Would you take 125 %FCC or 100% money back from Celebrity?

[cruisnfool]

Has anyone called to rebook to see how they handle the 125%

[wrk2cruise]

Past experience with applying FCC says it's pretty simple.  Locate the line item Cruise Fare on your invoice.  They subtract the value of your FCC from this number on a per passenger basis.

 

If for example I had a $1000 FCC for both passenger 1 and passenger 2 they would reduce the cruise fare for each passenger to $899 in this example.

 

[fandangocruiser]

On 3/15/2020 at 5:55 AM, BP99 said:

 

Why are they stalling???

 

It's not just you.  There's tens of thousands of people all in a similar situation.  Perhaps there's a reason you should be at the head of the list?

[cleobella]

Refund. Cruise ships have surprisingly small profit margins, there could be serious economic consequences here and a bird in the hand......

[Blue_Flame]

1 hour ago, wrk2cruise said:

Past experience with applying FCC says it's pretty simple.  Locate the line item Cruise Fare on your invoice.  They subtract the value of your FCC from this number on a per passenger basis.

 

If for example I had a $1000 FCC for both passenger 1 and passenger 2 they would reduce the cruise fare for each passenger to $899 in this example.

 

Thank you! I had been looking for this kind of confirmation. 
 

By applying the FCC against the cruise fare instead of as a “payment”, it will greatly reduce the amount of OBC given by my TA which is a percentage based on the cruise fare. 
 

The extra percentage offered as FCC might not be worth it if it would be eaten up because of reduced OBC on the future cruise. 
 

Just one more thing to consider. 

[hiccups]

I posted earlier we requested a refund.  I think if cruise lines had done what some of the all-inclusive resorts have done--"Change the Date, Keep your Rate," more people would have been likely to have re-booked even without the extra 25% FCC.  I know we would have!

[downsmead]

12 hours ago, hiccups said:

I posted earlier we requested a refund.  I think if cruise lines had done what some of the all-inclusive resorts have done--"Change the Date, Keep your Rate," more people would have been likely to have re-booked even without the extra 25% FCC.  I know we would have!

It sounds a good idea if there are ‘identical’ cruises in the future. I know many itineraries are repeated. Unfortunately neither of my two cruises are being repeated - 4 day Apex cruise before the maiden cruise, and an 11 day Equinox New Orleans sailing over Jazz Fest. The former has already been cancelled by X, the NO one is on the 21st April. There is a Mardi Gras cruise next year but the prices are almost double what we paid, there is no Jazz Fest sailing. I would expect a price increase due to Mardi Gras v Jazz Fest but not to this extent. I have a booking for 2021 and am debating whether to take the cash (presuming it is on offer when X cancels) or a FCC to apply to that cruise.

[jonthomas]

There is now a huge debate whether Cruise lines should get a bail out. Without a bailout, many cruise lines will go under. Once they do, FCCs and deposits will be worth nothing. JMHO.

[Pedro2400]

I don't think they will get the bailout. they don't pay taxes in USA.

[jonthomas]

But they did get a huge loan.

 

Not sure what it means.

 

Royal Caribbean Comments On New Financing Facility

March 23, 2020

 

MIAMI, March 23, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd (NYSE: RCL) today announced that it has entered into a $2.2 billion 364-day secured term loan facility, further enhancing the company's liquidity position.  The facility can be extended at the company's option for an additional 364 days.  The company has borrowed the full amount available under the term loan to further bolster its liquidity.

Including this new financing, the company has over $3.6 billion of liquidity comprised of cash deposits and its existing undrawn revolving credit facilities (net of outstanding commercial paper).  In addition, the company has committed financing for all of its new ships on order.

"This is a period of unprecedented disruption for the cruise industry," said Jason T. Liberty, executive vice president and CFO.  "We continue to take decisive actions to protect the company's financial and liquidity positions as they enable us to keep focused on our guests, our crew and our long-term plans."

 

[Pedro2400]

Its both good and Bad for RCL.

Edited March 23, 2020 by Pedro2400

[Fouremco]

An interesting article on cruise line tax exemptions:

 

https://www.law360.com/tax-authority/articles/1254535/cruise-line-tax-exemption-under-fire-as-trump-floats-bailout

[BP99]

On 3/22/2020 at 8:07 PM, fandangocruiser said:

It's not just you.  There's tens of thousands of people all in a similar situation.  Perhaps there's a reason you should be at the head of the list?

Hi,

I am mostly troubled that no one has gotten the 100% refund on the cruises

that were cancelled by the cruise lines. Nada, zippo, zero! No one who filled

out the 100% refund form (online) got a confirmation (which they said they would send 

out shortly on the online form). Nada, zippo, zero. Please read some of the 

postings to confirm my information. I am NOT talking about FCC, partial refunds

for excursions, drink packages etc. 

I am not saying I am special like your comment implies "Perhaps there's a reason you should be at the head of the list?". I would like someone, anyone to tell me that they got

the 100% refund. That would give me hope that the 100% refund may happen!

[Ride-The-Waves]

1 hour ago, BP99 said:

Hi,

I am mostly troubled that no one has gotten the 100% refund on the cruises

that were cancelled by the cruise lines. Nada, zippo, zero! No one who filled

out the 100% refund form (online) got a confirmation (which they said they would send 

out shortly on the online form). Nada, zippo, zero. Please read some of the 

postings to confirm my information. I am NOT talking about FCC, partial refunds

for excursions, drink packages etc. 

