NCL to cruisers: "When we cancel your cruise, we'll be keeping your FCC"

[AdamBATL]

I had a cruise on 2/16/19 changed on me (due to problems at NCL) and the result was a Future Cruise Credit that must be used by 2/15/21.  If you don't know what a FCC is, it is a partial refund of the money that you paid for the original cruise, but applied to a future cruise rather than returned to you in cash.  You must book another cruise if you want the use of your money.  It is not a gift.

 

Last year, I booked a Panama Canal cruise on 1/16/21.  As I have been watching month after month of cruises being canceled by NCL, I contacted guest relations to see whether my FCC would be extended to the same time as the FCCs they're issuing for cash deposits on this cruise.  The answer is a resounding "no".  They will return the FCC to me, with the original expiration date, meaning that it will expire with no opportunity to use it, meaning that they will be helping themselves to my money - money they should have been refunded when the original cruise was changed:

 

"After a thorough review of your file, it was determined that your concerns were appropriately addressed.  Unfortunately, we feel there is little we can add without reiterating what has already been mentioned previously.
In the event your future reservation is cancelled, any future cruise credit or CruiseNext Deposit applied as payment will be returned to your latitude account with the existing expiration dates.

...

While we are sorry to learn of your continued disappointment with our previous responses, our position in this matter remains firm.  Regrettably, we are unable to extend any further consideration for this issue. "

 

Will I do business with a company that feels that they can simply elect to keep my money rather than extend the deadline so I can use my FCC as it was originally intended?  No, when they swipe my money, I'm done with them.  Should you do business with such a company?

[oteixeira]

Well, maybe the cruise is going?  I do think there will be cruising in the beginning of 2021.  If it is cancelled by them, I agree that they should give you a new FCC with new expiration date, but only if/when they cancel it on you.

 

[Funky Fusion FoodsJ]

I wouldn't get all worked up at this time.  Wait and see if the cruise goes.  You're receiving the canned responses, If they end up cancelling then address the issue and I think you'll find it will be resolved in your favor. 

[ipeeinthepool]

I really wouldn't worry about them extending the FCC.  If NCL isn't sailing again by early next year, they may not ever sail again. 

[drsel]

I really wouldn't worry about them extending the FCC.  If NCL isn't sailing again by early next year, they may not ever sail again. 

They should survive longer because they just got another 1.2 billion dollars in funding.

[drsel]

to the OP,

when Cruise next certificates are available at half price on board, it does not make sense to take a future Cruise credit from Norwegian.

always take a full cash refund.

 

In complete contrast to Norwegian, Carnival rewards you with $600 extra OBC if you take a future Cruise credit and that is a good deal!

 

 

[ipeeinthepool]

4 minutes ago, drsel said:

In complete contrast to Norwegian, Carnival rewards you with $600 extra OBC if you take a future Cruise credit and that is a good deal!

 

Only if you enjoy sailing with Carnival. 🤔

[drsel]

 
Only if you enjoy sailing with Carnival. [emoji848]

Of course we enjoy Carnival !
We enjoy all cruises including Norwegian.
I just look out for the best deals available

[drsel]

The least enjoyable Cruise is probably Costa, but then it's also the cheapest

[hallux]

2 hours ago, ipeeinthepool said:

I really wouldn't worry about them extending the FCC.  If NCL isn't sailing again by early next year, they may not ever sail again. 

Despite the article posted the other day (there's a thread here on it, but I guess you ignored it since it doesn't fit your narrative) indicating NCL has enough cash for 18 months without sailing?  And, that analysis was BEFORE the reduced staffing "cool lay-ups" being instituted.  Which financials were you looking at?

[ipeeinthepool]

5 minutes ago, drsel said:

The least enjoyable Cruise is probably Costa, but even that will do, because something is better than nothing

 

I'll wave to you from the dock for your Carnival and Costa cruises.  I hope you enjoy those trips, they're just not for me.

[drsel]

 
I'll wave to you from the dock for your Carnival and Costa cruises.  I hope you enjoy those trips, they're just not for me.

Haha, I am back to the same question -- how will I recognise you?
I can't shout out " who pees in the pool?"

[drsel]

Believe me, I enjoy all our Cruises.
they are the best days of my life, especially Celebrity Cruises.
Unfortunately Celebrity has become really expensive after this virus pandemic

[ipeeinthepool]

5 minutes ago, drsel said:

I can't shout out " who pees in the pool?"

 

Yep, that's probably correct.  But I'm just like everyone else, just call my first name.  Try calling out "Ipee, Ipee,  Ipee"

[ipeeinthepool]

11 minutes ago, hallux said:

Despite the article posted the other day (there's a thread here on it, but I guess you ignored it since it doesn't fit your narrative) indicating NCL has enough cash for 18 months without sailing?  And, that analysis was BEFORE the reduced staffing "cool lay-ups" being instituted.  Which financials were you looking at?

