FCC and Vaccine Requirement

[Hammergirl]

So we have $1000 in FCC's for a 2020 cruise. They are for a suite, so we were not given the option of a full refund (we cancelled before the cruise was cancelled). I have a question about them. We are not vaccinated and as far as I can tell, we are not allowed to cruise without getting vaccinated. I am curious what we might be able to do in order to get our money back. I do not feel it is fair for them to keep our $1000 when they switched the contract terms in a major way that does not allow us to actually sail. Please do not tell me to just get vaccinated, I am not interested in getting into a debate about that. I am just wondering if there is anything that we can do to get our money back. 

[Merion_Mom]

No.  Vaccination is your only avenue to using your FCC.

[Biker19]

1 hour ago, Hammergirl said:

I am just wondering if there is anything that we can do to get our money back

Book any sailing before the end of the month using the FCC and then cancel requesting a refund since you can’t meet the protocols. 

[molly361]

12 minutes ago, Biker19 said:

Book any sailing before the end of the month using the FCC and then cancel requesting a refund since you can’t meet the protocols. 

I second that

[molly361]

13 minutes ago, Biker19 said:

Book any sailing before the end of the month using the FCC and then cancel requesting a refund since you can’t meet the protocols. 

Not sure if that would work booking an October cruise since the protocols are already announced.  That said book a November cruise , apply your FCC and then do as Biker said once the protocols are announced.

[Joseph2017China]

you can just call RCCL and see what cruises do not require a vaccine and/or ask them about it.  The contract terms were switched because of a little thing called the CDC and Government restricted the cruise lines ..... but the cruise line did not  change the rules.  You cancelled the cruise, so they followed the contract and gave you FCC.  By the way, I did not same thing, and got FCC.  I already used it.  Your vaccination choice, is your choice and the main reason for the vaccination rule is that the islands are currently requiring it, so the cruise line has no choice but to require it.  

Edited October 9, 2021 by Joseph2017China

[JimVB]

2 hours ago, Biker19 said:

Book any sailing before the end of the month using the FCC and then cancel requesting a refund since you can’t meet the protocols. 

I have a CWC FCC that I'm planning to apply to an April 2022 transatlantic cruise that I booked many months ago.  Is it reasonable for me to expect that I would be able to get a refund if any COVID protocols remain next April?  I'm not keen to take a one way cruise to a distant port if end of cruise testing requirements are still in place.

[Biker19]

19 minutes ago, JimVB said:

  Is it reasonable for me to expect that I would be able to get a refund if any COVID protocols remain next April?  

That’s a more questionable strategy. The chances that both protocols and the generous refund policy will be in place in 6+ months is risky. 

[Hammergirl]

Thanks for the suggestion of booking a cruise for November. Does that mean I will have to pay in full (assuming the cruise is more than $1,000)? 

 

And should I book from a certain port to make sure if they make vaccines mandatory that I can cancel? I want to make sure I don't pick a port or destination where the vaccines are already mandated. 

Edited October 9, 2021 by Hammergirl

[Biker19]

30 minutes ago, Hammergirl said:

And should I book from a certain port to make sure if they make vaccines mandatory that I can cancel? I want to make sure I don't pick a port or destination where the vaccines are already mandated. 

On that you don’t have a choice, vaccination is already required everywhere. 

[binro01]

1 hour ago, Hammergirl said:

Thanks for the suggestion of booking a cruise for November. Does that mean I will have to pay in full (assuming the cruise is more than $1,000)? 

 

And should I book from a certain port to make sure if they make vaccines mandatory that I can cancel? I want to make sure I don't pick a port or destination where the vaccines are already mandated. 

I'm not speaking from any experience, but from hearsay information. I have heard that any cruise purchased with FCC that uses the CWC policies, only get reimbursed with FCC. So you are just basically shuffling FCC to Cruise, back to FCC, accomplishing basically nothing but shuffling paper.

[1025cruise]

Keep in mind that the reason the cruise lines are requiring vaccination is because the ports they go to are requiring it. 

 

For right now, if you are vaccine eligible, and choose to not get the vaccine, you won't be able to cruise. 

 

For those that are unable to be vaccinated, you might look into a medical exemption. That seems to be allowed by the ports.

[molly361]

14 hours ago, binro01 said:

I'm not speaking from any experience, but from hearsay information. I have heard that any cruise purchased with FCC that uses the CWC policies, only get reimbursed with FCC. So you are just basically shuffling FCC to Cruise, back to FCC, accomplishing basically nothing but shuffling paper.

I cancelled a cruise due to protocols that had a FCC on it and got a refund for it

[ace2542]

19 hours ago, Biker19 said:

Book any sailing before the end of the month using the FCC and then cancel requesting a refund since you can’t meet the protocols. 

But she is the one choosing not to meet the requirement so surely she should lose her money?

[Hammergirl]

4 hours ago, ace2542 said:

But she is the one choosing not to meet the requirement so surely she should lose her money?

That requirement was not there when I originally purchased my cruise back in November of 2019.