I am not saying I am special like your comment implies "Perhaps there's a reason you should be at the head of the list?". I would like someone, anyone to tell me that they got

the 100% refund. That would give me hope that the 100% refund may happen!

In the same scenario with American Airlines.  Canceled river cruise through France lead to canceling R/T flights.  American Airlines charged us $1,800 to cancel despite France being "closed."  Their offer to extend rebooking at Feb 2021 no help as the rescheduled cruise is in May.  So far, nothing back on my CC and its been ten days.  Refunds are as easy to process as new charges.  The delay is strictly American Airline screwing with customers.  Well, I will not be flying American Airlines to our 2021 cruise.  Too many other choices.  American is just not passenger friendly.  Bailout?  Smellout!

Edited March 24, 2020 by Ride-The-Waves

[jerryd1]

1 hour ago, BP99 said:

I am mostly troubled that no one has gotten the 100% refund on the cruises

that were cancelled by the cruise lines.

 

While not exactly the same situation,  I cancelled a Celebrity Alaska  cruise (3 cabins) last week just a few days after my travel agent charged me for the final payment.    As many travel agents do, he charged the final payment a few days prior to the cruise lines final payment deadline.     As things with the virus deteriorated rapidly,  I decided to cancel 1 day before Celebrity's official 90 day final payment deadline.    Within 5 days, all of my refunds had been made by Celebrity and posted in full to my credit card account.   

[downsmead]

It is possible the TA still had your money as they do not necessarily forward the money onto X immediately. I have heard of a couple of refunds being received but interestingly all were where the person had dealt with a TA and not directly with X.

[BP99]

14 minutes ago, downsmead said:

It is possible the TA still had your money as they do not necessarily forward the money onto X immediately. I have heard of a couple of refunds being received but interestingly all were where the person had dealt with a TA and not directly with X.

 

[Fouremco]

16 minutes ago, downsmead said:

It is possible the TA still had your money as they do not necessarily forward the money onto X immediately. I have heard of a couple of refunds being received but interestingly all were where the person had dealt with a TA and not directly with X.

In most cases, the TA never touches the money. Any charges or refunds come directly from Celebrity, not my TA.

[BP99]

Hi,

I contacted my TA about not having their "confirmation reply will be sent shortly".

They contacted Celebrity.

Celebrity said they got my online form.

But no confirmation email was sent. 

No refund. No confirmation email. Like everyone else.

I'm not in a rush but I would like a conformation that I may (someday)

in the future receive a refund. 

[davekathy]

11 minutes ago, Fouremco said:

In most cases, the TA never touches the money. Any charges or refunds come directly from Celebrity, not my TA.

Same here. I wouldn't do business with a TA that didn't immediately process the CC payment directly to the cruise line(s). 

[davekathy]

11 minutes ago, BP99 said:

Hi,

I contacted my TA about not having their "confirmation reply will be sent shortly".

They contacted Celebrity.

Celebrity said they got my online form.

But no confirmation email was sent. 

No refund. No confirmation email. Like everyone else.

I'm not in a rush but I would like a conformation that I may (someday)

in the future receive a refund. 

Agree that a confirmation would be nice for that warm fuzzy feeling. At least we all realize now that it's not Celebritys and RCs policy. 

[delebos]

We cancelled our two cruises ( after final payment) under Celebrity’s policy of cancelling up to 48hrs. before the cruise departs. We received some cash and the rest was in FCC. We have several cruises booked between now and the end of 2021 so using the FCC will not be a problem. 
 

My question is if anyone has a definitive answer if those FCC can be combined to pay for one cruise or do we have use one towards one cruise and one towards another. Only asking because I’ve heard different things from different travel agents.

 

Thanks.

[Fouremco]

53 minutes ago, delebos said:

We cancelled our two cruises ( after final payment) under Celebrity’s policy of cancelling up to 48hrs. before the cruise departs. We received some cash and the rest was in FCC. We have several cruises booked between now and the end of 2021 so using the FCC will not be a problem. 
 

My question is if anyone has a definitive answer if those FCC can be combined to pay for one cruise or do we have use one towards one cruise and one towards another. Only asking because I’ve heard different things from different travel agents.

 

Thanks.

And those travel agents were probably told different things by different Celebrity staff, as have many of those posting here. The use of the FCC's seems to be one of the most debated issues.

[drakes2]

41 minutes ago, Fouremco said:

And those travel agents were probably told different things by different Celebrity staff, as have many of those posting here. The use of the FCC's seems to be one of the most debated issues.

I'm starting to wonder if I'll ever be able to use my two FCCs valued at $125 CDN each.  If so I'll take a month long vacation. 

[jaynelizzy]

Curious -  My older daughter and I booked the 4/12/20 cruise, did this myself online as I have done several times before.  But for a multitude of reasons we will not be sailing.  I did buy trip insurance so we could opt to get 75% of the actual cruise fare (not taxes) back.  But of course I'd prefer 100% back if they finally wake up and cancel this cruise.   My question: If I were to take the FCC for canceling this April cruise and then this winter I want to sail with BOTH daughters on a historically cheaper-per-person, 5-day caribbean cruise, can I apply the entire FCC just as a payment towards the three of us sailing, or is the FCC designated just to the two of us who were booked on the 4/12 cruise?