FCC, FCD, OBC Tutorial

[Cruzbw]

Okay, I'm looking for a tutorial from you knowledgeable folks!  What is the difference between the Future Cruise Credit and Future Cruise Deposit?  Regarding the Onboard Credit, typically when is it refundable versus non-refundable?  We had an earlier cruise booking cancelled by Princess, and they sweetened the pot with some additional Credit or Deposit.  I don't know if we received a FCC or FCD, as I have now used that on another booking.  The new booking MAYYYY have to be canceled due to a couple of our party lagging on passport renewals.  But I want to see what I have in the Princess bank.  Thanks folks.

[nocl]

FCD is future cruise deposits. they are the 100 US credit that you buy on board and can use when you book a cruise and earn you additional obc depending on cabin type and length of cruise.

 

FCC is future cruise credits such as those you get when your cruise is canceled and you select taking the credit instead of a cash refund.

 

As far as OBC  the military OBC is refundable, the other obc you get directly from Princess is not. If you get obc from your TA that is usually refundable if it comes from them and not Princess.

 

If you buy OBC, or get a refund from canceling a prepaid excursion, dinner, etc that is also usually refundable because it was your prepaid funds for a service you decided you did not want once you were on board ship.

Edited December 11, 2021 by nocl

[Steelers36]

27 minutes ago, Cruzbw said:

Okay, I'm looking for a tutorial from you knowledgeable folks!  What is the difference between the Future Cruise Credit and Future Cruise Deposit?  Regarding the Onboard Credit, typically when is it refundable versus non-refundable?  We had an earlier cruise booking cancelled by Princess, and they sweetened the pot with some additional Credit or Deposit.  I don't know if we received a FCC or FCD, as I have now used that on another booking.  The new booking MAYYYY have to be canceled due to a couple of our party lagging on passport renewals.  But I want to see what I have in the Princess bank.  Thanks folks.

FCD - These are available for purchase while on a cruise.  You can either complete a form and hand it in or you can order online using the MC App.  You can buy as many as you like for you and SO (if you cruise with someone else).  Cost is $100 per FCD.  They will post to your Captain's Circle account and show up there with a serial number and expiry date.  When you login to Princess.com, you have access to see your future bookings and your Cruise Credit info.

 

A FCD is a special type of Future Cruise Credit (easiest way to think of it).  A FCD is customer-initiated.  Each one can serve as a sufficient deposit to book your next voyage (which can be either direct with Princess or via a TA).  Besides serving as your cash deposit, you earn back OBC - the amount depending on both cabin category booked and length of voyage.  The minimum is $25.  This OBC is non-refundable which simply means use it on the cruise you earned it, or it is forfeited.

 

FCC's are something Princess creates and gives to guests when special circumstances occur.  Examples include PCL cancelling a cruise, a guest cancelling using the Cruise With Confidence policy, a rebate by PCL for a guest issue as a form of compensation, etc.  They will also have an expiry date to be used by.  FCC's are generally used as cash payments against cruise fare owed on a future voyage.  There were some special circumstances for some of the early Covid Pauses whereby some FCC given could be used as a booking deposit (not a thing in normal times).

 

When Princess has a promo, that OBC is also non-refundable.  Some TA's give OBC in lieu of a fare discount - and that is refundable.  There is little that is refundable OBC from Princess.  An exception is the Military Benefit OBC which is refundable.  Shareholder Benefit is not.  Another refundable benefit (transition though and will be redundant someday in near future), is the 50% rebate Platinum & Elite guests get when pre-ordering MedallionNet Internet service.  Eventually, the MC App will recognize status and begin billing the net amount.  For the time being, you are billed full cost in advance the discount is on-board OBC.  If order on-board, they just bill the net amount to the folio.

 

If you qualify for 10% off shore excursions and pre-order, that discount is refundable OBC.

 

Princess always consumes non-refundable OBC before refundable OBC.  Any balance up to $25 can be claimed from Passenger Services (PSD).  A higher amount is refunded post-cruise by check in the mail (watch for a rather plain envelope , not from Princess).

 

ETA - LOL.  Story of my life.  While I am typing my reply someone else is doing the same thing and posts just before or after. 

 

ETA - Some updates added.

Edited December 11, 2021 by Steelers36

[Daniel A]

@Steelers36 and @noclwrote very good explanations.  I just want to point out two aspects of the FCD that Steelers36 did mention but could use some amplification. if you purchase a FCD for $100, then that FCD of $100 all you need to use as a deposit which will hold your booking until final payment.  So, as an example, say you want to book a cruise for 10 or more days, normally, the deposit would be $400 per person.  However, if you are holding a FCD for each person, that $100 FCD is all the deposit you would need to apply as your cruise deposit.  Plus, depending on the size cabin you book, you will get some On Board Credit as well.  FCD's are fully refundable up until the date of final payment.  And if you don't use the FCD within two years the money gets refunded to your credit card.  

 

You can also see the answers to your questions on this Princess web page:

Princess® Cruise Credits - What are Cruise Credits? - Princess Cruises

 

[JF - retired RRT]

All excellent information. One more item:

If you have refundable OBC left at the end of the cruise...

