Cancellation fees for Princess cruise booked with FCD.

[Bluesky014]

Hi, we may need to cancel a Princess cruise that we have booked for January 23 but if we do I was wondering what happens to cancellation fees. I can see from terms and conditions that we are required to pay a cancellation fee of 25% of total fare, but not sure what happens as we only used two future cruise deposits (totalling $200) for the deposit on this cruise. If we cancel will we just lose the $200 FCD’s or would they ask us to pay the remainder of the deposit balance, which would be approximately another $1200.  I can call Princess on Monday, but just wondered if anyone on here who knows what would happen. Many thanks.

[Ozwoody]

1 hour ago, Bluesky014 said:

Hi, we may need to cancel a Princess cruise that we have booked for January 23 but if we do I was wondering what happens to cancellation fees. I can see from terms and conditions that we are required to pay a cancellation fee of 25% of total fare, but not sure what happens as we only used two future cruise deposits (totalling $200) for the deposit on this cruise. If we cancel will we just lose the $200 FCD’s or would they ask us to pay the remainder of the deposit balance, which would be approximately another $1200.  I can call Princess on Monday, but just wondered if anyone on here who knows what would happen. Many thanks.

Hi Bluesky014

 

Your 17 weeks out from the cruise.

When you booked they would have set out when the next deposits were due, I assume from what you said that it hasn't become due for the next deposit payment.

I believe you are able to cancel anytime up till the next deposit paid, and only the FCD is at risk.

Whether they credit that back or not I don't know as I have never had to cancel.

Maybe someone else has knows what happens to your FCD.

 

Regards

 

[OzKiwiJJ]

They changed the FCD rules around 2018 unfortunately so you won't get the FCD back. However you shouldn't have to pay any more. 

[sewgood]

Last month I had to cancel a cruise a few days before final payment was due and all I lost was the $200 from the FCD's. No extra money was required.

[rkmw]

1 hour ago, Ozwoody said:

Hi Bluesky014

 

Your 17 weeks out from the cruise.

When you booked they would have set out when the next deposits were due, I assume from what you said that it hasn't become due for the next deposit payment.

I believe you are able to cancel anytime up till the next deposit paid, and only the FCD is at risk.

Whether they credit that back or not I don't know as I have never had to cancel.

Maybe someone else has knows what happens to your FCD.

 

Regards

 

You can cancel out 181 days (6 months) or more and get your FCD back but once you get under the 181 days you are penalised 

 

 

[MMDown Under]

11 hours ago, rkmw said:

You can cancel out 181 days (6 months) or more and get your FCD back but once you get under the 181 days you are penalised 

 

 

I think cruise lines should change the cancellation date to longer than 6 months in these uncertain times. 

[Bluesky014]

Thank you everyone for your replies. I will call Princess, but sometimes the information I read on here is more reliable than the call centre.

 

[MMDown Under]

3 minutes ago, Bluesky014 said:

Thank you everyone for your replies. I will call Princess, but sometimes the information I read on here is more reliable than the call centre.

 

Agree you need to know the answer before you phone. 

[OzKiwiJJ]

2 hours ago, MMDown Under said:

I think cruise lines should change the cancellation date to longer than 6 months in these uncertain times. 

Longer???!!!!!!!!! So cancellation fees cut in far earlier? 

 

During Covid some cruise lines cut cancellation penalty times, allowing passengers to cancel up to one month prior and and cancellation fees were refunded as FCCs.

 

Princess used to return FCDs if cancellation was before final payment but they had to change that as too many people were booking multiple cruises for the same time then making up their minds which one they wanted to do just before final payment and cancelling the rest with no penalty thus leaving Princess with too many cabins to sell close to departure. 

[MMDown Under]

1 minute ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

Longer???!!!!!!!!! So cancellation fees cut in far earlier? 

 

During Covid some cruise lines cut cancellation penalty times, allowing passengers to cancel up to one month prior and and cancellation fees were refunded as FCCs.

 

Princess used to return FCDs if cancellation was before final payment but they had to change that as too many people were booking multiple cruises for the same time then making up their minds which one they wanted to do just before final payment and cancelling the rest with no penalty thus leaving Princess with too many cabins to sell close to departure. 

Sorry, I meant a longer period where you didn't loose your deposit eg 2 months in lieu of 6 months. 

I usually don't book until after final payment when fares come down or specials, like no single supplement, are offered.  

[OzKiwiJJ]

35 minutes ago, MMDown Under said:

Sorry, I meant a longer period where you didn't loose your deposit eg 2 months in lieu of 6 months. 

I usually don't book until after final payment when fares come down or specials, like no single supplement, are offered.  

Phew! 

 

Cancellation penalty periods seem to have moved out further since about 2018 which is a shame for people who genuinely have to cancel for various reasons, not just because they've changed their minds. 

 

Actually holding pre-final payment cancellation penalties as FCCs would actually be a smart move. The money stays with the cruise line yet the customer feels they haven't really lost anything unless they don't use the FCC before it expires. The cruise line gets to resell the cabin so probably won't lose revenue. 

 

In the case of FCDs they would change to FCCs thus losing the OBC benefit.

 

 

[MMDown Under]

13 minutes ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

Phew! 

 

Cancellation penalty periods seem to have moved out further since about 2018 which is a shame for people who genuinely have to cancel for various reasons, not just because they've changed their minds. 

