Things to consider if taking an FCC offer

[ilikeanswers]

Noticed quite a few posters are asking about refunds VS FCC offers for cancelled cruises and I came across this article:

 

Here’s why you shouldn’t take a voucher if your cruise is canceled

 

The author's bias is pretty clear but it is still a good summary of all the issues to be aware of if going for the FCC option. 

 

[BlueRiband]

I'm inclined to agree with the author especially where he notes that it's unknown what cruising will look like in the future.  Some posters have made good-faith suggestions on how ships might resume operations but I'd be unwilling to sail under the conditions that were outlined.   (Masks and food from a take-out window?  I'll pass.)

 

The credits also have to be used by the end of 2021.  Already I see a substantially higher fare for the 2021 equivalent of my cancelled cruise.

[clo]

5 hours ago, BlueRiband said:

food from a take-out window?

Really? And what would that accomplish?

[BlueRiband]

51 minutes ago, clo said:

Really? And what would that accomplish?

Not my idea but it was one of the many proposals suggested on these boards.   All of them sounded to me like a ship on which I wouldn't sail.

[clo]

2 minutes ago, BlueRiband said:

Not my idea but it was one of the many proposals suggested on these boards.   All of them sounded to me like a ship on which I wouldn't sail.

Please know that I was in no way being accusatory to you. But I really wonder what that would accomplish. Crazy times.

[BlueRiband]

The poster who came up with the concept of a food "take out window" thinks that will be the way we get fed on board as buffets and shared dining tables would be things of the past. ( I don't know where one is supposed to actually eat the take out food.  I can imagine garbage being left in the cabin for the steward to clean up or the irresponsible ones tossing it over the balcony.)  Some of the proposals sound like "Manhattan of the Seas" with all of the "contact less" extremes going on here.  If any of them were adopted by cruise lines I'd chose another way to travel than a cruise ship.  All of this goes back to the article posted by the OP on whether one should take the FCC or the refund: We don't yet know what cruising will look like in the future.

Edited May 2, 2020 by BlueRiband

[c-boy]

I view this whole covid  and cruise industry like it an  amoeba.  I/we know that cruise ships will be operational again, under what condition we/I don't know. I do know that when this happens, there will most likely be a surge of interests in bookings and no availability as there will likely be fewer ship at the start up and no cabins available. 

[CPT Trips]

Are monetary refunds for paid in full cruises even an option? If so, what lines have people successfully received their money back?

[ilikeanswers]

4 hours ago, CPT Trips said:

Are monetary refunds for paid in full cruises even an option? If so, what lines have people successfully received their money back?

 

All of cruise lines offer full refunds for COVID19 cancelled cruises but I have been hearing that people are given the hard sell on taking the FCC option

[Petedawn]

For some cruise lines I.e. Princess, the FCC May be worthless as their current policy on COVID19 is to deny boarding for anyone (Including crew), who has been tested positive or been in contact with anyone suspected of the virus. There is no indication of timescale For the exposure, so at least in theory, Once found positive or been in contact, Princess will no longer allow you back on board (for Ever?), on speaking to princess a representative, suggested that this Policy  may  Need to be changed when cruising starts again but not yet.

 

[MBP&O2/O]

I was looking at a another thread about FCC’s and the impression I got was that - with this particular company - the FCC could only be used ‘towards’ a cruise and that you would still have to fork out a  separate ‘normal’ deposit and use the FCC to pay for the balance.

If that makes sense 🤷‍♀️

[Petedawn]

Yes, that’s our impression also. I suppose, instead of paying a deposit, perhaps you could use the whole FCC to pay fore the there and then. If the cruise is cancelled no hassle to get your deposit back and another FCC?

 

[K32682]

4 hours ago, ilikeanswers said:

 

All of cruise lines offer full refunds for COVID19 cancelled cruises but I have been hearing that people are given the hard sell on taking the FCC option

 

No matter how much pressure you face take the money. An FCC is a bet where the house decides the payout and there's no guarantee the house won't go bust in the interim.  It is better to have a positive balance on your credit card than be an unsecured creditor with a cruise line. 

 

Even if the line survives and you get comparable value for your credit the new restrictions are at the very least unappealing.  My preference would be to spend the money on a land vacation. 

[iancal]

From our perspective the article is spot on.  It lists many of the reasons why we would never consider an enhanced FCC over a refund.   

 

Edited May 3, 2020 by iancal

[gerryuk]

Well Pullmantur seems to be the first big casualty of all this. There ships have been put into cold storage and are up for sale. The remaining staff who are on contracts, have had their contracts moved over to Celebrity. Hopefully those waiting for refunds or FCC will be honoured.

No doubt Pullmantur wont be the only line to disappear, as most have said, if you have the option take the money and run. 

It seems to me rather ominous that lines like Costa have yet to pay out any refunds months after this started, interesting times. 

[richstowe]

4 hours ago, gerryuk said:

Well Pullmantur seems to be the first big casualty of all this

As they are part of RCI , I've got to believe that Pullmantur FCC's will be honored by the parent company . 

I'm waiting to see the first bankruptcy of a cruise company . Hoping for none .  

[bigrednole]

Some valid points. In my case based on prices for the next time we could cruise, the 125% FCC wouldn't cover the interior cabin price and that would be a downgrade from our balcony. That is the problem with this whole mess. You should be given an equal voucher or a number to call that can put you in equivalent accommodations, on a similar ship, at the current price. I may be stuck with the decision not to cruise at all because of the price hikes due to the 125% FCCs. 

 

If you look at my room category for our cruise on HotS, the price for our category is $5,351. We paid $2,600. Looking over Easter which would be the next time we could cruise, we could get an Interior without any more money out of pocket. The Balcony room is $3600. I would have to cover ~$500 increase over the FCC.