Must have Insurance thru NCL to use FCC

[emm126]

They can't change the terms of the FCC after you have agreed/accepted the original terms? I would ask NCL to show you in writing where it states you must purchase the insurance when you accepted the FCC.

 

They can't force you to purchase insurance or any item unless it said in writing and you agreed to it when booked or before you pay for it in full?  (only exception was years ago when all the cruise lines were charging additional for fuel however you knew before you might have to pay extra for fuel up to the time of sailing) If you are paid in full and have a confirmation to that fact, they can't say now, oh you need to take out insurance and pay additional? it doesn't work that way. 

Insurance is not mandatory to travel. 

 

It is a money grab, pure and simple. I wonder are they self insuring these bookings? I wonder will most people not know any better and purchase the insurance? Just when you think you have seen it all, along comes a ploy like this. Definitely unethical and I would say illegal as well. 

 

[tallnthensome]

After all we have read and how NCL has treated people and what they become, I couldn’t care less if they went under. They are a sleazy tax dodging company .

[graphicguy]

Yeah...not sure I like the way they did it, but just call them and tell them to remove the insurance.  They can't force it on you.  I always get 3rd party insurance, anyway. 

[visconti4]

I just got off the phone with NCL. They said they gave FCC for the insurance for my friend in the room for a cruise she had booked before. They were just reapplying the FCC they had given her to the new booking. I did not have my insurance booked thru NCL so I did not have FCC they had to reapply. It makes sense I guess

[luv2kroooz]

5 hours ago, emm126 said:

They can't change the terms of the FCC after you have agreed/accepted the original terms?

Sure they can. In fact, NCL does it all the time with a cavalier attitude about it and say "terms and conditions are subject to change at any time". Service charges $14.50 when you booked? Sorry, they'll be $15 when you sail. And they've just done it again. They tell you you can accept a future cruise credit  with "added bonus" for a future sailing and then a few weeks after their customers take the bait, they move the goalposts....oops now you have to buy travel insurance through us if you want to use the cruise credits. No surprise here. Let the buyer beware with NCL! They have no morals or ethics.

[fstuff1]

21 hours ago, twinsandanother said:

 

Nickle and Dimed again! 

 

[luv2kroooz]

2 hours ago, visconti4 said:

I just got off the phone with NCL. They said they gave FCC for the insurance for my friend in the room for a cruise she had booked before. They were just reapplying the FCC they had given her to the new booking. I did not have my insurance booked thru NCL so I did not have FCC they had to reapply. It makes sense I guess

No, sorry, it doesn't make sense. The narrative posted above says you can not use the FCC unless you had travel insurance to the reservation. It makes it sound mandatory. And the best they can come up with is that they were just reapplying it? 

[tomk3212]

Yet another reason why I'm glad we took the straight refund instead of the FCC even through we had to wait 78 days to actually get our $$ back.  FWIW we usually buy NCL's trip insurance but to "take liberty" and just load it onto a purchase strikes me as unethical at best and outright robbery at worst!  We actually have a FCC thanks to another NCL screw up (an abbreviated TA in 2019) so it'll be interesting if NCL tries to tack on travel insurance when we go to use it.  I'll post something here if they do!

 

As to an "NCL cheerleader" explaining this I'm sure there's some clause buried in the legalese of accepting a FCC instead of a refund that probably "requires" trip insurance be "bundled" with it...lol.  The insurance carrier NCL uses is probably a part of "NCL Holdings"...

[Budget Queen]

Did the OP have NCL purchased insurance with their canceled cruise?     That is a SEPARATE FCC that can only be used to purchase insurance.    

[teach/2/cruise]

I also received the email.  When I checked my summary the insurance was added to our rebooked cruise.  I figured it was because we did have the insurance on the original cruise and to get FCC for the insurance amt. portion we would have to purchase the insurance again.

I was upset when I read "Please be advised that your credit can only be used if you have travel insurance added to your reservation".  It sound like you can ONLY use your FCC if you purchase their insurance.  That is certainly different than what they presented.  

I can see if you had insurance on the original reservation you would have to rebook insurance to get that portion back in FCC.  But what I am reading here, even if you didn't have insurance they are adding it.  That is not right, and in my opinion illegal.  

[Lou33]

How can they get away with this?  I imagine that people who chose FCC are no longer eligible to get a refund for their cancelled cruise.  How can they change the rules after the game started?   And what does insurance have to do with FCC?  If they can do this, then what's stopping them from saying that if you use FCC, you must book a balcony or above, and by the way, you need to buy the spa package and photo package too?  It's like they are thinking, we've got their money, so lets see how much we can $crew them.

[Budget Queen]

Information is like gossip and it’s only partial information at this point.   
 

It could be that ALL the email claims had ALL purchased NCL insurance on the canceled cruise.     
 

Talk about jumping to conclusions!!!!!     

[Lou33]

14 minutes ago, Budget Queen said:

Information is like gossip and it’s only partial information at this point.   
 

