How does the 125% FCC work?

[jeremyosborne81]

8 minutes ago, Ourusualbeach said:

Sure but what happens when you have paid for that cruise in full and Royal decides to wait until the 12th to cancel leaving you know option but to cancel 48 hours beforehand taking a 100% FCC or Royal changes their offer and only offers a 100% FCC instead of 125%

Yeah, that's why I'm thinking it's right on the edge of too risky

[Dennis#1]

On 3/15/2020 at 5:19 PM, Morgan32 said:

Okay, here’s my understanding—please tell me if I’m wrong!

 

Our base cruise fare was $1500 for one stateroom. On my invoice, it shows I paid $1000 for me, $500 for my bf, and $0 for each of the kids (Because it was Kids Sail Free). Does the FCC come back exactly like that? So I’ll have $1000 I can use only on me, $500 I can use only on my bf, and nothing for each of the kids?

And then how is the extra 25% distributed? Evenly to each person in the stateroom?

 

This is what I thought the RCI rep told me when I called, but I just want to make sure others were told the same (especially given how you can call and get different answers to questions sometimes!).

 

thanks!

 

On 3/15/2020 at 6:01 PM, not-enough-cruising said:

You are right on track $1250 FCC for you, $625 for BF- nothing for the kids; and yes the FCC is not transferable; so you can only use yours on you and vice versa 

Agree.  This is what both my TA and RCCL Customer Service Supervisor told me earlier today.

[Balsam12]

56 minutes ago, Ourusualbeach said:

Sure but what happens when you have paid for that cruise in full and Royal decides to wait until the 12th to cancel leaving you know option but to cancel 48 hours beforehand taking a 100% FCC or Royal changes their offer and only offers a 100% FCC instead of 125%

1. If you are not prepared to go on the cruise, the don't try this. If you are prepared to go on the cruise, then it won't matter if Royal waits until the last minute to cancel.

 

2. If they do cancel and you only get the 100% FCC, then you haven't lost anything.

[screenname2004]

Since port charge and tax we paid are not in the 125% FCC calculation, does it mean they will refund those 2 items to our original method of payment if we take the FCC?

 

[Biker19]

6 hours ago, screenname2004 said:

Since port charge and tax we paid are not in the 125% FCC calculation, does it mean they will refund those 2 items to our original method of payment if we take the FCC?

 

Correct.

[jeremyosborne81]

10 hours ago, Balsam12 said:

1. If you are not prepared to go on the cruise, the don't try this. If you are prepared to go on the cruise, then it won't matter if Royal waits until the last minute to cancel.

 

2. If they do cancel and you only get the 100% FCC, then you haven't lost anything.

1. With 48 hour cancellation policy. No problem.

[Balsam12]

On 3/17/2020 at 10:16 PM, jeremyosborne81 said:

1. With 48 hour cancellation policy. No problem.

If the aim of the booking is to get another 125% FCC when Royal cancels the sailing, then you cancelling 48 hours prior defeats the purpose. If YOU cancel a booking, you only get 100%, not the 125% if THEY cancel it.

This is why I said, that if you want to play this game, you need to be prepared to actually take the cruise.

 

[jeremyosborne81]

5 hours ago, Balsam12 said:

If the aim of the booking is to get another 125% FCC when Royal cancels the sailing, then you cancelling 48 hours prior defeats the purpose. If YOU cancel a booking, you only get 100%, not the 125% if THEY cancel it.

This is why I said, that if you want to play this game, you need to be prepared to actually take the cruise.

 

I'm assuming they will cancel WELL before the 48 hour cancellation period. But if not, I would invoke that and not lose anything.

[publicpersona]

Has anyone who has received FCC under the current COVID-19 cancelled sailings policy seen the fine print for the FCC? Wording about combinability with discounts, promos, Tuesday sales, etc.?

[publicpersona]

Has anyone who has received FCC under the current COVID-19 cancelled sailings policy seen the fine print for the FCC? Wording about combinability with discounts, promos, Tuesday sales, etc.?

