they confirmed that if the deposit is refundable, then you can get your deposit

back and use a Future Cruise deposit in its place.  I usually book a cruise when it is first released so deposit

is usually refundable.

I suspect the phone rep either did not fully understand the question ... or he/she did not know ... in either case, I believe the answer to be incorrect.

 

The FCD you plan to purchase on your upcoming sailing is for booking a FUTURE cruise.

 

To get a refund of the deposit you make now at booking tomorrow and apply a to-be-purchased FCD, I suspect Princess would cancel the existing reservation, refund that deposit, and create a brand new booking.  By so doing, you could lose your chosen cabin ... certainly, the new booking would be at the pricing in effect when that new booking is created using the FCD ... further, any perks you get when booking tomorrorw would disappear and be replaced by whatever is being offered when you make the new booking with the FCD. 

 

[jennybenny]

I have not tried, but I suspect if your original booking is refundable you can call back when you have a FCC, cancel and rebook your same cabin with the FCC.

The problem with the Princess reps is that they are consistently inconsistent.  Getting a response now means nothing until you go to do "something", anything, because their answers vary.

 

I recently re-fared with an existing booking, that had a refundable deposit to a non refundable deposit.  That process was simple, but I suspect they wouldn't let me transfer to a TA because it was originally booked a long time ago (this is just and example of things that could be inconsistent, but I didn't try and not your specific situation)

Edited August 14, 2019 by jennybenny

[pms4104]

4 hours ago, jeanandjim said:

Prior to final payment, I believe that you can apply the $100 to your booking, you will then get the appropriate OBC. Your initial deposit will not be returned but will still be applied. I think that we have actually done this.

Jim

My understanding is that if one applies an FCD to an existing booking, it is treated by Princess as extra money paid toward the fare ... with no OBC applied.  The OBC is awarded when applying that FCD as a deposit.

 

If Princess has allowed you OBC when you used an FCD on an existing booking, I believe it was a fluke and not policy.

[npcl]

30 minutes ago, jennybenny said:

I have not tried, but I suspect if your original booking is refundable you can call back when you have a FCC, cancel and rebook your same cabin with the FCC.

The problem with the Princess reps is that they are consistently inconsistent.  Getting a response now means nothing until you go to do "something", anything, because their answers vary.

 

I recently re-fared with an existing booking, that had a refundable deposit to a non refundable deposit.  That process was simple, but I suspect they wouldn't let me transfer to a TA because it was originally booked a long time ago (this is just and example of things that could be inconsistent, but I didn't try and not your specific situation)

Princess has changed their policy.  I believe that you must transfer a booking to a TA within 90 days of the original booking.  Once past 90 days it can no longer be transferred. It used to be that you could transfer anytime up until final payment.  Now it must still be before final payment and must be within 90 days of booking.

[jennybenny]

1 minute ago, npcl said:

Princess has changed their policy.  I believe that you must transfer a booking to a TA within 90 days of the original booking.  Once past 90 days it can no longer be transferred. It used to be that you could transfer anytime up until final payment.  Now it must still be before final payment and must be within 90 days of booking.

Right, I knew that, but technically,  it's a new booking.  I lost my previous perks.  

I don't care enough to test it.  I was merely commenting on a potential for inconsistent behavior from Princess on that policy

[pms4104]

2 minutes ago, npcl said:

Princess has changed their policy.  I believe that you must transfer a booking to a TA within 90 days of the original booking.  Once past 90 days it can no longer be transferred. It used to be that you could transfer anytime up until final payment.  Now it must still be before final payment and must be within 90 days of booking.

Princess allows transfer to TA within 60 days of the original booking ... not 90 days

[npcl]

30 minutes ago, pms4104 said:

My understanding is that if one applies an FCD to an existing booking, it is treated by Princess as extra money paid toward the fare ... with no OBC applied.  The OBC is awarded when applying that FCD as a deposit.

 

If Princess has allowed you OBC when you used an FCD on an existing booking, I believe it was a fluke and not policy.

It depends upon date of booking and date of FCC purchase.  AS long as the FCD was purchased prior to the booking date, no problem.  If the FCC was purchased after the booking date the system will not allow it.  I tried three months ago.  I have a European cruise, followed by a TA booked last December.  I ran out of FCDs for the second cruise so I paid deposit.  In June I purchased another block of FCDs.  I called in and the agent went to apply it.  When they applied it, the system refused to allow it to be applied to that cruise.  The agent called to see what was happening and he was told that the date of the FCD purchase was after the initial booking date. That the FCD could only be applied to booking made after the FCD purchase date,

 

I have made bookings with deposit in the past and have successfully applied FCDs that were purchased prior to the booking date in the past.  Usually when I canceled a cruise that hade been made with an FCD, then used that FCD to apply to a booking made with a cash deposit.

[npcl]

7 minutes ago, jennybenny said:

Right, I knew that, but technically,  it's a new booking.  I lost my previous perks.  

I don't care enough to test it.  I was merely commenting on a potential for inconsistent behavior from Princess on that policy

If you cancel the entire cruise (i.e. give up the booking number and get a different booking number) then you will have 90 days.  If you refare a cruise (i.e. exchange the original booking terms for the current booking term offer) and you keep the original booking number then the original booking date still applies. So technically it is not a new booking unless you get a new booking number.

Edited August 14, 2019 by npcl

[npcl]

4 minutes ago, pms4104 said:

Princess allows transfer to TA within 60 days of the original booking ... not 90 days

I wasn't sure that is why I said I believe.

 

Thanks for the correction.

[jennybenny]

1 minute ago, npcl said:

If you cancel the entire cruise (i.e. give up the booking number and get a different booking number) then you will have 90 days.  If you refare a cruise (i.e. exchange the original booking terms for the current booking term offer) and you keep the original booking number then the original booking date still applies.

Can we agree that this is something that could have inconsistency from Princess and leave it at that?

As I said, I didn't test it, if I wanted to not deal with Princess inconsistency, I would cancel and ask for a new booking number as you mentioned.  Otherwise I could leave it up to the potential flip flop of a Princess rep.  Perhaps you have never had a sour experience with their inconsistencies.  I have not been so lucky

[pms4104]

10 minutes ago, npcl said:

It depends upon date of booking and date of FCC purchase.  AS long as the FCD was purchased prior to the booking date, no problem.  If the FCC was purchased after the booking date the system will not allow it.  I tried three months ago.  I have a European cruise, followed by a TA booked last December.  I ran out of FCDs for the second cruise so I paid deposit.  In June I purchased another block of FCDs.  I called in and the agent went to apply it.  When they applied it, the system refused to allow it to be applied to that cruise.  The agent called to see what was happening and he was told that the date of the FCD purchase was after the initial booking date. That the FCD could only be applied to booking made after the FCD purchase date,

 

I have made bookings with deposit in the past and have successfully applied FCDs that were purchased prior to the booking date in the past.  Usually when I canceled a cruise that hade been made with an FCD, then used that FCD to apply to a booking made with a cash deposit.

Thanks for sharing ... certainly makes sense.

 

But certainly different from what the OP wants to do.

Edited August 14, 2019 by pms4104