It could be that ALL the email claims had ALL purchased NCL insurance on the canceled cruise.     
 

Talk about jumping to conclusions!!!!!     

 

But the OP stated:  "I never buy NCL insurance".  So if she never buys NCL insurance, then she didn't purchase NCL insurance on the cancelled cruise.  And what makes it worse is it sounds like the charge was added after she made final payment.

 

Edit:  I missed post #29, so it does sound like the insurance is added only if you had insurance on the previous cancelled cruise.

Edited July 5, 2020 by Lou33

[casofilia]

I am having all sorts of problems with two Spirit cruises that some idiot in NCL booked as a single cruise.   I have been wavering about using NCL after the 4 B2B2B2B cruises we have booked towards the end of 2022 to use up all the FCC and Discounts we have.   If they pull this one on us it WILL be the last cruises we ever do with NCL. 

[mscdivina2016]

On 7/3/2020 at 5:16 PM, visconti4 said:

We are booked for cruise in Oct, pretty sure it's not going. We paid for some of the trip with FCC and made final payment in cash as to not lose the FCC. Now a few days ago we get an email that they are adding insurance to our cruise in order to use our FCC. When we rebooked no mention of this and have spoke with NCL several times about this cruise with no mention of this. Any one else have the same experience ? I never buy NCL insurance and don't feel I should be forced into buying it now that final payment has been made

They are not allowed to do that especially in Florida.

They need to give everyone a FREE 10 day look to look over the terms and conditions and they must also provide you an address to send a certified letter to cancel it.

 

I have already filed with the AGs office on the FCC issue and its officially been been forwarded to the Consumer protection agency and deceptive and unfair trade practices.

 I have always maintained that once I accepted FCC to be used to book a cruise before 12/2022 and I do book a cruise, if you cancel you need to offer me a refund option again. I have used FCC for 5 cancelled cruises including the Jewel on 2021. I believe I have fulfilled my end of the FCC agreement but they have breached theirs.  That is an unfair and deceptive practice especially since they put an expiration date on it.

Steve

PS. I think the insurance is because of whats floating around.  The question has been if you want to sail and someone gets sick,now what?  The answer has been the cruise line would remove you from the ship and get you back home at their expense, so they are insuring that.

 

[happy traveler69]

I hear you! I got the same notification the other day! I called them to complain (nicely) and they took it off. 

[happy traveler69]

On 7/3/2020 at 9:33 PM, FLAHAM said:

Very suspicious.  This doesn't like like an email.  

It’s real, alright! I got one and called. They removed the extra charges. 

[seaman11]

19 hours ago, Budget Queen said:

Information is like gossip and it’s only partial information at this point.   
 

It could be that ALL the email claims had ALL purchased NCL insurance on the canceled cruise.     
 

Talk about jumping to conclusions!!!!!     

well you have to admit the way they worded that email , implies all fcc. not just fcc issued for insurance. 

[Lou33]

2 hours ago, happy traveler69 said:

I hear you! I got the same notification the other day! I called them to complain (nicely) and they took it off. 

 

Can you confirm that you did "not" buy NCL insurance for the cruise that was cancelled?

[Nicky Mouse]

On 7/3/2020 at 4:16 PM, visconti4 said:

We paid for some of the trip with FCC and made final payment in cash as to not lose the FCC.

 

I don't understand, how would you lose the FCC?

[casofilia]

@Nicky Mouse

 

I don't understand, how would you lose the FCC?

 

Easily if you don't book a cruise before the "use-by" date.

[Nicky Mouse]

2 minutes ago, casofilia said:

@Nicky Mouse

 

I don't understand, how would you lose the FCC?

 

Easily if you don't book a cruise before the "use-by" date.

 

The use by dates have been at least a year out. I was questioning that she paid part with cash so as not to lose FCC?

[Georgia_Peaches]

On 7/4/2020 at 8:53 AM, rebeccac said:

But, if you could prove you had third party insurance, would they remove their own version?

was about to ask the same thing.  We always get insurance but never with the cruise line.  Wonder if you can just show proof you have it.

[jaja]

14 hours ago, Georgia_Peaches said:

was about to ask the same thing.  We always get insurance but never with the cruise line.  Wonder if you can just show proof you have it.

Who knows...but why should the consumer have to jump threw hoops to book a cruise !!!!  Just saying...

[Georgia_Peaches]

1 hour ago, jaja said:

Who knows...but why should the consumer have to jump threw hoops to book a cruise !!!!  Just saying...

Unfortunately, I think the future cruise passenger will have to jump through many different hoops when cruising resumes. 

Hoops like:

• proof of insurance
• proof of vaccination (should one be available)
• proof of being fit to travel
• proof of permanent residence  (to show you don't reside in a hot spot)
• proof of...whatever else is deemed necessary by travel authorities

For some, those hoops won't be worth it.  For others, such hoops will be welcome as it means they can sail again.  They will have adapted by having a folder saved on their computer where they can easily upload said proof as part of the pre-boarding check in process.