 

[molly361]

31 minutes ago, publicpersona said:

Has anyone who has received FCC under the current COVID-19 cancelled sailings policy seen the fine print for the FCC? Wording about combinability with discounts, promos, Tuesday sales, etc.?

 

What does it say?  Can you post it?

[publicpersona]

12 minutes ago, molly361 said:

What does it say?  Can you post it?

 

I have not seen it. That's why I was asking.

[molly361]

7 minutes ago, publicpersona said:

 

I have not seen it. That's why I was asking.

Oh I thought you were saying that the certificate had restrictions on it

[Ourusualbeach]

52 minutes ago, publicpersona said:

Has anyone who has received FCC under the current COVID-19 cancelled sailings policy seen the fine print for the FCC? Wording about combinability with discounts, promos, Tuesday sales, etc.?

 

FCC’s can generally be applied to most bookings with any promotion.

[Dennis#1]

8 hours ago, Ourusualbeach said:

FCC’s can generally be applied to most bookings with any promotion.

Isn’t use of the FCC the same as making a payment on your cruise.   My understanding is that it does not reduce the Cruise Fair.

[molly361]

5 hours ago, Dennis#1 said:

Isn’t use of the FCC the same as making a payment on your cruise.   My understanding is that it does not reduce the Cruise Fair.

I hope Ken will say that it has changed but the last time I used one instead of showing up as a credit (payment) they manipulated the cruise fares to reflect the FCC (lowered the actual fare by the amount of the FCC)

Edited March 20, 2020 by molly361

[cruisegirl1]

18 minutes ago, molly361 said:

I hope Ken will say that it has changed but the last time I used one instead of showing up as a credit (payment) they manipulated the cruise fares to reflect the FCC (lowered the actual fare by the amount of the FCC)

That was our experience when we used FCC issued to us 7 months ago.  The original pricing is not shown on the invoice (I think that is your point).  Our cruise invoice shows something like $300+ for one guest and $1 for the second guest and taxes and fees.  
 

And to add to what others are asking, we had $781  each. Because the new cruise was priced with a large discount for the second guest, the first guest was more than $781 so we had to pay additional fare. The second guest was much lower and has FCC left over. But leftover can’t be used or even applied to another cruise until after we return from the cruise that used the FCC. 
 

The cruise is early May so if it cancels I presume I get the FCC  back go try to use again. 
 

lastly, seems most current cruise pricing is 30% off so it might not line up to the individual FCC many are receiving. 
 

Good luck all

m

[ScoutLeoOz]

What molly361 said is what I thought my experience was a few years ago when I used a fcc. My concern is I apply fcc - fare now is lowered - I insure trip - cancel for valid reason and only get reimbursed for what is on my invoice. That’s a lot of money gone.

[cruisegirl1]

18 minutes ago, ScoutLeoOz said:

What molly361 said is what I thought my experience was a few years ago when I used a fcc. My concern is I apply fcc - fare now is lowered - I insure trip - cancel for valid reason and only get reimbursed for what is on my invoice. That’s a lot of money gone.

First of all, you should receive an email with a FCC “certificate“ number.  Not a certificate, it looks like a line on an excell sheet.

 

There should be a record in the booking, not the information given to the passenger, but the information kept by RCCL, of the “certificate“ number. 

 When I booked a cruise six months ago, using FCC  I was told if I had to cancel, the FCC would be returned to my certificate number, however It had to be used by the original FCC deadline. I imagine if they have to return the FCC in the case this upcoming cruise gets canceled, that they will extend the deadline for use. 

 

In my opinion, a 25% FCC bonus is not worth the hoops one has to go through to use it.  I had two cruises canceled during this 30 day period. I took the money. 
 

M

 
 

[Dennis#1]

9 hours ago, Dennis#1 said:

Isn’t use of the FCC the same as making a payment on your cruise.   My understanding is that it does not reduce the Cruise Fair.

