Pros and Cons of Future Cruise Deposits

[Ombud]

I'm out of FCD 😒 Not sure how I ran out but at least my next cruise is in 2 weeks

[JF - retired RRT]

4 minutes ago, Ombud said:

I'm out of FCD 😒 Not sure how I ran out but at least my next cruise is in 2 weeks

Unlucky you.

Lucky you.

[Daniel A]

On ‎9‎/‎25‎/‎2019 at 3:55 PM, skynight said:

 

Fine Print

.... 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. .

Does this fine print mean you get the OBC and $100pp benefits only if you use FCD for bookings 1 1/2 months prior to sailing?

Edited October 7, 2019 by Daniel A

[Bwana Tom]

On 9/26/2019 at 10:36 AM, rjgdjg said:

My only downside--keeping track of it! If it's far in the future and you have several trips planned, you can easily forget about it. - Musing About Cruising

I've often wondered why Princess doesn't show your FCCs when you sign into your account. It seems logical to me that should be apart of your account with the line and would certainly be convenient and helpful to keep track of which are still active. 

[janert]

Just check once a week or more.  And you might check with your travel agent/large online cruise travel agents. Sometimes big agencies have cruises not available on cruise line page.  I recently was able to book a Christmas cruise on Princess with a large online cruise agency that Princess showed as sold out.  And less money than Princess had shown before it

sold out.

[Daniel A]

2 minutes ago, janert said:

Just check once a week or more.  And you might check with your travel agent/large online cruise travel agents. Sometimes big agencies have cruises not available on cruise line page.  I recently was able to book a Christmas cruise on Princess with a large online cruise agency that Princess showed as sold out.  And less money than Princess had shown before it

sold out.

??

[hansi]

39 minutes ago, Bwana Tom said:

I've often wondered why Princess doesn't show your FCCs when you sign into your account. It seems logical to me that should be apart of your account with the line and would certainly be convenient and helpful to keep track of which are still active. 

they do. it shows in your account.

[Set to go]

Hi, I am new to cruising with Princess and have a question about these certificates.  On other cruises we have sailed, if we booked while on board we were able to get a reduced deposit and on board credit similar to what it looks like is being given here by Princess (benefit for booking on board and committing to another cruise).  So I am wondering if there is any advantages to booking your next cruise on board  with Princess if you are able to go home and look for a cruise and get the same thing with this certificate?  Also, where on the ship would you purchase these?

 

Diane

[JF - retired RRT]

1 hour ago, Daniel A said:

Does this fine print mean you get the OBC and $100pp benefits only if you use FCD for bookings 1 1/2 months prior to sailing?

No. It means if you book a cruise that's more than 45+ days (think world cruise), you won't be able to use your FCD but WILL get a discount (3%) off the price. That could be a lot of $$.

[Steelers36]

Just now, JF - retired RRT said:

No. It means if you book a cruise that's more than 45+ days (think world cruise), you won't be able to use your FCD but WILL get a discount (3%) off the price. That could be a lot of $$.

To be precise, you do use the FCD.  Princess cashes it in and applies it to the cruise.  In lieu of the normal OBC amounts, you get 3% discount off the cruise fare.  If you cancel the booking, you do not get the FCD back into your account.  You simply get a refund of the deposit.

 

[JF - retired RRT]

2 minutes ago, Set to go said:

Hi, I am new to cruising with Princess and have a question about these certificates.  On other cruises we have sailed, if we booked while on board we were able to get a reduced deposit and on board credit similar to what it looks like is being given here by Princess (benefit for booking on board and committing to another cruise).  So I am wondering if there is any advantages to booking your next cruise on board  with Princess if you are able to go home and look for a cruise and get the same thing with this certificate?  Also, where on the ship would you purchase these?

 

Diane

No extra benefit. You get the same if you book on board (unless they've added something extra - happens once in a while) or buy a FCD and relax at home to decide which cruise you want to book.

Hint: buy more than one if you like your first Princess cruise.

[Steelers36]

5 minutes ago, Set to go said:

Hi, I am new to cruising with Princess and have a question about these certificates.  On other cruises we have sailed, if we booked while on board we were able to get a reduced deposit and on board credit similar to what it looks like is being given here by Princess (benefit for booking on board and committing to another cruise).  So I am wondering if there is any advantages to booking your next cruise on board  with Princess if you are able to go home and look for a cruise and get the same thing with this certificate?  Also, where on the ship would you purchase these?

 

Diane

If you book on board, in reality you are purchasing a $100 FCD each and then immediately applying it to whatever voyage you book.  You then receive the appropriate OBC bonus.  This is no different than if you just purchase the FCD on board and book a cruise later.  There have been reports of random promotions where you might get additional (double) OBC if book on board for selected itineraries that might be on special offer.  Otherwise, no advantage.  You can also have the booking coded for your TA. 

 

There is a form to fill out and turn in to the Future Cruise Consultant office.  Pick up a form there and there is a letter slot.  You can also download and print the form from your Cruise Personalizer.

[4cats4me]

What possible downside could there be to getting free OBCs or Only having to tender your FCD instead of having to come up with huge deposits on cruises?

We always buy a few when onboard.  

They’re fully  refundable if you don’t use them within 2 years.  

(They used to be good for 4 years AND give you double OBC)

[skynight]

1 hour ago, Set to go said:

Hi, I am new to cruising with Princess and have a question about these certificates.  On other cruises we have sailed, if we booked while on board we were able to get a reduced deposit and on board credit similar to what it looks like is being given here by Princess (benefit for booking on board and committing to another cruise).  So I am wondering if there is any advantages to booking your next cruise on board  with Princess if you are able to go home and look for a cruise and get the same thing with this certificate?  Also, where on the ship would you purchase these?

 

Diane

If you are on a medallion cruise if you want you can purchase the FCD's right on from your smart device.

Remember FCD's are charged directly to your credit card and not to your on board account.

Also remember that FCD's are individual. This means that if you travel as a couple each person has to have one in their own name in order for both to receive the benefits of the $100 deposit and the OBC. If you are unsure how it works visit the Future Cruise Consultant on board.

We try to have more than one per person.

[Thrak]

3 hours ago, Bwana Tom said:

I've often wondered why Princess doesn't show your FCCs when you sign into your account. It seems logical to me that should be apart of your account with the line and would certainly be convenient and helpful to keep track of which are still active. 

 

Login to the Princess site. Go to My Profile. Check under "Circle Savings Account". I had 6 available but currently have 5 cruises booked so I obviously need to purchase more on our upcoming cruise..

 

 

 

Edited October 7, 2019 by Thrak

[jangor]

On 9/25/2019 at 4:02 PM, Thrak said:

I can't imagine not purchasing FCD. On our last cruise we purchased 3 each - we already had 2 cruises booked using FCD (not counting the one we were on) and one "extra" FCD each on hand. Not long ago we booked a B2B2B in Australia/New Zealand for next fall. Now we're down to one FCD each and will purchase more next month when we cruise. What is not to like about them? We get to book with the $100 FCD as our deposits and we get free OBC for doing so. If we don't use them (Hah! Not like that is likely to happen!) we get the money back. All we "may" have lost is the "interest" (yeah, right...) we may have earned on that money.

Excellent idea.  For years, we have taken one cruise annually and lots of land/air travel to visit our children who live all over the country, as well as other places where we want more land time (Last Sept. to Ireland to visit ancestral home).  We only had one FCD each, which we used to book Caribbean cruise.  Then we decided to cruise to Norway and had to pay 10% deposit.  Ouch!  We learned our lesson and will get several on our December cruise.