Should Celebrity extend the deadline to use FCC?

[Orator]

Now that the suspension of cruising has been extended should Celebrity extend the final date to use Future Cruise Credits? I believe they should extend to at least 2 years from the date they start to cruise. A compression of time might force people to use their credit in a compressed time that may limit availability for new customers and that would hurt Celebrity. It might also lead to higher cruise prices, we see signs of this happening, and that would not be in the best interest of passengers.

[NinaBlue22]

Yes.  I think more people would take the FCC if they extended the deadline.. we would.

 

We have a cruise out of Italy in June, we are just waiting for Celebrity to cancel.

I would be much more willing to take the FCC if they extended through 2022, but if not, will have to take the refund.

[Fouremco]

My inner cynic says that Celebrity has purposely kept a short expiry date in the hope that many of them won't/can't be used. The fact that you can't transfer them, even to a family member, adds to my cynicism. So, whether or not Celebrity should extend the date, I doubt that it will. 

[jelayne]

We only have 1 FCC and 4 cruises booked in 2021, so our FCC will get used by 12/21 without a problem.

[middlehaitch]

After they extended the suspension the first time I thought they should extend the FCC.

 

When one thinks about it they are going to be cruising at a potential loss until 31/12/2021 because they are going to have  tens of thousands (probably 100,000) passengers trying to cruise on a FCC. Yes I know they did have that money in their coffers, but it has been used already.

Extending the use by date out to 2-5 years would flatten their 'loss' curve and help put them on a more solid footing sooner.  

 

If it was taken to 5 years they would still have a number of the FCC's unused because people would forget about them and/or stop cruising.

 

For us, the customer, it would extend our choices, and, for many, help towards rebuilding goodwill and customer loyalty as we wouldn't feel rushed into a cruise that wasn't what we really wanted. 

 

The 31/12 2021 date could still be the date one can opt to redeem the suspension FCC for monies paid back to the method paid (credit card etc).

 

Not an account, so take my words as a non financial analysts musings.

 

Cheers, heather

[hcat]

Would like to see it extended for another yr..end of Dec 2022. Maybe we can get healthier or the med  note req will soften,

 

We would like them to offer a refund to the entire cabin if someone who is booked  cannot use the FCC for lack of med note. ( we received ours before the whole note thing was widely announced & my dh is under the age limit with no conditions afaik but he is not going to cruise alone!)

 

[TeaBag]

Yes, I'd like to see it extended to 2022 as I have a booking then.  None on Celebrity in 2021.

[downsmead]

All our annual leave is accounted for in 2021, which includes one Celebrity cruise, but after that I have no use of a FCC in 2021 - I have two cruises which were cancelled. If the use of the FCC was extended into 2022, then I would accept more of the money owed to me in the form of an FCC.

[groryjm]

For canceled sailings 12th may to 11th June FCC can be used upto 30th April 2022

 

(https://secure.cruisingpower.com/public/alert.do)

Edited April 16, 2020 by groryjm

[Jim_Iain]

There's another thread just posted with an e-mail from LLP -

Notably for cancellations by Celebrity that are given a FCC -

 

In order to compensate you for this cancellation, all booked guests will automatically receive a 125% Future Cruise Credit (FCC) valid until December 31 , 2021, for use on sailings through April 30 , 2022.   Not sure how to read this as new cancellations announced today or the FCC's for all cruises cancelled by Celebrity.

 

 

[twins_to_alaska]

I would assume the extended date is only for the new month's worth canceled by Celebrity. So cruises that would have been about May 12 to June 11. Earlier ones would still have the Dec 2021 FCC date.

[Jim_Iain]

3 minutes ago, twins_to_alaska said:

I would assume the extended date is only for the new month's worth canceled by Celebrity. So cruises that would have been about May 12 to June 11. Earlier ones would still have the Dec 2021 FCC date.

I think you are correct.   After re-reading the e-mail it is apparent it was sent to new cancellations. 

[mac_tlc]

1 hour ago, Jim_Iain said:

I think you are correct.   After re-reading the e-mail it is apparent it was sent to new cancellations. 

There may be some hope here. see the numbered paragraph below. This is from the FAQs on the travel agent website. It is from the Royal Caribbean document, but I noticed the Celebrity document has not been updated since the May 11 deadline. I suspect it will be updated and the policy will be the same .

 

13. During the latest announcement of suspended sailings, the applicable sailing window for Future Cruise Credit usage was stretched to April 30, 2022. Does this apply to earlier sailings that were suspended?
Yes, all FCCs generated as a result of the pause in operation are applicable on sailings departing on-or-before April 30, 2022, regardless of when the sailing suspension occurred.

[wrk2cruise]

A step in the right direction.