 

3 hours ago, molly361 said:

I hope Ken will say that it has changed but the last time I used one instead of showing up as a credit (payment) they manipulated the cruise fares to reflect the FCC (lowered the actual fare by the amount of the FCC)

Thanks Molly361.  I was hoping for a different answer.   My TA often gives us additional OBC based on a percent of the cruise fare.  If I apply the FCC to an existing reservation, the TA will recalculate the amount of additional OBC we get.  Another reason to get a Refund (if possible) instead of FCC.

[Ourusualbeach]

8 minutes ago, Dennis#1 said:

 

Thanks Molly361.  I was hoping for a different answer.   My TA often gives us additional OBC based on a percent of the cruise fare.  If I apply the FCC to an existing reservation, the TA will recalculate the amount of additional OBC we get.  Another reason to get a Refund (if possible) instead of FCC.

Depends on your TA.  They are giving extra amount based on the cruise fare as that  is what they get commission on.  Commission is protected on all these FCC’s so they will still be getting commission on the full amount. 

Edited March 20, 2020 by Ourusualbeach

[Balsam12]

19 hours ago, jeremyosborne81 said:

I'm assuming they will cancel WELL before the 48 hour cancellation period. But if not, I would invoke that and not lose anything.

Fair enough. As long as they are still offering 100% , I won't argue with your reasoning, so no, you don't actually stand to lose anything.

Point taken as I missed it earlier 😕

 

[firefly333]

5 hours ago, cruisegirl1 said:

That was our experience when we used FCC issued to us 7 months ago.  The original pricing is not shown on the invoice (I think that is your point).  Our cruise invoice shows something like $300+ for one guest and $1 for the second guest and taxes and fees.  
 

And to add to what others are asking, we had $781  each. Because the new cruise was priced with a large discount for the second guest, the first guest was more than $781 so we had to pay additional fare. The second guest was much lower and has FCC left over. But leftover can’t be used or even applied to another cruise until after we return from the cruise that used the FCC. 
 

The cruise is early May so if it cancels I presume I get the FCC  back go try to use again. 
 

lastly, seems most current cruise pricing is 30% off so it might not line up to the individual FCC many are receiving. 
 

Good luck all

m

Wow that's interesting that you have to return from the first cruise before the leftover fcc can be issued.

 

I have no idea how this fcc will be applied at this pt. Like if you made a new deposit, does the fcc go toward that and you get some refunded? Does it apply to taxes and port fees on new booking?

 

And now I read, only new bookings... if that's the case I will ask for a refund not the 125 % fcc.

 

The overall price of the new booking is slightly higher than a fcc would be, I just am confused what it covers ... the whole price or the total cost minus already paid deposit? Or minus new taxes and fees. If so then the refund sure might be easier.

Edited March 20, 2020 by firefly333

[molly361]

8 minutes ago, firefly333 said:

Wow that's interesting that you have to return from the first cruise before the leftover fcc can be issued.

 

I have no idea how this fcc will be applied at this pt. Like if you made a new deposit, does the fcc go toward that and you get some refunded? Does it apply to taxes and port fees on new booking?

 

And now I read, only new bookings... if that's the case I will ask for a refund not the 125 % fcc.

 

The overall price of the new booking is slightly higher than a fcc would be, I just am confused what it covers ... the whole price or the total cost minus already paid deposit? Or minus new taxes and fees. If so then the refund sure might be easier.

Well the upside is I think I read that you can change your mind after you get the FCC and they will void it and give you the 100% refund instead so if it turns out to be true that you can't use it on an existing booking there is a plan B

[cruisegirl1]

4 minutes ago, molly361 said:

Well the upside is I think I read that you can change your mind after you get the FCC and they will void it and give you the 100% refund instead so if it turns out to be true that you can't use it on an existing booking there is a plan B

This was from last August, when RCCL canceled our Grandeur Cruise.  No option for cash. 
 

Knowing  how difficult and confusing it was for us to use that FCC from LAST AUGUST, we’ve opted for cash for our current cancelled cruises. 
 

m