 

Having equity is only part of the issue.  Look at the total debt and NCL has a lot of debt.  At some point you have to ask yourself, can this company ever pay off all of that debt.

[Budget Queen]

2 hours ago, ipeeinthepool said:

 

I'll wave to you from the dock for your Carnival and Costa cruises.  I hope you enjoy those trips, they're just not for me.

Have you sailed both of them?   And not just once years ago?    

[drsel]

  Having equity is only part of the issue.  Look at the total debt and NCL has a lot of debt.  At some point you have to ask yourself, can this company ever pay off all of that debt.

 

I don't think they will EVER pay off the debt in full.

 

They will only pay the interest and keep rolling over the debt just like the government

 

 

 

[PelicanBill]

So to be clear everyone has the choice to take a refund when a cruise is canceled or take FCC.  Some FCC is a gift, that is when more than 100% is offered.  FCC isn't a partial credit, it is all except travel insurance and even that in many cases is allowed to roll over to a new booking if done quickly.

 

The time boxes put in place to use FCC credits is proving to be a challenge and the statements NCL is giving now is these time limits are firm. But if/when it the cruise restart date presses hard on these limits I think they will give in and move them.

 

Are we aware of anyone who has been denied use of FCC given from a Covid canceled cruise yet?

 

[MoCruiseFan]

On ‎9‎/‎3‎/‎2020 at 5:41 PM, AdamBATL said:

If you don't know what a FCC is, it is a partial refund of the money that you paid for the original cruise, but applied to a future cruise rather than returned to you in cash.  You must book another cruise if you want the use of your money.  It is not a gift.

Gee my partial FCC refund was 125% of what I paid!  Of course a FUTURE cruise CREIDT has to be applied to a FUTURE CRUISE, that is why it is called a Future Cruse Credit!

[drsel]

The future Cruise prices will be over 25% more

[sanger727]

In regards to your original FCC. You said that you had a cruise ‘changed on you’. Did you ever sail the cruise that you paid for? What was the FCC meant to represent? A partial refund for prorated days that were cancelled? A full refund for a cruise that couldn’t be taken? Or a good will gesture for your inconvenience. If it was a good Will gesture for your inconvience I suspect you will be out of luck. If it’s cruise for a cruise that wasn’t taken or refund for prorated days then I agree that their response is wrong.

[AdamBATL]

 

10 hours ago, sanger727 said:

In regards to your original FCC. You said that you had a cruise ‘changed on you’. Did you ever sail the cruise that you paid for? What was the FCC meant to represent? A partial refund for prorated days that were cancelled? A full refund for a cruise that couldn’t be taken? Or a good will gesture for your inconvenience. If it was a good Will gesture for your inconvience I suspect you will be out of luck. If it’s cruise for a cruise that wasn’t taken or refund for prorated days then I agree that their response is wrong.

 

In this case, it was aboard the Epic which had just come back from a trip where they rammed it into the pier in San Juan.  So, my cruise, which was supposed to be to 4 of my favorite ports in the Eastern Carribean over 7 days, left two days late with nobody allowed aboard on the original sailing date, and turned into a 5-day cruise to Nassau, a port I have been to a few times too many.  Half the value was refunded as a FCC. 

 

The issue is not really whether the FCC from the Epic was a fair settlement for the downgrade of that cruise.  The issue is that I followed all the rules of the FCC, but they will now invalidate it, when they cancel the cruise in January.

 

16 hours ago, MoCruiseFan said:

Gee my partial FCC refund was 125% of what I paid!  Of course a FUTURE cruise CREIDT has to be applied to a FUTURE CRUISE, that is why it is called a Future Cruse Credit!

 

No need to be a jerk.  Last time I checked, January, 2021 was still the future.

[AdamBATL]

On 9/4/2020 at 9:35 AM, drsel said:

to the OP,

when Cruise next certificates are available at half price on board, it does not make sense to take a future Cruise credit from Norwegian.

always take a full cash refund.

 

In complete contrast to Norwegian, Carnival rewards you with $600 extra OBC if you take a future Cruise credit and that is a good deal!

 

 

Alas, there was no option on my original cruise.

[drsel]

Alas, there was no option on my original cruise.

Even now you can buy them at half price on the FB group dedicated to buying and selling Norwegian Cruise next certificates.

 

Just be careful of the expiry date.

As the expiry date approaches, the value of The Cruise next certificate should keep falling. (According to me)

 

[Broadwaybb]

I was having the same problem. We arrived in Rome last summer to find out our trip on the Pearl was canceled. Mechanical failure. NCL gave us a credit to be used by December 2020. I rebooked for July. We know how that went. I called, and they said the credit would not be extended. I was really upset and contacted customer service several times, but they held firm. I booked October. Canceled again. They will now extend to 2021 as long as the trip is booked by December 2020. I think they are trying to avoid extending these credits, but they will probably come around the closer it gets if there are more cancellations. It’s frustrating, though, for you to have the stress of wondering if it will be extended. 

Edited September 6, 2020 by Broadwaybb