 

Actually holding pre-final payment cancellation penalties as FCCs would actually be a smart move. The money stays with the cruise line yet the customer feels they haven't really lost anything unless they don't use the FCC before it expires. The cruise line gets to resell the cabin so probably won't lose revenue. 

 

In the case of FCDs they would change to FCCs thus losing the OBC benefit.

 

 

I lost two I bought because I didn't use them in the time period.  They sent US$ cheques refund but I didn't know what to do with them.  

[windsor26]

46 minutes ago, MMDown Under said:

I lost two I bought because I didn't use them in the time period.  They sent US$ cheques refund but I didn't know what to do with them.  

Did you try to use them for your account on another cruise?? on the ship??  

[arxcards]

3 hours ago, MMDown Under said:

I lost two I bought because I didn't use them in the time period.  They sent US$ cheques refund but I didn't know what to do with them.  

You can bank them into your own account, but there is a pretty hefty fee that will take a chunk of it.

[arxcards]

3 hours ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

Longer???!!!!!!!!! So cancellation fees cut in far earlier? 

 

During Covid some cruise lines cut cancellation penalty times, allowing passengers to cancel up to one month prior and and cancellation fees were refunded as FCCs.

 

Princess used to return FCDs if cancellation was before final payment but they had to change that as too many people were booking multiple cruises for the same time then making up their minds which one they wanted to do just before final payment and cancelling the rest with no penalty thus leaving Princess with too many cabins to sell close to departure. 

They used to also allow you a single switch of your FCD to another cruise. They aren't as attractive as they used to be.

[bazshirl2]

16 minutes ago, arxcards said:

They used to also allow you a single switch of your FCD to another cruise. They aren't as attractive as they used to be.

Are they still marketing/promoting FCD's onboard ? Like many, my last cruise was pre covid but have cruises booked out of Melbourne next year.

[arxcards]

21 minutes ago, bazshirl2 said:

Are they still marketing/promoting FCD's onboard ? Like many, my last cruise was pre covid but have cruises booked out of Melbourne next year.

Yes, they are available, but they weren't really promoting them much. I didn't look too closely, but believe you can buy them via the medallion app as well as from the future cruise rep.

[stki]

2 hours ago, arxcards said:

Yes, they are available, but they weren't really promoting them much. I didn't look too closely, but believe you can buy them via the medallion app as well as from the future cruise rep.

Yes, we bought them via the app. Email received a couple of hours later with details and $100 pp charged to our credit card

 

Benefit to us is  getting OBC and being able to use the FCD as the deposit (rather than having to pay a huge deposit)

[MMDown Under]

6 hours ago, windsor26 said:

Did you try to use them for your account on another cruise?? on the ship??  

No I don't think I went on the same cruise line on any future cruises.  However, I'll check.  It was with a private TA.  

[MMDown Under]

Just now, MMDown Under said:

No I don't think I went on the same cruise line on any future cruises.  However, I'll check.  It was with a private TA.  

I remember I was annoyed at the time because I bought them on a credit card and thought they would be funded in the same way. 

[OzKiwiJJ]

41 minutes ago, stki said:

Benefit to us is  getting OBC and being able to use the FCD as the deposit (rather than having to pay a huge deposit)

Agreed!

[windsor26]

38 minutes ago, MMDown Under said:

I remember I was annoyed at the time because I bought them on a credit card and thought they would be funded in the same way. 

Is it too late to ask the original company to cancel the cheques nd refund to the card?   I must admit when it is possible I use Paypal and my credit card so get 2 lots of insurances for problems

[MMDown Under]

1 hour ago, windsor26 said:

Is it too late to ask the original company to cancel the cheques nd refund to the card?   I must admit when it is possible I use Paypal and my credit card so get 2 lots of insurances for problems

I thought if I ever booked with that TA again I could ask them to use the money as a deposit, but I never booked with them again.  Possibly too late now, but their records should show cheques weren't cashed  

[arxcards]

4 hours ago, stki said:

Yes, we bought them via the app. Email received a couple of hours later with details and $100 pp charged to our credit card

 

Benefit to us is  getting OBC and being able to use the FCD as the deposit (rather than having to pay a huge deposit)

We have bought a few over the years, but only ever used one. When they have promos these days, Princess often throws up a $99pp deposit, although the rest of the deposit is usually payable sooner than it would be for FCD booking.

 

For a while, I felt like it locked us into booking Princess, regardless of what else was on offer. I might head that way again soon though, if Majestic is anywhere near as good as Coral was last month.

 

I guess it would be too easy, but I gather we wont be able to purchase our FCD's with OBC? We have a fair chunk of OBC for 11 nights on Majestic.

[stki]

1 hour ago, arxcards said:

We have bought a few over the years, but only ever used one. When they have promos these days, Princess often throws up a $99pp deposit, although the rest of the deposit is usually payable sooner than it would be for FCD booking.

 

For a while, I felt like it locked us into booking Princess, regardless of what else was on offer. I might head that way again soon though, if Majestic is anywhere near as good as Coral was last month.

 

I guess it would be too easy, but I gather we wont be able to purchase our FCD's with OBC? We have a fair chunk of OBC for 11 nights on Majestic.

No you can’t use OBC to buy FCD. Just go to the Casino to take out OBC and put cash onto your CC when you get home