[middlehaitch]

3 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

I think you are correct.   After re-reading the e-mail it is apparent it was sent to new cancellations. 

 

That is what I thought but the FAQ has been revised.

 

Future Cruise Credits are valid through 2021, but do they have to be used on a sailing in 2021?

No. Bookings made using an FCC received from a canceled sailing due to our suspension of operations may be used on a sailing that commences on or before April 30, 2022.

 

Poor grammar in LLP's letter makes one think it is only the most recent cancellations that it applies to.

 

Cheers, heather

[ipeeinthepool]

Maybe it's me, but I don't see myself making any final payments on any cruise before they start sailing again. I would rather not give them final payment at this point and not worry about Celebrity having the financial reserves to provide refunds.  Whenever they decide to sail, I think I could make a last minute booking at a reduced price.  My sailings in 2021 are less common itineraries, transatlantic and Panama canal, so I think I'll keep those bookings but I'm close to cancelling a couple of early 2022 booking to the Caribbean to get my deposit returned now.  I don't have any reduced deposit on the 2022 bookings so I have invested $900 per cruise.  I'm just not sure about the financial ability of any of these cruise lines to withstand a long shutdown.

[stevetod]

Celebrity needs to make a clear statement that for all cancellations the FCC has been extended to April 30, 2022. This would make more people agree to take the FCC rather than the refund. Taking a refund increase the chance the customer will not come back. It's simple business. They should actually move the date to June 30, 2022 to even be more beneficial to Celebrity.

[NinaBlue22]

8 minutes ago, stevetod said:

Celebrity needs to make a clear statement that for all cancellations the FCC has been extended to April 30, 2022. This would make more people agree to take the FCC rather than the refund. Taking a refund increase the chance the customer will not come back. It's simple business. They should actually move the date to June 30, 2022 to even be more beneficial to Celebrity.

Continually changing this date and making it a different date then the Cruise with Confidence option is just adding to the confusion.  They should just give everyone a certain time period from their canceled cruise .. at least 24 months.

[Realrunner]

15 hours ago, NinaBlue22 said:

Continually changing this date and making it a different date then the Cruise with Confidence option is just adding to the confusion.  They should just give everyone a certain time period from their canceled cruise .. at least 24 months.

If your a regular cruiser then you’ve got the next 12 months sorted out so 24 months makes common sense.  Each individual FCC would have their own date of expiration from the date issued, like most do these days.

[PhillyTravelBug]

On 4/16/2020 at 12:58 PM, NinaBlue22 said:

Yes.  I think more people would take the FCC if they extended the deadline.. we would.

 

We have a cruise out of Italy in June, we are just waiting for Celebrity to cancel.

I would be much more willing to take the FCC if they extended through 2022, but if not, will have to take the refund.

You on the June 20th sailing? We are just waiting for that to cancel to get our money back. I don’t plan on cruising this year or next.

[hcat]

We cancelled under the orig Cruise With Confidence. Our Certificate bears a date certain of 12/31/21.  We are hoping to use it in Jan 2021 but have no back up plan if  Connie does not sail...or is moved from Tampa   We would have to find something else to  use the Certif., maybe a short Bahamas cruise.

[hcat]

See newer thread about Cruise with Confidence FCCs( not just ones from suspended operations) ..

 

deadline  may have been changed...book 12 31 21 but sail by later date????  My Certificate stil has orig deadlines

 

I remain confused but encouraged.

 

 

Edited April 19, 2020 by hcat

[Sam.Seattle]

On 4/16/2020 at 9:42 AM, Orator said:

Now that the suspension of cruising has been extended should Celebrity extend the final date to use Future Cruise Credits? I believe they should extend to at least 2 years from the date they start to cruise. A compression of time might force people to use their credit in a compressed time that may limit availability for new customers and that would hurt Celebrity. It might also lead to higher cruise prices, we see signs of this happening, and that would not be in the best interest of passengers.

 

The only way I would take a FCC over a cash refund is:

 

* The certificate would NEVER expire. 

 

* The certificate would provide the exact same number of days purchased and same room purchased.

 

* The FCC is a ZERO percent interest loan from the consumer to Celebrity.  Call it what is Celebrity and quit trying to take advantage of your customers,

 

[hcat]

I agree..best to get a refund! Even that will take awhile.

We took ours at the early stages when we felt it was the best deal. Received  50 % refund and 50% credit... We'll make the best of it or write it off!

[NinaBlue22]

2 hours ago, Joeghartman said:

You on the June 20th sailing? We are just waiting for that to cancel to get our money back. I don’t plan on cruising this year or next.

June 13 for us..Apex out of Rome. We were so excited to cruise on this brand new ship 😥