"Option 1" questions about FCC and refunds

[IPB4IGO]

Like so many others, we received notice today that our June cruise is cancelled.  Under Option 1 we can get 125% FCC on the base cruise fare.

Questions:

 

1. What, if anything, can I do about travel insurance that was purchased not from HAL but from the  Big Box store?

 

2. Is HAL going to simply refund the port fees and taxes under this option?

 

Thanks

[Cruising-along]

9 minutes ago, IPB4IGO said:

2. Is HAL going to simply refund the port fees and taxes under this option?

Port fees and taxes will be credited back to your credit card.  When our April 2 cruise was canceled we chose Option 1 and at that time (mid-March) they said it would take 3-4 weeks.  Today they're saying up to 60 days.  So we just wait in line 😉  

 

[strickerj]

My understanding on question 2 is yes, the taxes and port fees get refunded, and your 125% FCC is from the base fare.

 

As for insurance, I don't have experience with the big box travel agent, but I bought trip insurance from an insurance company (through insuremytrip.com), and they provided the option of canceling the policy for a credit to be applied to your rescheduled trip, provided a claim hadn't been made on the policy already. You might check if your policy has a similar offer. Good luck!

[CruiserBruce]

Why wouldn't the port fees and taxes be refunded...you aren't sailing, the ship isn't going to the port and incurring those expenses.

 

You won't get the premium back for your insurance, but if you book another cruise directly, the premium will usually be applied to that cruise.

[fusion927]

14 hours ago, IPB4IGO said:

 

1. What, if anything, can I do about travel insurance that was purchased not from HAL but from the  Big Box store?

 

 

Our cruise was also cancelled.  We have insurance through the same provider (at least it sounds like it).  I called them (virtually no wait) and they gave me an email address to request a refund.  Said it might take several weeks or might not happen at all.

 

I would just call the insurance provider and ask nicely!

 

Mark

 

[Homosassa]

Trip insurance usually would only pay back whatever money you were out of pocket for after any refunds or credit for money paid.

 

If you are taking a FCC for 125% of your money, it is a good possibility that the insurance will not see any loss on your end and will not pay out any money.

[fusion927]

23 hours ago, Homosassa said:

Trip insurance usually would only pay back whatever money you were out of pocket for after any refunds or credit for money paid.

 

If you are taking a FCC for 125% of your money, it is a good possibility that the insurance will not see any loss on your end and will not pay out any money.

 

I don't expect them to pay out on the insurance policy.  But, since the cruise that I insured is no longer happening, they have no risk or exposure (in fact there is now nothing for them to insure), so I am hoping the policy premium would be returned (or at least a percentage of it).

 

It's kind of like a refund on your auto insurance when you sell the car you were insuring (at least in my non-expert mind 😀)

 

[calebandjess]

We use a travel agency through our insurance company. They have us the option of being refunded our insurance premium on our cancelled cruise or applying it to a future cruise. We chose the latter. 

[Caribbean Chris]

We use Travel Guard for our big box bookings. Cancelled a week before departure in mid-March (two days before HAL cancelled the cruise).  Travel Guard would not refund it but did send us a credit for the same amount to use for future travel.

[GRACECRUISE]

I contacted our travel insurance after cancelling the cruise.  As long as HAL refunded all of my money and I was out nothing, they refunded 100% of the cost of the trip insurance.  

[sirvegetables]

Hi guys, I apologize in advance on how dumb this question is going to seem to most of you. To be honest I don't get why I can't grasp this concept, but I guess its just messing with me, maybe it the COVID isolation lol.  Anyway here it goes:

 

What does 125% FCC actually mean?  For example, lets say my cruise that was cancelled cost me a total of $7K for the two rooms I booked.  Do 125% of that is around $9K lets say.  So now I have $9K to book on a future cruise? What if the future cruise I book is only $5K, do they give me $4K back in credit???  Or am I "forced" to book a more expensive cruise in order to use the $9K???

 

Sorry, I told you it was going to be a dumb question 

[fusion927]

 

I am pretty sure there are no dumb questions in this world of the strange and unknown.  Below is what I've been told and through my current experiences seems to be true, so far!

 

27 minutes ago, sirvegetables said:

 

 

What does 125% FCC actually mean?  For example, lets say my cruise that was cancelled cost me a total of $7K for the two rooms I booked.  Do 125% of that is around $9K lets say.  So now I have $9K to book on a future cruise?

Yes.

What if the future cruise I book is only $5K, do they give me $4K back in credit??? 

No.  The extra credit stays on your mariner account, but you must still book another cruise to use it by September, 2020.  Don't quote me on the date.  I think that's what the TA said, but I was still in overload so might have this wrong.

 

Or am I "forced" to book a more expensive cruise in order to use the $9K???

We are doing a little of both.  We moved up from a balcony to a Vista suite to use a little of the extra, but there is still something like $1100 we need to put onto the cruise after the one we just choose.

 

Sorry, I told you it was going to be a dumb question 

Except for those that insist on ignoring social isolation and PPE, I don't think dumb exists right now 😀

 

[sirvegetables]

This is a great answer!  Thanks so much, the big part of what I was missing was that any "extra" is saved in your account and can be used for future cruise.  So you are thinking that "second" cruise would need to be book by Sept 2020.  Do you know how far out that "Second" cruise could be, for example could it be for a 2022 cruise?

Edited April 17, 2020 by sirvegetables

[fusion927]

1 minute ago, sirvegetables said:

This is a great answer!  Thanks so much, the big part of what I was missing was that any "extra" is saved in your account and can be used for future cruise.  So you are thinking that "second" cruise would need to be book by Sept 2020.  Do you know how far out that "Second" cruise could be, for example could it be for a 2022 cruise?

I think (again, overload and too many dates so I might be wrong) it was until the end of 2021

 

[sirvegetables]

Just now, fusion927 said:

I think (again, overload and too many dates so I might be wrong) it was until the end of 2021

 

That makes sense, ok thank you!!! I've been on the phone waiting for their cust support for over an hour, posting on CC was faster!  thank you again fusion927!