$25 or less - go to Passenger Svcs and get the cash (there have been reports that if you don't cash it out, you will lose it).

>$25 - a check will be mailed. The last check that I got (pre-covid) had Princess as part of the return address. Made it a lot easier to identify it as "not junk mail".

[Cruzbw]

Sorry to respond to this thread so late.  I'm the OP.  All excellent, excellent information presented well to me.  Thank you much, I am so much smarter now than before.  Thank you.

[Tedferg]

14 hours ago, Cruzbw said:

I am so much smarter now than before.  Thank you.

I think 'Smartness' is constant, perhaps you are more 'informed' 🙂

Very Smart to ask for Information on this board !!

[TonyM99]

Excellent points made but let me add a question into the pot -

We had 4 lots of FCD (2 each) - First was used for a cruise in April 2022 But this has been cancelled 

WE then booked another cruise for Feb 2022 using one each 

On checking the status of my FCD's expecting to see one remaining still ie the first cancelled cruise being refunded. I actually found out Princess on the cancellation had converted the FCD to a FCC and in doing do added a notional £25 worth of FCC each. So the second booking and I wasn't actually aware of all of this at the time used both the FCD and FCC - problem is can I would assume most people are the same in that we buy the FCD for the benefit of OBC- OK we got OBC for the second cruise form the FCD used BUT by converting the first lot we had lost the benefit of OBC. 

Ive telephoned Princess which didn't help and emailed customer services with no response except the initial auto reply.

I am sure that I read in a thread somewhere members in the USA raising the same concern and by complaining were able to get a gesture of some additional OBC

If this rings a bell to anyone and they can give me a better email address - Much appreciated  

[MountainEER74]

I have another question.  Yesterday I rebooked my airfare to save over $300. This was after final payment but before the deadline for making air changes.  Instead of a refund, Princess put the savings back into my wife's FCC account.  Can this be converted to OBC?  We do not plan on taking another Princess cruise this year which is when the FCC needs to be used.  It appears instead of saving me $300 I saved Princess $300.  Tried to call Princess today but got kicked off because of wait times.

 

Thanks,

Roger

[Tedferg]

On 1/3/2022 at 8:34 AM, TonyM99 said:

. I actually found out Princess on the cancellation had converted the FCD to a FCC and in doing do added a notional £25 worth of FCC each. So the second booking and I wasn't actually aware of all of this at the time used both the FCD and FCC - problem is can I would assume most people are the same in that we buy the FCD for the benefit of OBC- OK we got OBC for the second cruise form the FCD used BUT by converting the first lot we had lost the benefit of OBC. 

Ive telephoned Princess which didn't help and emailed customer services with no response except the initial auto reply.

 

In the US we had a choice of reinstating FCD or let it slide and convert to FCC with say 10% bonus. There was a time limit, and the default was convert to FCC. Ours converted to FCC but on a subsequent booking it was applied as FCD and we received the OBC bonus. Used a TA so do not know if she was responsible for FCD.

[TonyM99]

12 minutes ago, Tedferg said:

In the US we had a choice of reinstating FCD or let it slide and convert to FCC with say 10% bonus. There was a time limit, and the default was convert to FCC. Ours converted to FCC but on a subsequent booking it was applied as FCD and we received the OBC bonus. Used a TA so do not know if she was responsible for FCD.

Yes it apparently was similar here-  apparently TA made call to get it converted  - As I had already used a another FCD on this booking they cannot give you two lots (4) OBC but I have a resolution that I am now happy wish - Always seems it pays to not give up 

[Tedferg]

17 minutes ago, TonyM99 said:

Yes it apparently was similar here-  apparently TA made call to get it converted  - As I had already used a another FCD on this booking they cannot give you two lots (4) OBC but I have a resolution that I am now happy wish - Always seems it pays to not give up 

Good news. Did the converted FCD show up in your account to be used against a future booking? 

[TonyM99]

11 minutes ago, Tedferg said:

Good news. Did the converted FCD show up in your account to be used against a future booking? 

It was never an issue of the FCC but of lost OBC which has now been resolved to my satisfaction 

[konatyme]

Just checking to be sure a previous answer was correct: if I use OBC to reserve a shore excursion, then cancel it before the cruise, will the amount be refunded to my OBC? (I want to know because if Princess, or one of the countries on our Sept. Med. cruise, requires ship excursions, I'd use what I reserve; if there are no restrictions, I'll probably reserve private ones.)

[TonyM99]

6 minutes ago, konatyme said:

Just checking to be sure a previous answer was correct: if I use OBC to reserve a shore excursion, then cancel it before the cruise, will the amount be refunded to my OBC? (I want to know because if Princess, or one of the countries on our Sept. Med. cruise, requires ship excursions, I'd use what I reserve; if there are no restrictions, I'll probably reserve private ones.)

My understanding is that it would be credited back to your OBC on that cruise -

Also only as I have recently looked this up - IF you book a ships tour before cruise and pay by credit card and cancel before cruise it gets refunded back to your card - If you cancel on board it gets refunded as OBC

[konatyme]

Thank you so much! If we do any cancelling, it would be before the cruise (assuming we don't have to cancel the cruise altogether, or that Princess doesn't!)